Faith versus Foolishness

(Message delivered by Dr Jeffrey Khoo at the Calvary Pandan B-P Church 10.30 am Service, Aug 13, 06)

Text: I Samuel 14
What is faith and what is foolishness? Faith is simply taking God at His Word. “God says it, that settles it, I believe it.” God’s Word says, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom 10:17); “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb 11:6). What then is foolishness? Foolishness is the denial of God and His existence, and not believing in what the Bible says: “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God” (Ps 14:1). Jesus says the fool is the one who is “slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken” (Luke 24:25).

In 1 Samuel 14, we find King Saul and his son Jonathan who by their examples show us what is faith and what is foolishness.

Foolishness of Saul

King Saul was by this time a Godforsaken man. He had earlier disobeyed God and HisWord. The prophet Samuel instructed Saul to wait for him in Gilgal. There Samuel would offer a burnt offering unto the Lord (1 Sam 10:8, 13:12). Now, Samuel was late in arriving at Gilgal. The Lord caused Samuel to arrive late so as to test Saul, to see whether he would obey all His words as given by His prophet.

Saul failed the test. He did not wait for Samuel but went ahead to offer the sacrifice which the Lord had not appointed him to do. That was why Samuel rebuked Saul severely, “And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee” (1 Sam 13:13-14). Saul was unrepentant even after Samuel had rebuked him, for later in Gilgal again, he disobeyed God’s Word, which led Samuel to cut himself off from Saul with these words, “Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king” (1 Sam 15:22-23).

Dear friends, do we take God’s Word seriously or do we take it lightly? Are we quick to believe the Scriptures or are we always doubting, questioning and faulting what the Scriptures say? Do we place ourselves above the Scriptures or under the Scriptures? Are we a hearer or a doer of God’s Word? The test of our spirituality, whether we love the Lord or not is not in how much money we give in our tithes and offerings, nor how much time we spend in service, how many meetings we attend in church. Such are no doubt important and part and parcel of the Christian life, but God is looking first and foremost at the heart. Do we have a heart of love and obedience? “Behold to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams” (1 Sam 15:22). Jesus told His disciples, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).

God told Saul that He was with him, and to wait for Samuel at Gilgal for further instructions (1 Sam 10:7-8). But faithlessness was precisely the foolishness of Saul. When Samuel did not turn up on time, he began to doubt the Lord: “Maybe God made a mistake, maybe God is not in control.” In an attempt at self-protection, he yielded to temptation by taking his eyes off God, and allowed the people and the circumstances to dictate his actions. Look at the excuse he gave to Samuel: “Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering” (1 Sam 13:11-12). In other words, “God made a mistake, and I have to help God correct His mistake.” No, God makes no mistakes. God’s Word is always true: “let God be true, but every man a liar” (Rom 3:4).

Many a time, we are put to the test. When people and circumstances go against us, will we doubt God, will we deny the truth, will we compromise the faith? It is a real test. Are you tested in this way? At work or in school, you want to walk in the narrow way of Christ, and do that which is pleasing in His sight in obedience to His Word, but your godly conduct does not agree with the sinful ways of this wicked world and those of your unbelieving colleagues or classmates, and you are ridiculed, maligned, and persecuted. Will you compromise your faith in Christ, and love for God and His Word? Will you only follow Christ when times are good, but when times are bad, you forsake Him? When a robber points a knife at you and say, “Money or life?” how will you respond? You will be wise to choose life. But when Satan threatens you with “Life or Christ?” what will you do? Will you act foolishly or faithfully? He is no fool who replies, “Take my life, I cannot deny my Christ.” Jesus commands, “be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” (Rev 2:10).

Faith of Jonathan

The Philistines had gathered together to fight Israel, and they had a formidable army. In 1 Samuel 13:5, we are told of their military might, “And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude.” How about Israel? What was their military strength like? In 1 Samuel 13:2, we are told that Saul had 3000 men. But after Saul’s foolish disobedience, the number was reduced to 600 (1 Sam 13:15). Numerically speaking, Israel was hopelessly outnumbered. Moreover, in terms of weapons, Israel was short in supply. 1 Samuel 13:22 tells us, “So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found.”

Despite the odds, Jonathan took a step of faith to fight the Philistines. In 1 Samuel 14:6 he said to his young armour bearer, “Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.” The faithful will look not to man but to God. Psalm 20:7 says, “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.” The carnal and worldly man will trust in chariots and in horses, but the godly and faithful will trust in the Almighty God and His powerful Word. The Lord pronounces a curse on those who would trust in the might of the ungodly, and the power of the world: “Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!” (Isa 31:1).

Jonathan’s decision to go into the camp of the Philistines was done without his father’s knowledge (1 Sam 14:1). By so doing, Jonathan acted wisely for his father had already shown himself to be an unspiritual and foolish man, and would certainly have prevented him from taking this step of faith. If we want to seek advice or counsel, seek it from spiritual men who are filled with the Spirit and with the Word of God, and not from carnal men who are filled with the philosophies and methods of this world. It is the spiritual man and not the worldly man that has the mind of Christ, and is able to discern God’s will. The spiritual man will lead you to Christ, and guide you to seek His will through His Word.

Jonathan’s decision to go into the camp of the Philistines was truly a step of faith because he had no army. Jonathan had only his armour bearer. But even if we are alone, or are in the minority, does that mean we are defeated? The answer from Romans 8:31 is no, “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” One with God is majority. Jonathan understood this well. He knew his theology. He knew His God. Joshua 23:8 says, “One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.” Deuteronomy 32:30 says, “one [would] chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight.”

Jonathan had nothing to fear if God was with him. Jonathan was careful to seek the Lord’s will. He sought a sign from the Lord whether to attack the Philistines or not. In 1 Samuel 14:8-10, we see Jonathan seeking the directive will of God, “Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto these men, and we will discover ourselves unto them. If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up unto them. But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up: for the LORD hath delivered them into our hand: and this shall be a sign unto us.” Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” The Lord who controls the hearts and tongues of men gave to Jonathan the sign he sought, and Jonathan and his armour bearer slew an army 10 times their size. The victory was so resounding that it scared the Philistines, “there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling” (1 Sam 14:15). The Philistines panicked and became confused. They “melted away, and they went on beating down one another” (1 Sam 14:16). All this was due to the power of God. The Philistines could see that the supernatural presence of God was with Jonathan and his armour bearer. Who can fight God? No one can fight against God and win!

Dear friends, are you threatened and troubled by wicked men who are using their fleshly arsenal of wealth, power, intelligence, and influence to oppress and persecute you? Jesus has these words of comfort, “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you” (Matt 5:10-12).

Let us always seek the Lord’s protection for He has promised to “cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us? For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him. The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever” (Ps 12:3-7). Be like Jonathan and behave wisely, trusting in the Lord and not in the arm of flesh. Hear the words of the Lord, “Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him: With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles” (2 Chron 32:6-8). Faith is the victory!

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