We do not need odds to be in our favor to succeed when we are working for the Lord.   ~~~   Here is a line that needs to be highlighted in your bible, memorized in your mind, and carried in your heart. 1 Samuel 14:6—Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving by many or by few. NOTHING CAN HINDER, OBSTRUCT, HAMSTRING, CRIPPLE, STOP, SLOW DOWN the LORD from saving by many or by few. Biblical faith leans on God’s word, not odds. Our story begins with Samuel leaving Saul. It’s important to note from our study of 1 Samuel 13 that there has been no repentance, no remorse, no confession on Saul’s part concerning his disobedience. He has only blamed other people for his disobedience and fear. As such, Samuel leaves Saul with no word from God. From there we learn that Saul’s men number around 600. Those are the men who have not hidden themselves in caves or tombs or wells. The Philistines, the enemy army, has set up camp in Michmash, just a few miles from Saul, and they are constantly raiding Saul and the surrounding areas. It is very reminiscent of Judges 6, where the Midianites were constantly raiding the people of Israel, and Gideon is hiding in a winepress. So there is the picture. 600 men in the army, many more men hiding in caves, against an army that is just jabbing them to pieces. Those are not very good odds. But the reality of the scene is even worse than that. Not only is the army of Saul outnumbered, they are also out resourced. At some point, the Philistines had not allowed the Israelites to get wind of the technology or the resources on how to forge weapons—swords and spears. The situation was so bad that the Israelites didn’t even have the resources to sharpen their own farm tools. So the army of Saul had no weapons. Not even make shift weapons. Nothing to fight with. So the Philistines were controlling the Israelites access to metal, and controlling somewhat their economy, and also controlling the roadways by freely going out to the pass of Michmash. Those are not very good odds. And this is the great tension of the text. Notice 13:22—“So on the day of the battle there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people with Saul and Jonathan, but Saul and Jonathan his son had them. And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.” What in the world are the Israelites going to do? What in the world will King Saul do? That is the question. What will he do when he has no weaponry, no wealth, and no easy way to attack the Philistines? And it is against these odds that Jonathan, the son of scared Saul, says to his assistant, “Hey! Im tired of sitting around here. Let’s go spy out that garrison of Philistine soldiers. But let’s not tell anyone we are going.” No soldiers, no swords, no spears—let’s go start a fight! But you know what he does have? He does have the word of the LORD. Back in 1 Samuel 9:16 it says about Saul, “He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people, because their cry has come to me.” Jonathan has the promise of God that the Philistines will not prevail over the Israelites…that the Israelites will be delivered. Biblical faith says, “I don’t need the odds when I have the word of God. I have all the leverage I need when I lean on LORD commands.” Listen to me church, worldly odds will rarely, if ever be in our favor. But we have the word of the LORD.