Covenant creates victory

Last month, down in Mobile, AL, after eating oysters and crawfish, a group of pastors and church leaders celebrated their common bond with toasts.

One of my best friends and covenant brothers, Seth Barnes, raised a toast. Others had toasted to life and to friendship and to the Kingdom. Then Seth toasted “To the death.” There was a pause – some raised their glass, others hesitated – what kind of toast is a toast “to the death”?

In our family Bible study this morning, we were in 1 Samuel 13 and 14. I really believe they need to make a movie out of the books of Samuel, like a real epic movie, similar to Braveheart! I can read these stories over and over, and I want the world to know them!

In Chapter 14, Jonathan gets tired of waiting around and takes his armor-bearer over to the Philistine outpost on the “other side”, but he did not tell his father Saul. Now in Chapter 13, it says that the Philistine army was so large that it had “soldiers as numerous as the sand of the seashore.”

Jonathan says to his armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised fellows. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.”

Now, here is the best part – his armor-bearer says, “Do all you have in mind; go ahead. I am with you heart and soul.”

You know what happens. Jonathan gets on all fours – his hands and feet – and runs at the Philistines with a heart of a lion. He and his armor-bearer take out 20 of them and send the whole camp into a panic. The ground shakes, the enemy starts to kill each other, and the two of them give Israel her victory that day.

Covenant was made. “Do all you have in mind, I am with you heart and soul,” they said to one another. Unto death! And victory came by the few.

To my friend, I raise my glass – to covenant, to victory, to death. Even if it just ends up being a few of us, go ahead, Barnes; I am with you heart and soul!