Cursed

1 Samuel 14:18-27 – Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God.” (At that time it was with the Israelites.) While Saul was talking to the priest, the tumult in the Philistine camp increased more and more. So Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.” Then Saul and all his men assembled and went to the battle. They found the Philistines in total confusion, striking each other with their swords. Those Hebrews who had previously been with the Philistines and had gone up with them to their camp went over to the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. When all the Israelites who had hidden in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were on the run, they joined the battle in hot pursuit. So on that day the Lord saved Israel, and the battle moved on beyond Beth Aven. Now the Israelites were in distress that day, because Saul had bound the people under an oath, saying, “Cursed be anyone who eats food before evening comes, before I have avenged myself on my enemies!” So none of the troops tasted food. The entire army entered the woods, and there was honey on the ground. When they went into the woods, they saw the honey oozing out; yet no one put his hand to his mouth, because they feared the oath. But Jonathan had not heard that his father had bound the people with the oath, so he reached out the end of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it into the honeycomb. He raised his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened.

1 Kings 18:18 – “I have not made trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “But you and your father’s family have. You have abandoned the Lord’s commands and have followed the Baals.

Exodus 20:7 – “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

Application:

• ·         Saul’s foolish curse before the battle brought “distress” to the army and, as Jonathan tellingly observed, “made trouble for the country” rather than contributing to the victory.
• ·         Saul as king “bound the army under a strict oath”, a most serious matter because an oath directly invoked God’s involvement, whether it concerned giving testimony, making commitments or prohibiting action.

All Scripture verses taken from NIV