00:00Hey everyone, and welcome back to our channel.
00:03Today, we have a super exciting story from the Bible that's all about courage, friendship, and trusting in God.
00:11It's the story of Jonathan and his armor bearer.
00:14So grab your imaginary swords and shields, because we're about to dive into an amazing adventure.
00:20At this time, the Israelites were in a really tough spot.
00:24The Philistines, their powerful enemies, were everywhere.
00:27They had thousands of soldiers and chariots, while the Israelites were scared and hiding in caves and thickets.
00:34Even their king, Saul, seemed a little stuck and unsure of what to do.
00:39Things looked pretty bleak, but one person wasn't afraid.
00:43That was Jonathan, King Saul's son.
00:45Jonathan had a huge amount of faith in God.
00:48He believed that with God on their side, anything was possible, no matter how big the enemy looked.
00:54So, he came up with a super daring plan.
00:57One day, Jonathan turned to his loyal friend, his armor bearer, the guy who carried his weapons.
01:04He said, hey, let's go over to the Philistine outpost on the other side.
01:09He didn't even tell his dad, King Saul, about his plan.
01:12It was just going to be the two of them against the whole garrison of enemy soldiers.
01:17Crazy, right?
01:18But Jonathan had a secret weapon, his faith.
01:22He told his armor bearer, perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf.
01:26Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.
01:31Jonathan knew that it didn't matter if they were just two guys against an army.
01:35If God was with them, they could win.
01:37And what did his armor bearer say?
01:39This is one of my favorite parts.
01:41He looked at Jonathan and said, go ahead, I am with your heart and soul.
01:46What an amazing friend.
01:48He trusted Jonathan, and he trusted in Jonathan's faith in God.
01:52This shows us how important it is to have good friends who support us and believe in us.
01:58So, the two of them set off on their secret mission.
02:01Their plan was to show themselves to the Philistine soldiers.
02:05Jonathan said, if they say to us, wait there until we come to you, we will stay where we are and not go up to them.
02:12But if they say, come up to us, we will climb up, because that would be our sign that the Lord has given them into our hands.
02:20They were asking God for a sign.
02:22A little wink to let them know he was with them.
02:25They crept to the edge of the cliff and let the Philistine see them.
02:29The Philistine soldiers looked down and laughed.
02:32Look, they shouted, the Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they were hiding in.
02:37Then they yelled, come on up to us and we'll teach you a lesson.
02:41That was it.
02:42That was the sign.
02:43Jonathan turned to his armor bearer, his heart pounding with excitement.
02:47Climb up after me.
02:48He said, the Lord has given them into the hand of Israel.
02:52He knew God was on their side.
02:53So, Jonathan started climbing up the steep, Rocky Cliff on his hands and knees, with his faithful armor bearer right behind him.
03:02Can you imagine how hard that must have been?
03:05They were climbing toward a whole group of enemy soldiers who were waiting to fight them.
03:09But they weren't afraid.
03:11They were filled with courage because they knew God was leading them when they reached the top.
03:16The battle began.
03:17Jonathan and his armor bearer were an incredible team.
03:21Jonathan would strike down the Philistine soldiers.
03:24And his armor bearer would follow right behind him, making sure the job was done.
03:29In just a small area, they defeated about 20 men.
03:32It was an amazing start.
03:34But then, something even more incredible happened.
03:37All of a sudden, a massive panic swept through the entire Philistine camp.
03:41The Bible says that the ground shook.
03:43God sent an earthquake.
03:45The soldiers on the field, the men in the outpost, even the raiding parties.
03:50Everyone started freaking out.
03:51They were so confused and terrified that they started fighting each other.
03:56Can you picture the chaos?
03:57Soldiers running everywhere, not knowing who was a friend or who was an enemy.
04:02It was a total mess.
04:04All because God had stepped in.
04:05Back at the Israelite camp, King Saul's lookout saw the commotion.
04:10They saw the huge Philistine army melting away in confusion.
04:14Saul was puzzled.
04:14He did a head count and realized, wait a minute, Jonathan and his armor bearer are gone.
04:21He quickly figured out what must have happened.
04:24Seeing the Philistines in a panic, Saul finally decided to act.
04:28He blew a trumpet and rallied all his soldiers.
04:31Let's go.
04:32He shouted.
04:33The Israelite army, who had been so scared just a little while ago, were now filled with courage.
04:39They saw what was just two brave men and God could do, and it inspired them to join the fight.
04:45They charged into battle and found the Philistines in complete disarray, fighting amongst themselves.
04:51The Israelites chased them down, and the victory was huge.
04:54Even the Hebrews, who had been hiding or had switched sides to join the Philistines,
05:00saw what was happening and came back to fight for Israel.
05:03The momentum had completely shifted, and it all started with one person's brave decision.
05:08Jonathan's faith and courage created a ripple effect.
05:12His daring attack, just him and his friend, sparked a nationwide victory.
05:17He didn't wait for the king.
05:18He didn't wait for the whole army.
05:20He just trusted God and took that first step.
05:24This story is such a powerful reminder for us.
05:27Sometimes, we face challenges that seem as big as the Philistine army.
05:31Maybe it's a tough test at school, a problem with a friend, or just feeling scared or alone.
05:38But like Jonathan, we can choose faith over fear.
05:41We can remember that God is with us, and with him, nothing is impossible.
05:46It doesn't matter how small we feel.
05:48With God, we can do great things.
05:50Jonathan's story also shows us the power of leadership and initiative.
05:55While Saul was hesitating, Jonathan acted, he saw a problem, and instead of just waiting,
06:00He did something about it, and look what happened.
06:04His bravery inspired a whole nation, and let's not forget his amazing armor bearer.
06:08His loyalty and teamwork were crucial.
06:11He didn't question Jonathan.
06:13He just said, I'm with you.
06:15Having a friend like that is priceless.
06:17It reminds us to be that kind of friend to others, too.
06:21Supportive, loyal, and encouraging.
06:23So, what started as a secret mission with two friends turned into a massive victory that
06:29changed everything for the Israelites?
06:31It was a major turning point in their fight for freedom.
06:35It all came down to Jonathan's bold faith, his teamwork with his armor bearer, and God's
06:40miraculous power.
06:42What a story, right?
06:43It just goes to show that one person's courage, fueled by faith in God, can make a giant difference.
06:49You don't have to be a king or have a huge army.
06:52You just need a willing heart and trust in God.
06:55Thanks so much for watching with me today.
06:58I hope you were as inspired by Jonathan as I am.
07:01Don't forget to like this video and subscribe to our channel for more amazing stories.
07:06See you next time, and God bless.
