Lord's Day Sermon
March 21, 2021
The State’s Relationship to the Church: The Lesser Magistrates
Sermon Details
Read passage (ESV) — 1 Samuel 14:36-46
36 Then Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until the morning light; let us not leave a man of them.” And they said, “Do whatever seems good to you.” But the priest said, “Let us draw near to God here.” 37 And Saul inquired of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into the hand of Israel?” But he did not answer him that day. 38 And Saul said, “Come here, all you leaders of the people, and know and see how this sin has arisen today. 39 For as the Lord lives who saves Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die.” But there was not a man among all the people who answered him. 40 Then he said to all Israel, “You shall be on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side.” And the people said to Saul, “Do what seems good to you.” 41 Therefore Saul said, “O Lord God of Israel, why have you not answered your servant this day? If this guilt is in me or in Jonathan my son, O Lord, God of Israel, give Urim. But if this guilt is in your people Israel, give Thummim.”[a] And Jonathan and Saul were taken, but the people escaped. 42 Then Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan.” And Jonathan was taken.
43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.” And Jonathan told him, “I tasted a little honey with the tip of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am; I will die.” 44 And Saul said, “God do so to me and more also; you shall surely die, Jonathan.” 45 Then the people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As the Lord lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day.” So the people ransomed Jonathan, so that he did not die. 46 Then Saul went up from pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.
Read full chapterFootnotes
1 Samuel 14:41 Vulgate and Septuagint; Hebrew Therefore Saul said to the Lord, the God of Israel, “Give Thummim.”Cross references
1 Samuel 14:36 : ver. 3, 18, 19 1 Samuel 14:37 : ch. 28:6 1 Samuel 14:39 : See Ruth 3:13 1 Samuel 14:39 : ver. 44 1 Samuel 14:41 : [ch. 10:20, 21; Josh. 7:16-18; Acts 1:24-26] 1 Samuel 14:42 : [See ver. 41 above]; [ch. 10:20, 21; Josh. 7:16-18; Acts 1:24-26] 1 Samuel 14:43 : [Josh. 7:19] 1 Samuel 14:43 : ver. 27 1 Samuel 14:44 : See Ruth 1:17 1 Samuel 14:44 : ver. 39 1 Samuel 14:45 : [See ver. 39 above]; See Ruth 3:13 1 Samuel 14:45 : 2 Sam. 14:11; 1 Kgs. 1:52; Luke 21:18; Acts 27:34; [Matt. 10:30; Luke 12:7]Outline
- Comments on 1 Samuel 14:36-46
- The Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrates The lesser magistrates doctrine declares that when a higher civil magistrate commands something ________________ or ________________, the lower ranking magistrates have a right and an obligation to __________________ the superior authority. The lower authorities even have the right and the responsibility to actively ______________ that superior authority.
- The Early _____________________________ of the Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrates A. _________________ _____________________ “For if there are now any magistrates of the people, appointed to restrain the wilfullness [sic] of kings … I am so far from forbidding them to withstand … [and] if they wink at kings who violently fall upon and assault the lowly common folk, I declare that their dissimulation involves nefarious perfidy, because they dishonestly betray the freedom of the people, of which they know they have been appointed protectors of God's ordinance.” 3/28/2021 Pastor Michael Mang Title: “The State’s Relationship to the Church: The Lesser Magistrates ” Text: 1 Samuel 14:36-46 Theme: Lesser magistrates are those persons in strategic positions of influence and power below the top tier who can nevertheless provide a protective barrier between the powerful and the powerless. 9 more about your eternal future. You can find their