God's love

Israel Without Weapons

¹⁶ Saul and his son Jonathan and the men with them were staying in Gibeah^[e] in Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Mikmash. ¹⁷ Raiding parties went out from the Philistine camp in three detachments. One turned toward Ophrah in the vicinity of Shual, ¹⁸ another toward Beth Horon, and the third toward the borderland overlooking the Valley of Zeboyim facing the wilderness.
¹⁹ Not a blacksmith could be found in the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, “Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!” ²⁰ So all Israel went down to the Philistines to have their plow points, mattocks, axes and sickles^[f] sharpened. ²¹ The price was two-thirds of a shekel^[g] for sharpening plow points and mattocks, and a third of a shekel^[h] for sharpening forks and axes and for repointing goads.
²² So on the day of the battle not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan had a sword or spear in his hand; only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.

Jonathan Attacks the Philistines

²³ Now a detachment of Philistines had gone out to the pass at Mikmash.

 We see here that Israel was technologically inferior to the Philistines. The Philistines had weapons while the Israelites do not have anything. It was mentioned that there were no blacksmith in Israel, not allowing them to have weapons, enough only to arm the royal family. It was bad, even when Israelites wanted to have farm tools to be sharpened, they have to travel all the way down to enemy territory to have it done. That must have been humilitating, but Israelites have God while the Philistines do not have anyone to watch over them and protect them.

Even though Israelites do not have weapons, they still won over Philistines in some cases. In cases where God helped them. One example is when Samuel was teaching and they realised that philistines were abusing them, they prayed and God sent thunder to protect them. How cool is that?

Now, as long as God is with us, no one can be against us. Israelites reject God and their king, Saul disobeyed orders from God. How can we expect God to love us? But He still does!