The Only Number That Matters

Jonathan said to the attendant who carried his weapons, "Come on, let's cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps YHWH will help us. Nothing can keep YHWH from saving, whether by many or by few." - 1 Samuel 14:6

Do you find security in numbers? Jonathan thought that numbers were irrelevant when it came to the activities and works of God.  He was so convinced of this "irrelevance" that he and his armor-bearer attacked an entire company of Philistines by themselves.

Jonathan knew that God could save. He might not always do it, but He could. The ability to gain the victory was not, as we say, dependent upon the "size of the dog in the fight," but rather the victory depended upon who, in fact, owned the dog, and God definitely "owned" Jonathan. Even the "size of the fight in the dog" is irrelevant if you are not on the right side of that fight!

It's not that I think some numbers are unimportant. It's just that I'm not sure why we should be counting. Are we trying to impress God? If He can keep up with hair follicles, I'm not sure He needs any help keeping count. The only number that truly matters to Him is "1."

There is one God and one Savior and He alone deserves our praise. Let's do our best to be sure He gets it!

A good decision is based on knowledge and not on numbers. - Plato