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EVERLASTING_FRIENDSHIP_IN_THE_LORD_Message.docx|
1 Samuel 20:1-42 Key Verse: 20:42 EVERLASTING FRIENDSHIP IN THE LORD In our journey of life, we make friends along the way. Except for the blood relationship with family, friendship is one of the strongest relationships we make. Who was your best friend in Elementary School, High School, College, and Adulthood? What is the mark of a true friend? What makes a true friend? Today, we find a true friendship between David and Jonathan. Their friendship was based on Godly love. These days it is rare to find a true friend in the world. Not many people have a true friend they can share everything with. Friends come and go. But we can find a true friend in the Lord. A true friend remains a friend forever. Let’s learn about true friendship through today’s passage. Part 1. Jonathan listens to David in need. In chapter 19 David got in big trouble due to Saul’s jealousy. After God abandoned Saul, he was obsessed by evil spirit (1Sa 18:10, 1Sa 19:9). He could not bear David’s success. God is with David, so he had always won battles against Philistine. Starting with Goliath, he had killed so many formidable soldiers of the enemy (1Sa 18:6, 1Sa 18:27, 1Sa 19:8). “In everything he did he had great success (1Sa 19:14).” He brought peace to Israel. All Israel and Judah have adored this David. But Saul felt afraid of him more and more since God is with him and people too. He obsessively desired to maintain his authority and kingdom. So Saul had tried to kill David four times (1Sa 18:11, 1Sa 18:25, 1Sa 19:10). David eluded all deadly crises and, at last, fled to Ramah Naioth. It is where Samuel had lived. He is influential spiritual leader. So Samuel seemed to save David’s life. But when Saul chased him, David could not do anything but run away again. David becomes a fugitive. He needs a help. Look at verse 1a. “Then David fled from Naioth at Ramah and went to Jonathan.” It seems that nobody can help David. Saul did not fear to kill even spiritual leader, Samuel (1Sa 16:2). David is likely to be killed soon by Saul’s hand. At that time, Jonathan becomes a helper to David in need. He is a true friend of David. Jonathan and David is one in spirit. He loved him as he loves himself (1Sa 18:3, 1Sa 20:17). He gave many things valuable, for example robe, tunic, bow, belt even sword. David found a favor in Jonathan’s eyes. He can help David in trouble. And David can rely on his true friend, Jonathan. Look at verse 1b and 2. "What have I done? What is my crime? How have I wronged your father, that he is trying to take my life?" "Never!" Jonathan replied. "You are not going to die! Look, my father doesn't do anything, great or small, without confiding in me. Why would he hide this from me? It's not so!" When Jonathan realized that Saul was looking for a chance to kill David, he spoke well of David to his father (1Sa 19:4). He said, “Why then would you do wrong to an innocent man like David by killing him for no reason (1Sa 19:5b)?” Then, Saul turned his evil mind and took this oath, “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be put to death (1Sa 19:6).” He reconciliated the relationship of Saul and David as before. Thus Jonathan cannot believe this David’s speaking. Jonathan, however, does not stop David talking. He is listening to David carefully. He hearkens to his friend patiently. “David took an oath and said, "Your father knows very well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said to himself, 'Jonathan must not know this or he will be grieved.' Yet as surely as the LORD lives and as you live, there is only a step between me and death.” (1Sa 20:3)” Then, what is Jonathan’s response? “I still cannot believe” or “my father is innocent”. No. Let’s read verse 4. “Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do for you.”” He does not doubt his friend. It is because Jonathan well knows David’s integrity, probity, and genuineness in the presence of God. He knows David never lie in the name of God. It is the great benefit when we make a friendship in the Lord, our God. In God, we trust. In the world there are a lot of liars, betrayers, and imposters. But in God, we trust each other. We love each other. We listen to each other and help each other. It is a great gift God gives to those who make a friendship in the name of him. Then, what is David’s asking? Look at verse 5, 6, and 7. “Look, tomorrow is the New Moon festival, and I am supposed to dine with the king; but let me go and hide in the field until the evening of the day after tomorrow. If your father misses me at all, tell him, ‘David earnestly asked my permission to hurry to Bethlehem, his hometown, because an annual sacrifice is being made there for his whole clan.’ If say, ‘Very well,’ then your servant is safe. But if he loses his temper, you can be sure that he is determined to harm me.” New Moon festival is the start of the Hebrew month. In that day, Jews visited the temple for a special sacrifice, held a family celebration, and generally abstained from work. Everyone bring together for New Year celebration. So David must dine with Saul at this point. He must come back from refuge. Perhaps, Saul would not miss this chance if he is inclined to kill David. But both David and Jonathan cannot be assured of Saul’s intention. David asks for Jonathan to check his father’s intent for him. It is risky. David has nothing to lose. But to Jonathan there is a risk to break relationship with his father. David is a fugitive; Jonathan is in power. There is nothing to lose for Jonathan if he denies David. But Jonathan promises to David “But if my father is inclined to harm you, may the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if I do not let you know and send you away safely (1Sa 20:13).” What is the mark of friendship? If we have a true friendship, then we are able to welcome him even with his difficulty. Jonathan accepts a difficult asking because he wants help David in trouble. More I love my friend, more I can give to my friend. Jesus said, “Greater lover has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends (Jn 15: 13).” God is a friend of Abraham. On what basis could we know such relationship? God was willing to accept what Abraham asked even what it seemed difficult. God listened to Abraham’s plead for Sodom (Ge 18:16-33). It is unlikely to change God’s mind toward Sodom. It was a definite sinful city. God had made up his mind to judge and destroy it completely. However, God did not destroy Lot’s family in this city. Why? It is because God remembered Abraham. He thought he is his friend. And God himself is a friend of Moses. God has an intimate relationship with Moses. He listened to his prayer when he pleaded for Israel when they committed idolatry (Ex 33:17). God turned his mind toward sinful Israel and led them again for the sake of Moses’ requirement. Furthermore, he showed himself to Moses exclusively. It is impossible to see God. But God allowed Moses to see his back, his iridescent glory (Ex 34:6). It is because Moses is the friend of God. God is friend of Moses. Likewise, we can give our friend even it is difficult to give. We can share our precious time, money, or anything with our friend. Let’s pray that we would learn from God’s and Jonathan’s true friendship. Part 2. Jonathan and David made the everlasting covenant. Jonathan and David made a covenant. On what basis did they establish the covenant? Let’s look at 14. “Show me unfailing kindness like that of the Lord as long as I live.” They set their promise on the basis of ‘unfailing kindness of God’. If you want to borrow some money from bank institution, you must mortgage something valuable, such as your house, car, or lands. The quality of covenant is determined by its basis. If you made a covenant with your friend on the basis of something valuable, then it could be valuable too. But how unfailing kindness of God is in terms of this? It is invisible and intangible. We cannot know what it is, if we do not experience the unfailing kindness of God. It would be worthless, if we do not know who God is. But Jonathan and David well know what ‘unfailing kindness of God’. They know how priceless it is! How precious it is! Depending on God’s unfailing kindness, David beat Goliath (1Sa 17:41). Relying on God’s kindness, Jonathan attacked the opponent Philistine boldly and successfully (1Sa 14:1). All they are live by God’s unfailing kindness every day. So this can be a foundation of their covenant. Bible said, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness (2Co 6:14)?” Unbelievers do not understand what God’s unfailing kindness is. Between we and them, there are not common ground to understand God’s kindness. We have experienced it every day. But they haven’t. Therefore, Jonathan and David can make a covenant on this basis. Like God’s love is unfailing, their friendship can be everlasting. What is the content of covenant? Let’s look at verse 16. “So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord call David’s enemies to account.” It is not “May the Lord call Saul’s enemies to account,” or “May the Lord call Jonathan’s enemies to account.” Jonathan considered David’s enemies as his enemies. He thought of David’s success as his own success. And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath out of love for him. Jonathan makes a friend-centered covenant. He builds up his friend and humbles himself. He does not grudge sacrificing himself for David’s success, rather he enjoys doing that. Why? It is because he loves David, his friend as he loves himself. He is one with David. In his thought, heart, and life Jonathan is willing to share everything with his friend. He did not give priority to his own benefit. He has a spacious heart to accept friend’s benefit as his own profit. Jonathan helps David actually and carefully. He made a considerate secret sign for his friend in danger. According to his explanation (1Sa 20:18-23), David will wait by the stone Ezel. Jonathan will shoot three arrows. It will be three, rather than one or two arrows. It is because it will better clarification. And Jonathan will send a boy and say “Look, the arrows are on this side of you; bring them here.” It means that David is safe. If Jonathan say, “Look, the arrows are beyond you,” then it warns David to go away. ‘Side of you’ and ‘beyond you’; it is the point of that signal. It is very easy to catch. But if you do not know this situation, you will not understand this.” Actually, boy who Jonathan sent does not get a hint of this sign (1Sa 20:39), and only he and David know. Jonathan is so smart. He uses his clever for his friend. Jonathan is very mindful of David. Then, what is the consequence? How does Saul response to David’s absence? Let’s look at verse 30. “Saul’s anger flared up at Jonathan and he said to him, “You son of a perverse and rebellious woman!”” Saul gets furious that Jonathan allows David to go hometown. He vilifies him harshly. It is because Saul has planned to kill David when he comes to dine with him. When he recognizes that he misses the chance due to his son, his anger flares up. He said, “as long as the son of Jesse live on this earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Now send and bring him to me, for he must die!” Saul is afraid that David intimidates his kingdom. He was trying to keep his kingdom. But God already abandoned him. It is wrong that Saul considered David is national enemy. Adversely, Saul is the enemy of God. He got obsessed with his forsaken kingdom. Jonathan knew that David is innocent. He asked to his father, “Why should he put to death? What has he done (32)?” But Saul responds with no word but hurls his spear at Jonathan to kill. Then Jonathan knew Saul’s intention to kill David. He was shocked and grieved because of his father’s shameful treatment. He broke his oath about David. He changed his mind and tries to kill him. In contrast, Jonathan is man of God. He thinks everything in the side of God. He acknowledges the sovereignty of God in his life. He can surely give his kingdom to David if it is God’s will. He is different from his father. He has a great faith. So he stops eat and keeps grieving in second day. Early in the morning, Jonathan went out to the field to see David. He informs David of Saul’s evil intention. He lets him to know that Saul desires to take his life. He keeps his promise. He does exactly what he said to David. He yelled out, “Isn’t arrow beyond you? (1Sa 20: 38)” Jonathan allows David to run away from Saul. Jonathan saves David’s life from Saul’s hand. “Then, David got up from the south side of the stone and bowed down before Jonathan tree times, with his face to the ground (1Sa 20: 41a).“ He thanks Jonathan. He showed his gratitude to Jonathan’s saving-life grace. David gets a life thanks to Jonathan. But it comes farewell time forever. They kissed each other and wept together (1Sa 20: 41b). David weeps louder. Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for we have shown friendship with each other in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘The Lord is witness between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever (42).’” From this time, David starts his fugitive life for 18 years. It is the last meeting in their life. They will not meet again until Jonathan put to death. David weeps for Jonathan’ death. “I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me. Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women (2Sa 1:26).” David does not forget Jonathan’s love along his life. As Jonathan kept his promise, David keeps their covenant. He takes care of Jonathan’s descendants. When he becomes the king of Israel, he accepts Mephibosheth, one of Jonathan’s sons, and gives a grace to him (2Sa 9:7). He restores all the land that belonged to Saul and let him to eat at his table. Why? It is for the sake of Jonathan himself. In this way, his friendship is everlasting even after Jonathan passed away. Through today’s passage, I thank God for he gives me a tip to make a true friendship. That is, to be Jonathan first, rather to be David. For a long time, I have been looking for my Jonathan. Jonathan is sacrificial, altruistic, and kind. But I cannot find such man of love. So I have required my peers to be my Jonathan. I think that if somebody becomes my Jonathan, I would become his David. But it is wrong. If I want to make a true friendship, I should be other’s Jonathan first. If I want to get a true friend, as bible teaches, I should be mindful of my friend and take care of him in need. I should build up my friend first and humble myself. And I must consider friend’s success as my own success. Do not be jealousy on him; just love him as I love myself. To give everything precious to my friend and not to demand him to do. That is the way to make a true friendship according to today’s passage. I really want to have a true friend in my life. I pray that I change my mind to be David to others, instead to be Jonathan to my friend first. I pray that I would learn the Jonathan’s love toward David. I pray that I would set everlasting friendship on Godly love in some day. Let’s pray. |
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