READ: 1 Samuel 19 & 20
Saul only continues in his
murderous rage in these chapters. Again he seeks to kill David, either by his
own hand or the hand of his servants. Yet God is sovereignly protecting David.
Saul has become a son of the devil – like the enemy of God he sets himself
against God’s plans. Though the act is futile, he has chosen the enemy’s side
and cannot help but fight against the Lord’s anointed.
Next to Saul, we see the
wonderful character of his son, Jonathan. Jonathan is a man of deep humility
and submission to the Lord. The people of Israel had pleaded for a king, that
they might be like the other nations. The general pattern of kingship was one
of succession; when a king died, his son would inherit the throne. Jonathan
would have been the assumed king to succeed his father. Scripture doesn’t tell
us when exactly Jonathan learned that David, and not he, would be the
succeeding king of Israel, but Scripture shows us a heart submitted to this
truth. Saul’s son was so extremely different than him. It seems that God showed
incredible mercy to Jonathan, protecting him from the inheritance of the
generational sins of his father. While Saul is angry, bitter, jealous and
manipulative of David’s rise to power and popularity, Jonathan is joyful,
content, cheerful and unassuming. Jonathan is wise, choosing not to set himself
up against the plans of God. It would seem that Jonathan, also, is a man after
God’s own heart. He must be, in order to live out such grace and humility.
Because, not only does he accept God’s plan for David, but he truly loves
David. Saul is David’s adversary; Jonathan is his advocate. Saul is David’s
pursuer; Jonathan is his protector. Saul is David’s challenger; Jonathon is his
cheerleader. Saul is David’s foe; Jonathan is his friend.
This is extreme
friendship-love and it is a rarity. The friendship that Jonathan shows to David
requires humility and resolute trust in God. To accept David as the next king
would be one thing, but to offer real friendship to David is a completely
different level. It shows that at the core of his heart, Jonathan was soft
towards God. He wanted to be aligned to God’s plans, even if it meant that he would
not receive what the world would say he deserved. He was willing to walk in the
shadow so that God’s plans could be carried out without his own standing in the
way.
There is so much for us to
learn from this young man. If some of our family members have been Sauls, we
can know with confidence that we do not have to walk in that same bondage. And
if we shudder at the Saul-tendencies we see in ourselves (be it his specific
sins or others), we may be encouraged to know that God wants to root those out
of us as we rely on Him. Not only can God make Jonathans come out of the family
line of Sauls, but He can make Sauls into
Jonathans! We can know this with full confidence because of the story of another Saul who would come onto the
scene a thousand years later. That Saul
encountered Jesus and was transformed into one of the greatest apostles of
Christian history. And let us remember – the men and women of the Bible were
people just like us. And the God who
transformed lives throughout the Bible is the same God we serve today!
JOURNALING AND PRAYER
1. How
are you encouraged or challenged by what you have read today?
2. Ask
the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a relationship in your life where you are
being like Saul but desire to be like Jonathan. Perhaps someone has been
exalted over you. Perhaps someone received credit for your work. Perhaps
someone who was a friend now feels like a threat to you. Whatever it is, share
your heart with the Lord in reverence and humility. Ask Him to transform you
into a Jonathan.
3. Who
has been a Jonathan-like friend to you? Take some time to sincerely thank God
for this person. How can you bless this person for their friendship?
4. Pray
for the church – that this level of Christ-centred friendship would abound
among believers. Pray for soft hearts and gracious love like Jonathan displayed
to become the norm among Christian brothers and sisters.
