DAVID AND JONATHAN'S RELATIONSHIP - By PASTOR DAVID J. LEET

INTRODUCTION

Today we’e looking at the relationship between Jonathan and David, and how we can relate this to our relationship with Jesus.

Theirs was a steadfast relationship that lasted throughout the test of time.  The both shared qualities of INTREPIDITY - meaning Bravery, Fearlessness, Courage, and they were Resolute - ie Purposeful, Determined, and Unswerving.  They faced life without fear.  They had become skilled in their training, David as a shepherd, learning to lead sheep (people), and to fight off threats to his flock.  Jonathan as a warrior just like his father King Saul,

2 Samuel 1 V 23:

23 Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.

David had become skilled as a shepherd, as he said to King Saul concerning his willingness to fight Goliath, the Philistine.

1 Samuel 17 V 34-37:

34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:

35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.

36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.

37 David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee.

Perhaps a shadow of what was to come for Christians

Ephesians 6 V 14-18:

14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Admittedly, it was too big for David, as he was just a ruddy boy, probably a teenager.

Yet the King giving highs battle armour is still implied.

Jonathan and David became close - PLATONIC - A relationship that is not sexual or romantic - friends or best mates in today’s terms.

Proverbs 18 V 24:

24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

There are friends who pretend to bear friends, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother”

David and Jonathan made a PARITY COVENANT, which is an agreement binding mutual friendship, respect, or co-operation.  We all need this kind of friendship in our lives, yet we must first be willing and prepared to be this kind of friend also.  INTEGRITY.

Discussion - What thoughts come to mind on this?

It is interesting to see that Jonathan give David gifts as a sign of their PACT OR PARITY COVENANT, perhaps a kind of MATES RATES ASSURANCE, yet we also can see that Jonathan is giving his all to David.

Discussion Point - Have we given our all to Christ?

Now when King Saul and Jonathan were killed in war:

1 Samuel 31 V 1-6:

1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.

2 And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Melchishua, Saul's sons.

3 And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers.

4 Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.

5 And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him.

6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men, that same day together.

King David honoured his covenant with Jonathan.

2 Samuel 9 V 1-13:

1 Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power.

2 And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.

3 And the asses of Kish Saul's father were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses.

4 And he passed through mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha, but they found them not: then they passed through the land of Shalim, and there they were not: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found them not.

5 And when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave caring for the asses, and take thought for us.

6 And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go.

7 Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we?

8 And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way.

9 (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)

10 Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God was.

11 And as they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here?

12 And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before you: make haste now, for he came to day to the city; for there is a sacrifice of the people to day in the high place:

13 As soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about this time ye shall find him.

Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth was found in a town called LIDEBAR, which means - Nothing, or No Word, No Pasture.  Let’s put that into today’s life - No job, Bank Repossessed Home or struggle to pay Mortgage, No Centrelink benefits, Hard personal, physical or emotional times etc. plus on top of this, Mephibosheth was a cripple since 5 years of age.

2 Samuel 4 V 4:

4 And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

So can we imagine his internal emotional, spiritual, and mental stresses giving him depression, a sense of Failure, and low Self Worth, and Low Self Esteem, and Loneliness, not being to actively participate with other children and youth’s growing up?

How do we relate to his situation in life today?

Now along comes the King searching for him or us, and let’s see what happens next..

2 Samuel 9 V 1-13:

9 And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan's sake?

2 And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he.

3 And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet.

4 And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar.

5 Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lodebar.

6 Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant!

7 And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.

8 And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?

9 Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said unto him, I have given unto thy master's son all that pertained to Saul and to all his house.

10 Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master's son may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.

11 Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king's sons.

12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micha. And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth.

13 So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king's table; and was lame on both his feet.

Here we find King David (King Jesus), as David is a type of Jesus in the bible), showing kindness to Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, who is cowered on the floor before the king, fearing for his very life.

King David restores to him the lands of Saul and all the house of Saul also, plus, he is to eat at the Kings table forever.

Here we see the Grace and Mercy of God through Jesus Christ in our lives today, as we know that God is a God of restoration and reconciliation and resurrection.

Therefor in our relationship with god, in how He gives us help in recovering from our situations, and to carry on with life, how an we take hold of his help?

Discuss this relationship and the comparison of our relationship with God, in the situations we find ourselves I, and how this can help us with our lives today.

END OF TEACHING.