Please turn with me in your Bibles to 1 Samuel chapter 20. We will return, God willing, to our study in the Gospel of Matthew in a few weeks. Just looking at some of these chapters dealing with the life of David, hopefully it's been an encouragement for you to see in many respects God's grace, God's provision, God's kindness fleshed out in the lives of God's people. Certainly we get that in the New Testament as well, but in many respects when we look at the Old Testament, we see sort of ordinary life events.
We see God's people in the grind, and we see them in the difficulty, and we see them in their afflictions. And through that, we see the faithfulness and the goodness of our God in providing care to them. Well, 1 Samuel 20 is no different. Remember, after the victory in the Valley of Elah, when David returns, we see that Saul is filled with rage, and envy, and malice, and even a degree of madness of heart toward David.
We saw how covertly he tries to exterminate David in chapter 18. By the time we get to chapter 19, that's over. That means it is avowed. It is spoken specifically to servants and to Jonathan.
And there are several attempts upon the life of David in 1 Samuel 19. I mentioned that if there was one word that we could sort of use to tie up chapter 19, it would be deliverance. Well, as we come to chapter 20, if we had to tie up this under one heading, it would be covenant. And specifically that covenant between David and Jonathan, which as I hope to show at the end of the message, It certainly typifies or points forward to that new covenant that we have relative to our Lord Jesus.
But I do want to read the chapter. I realize it's a longer chapter, but it's good for us to have the text before our eyes. So let us begin in 1 Samuel 20 at verse 1. Then David fled from Naoth and Ramah and went and said to Jonathan, What have I done?
What is my iniquity and what is my sin before your father that he seeks my life? So Jonathan said to him, by no means, you shall not die. Indeed, my father will do nothing either great or small without first telling me. And why should my father hide this thing from me?
Is it not so? Then David took an oath again and said, your father certainly knows that I have found favor in your eyes. And he has said, do not let Jonathan know this lest he be grieved. But truly as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.
So Jonathan said to David, whatever you yourself desire, I will do it for you. And David said to Jonathan, indeed, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king to eat. But let me go that I may hide in the field until the third day at evening. If your father misses me at all, then say, David earnestly asked permission of me that he might run over to Bethlehem, his city, for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.
If he says thus, it is well. Your servant will be safe, but if he is very angry, be sure that evil is determined by him. Therefore, you shall deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you. Nevertheless, if there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself, for why should you bring me to your father?" But Jonathan said, "'Far be it from you, for if I knew certainly that evil was determined by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you?
Then David said to Jonathan, who will tell me, or what if your father answers you roughly? And Jonathan said to David, come, let us go into the field. So both of them went out into the field. Then Jonathan said to David, the Lord God of Israel is witness.
When I have sounded out my father sometime tomorrow or the third day, and indeed there is good toward David, and I do not send to you and tell you, may the Lord do so and much more to Jonathan. But if it pleases my father to do you evil, then I will report it to you and send you away that you may go in safety. And the Lord be with you as he has been with my father. And you shall not only show me the kindness of the Lord while I still live, that I may not die. but you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever.
No, not when the Lord has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth." So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David saying, let the Lord require it at the hand of David's enemies. Now Jonathan again caused David to vow because he loved him. For he loved him as he loved his own soul. Then Jonathan said to David, tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed because your seat will be empty.
And when you have stayed three days, go down quickly and come to the place where you hid on the day of the deed and remain by the stone Eitzel. Then I will shoot three arrows to the side, as though I shot at a target. And there I will send a lad saying, go find the arrows. If I expressly say to the lad, look, the arrows are on this side of you, get them and come.
Then as the Lord lives, there is safety for you and no harm. But if I say thus to the young man, look, the arrows are beyond you. Go your way, for the Lord has sent you away. And as for the matter which you and I have spoken of, indeed the Lord be between you and me forever.' Then David hid in the field, and when the new moon had come, the king sat down to eat the feast.
Now the king sat on his seat, as at other times, on a seat by the wall. And Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side. But David's place was empty. Nevertheless, Saul did not say anything that day for he thought something has happened to him.
He is unclean. Surely he is unclean. And it happened the next day, the second day of the month that David's place was empty. And Saul said to Jonathan, his son, why has the son of Jesse not come to eat either yesterday or today?
So Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked permission of me to go to Bethlehem. And he said, please let me go, for our family has a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to be there. And now if I have found favor in your eyes, please let me get away and see my brothers. Therefore he has not come to the king's table.
Then Saul's anger was aroused against Jonathan, and he said to him, you son of a perverse, rebellious woman. Do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother's nakedness? For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom. Therefore, send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.' Jonathan answered Saul, his father, and said to him, Why should he be killed?
What has he done? And Saul cast a spear at him to kill him, by which Jonathan knew that it was determined by his father to kill David. So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger and ate no food the second day of the month, for he was grieved for David, because his father had treated him shamefully. And so it was in the morning, Jonathan went out into the field, at the time appointed with David, and a little lad was with him.
Then he said to his lad, now run, find the arrows which I shoot. As the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. When the lad had come to the place where the arrow was which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried out after the lad and said, is not the arrow beyond you? Jonathan cried out after the lad, make haste, hurry, do not delay.
So Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows and came back to his master. The lad did not know anything. Only Jonathan and David knew of the matter. Then Jonathan gave his weapons to his lad and said to him, go, carry them to the city.
As soon as the lad had gone, David arose from a place toward the south, fell on his face to the ground, and bowed down three times. And they kissed one another, and they wept together, but David more so. Then Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, since we have both sworn in the name of the Lord, saying, May the Lord be between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever. So he arose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.
Amen. Well, let us pray. Our Father, we thank you for this book of 1 Samuel. We thank you for the life of David. which teaches us certainly about the God of heaven and earth.
We thank you for your care. We thank you for your provision. We thank you for your kindness. And we know and acknowledge, even with the hymn writer, that you do work in mysterious ways your wonders to perform.
But you have purposed and you have promised that all things do work for good to those who love you, to those who are the called according to your purpose. I pray that you would encourage our hearts as we study scripture. I pray that you would forgive us of all of our sins and unrighteousness as we come to the scriptures. I pray that you would wash us in that precious fount that is open for sin and uncleanness.
As well, God, supply the Holy Spirit so that we may be led into all truth. I pray for the Spirit to be at work in the hearts of unbelievers. I pray, God, that you would bring conviction for sin and show them a greater than David, a greater than Jonathan, even our Lord Jesus Christ, who went to the cross, sinners to save. how we thank you for the gospel, how we thank you for your mercies, how we thank you that you have blessed us so richly with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Be with us now, we pray, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Introduction
Well, as you study these books or these Old Testament prophets, this is part of the former prophets, when you read commentators, you'll see oftentimes They'll ask questions as to why is chapter 20 in this particular book. They'll say things like, later authors added chapter 20 because it presents to their mind certain challenges. And probably it's the case as we read, we ask questions of the text as well. So I just want to try and clarify or explain three of the questions we might have when we come to 1 Samuel chapter 20.
Three Questions About the Text
In the first place, why does David need to determine if Saul is really against him? Why does David need to determine if Saul is really against him? Hasn't he already learned as he's had to dodge the spear from Saul? as he's had to escape from Michael's house, as he has gone to Naathir and Ramah and seen the Spirit of God come upon Saul to keep him from engaging in murder. Well, David knows that Saul is after him to kill him.
What David is after here with Jonathan is to find out the reason why. That is precisely what is stated in verse 1. He says, what have I done? What is my iniquity?
And what is my sin before your father that he seeks my life? Now, David's gaining an answer to that would certainly not stop Saul, but it would at least help alleviate some of the difficulties involved in this situation. Sometimes persons have physical infirmities or physical challenges and the doctors aren't able to diagnose it and they feel sort of at their wits end and then the doctor comes back with a diagnosis. It doesn't solve the problem, but it brings peace to the mind.
In the second place, why does David believe he should attend Saul's feast knowing that Saul is trying to kill him? Well, David is still an official of the court. David is still expected to be where Saul tells him to be. In fact, Saul is surprised when David is not at this new moon festival.
And in the third place, why use this arrow signal at the end, the signal worked out by Jonathan and David, where Jonathan shoots the arrows beyond the lad so that David will know whether or not Saul has this animosity against him. Why use that signal if Jonathan and David have this final conversation? Well, at the time, Jonathan and David didn't know they would have a final conversation. He didn't know that there wouldn't be spies.
He didn't know that there wouldn't be Saul's henchmen watching out for him to try and neutralize or liquidize him. Now notice specifically David's concern in this chapter. He first had obligations and responsibilities to Saul, and so he must deal righteously. David is a man of integrity.
David is a man of loyalty. David is a court official, and as a result, he has obligations to Saul. But in the second place, David feared for his life. Certainly, being the one who's escaped Saul's spear up to this point, and Saul's henchman up to this point, and Saul himself up to this point, David was fearful that his life was in danger.
Now, when we look at the other side of this covenant equation, we've got David and we've got Jonathan. What is driving Jonathan in chapter 20? I can do no better than to quote a commentator named Vannoy. He says, for Jonathan, he faced a crisis that arose out of the strife between Saul, his father, and David.
Never forget the human element when you study the Bible. Never forget the reality that Saul was Jonathan's father. How would you like it if your father was trying to destroy your best friend. And especially when your best friend had only done well for Israel.
Don't forget or don't underestimate that human element that's involved in these particular stories. He goes on to say, in Jonathan's case, the conflict was between the advancement of God's kingdom and the advancement of his own personal ambition. Jonathan was the crown prince. He had every right to expect to succeed his father on the throne of Israel, but he was ready and willing to renounce his own interests and aspirations for the sake of submission to the Lord's choice of David to be king.
As we move through this section of Holy Scripture, David is certainly a hero. David is certainly a champion. David is certainly one that we ought to emulate and imitate and follow after. But so is Jonathan.
Jonathan is a Matthew 6.33 man. When David comes back from the Valley of Elah in 1 Samuel 18, Jonathan takes his royal robes off. Jonathan takes his belt off. Jonathan takes those things that are significant of his own royalty, and he hands them over to David.
For Jonathan, it was the kingdom of God that mattered. And that is one of the emphases in this passage. Now, we'll look at this, and we won't look in great detail, because there's some things here that are pretty easy to explain in a sentence. Jonathan launched the arrows, and they went past the lap.
We don't need to go through every jot and tittle of exposition there. But I want to look at three things concerning the chapter. In the first place, the meeting with Jonathan, verses 1 to 24a. Secondly, this new moon festival in 24b to 34.
And then in the final place, the report concerning Saul in verses 35 to 42.
The Meeting with Jonathan
Now note in the first place, this meeting with Jonathan, we've already underscored the danger involved. David flees from Ramah, he goes back to Gibeah, where Saul and Jonathan live. He approaches Jonathan and he asks him specifically, what have I done, what is my iniquity, what is my sin before you, that he seeks my life. Again, remembering the human element.
As far as we know up to this point, David has only done well. David has bested the champion from Gath. David has cut off the head of the arch foe of Israel. David has only been an honorable soldier and an honorable warrior.
David has only done what he's told. And so this reality that Saul is hunting him like a dog to try and murder him is perplexing to him. Do you ever feel like a David in your life? Do you ever go through those instances or seasons where you're perplexed, where you wonder, where you ask the questions?
Now, there's a sinful, arrogant, godless way to do that, but as we survey the Scriptures, there are instances where godly men ask questions concerning certain situations, and this is one of them. David says, what is it? What have I done? What is my guilt?
What is my sin? How have I faltered in this situation such that Saul wants to kill me? And notice what Jonathan does. He allays his fear.
Jonathan said to him in verse 2, by no means, you shall not die. Indeed, my father will do nothing either great or small without first telling me. And why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so.
Now, Jonathan knew that Saul wanted to kill David. That's how chapter 19 begins. But if Jonathan didn't know about those subsequent attacks on his life, this does make sense, that Jonathan is not holding back, Jonathan is not lying, or Jonathan is not misinterpreting. If you look back for just a moment, in chapter 19, at verse 6, Saul gives his word to Jonathan that he will not try to kill David.
So as far as Jonathan knows at this point, this is not the case. My father has pledged, my father has said, and if he has changed his mind, well then certainly he will let me know. That's only if we understand that Jonathan did not know of those other attempts on David's life. But notice, very specifically, what David says.
David took an oath again in verse three and said, your father certainly knows that I have found favor in your eyes. And he has said, do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved. But truly as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death. It's probably good for us to recognize this once again.
It's one of the things that we have sought to point out in our study in 1 Samuel. Remember what happens at the end of chapter 16? The end of chapter 16, Samuel anoints David. Samuel is the kingmaker in the book of 1 Samuel.
He anoints Saul and then he anoints David. And we see at the end of chapter 16 that the Holy Spirit comes upon David. Now you would certainly think that when such a thing takes place, everything is going to be okay. Everything is going to be hunky-dory.
Everything's going to be happy, happy, happy. Like the old World War II song, pack up your troubles in your old kit bag and smile, smile, smile. That's the conception that people have concerning the Christian life. But we who are true believers in Jesus know that that's not always the case, is it?
We know that oftentimes when the Spirit comes, so do the troubles, so do the trials, so do the afflictions, and so do the difficulties. You see, it wasn't just the case in David. When the Spirit comes, the trouble comes. But in David's greater son.
At the end of Matthew chapter 3, we see our beloved Savior in the River Jordan. As Turretin says, if you want to see the Trinity, says this to Arius, go down to the River Jordan. And that is precisely what we witness. Jesus goes into the water.
The Spirit, like a dove, falls upon Him. And the voice of His Father says, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. So Jesus receives the Spirit. What then?
Does everything change? Is everything magic? Is it happy, happy, happy days? No, the Spirit then drives him out to the wilderness to be tested or tempted by the devil.
You see, it's simply false to believe or to conclude that once we have the Spirit, once we believe the Gospel, once we are born again, that everything's going to be magic. It's always going to be blessed, it's always going to be good, it's always going to have a genuine peace, but it's never the case that we will be without tribulation, or difficulty, or trial. David's greater son, again, in the upper room, says to his disciples, he says, in this world you will have tribulation. How's that for a sales pitch?
How's that for marketing the kingdom? How's that for being accepted in 21st century North America? Imagine you go to a hotel conference center and you're there to hear a spiel. And the man who brings the spiel says, I tell you what, if you sign up for me, it's going to be difficult.
It's going to be hard. It's going to be grueling. It's going to be full of tribulation. How many North Americans would raise their hand and say, sign me up?
No, they go to hotel conference rooms for promises of good things to come, for promises of ease and comfort and full bank accounts. You see, the Lord Christ is not a shyster. He is not a liar. He does not engage in a spiel, but rather he promises to his people that in this world you will have tribulation.
Note what David says, there is but a step between me and death. This is David. This is the godly man. This is the king elect.
This is the one who's on the throne. This is the one whom the Lord Most High will use most powerfully. Now notice, as we go back to the text, whatever you yourself desire, I will do it for you. This is Jonathan's response, and then David proposes this test.
Let's figure out where your father really is. I'll go out in the field, I'll absent myself from this new moon festival. If your father's not upset, if he's not full of rage, if he's not full of madness, then I'll believe that your father doesn't want me ultimately dead. But if your father is full of rage, if he's full of madness, if he's full of anger, then you, Jonathan, and I both know that he wants me gone.
Now notice what then happens.
David's Appeal to Covenant Hesed
He appeals to the covenant. Verse 8, therefore you shall deal kindly with your servant. The word deal kindly here is the word hesed. It's the Hebrew word that often times captures this idea of covenant and love.
Some translations have loving kindness, others have steadfast love. In this instance, we have deal kindly, but it's that same Hebrew word, hesed. It is a covenant love. It is a rock-solid love.
In the language of Ralph Davis, he says it carries the ideas of love, compassion, affection, but often with the additional connotation of loyalty, reliability, faithfulness. Chesed often has that flavor. It is not merely love, but loyal love. Not merely kindness, but dependable kindness.
Not merely affection, but affection that has committed itself. That's what David appeals to. Deal kindly, engage in hesed with me, with your servant." And then notice what he says, "...for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you. Nevertheless, if there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself, for why should you bring me to your father?" David says, if I'm guilty, deal with me.
If I have sinned, then end it. If I am the bad guy in this transaction, then finish it. But what's the point? He's not the bad guy.
David is a man of integrity. David is a man of loyalty and of fidelity, and he appeals to Jonathan based on this covenant arrangement. But notice what Jonathan then says to David in terms of covenant. This is amazing.
I won't go through every point or every jot and tittle as I say, but look at what Jonathan asks.
Jonathan's Covenantal Request
Jonathan says to David, I want you to swear to me, I want you on the basis of this covenant, I want you to agree with me that you will not exterminate my family." Now you say, that seems like a pretty much of a no-brainer question. But you see, this isn't the way kings operate. You know what the first order of business for a king was? If you're watching the political arena in Canada or in America, they typically say what they're first going to do when they walk into Ottawa or when they assume the White House.
Here's the first thing I'm going to do. Some of them are going to be very busy. They've got 5, 10, 15 massive things. I don't know how many hours they think there are in a day.
But you know what the first order of business was for ancient Near Eastern kings? And that included Israel as well. It was to exterminate the preceding dynasty. Now, that offends our delicate sensitivities and perhaps it should because we don't operate this way, but that's what they did.
Davis says, the name of the game was purge. You destroyed the competing family. You destroyed all of the heirs. You took them out of the way so there would be no rival, no competition, so that you could secure and stabilize your own kingdom.
This was common garden variety kingship in this situation. But Jonathan says, I want you to return Chesed to me. I want you to deal kindly with me. I want you to respond in such manner to me.
And notice what David does. David does it. Now, Jonathan doesn't live until the time that David is on the throne. But in 2 Samuel, chapter 9, there's a young man, or a man by the name of Mephibosheth, that David shows this chesed too.
David does not follow the protocol when it comes to the covenant. David follows his Lord. David enters in and solemnizes and swears fidelity in this particular situation. Now you may ask the question, what does that mean for me?
What does that have to do with me? I'm not on my way to a throne. I'm not on my way to having to secure my kingdom. I'm not on the way to having to commit a purge in order to make sure my kingdom is stable.
Well, consider covenant and marriage. Consider the reality that we're in it to the very end. That we swear fidelity before God and witnesses. that we say for better and worse, that we say for riches and poverty, that we say for, are in sickness and in health. You see, fidelity, covenant, promise, all those things are what arises in 1 Samuel 20 and ought to connect in our own minds and hearts right now.
I'm sure you saw over the last few weeks, you probably couldn't have missed it, this whole news report on this Ashley Madison site. I read in one instance where one of the participants on this website did so because his wife was incapacitated and couldn't engage in conjugal relations. You see, Covenant doesn't enter their name and credit card onto the Ashley Madison website because their wives are incapacitated. Covenant stands by in the midst of sickness.
Covenant does not trash homes. Covenant does not wreck children. Covenant does not step outside. But what covenant is about is faithfulness to the long haul.
And that's what David expresses. The very common activity of kings of that day was to take out any that would be in the succeeding family or in the other family, not David, David says that I will be faithful to you. It truly is beautiful. One commentator says concerning the love these two men shared, genuine love, person to person, sealed by a covenant such as there was between David and Jonathan, provides a most telling model of an unbreakable relationship.
As I've said over the case of our studies here in 1 Samuel, be a Jonathan, be a David. Be this kind of person in your marriage. Be this kind of person in your family. Be this kind of person to your children.
Do you know what your children ultimately need? They don't need all the riches of this world. They don't need all of the resources at your disposal. They need you.
They need you involved. They need you catechizing, teaching, learning them in the doctrine of Christ. That's what kids need today. That's what they need and crave.
Not broken homes, not broken marriages, not men or women who can't control themselves. You ever think about that? It's a fruit of the spirit to control oneself. A fruit of the Holy Spirit to control oneself.
He doesn't say spirit control. He says self-control. That means govern your passions, govern your desires, govern those things and be structured and be submissive to the covenant that you find yourself in. That's what is desperately needed today, faithfulness, fidelity, long-haulism.
They work out the details, the arrow plan in verses 18 to 22. Notice, the guardian of the covenant between David and Jonathan in verse 23. All right, and as for the matter which you and I have spoken of, indeed, the Lord be between you and me forever. The Lord, Yahweh himself, is the guardian, the keeper, the watcher over this particular arrangement.
The New Moon Feast
Now notice the new moon. The new moon, this was something that happened in conjunction with the new moon. That's impressive, isn't it? Wow, he's been studying Hebrew, no.
It was probably a feast at the time of the new moon where they would have a sacrifice. And in this instance, Saul, as the leader of the family of this particular clan or family or tribe or kingdom, Saul would rather preside over it. And in conjunction with this, as I said, there would be a burnt sacrifice. That's why Saul doesn't make a big deal out of it when he first notices David isn't there.
He says, well, David must be unclean. You had to be clean in order to participate in this burnt sacrifice. But notice what happens. He observes the fact that he's not there, and then he sees that he's not there on the second day.
And notice, verse 27, and it happened the next day, the second day of the month, that David's place was empty, and Saul said to Jonathan his son, why has the son of Jesse not come to eat, either yesterday or today? This is Saul's way to talk about David. He's always the son of Jesse, he's not David. It's like calling me butler.
That's legit, you can do that, but it's a bit impersonal, isn't it? I call you Hall, or I call you Van Oran, or I call you Van Oran, whatever. It's a bit impersonal, isn't it? It's always the son of Jesse.
There was never an affection on the part of Saul for David. There was never a praise be to God for David. There was never in the heart of Saul anything pure toward this man that God had given to Israel to save them from their oppressors. Just the opposite of Jonathan.
Nothing but love in Jonathan. Nothing but a desire to put David first. Nothing in Jonathan but a heartfelt zeal to promote David, because in promoting David, what he was doing was advancing the kingdom of God most high. You see, that's the crux, that's the point, that's the issue betwixt Jonathan and Saul.
Saul doesn't care one bit about God. Saul doesn't care one bit about God's kingdom. Saul cares about Saul. Saul is about himself.
He is a textbook narcissist. He is paradigmatic of so many tyrannical rulers of our own day. In many respects, Saul serves as a pattern for the sorts of government that we so oftentimes witness in our own generation. And that is what Saul has going on.
So Jonathan answers Saul when he asks the question, where is Jesse? Or the son of Jesse. And Jonathan says he went home to sacrifice in Bethlehem. Jonathan would have that prerogative as the crown prince on his way to the throne to be able to tell David, you can go home to Bethlehem and enjoy this family sacrifice.
What does Saul do? Saul gets mad at Jonathan. He gets really mad at Jonathan. In many respects, as we read 1 Samuel, this block concerning David and Saul, it's like we're watching Saul come unravel.
It's like you just watch Saul go from step to step to step to step. From madness, to rage, to anger, to malice, to envy, to murder. He's a man on a mission, and that mission is not to promote the kingdom. That mission is to promote Saul.
What a terrible thing pride is, isn't it? What a terrible thing, and such is the reason why God says through James, why He says through Solomon, that He opposes the proud, but He gives grace to the humble. This is why Yahweh says, heaven is my throne and earth is my footstool, but on this one will I look, to him who is humble and of a contrite spirit and who trembles at my word. Brethren, if you learn one lesson in our studies in 1 Samuel with reference to Saul, learn to kill pride.
Learn to cut its throat, learn to deal violently with it, learn to take no prisoners, but rather destroy it. Because ultimately, or at least fundamentally, this is one of the things operating in the heart and in the soul of Saul. Pride. Pride.
You say, well, that doesn't apply to me. Well, then turn off your ears, because it applies to the rest of us. You want to see pride? I would say look in your mirror, but I don't want to insult you.
Look at your Facebook account. Look at your Twitter feed. Look at where you spend your money. Look at where you spend your time.
See where all that terminates. Is it upon the glory of God or upon you? You see, it's quite easy to see what matters most to us. One man, I think, has well said, where people spend their money and time is where their heart really is.
This isn't a plea for money. It's not a plea for you to be here tonight at the evening service. It is a plea for us to consider the reality That's Saul's problem. That's the enemy.
God is at war with pride. You have any doubt whatsoever that God sees pride as something obnoxious, then you haven't read the Bible ever. Because this is a chief sin. Oftentimes the mother of other sins.
When we've got pride in the heart, how does it flesh itself out? In all manner of wickedness. In Saul's case, it's envy, it's malice, it's pouting, it's self-pity. when we get to the next chapter, and he's sitting in Gibeah, and he's with his servants, actually in chapter 22, he says, and none of you have had pity on me. None of you have felt compassion for me.
None of you have cared. Really, Saul? Is that how you interpret this? Because I see you as a wretch with his hand raised to heaven, seeking to exterminate Yahweh's man.
You shouldn't be pitied, you should be converted unto Christ. Pride, brethren, it's terrible. We get later on in chapter 23, and he's so happy that the Ziphites finally have had compassion upon him. See, that's another indicator.
Are you the victim in every circumstance in your life? Is it always everybody else out to get you? Is there pity parties? Is there this idea that how could they ever offend me?
Welcome to Salisbury, if that's the case. because that's Saul. That's how things are done in Saul's vill. Saul is the first and the foremost, and those who inherit Saulisms are going to live in like manner. So Jonathan explains what has happened.
He gives him his response.
Saul's Rage Against Jonathan
Notice the anger of Saul and Jonathan in verses 30 to 34. Look at Saul's response to Jonathan, and it seems so reasonable, doesn't it? David just went home to Bethlehem. David just went home for a family sacrifice.
David will be back. David didn't sneak up to your throne. He didn't put poison in your cup. David's not coming after you with Goliath's sword.
I mean, I could see where Saul would respond in this manner if there was a frontal attack upon his being and his person. That's not the case. He went home. He went to visit his father, his brother.
He went to visit his family. He went to engage in what men engaged in this particular time. But notice how Saul responds. Saul's anger was aroused against Jonathan and he said to him, You son of a perverse, rebellious woman." You should hear how the New Living translation actually translates that.
It's pretty strong, strongly worded. He's not insulting his wife, he's insulting Jonathan. He's putting Jonathan down. You son of a perverse, rebellious woman.
Do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of your mother's nakedness? For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom. Now therefore, send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die. Notice, Saul may be a madman, but he's not foolish.
Saul may be teetering on the brink of irrecoverable insanity, but he's not foolish. He knows the score. He knows what's happening. He understands that Jonathan's support of David means the end of Jonathan's career.
And Saul says, don't do that. Saul says, let's keep the dynasty in house. Saul says, how dare you promote this one who's more qualified, who's better at it, and who will advance the kingdom of God. You see, those things don't matter to Saul.
All that matters to Saul is to hold on to what he perceives is his. See, that's another fundamental problem that we face. God gives us gift, God gives us resources, God calls us to be stewards, but we put a death grip on them. It's mine!
It's mine! It's mine! If God wants to take it away from you and hand it to someone else who will be able to advance His cause further and better, then that's God's prerogative. Not with Saul, man.
Look at what Saul does here. You have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of your mother's nakedness. For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, notice, you shall not be established nor your kingdom. Now therefore send and bring him to me for he shall surely die." He doesn't care about the reality that his son was a Matthew 6.33 man.
What did Pastor Cam just read to us in 2 John 3, 2 John 4, I'm sorry, 3 John 4? I have no greater joy than that my children walk in the truth. Parents, can you actually say, in this world, there would be something that would make you happier than to know that your child is a believer in Jesus? Isn't that it?
I mean, if you knew your children were safely folded in the arms of Christ, you say, Lord Jesus, come. The only thing keeping me here is I want my children to confess faith in Christ, or my grandchildren, or my great-grandchildren. This is what it's about, isn't it? You see, Saul sees Jonathan walking in the truth.
Saul sees Jonathan with a Matthew 6.33 mindset. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and then these things will be added to you. And instead of Saul saying, praise God who's got a hold of my son Jonathan's heart. Praise God that he's walking in the truth.
Praise God that God matters most to him. He's upset, he's angry, and he wants him to fetch David so he can exterminate him, so he can kill him, so he can murder him and rid the kingdom of him. But notice what then happens. Jonathan answered Saul his father and said to him, why should he be killed?
What has he done? Verse 32. Isn't this the perennial question in the Saul narratives? What's he done?
What's happened? Give us some evidence. There's no due process in Saul's kingdom. Ask the priests at Nob if there's due process in Saul's kingdom.
There is summary execution for having at least been in touch with David. I mean, it's truly an amazing tyranny that is operating here. The political leaders should be required to read the Saul and David story. And the political leaders should be required to dare to not be a Saul.
Government by the iron fist. So Jonathan again says, why? What has he done? Then Saul cast a spear at him to kill him by which Jonathan knew that it was determined by his father to kill David.
Again I ask one of those servants to take Saul's spear from him. This guy's got a, you know, Quick finger on a hair trigger. He is ready to cast that spirit, anybody he doesn't like. And in this instance now, he throws the spirit, Jonathan.
You see the enmity, you see the rage, you see the envy and the malice operative in Saul's heart? Again, I think if you trace out all those corollaries and all those tributaries and all those little rivers, you'll find that big ocean of pride. big ocean of arrogance, that big ocean of rebellion against the living and true God, and it manifests itself in all of these tributaries. So he chucks his spear at Jonathan, his own son. But notice, verse 34, Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger.
Jonathan's upset now. And I doubt it's probably because he, I mean, certainly the spirit probably had something to do with it with Jonathan, but the reality that Saul wants to murder David. Jonathan's angry. He's upset.
He ate no food the second day of the month, for he was grieved for David because his father had treated him shamefully. Again, you see what covenant does here. Covenant sides with the partner. Covenant doesn't betray.
He doesn't say, oh, Saul, I want to appease you. Saul, I don't want you throwing spears at me. Saul, I want you to be happy, so I'm gonna bring David to you so you can chop off his head and get things back. No.
Jonathan's grieved that Saul wants to kill David.
The Arrow Signal and Farewell
And in the last place, the report concerning Saul. There's a man by the name of Roger Ellsworth that has an article on this section of Scripture. And I don't have a subscription to read the article, but I read the title, and I think the title is very appropriate. He calls it, when God's arrows fall beyond us, God's strange providence.
When God's arrows fall beyond us, God's strange providence. I told Brother Jeff yesterday, who's reading 1 Samuel, pay attention to providence. You read 1 Samuel, pay attention to providence. God the Lord identifies the king through a case of lost dominance.
God the Lord brings David into contact with the royal court through the distressing spirit from the Lord. A servant happens to believe that music will calm Saul. A servant happens to know one who's able to play that music well, and his name is David. This is providence!
God governing all His creatures and all their actions according to His wisdom and His holiness and His goodness. All of this is according to plan. David will arrive on the throne. David again is being spared from the massacre that is Saul.
David is being helped covenantally by Jonathan. We know the story. Jonathan takes the lad out. He takes three arrows.
This is wisdom. A man who's doing target practice doesn't take three arrows. A man who's doing target practice takes three arrows. So Jonathan takes the three arrows out there.
He fires them past the lad. He tells the lad, they've gone beyond you. David hears. David understands.
David knows. Again, the human element. What do you think David's thinking? David's probably hoping that the lad would have the arrows shot right next to him.
David is probably, you know, cheering for the possibility that Saul really isn't engaged in enmity and rage against him. David, in his heart of hearts, as I mentioned on Wednesday night, when you pray, do you pray for the worst possible outcomes? Dear Lord, I want this and I want it to come as miserably as it can. Do you?
Seriously. Lord God, would you work this out in my life and make it tough Make it hard. Make me go through many trials and tribulations. We don't pray that way, brethren.
We say, bless me, Father, and make it go like this. And because our Father is good, it doesn't always go like this, so that we will be conformed unto the image of his Son. But you see, at our heart, we want happiness. We want blessing.
We want joy. We want privilege, we want delight. Do you think David was different? Do you think David is hiding in that field saying, I can't wait, so those arrows go beyond him.
Then I know for sure, and it is confirmed, that I'm being hunted like a dog to be put to death. How do you think David felt? I don't want to psychologize and have a therapy session here, but put yourself in the text for a moment. Bad things happen to God's people.
Bad things happen to God's people. You've heard, I think it was Rabbi Kushner that says, or has a book called, Why Bad Things Happen to Good People. That's really not the question we ought to be asking. Bad things only happen to one good person, and he did it willingly so that he could save his people from their sins.
The bigger question, contra Rabbi Kushner, is why does anything good happen to sinners? Why does anything good even happen to redeemed sinners? You see, brethren, in the text and in our lives there will be those arrows that fall beyond us. There will be God's strange providence in our lives.
We will one day, whether it was this morning or it will be in the future, sing Hymn 21 and know it experientially. If you just ran through the words this morning without giving any thought to what Cooper had penned, Someday, you will understand it. You will understand that blind unbelief is sure to error. You will understand that God is his own interpreter.
That God ultimately makes things plain. You will someday understand that behind a frowning providence, God hides a smiling face. You may not have tasted those trials, you may not have tasted those afflictions yet. I'm not asking that God, you know, hit you on the head with bad things, but I'm simply telling you that one day you will read, or you will sing, Hymn 21 or Hymn 79.
Though dangers face us, though trials assail us, what one thing can we conclude? The Lord will provide. They even do this. Now notice the meeting that they have together.
Verse 41, as soon as the lad had gone, David rose from a place toward the south, fell on his face to the ground, and bowed down three times. And they kissed one another, and they wept together, but David more so. Then Jonathan said to David, go in peace. Did you ever read that and say, what are you talking about, Jonathan?
Go in peace? Didn't you just shoot the arrows past the lad? Doesn't that mean that your father wants to kill me? What do you mean, go in peace?
The covenant brings peace even in times of confusion, brethren. The covenant brings stabilizing peace even in times of confusion. That's a lesson we ought to gather from this particular chapter. They wept together, David more so.
Jonathan says to David, go in peace since we have both sworn in the name of the Lord. Not go in peace because everything's gonna be happy, happy, happy, but go in peace because we have both sworn in the name of Yahweh. You see the foundation for peace there? It's not in your circumstances, it's in your God.
See, we mess that up, don't we? We look for our peace in circumstances. We look for our peace in riches. We look for our peace in health.
We look for our peace in the bestest. We don't look for our peace in the God of heaven and earth, and therein we fail to find that peace. May the Lord be between you and me and between your descendants and my descendants forever." So he arose and departed and Jonathan went into the city.
Application and Final Observations
Let's just draw out a couple of final thoughts and then we'll close. The first place, I think we've camped on this enough, but the folly of Saul. Do not miss Saul in these narratives. I don't want to scare anyone.
I don't want to terrify anyone. I don't want to say, You're a potential Saul. I think we all have the seeds of apostasy in us if we're not careful. And with Saul, go back to chapter 13 where it began.
Chapter 13, Saul doesn't pick up a spear and throw it at an innocent man. Saul simply takes worship matters into his own hands. In 14, Saul imposes a fast that God the Lord had never commanded. You say, what's the big deal?
Well, we're not supposed to try and outdo God. We're not supposed to be innovators and creators. We are supposed to be obedient. When we're told to wait for Samuel, guess what we're supposed to do?
We're to wait for Samuel. 15, what happens? Well, the people, they said, let's spare Agag and let's spare the livestock. Why did you spare the livestock? So we could present a sacrifice unto Yahweh.
You see, it all started out, at least seemingly, innocent enough. As I've said many a time, it doesn't happen typically that someone wakes up having professed faith in Christ on a Saturday night, they don't wake up on Sunday morning and say, I'm going to go to the satanic church, I'm going to throw off Jesus, I'm not going to have anything to do with Christ or Christianity. I mean, that may happen occasionally, but it's typically declension and steps and patterns and paring off the rough edges and taking shortcuts that leads to apostasy. Saul's a picture of that.
The Faithfulness of Jonathan
The second place, the faithfulness of Jonathan. Jonathan does know that David should be the king. He's tried to give him his royal robes. He's entered into this covenant with him.
Saul knows, Jonathan knows, that David should be king. As well, Jonathan was happy with God's choice of David. I say he's a Matthew 6.33 man. It's a text that's on our fridges or it's in our bumpers or it's in our lips, but is it in our hearts?
Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. For Jonathan, it was in his heart such that he would give up willingly his own claim to royalty so that David could occupy the throne and advance that kingdom. Brethren, there's an ethic in Jonathan that should be imitated and should be emulated.
Features of the Covenant
And in the third place, Jonathan was faithful in his covenant with David. And that brings me to consider the features of this covenant. I'm leaning on Pastor or Dr. Dale Ralph Davis here.
The features of this covenant. In the first place, the covenant involves help in times of trouble. The covenant involves help in times of trouble. Verses one to nine.
David is pressed. David has had spears thrown at him. David has had to escape Michael's house. David has saw the king of Israel trying to execute him.
He is pressed and tried and having difficulty. What is his recourse? It is covenant in times of trial. In the second place, the covenant involves uncommon commitment.
Uncommon commitment. Again, the husband and the wife. Till death do us part. Uncommon commitment in this particular chapter is David saying to Jonathan that he will not execute anyone in Jonathan's family.
That's uncommon commitment, brethren. In the third place, the covenant involves costly commitment. Who did it cost in this chapter? Well, David is certainly being hunted like a dog to be sure, but that was gonna happen irregardless of his covenant with Jonathan.
How does this covenant cost Jonathan? Oh, it costs him his relationship with his father. You think you have a difficult relationship with your father? Look at Jonathan.
Some of us have had difficult relationships with our fathers, but I don't think any of us could ever say that they actually picked up spears and tried to pin us against a wall. David's fidelity in terms of covenant cost him his family relations. We're going to make a connection in just a moment, but I hope it's already coming. Doesn't David's greater son talk about this?
That our commitment to him must exceed family commitments? Yeah, he does. The sacrifice as well of his royal rights for David, ultimately God. Listen to Davis here.
He says, if Jonathan is a scribed disciple about the kingdom of heaven, what does he teach us? If Jonathan is a Matthew 6.33 man, as I have continued to maintain, what does he teach us? Please listen to this. We live in a world where there's an Ashley Madison website.
We live in a world where there is infidelity all around us. We live in a world where men cheat and women cheat. We live in a world where people compromise all the time on covenants that they have sworn to. Listen to what David says.
True life does not consist in securing you and your kingdom, but in reflecting Yahweh's faithfulness in covenant relationships. You've heard me say that before. You know what I think radical Christianity looks like today? Showing up at church and being faithful in your home.
Some moderns go, that's not radical, they gotta leave, they gotta go to China, they gotta go to Timbuktu, they gotta show up at church and be faithful in their families. Because not many people are doing that anymore. I know it's amazing, but people don't always do that. Professing Christians don't always do that.
It's not the great things we do for God that matter. It's the faithfulness before our great God that matters. Now if God happens to call you Spurgeon or Calvin or Edwards or one of these mountains and uses you tremendously, praise God. Most of us aren't Edwards.
Most of us aren't Spurgeon. Most of us aren't Calvin. Most of us will never be those men. We are called to be faithful.
Davis goes on to say, there is something liberating about that. Jonathan had acknowledged that the kingdom was Yahweh's and therefore David's. So his life did not need to be centered in his ambition, what can I get, but in God's providence, what Yahweh has given. Now he says, even as a believer and not as a crown prince, my reigning passion is not to make my way, my living or my mark, not to gain my place or to get ahead.
That may be costly, but it is certainly liberating. Life does not consist in achieving your goals, but in fulfilling your promises. In case you missed that, I know it's getting late, I know that lunch is calling our hungry little bellies. Life does not consist in obtaining your goals, but in fulfilling your promises.
We're not seeing that today, are we? We're not witnessing that today, are we? We're not talking about the pagans. We're talking about the professing church.
What happened to fidelity to God's covenant? What happened to fidelity to the wife of one's youth? What happened to fidelity to the husband of one's youth? What happened to the sort of grit and determination that so many people before us just had and they persevered?
You see, achieving greatness ought not to be our goal. Achieving faithfulness ought to be our goal. I think Davis is on the right track here. I think Davis is spot on.
Are there any Jonathans today? Are there men who so seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness that they'll give away their royal robes to make sure that David gets to be on the throne? That's huge, brethren. That's massive.
And the covenant involves peace in the midst of confusion. At the very end, Jonathan had already pointed out, go in peace. Now, when we leap from David to the greater son of David in the New Covenant, doesn't the New Covenant provide help in times of trouble? I hope you don't look puzzled.
I hope you don't say, yes, the New Covenant provides help in times of trouble. What gets you out of bed some days? It's the fact that Jesus died and rose again to save me from my sin. The New Covenant provides help in times of trouble.
The New Covenant involves uncommon commitment. For David, it meant sparing Jonathan's family. For Jesus, it meant setting his face like a flint to go to Jerusalem to give his life a ransom for all those whom the Father had given him. You see, this covenant provides uncommon commitment.
Don't we see this in our Savior? Don't we hear its echo in the book of Hebrews? I will never leave you nor forsake you. Don't we hear that when we sing hymn 80 that's grounded upon or rooted upon or founded in Isaiah the prophet?
As my brother would say, being a Londoner now, Isaiah the prophet, I will never, ever, never forsake you. That's uncommon commitment, brethren. We don't look for that sort of stuff, do we? But as well, when we look at this whole idea of costly commitment, and we transfer this to the New Covenant, it cost our Savior dearly.
It cost Him His very blood. It cost Him everything. But it costs us as well. When, by God's grace, we believe the Gospel, Jesus Christ Himself says, whoever loves mother or father or brother or sister more than Me, he's not worthy of Me.
You see, the kingdom ethic must filter down into our lives. Christ must be all in all, not just in lip service or not just when we're singing on Sunday or not just in proclamation or in reception of that proclamation, but daily, daily. And the new covenant provides peace in the midst of confusion. Don't you love it?
Romans chapter 5, Paul says, therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus. Isn't that beautiful? And then Paul goes on to write about tribulation. You see, peace for the Christian does not mean the absence of tribulation.
Peace for the Christian does not mean the absence of trial. Peace for the Christian means tranquility in the midst of it. It means a steadied soul, even though all around falls away. We just sang this this morning.
His oath, his covenant, his blood, support me in the whelming flood. When all around my soul gives way, he then is all my hope and stay. On Christ, the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. If you're here this morning and you have not believed the gospel, all of these new covenant promises are not for you.
You don't have this peace in times of confusion. You don't have this stabilizing influence in the midst of difficulty. You don't have this commitment on the part of a covenant partner that is absolutely amazing. The way by which you enter into this new covenant is not by virtue of the fact that you grew up in a Christian home, or that you attend a Christian church, or that you own a Christian Bible.
The way into the new covenant is through the Lord Jesus Christ. It is through His blood. It is through His righteousness. It is through His gospel.
The gospel is not my warm feeling. The gospel is the record concerning Jesus, who lived and who died and who rose again. And all sinners who, by God's grace, look to Him in faith, will have everlasting life. I gotta say, there's no better place to be than the New Covenant.
There is no better place to be than the new covenant. It is safe, it is secure, it is blessed, it is joyful, it is to be with Jesus. Well, let us pray.
Closing Prayer
Our Father in heaven, we thank you for these lessons so fleshed out in these prophets of old. I pray that these things would find their marks in our hearts and that you would affect us for good, that you would bring change to us areas where we have sinned and strayed, grant us repentance and grant us grace, Lord God. And for any and all who are outside of Christ, may today be the day of salvation. May it be the case that sinners could look back on the power of God manifested to them in opening their hearts to see their sin and to see that Christ is the one who is altogether lovely and the one who is chief among ten thousand and that one alone who saves to the uttermost.
All who draw nigh to God through him. Go with us now we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.