Friendship based on covenant

February 5, 2022

Friendship based on covenant

Pastor To Chongji

Reading: 1 Samuel 20:1--17

Selected Readings: 1 Samuel 20:1-3, 8-17

"1 David fled from Najoh of Ramah, and came to Jonathan, and said to him, "What have I done, what sin have I done, what have I sinned against your father, that he will seek my life? 2 Jonathan said to him, "Nothing! You will not die. Behold, there is nothing my Father does, great or small, that he will not tell me. Why should my father hide this from me? No? It will be like this!" 3 David swore again, "It is true that your father knows that I have found favor in your sight. Therefore he said, 'Don't let Jonathan know of this, lest he be troubled.' I pointed to the living LORD. I swear, and I swear by your life, I am only one step away from death."

…

8 Be gracious to your servant, because you made a covenant with your servant before the LORD. If I have sins, and you kill me yourself, why give me to your father? 9 Jonathan said, "No such thing! If I knew that my father was determined to harm you, why would I not tell you?" 10 David said to Jonathan, "If your father answers you harshly, who will come? Tell me?" 11 Jonathan said to David, "Come, let's go to the field." And they went to the field.

12 Jonathan said to David, "May the LORD, the God of Israel, bear witness. Tomorrow about this time, or the third day, when I find out my father's will, behold, if it is good for David, what shall I do? Will he send someone to tell you? 13 If my father intends to harm you and I do not tell you and send you away in peace, may the LORD punish Jonathan severely. May the LORD be with you as he was with my father before. In the same way. 14 Treat me according to the steadfast love of the LORD, and not only will you spare me death while I live, 15 but you will never cut off favor with my house when the LORD cuts off David's enemies one by one from the ground." 16 So the covenant Nathan made a covenant with the house of David, "May the LORD repay him from the hand of David's enemies." 17 Jonathan made him swear again because he loved David as his own life. "

Times Meditation:

When David saw his best friend Jonathan, he burst out with three questions he thought he was innocent of: What did I do? What is the sin? What offended King Saul and sought his life (1)?

Jonathan was unaware of Saul's pursuit of David. Facing David's cry, Jonathan must find out the truth.

From the covenant between Jonathan and David, it can be seen that they have a friendship of death, which is touching. Jonathan's words implied that he believed that David would inevitably become the king of Israel, that the danger before David would disappear, and instead Jonathan would be in danger, so he asked David to show mercy to him and his descendants ( 14~15).

Answer the prayer:

May the Lord grant me true friendship so that we may experience the preciousness of the divine covenant.