Jonathan Saves David Once Again David part 3 Last time, we saw how Saul tried to kill David many times after learning the Lord is helping David and has stopped helping him. 1Sa 18:28 (CEV) Saul knew that she (Michal, Saul s daughter) loved David, and he also realized that the LORD was helping David. 1Sa 18:29 But knowing those things made Saul even more afraid of David, and he was David's enemy for the rest of his life. For the rest of our life, we have our old man to fight against. It is our old self who is always there, wanting to get back control from Christ who is now reigning in our hearts. In this world, we will always have enemies as long as we follow the Lord. However, we must remember that it is really evil spirits that are controlling them and so we must not be bitter towards those who hate us. They really don t know what they are doing. 1Sa 20:1 (ERV) David ran away from the camps at Ramah and went to Jonathan and asked him, "What have I done wrong? What is my crime? Why is your father trying to kill me?" 1Sa 20:2 Jonathan answered, "That can't be true! My father isn't trying to kill you. My father doesn't do anything without first telling me. It doesn't matter how important it is, my father always tells me. Why would my father refuse to tell me that he wants to kill you? No, it is not true!" 1Sa 20:3 But David answered, "Your father knows very well that I am your friend. Your father said to himself, 'Jonathan must not know about it. If he knows, he will tell David.' But as surely as you and the LORD are alive, I am very close to death." Like David, we are always under attack by our enemy the devil. We must not lower our guard and realize we are always close to spiritual death. It is with the word of God and with the advice from our friends that we will survive and win this war. 1Sa 20:4 Jonathan said to David, "I will do anything you want me to do." 1Sa 20:5 Then David said, "Look, tomorrow is the New Moon celebration. I am supposed to eat with the king, but let me hide in the field until the evening. 1Sa 20:6 If your father notices I am gone, tell him, 'David wanted to go home to Bethlehem. His family is having its own feast for this monthly sacrifice. David asked me to let him run down to Bethlehem and join his family.' 1Sa 20:7 If your father says, 'Fine,' then I am safe. But if your father becomes angry, you will know that he wants to hurt me.
The lesson we can learn here is that we need to pay attention of what others talk about. People usually talk about things that are near and dear to their hearts. If someone always talk about worldly things like money, possessions and fame, and never talk about the words of God, that is someone you want to stay away from. People with hatred in their heart will eventually let their feelings known. David is being wise here. He told Jonathan to pay close attention to how Saul will react when he learns David is not at the feast. 1Sa 20:8 (CEV) Be kind to me. After all, it was your idea to promise the LORD that we would always be loyal friends. If I've done anything wrong, kill me yourself, but don't hand me over to your father. 1Sa 20:9 "Don't worry," Jonathan said. "If I find out that my father wants to kill you, I'll certainly let you know." 1Sa 20:10 "How will you do that?" David asked. 1Sa 20:11 "Let's go out to this field, and I'll tell you," Jonathan answered. When they got there, 1Sa 20:12 Jonathan said: I swear by the LORD God of Israel, that two days from now I'll know what my father is planning. Of course I'll let you know if he's friendly toward you. Let s pause here and think about how Jonathan is being an extraordinary friend here. He is going against his own father who is also the king! What a loyal friend. When you grow up kids, if you are blessed enough to be in the body of Christ, you will find such friends. These are people who will truly love you more than their families in the flesh. Pro 18:24 (CEV) Some friends don't help, but a true friend is closer than your own family. Joh 15:12 (ESV) This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Joh 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. Joh 15:14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. How easy would it have been for Jonathan to side with his father and stop helping David? How easy would it have been for the Lord to call down legions of angels to defend Him? But our Lord chose to lay down His life for us. He left us an example to do the same for each other. 1Sa 20:13 (ERV) If my father wants to hurt you, I will let you know. I will let you leave in safety. May the LORD punish me if I don't do this. May the LORD be with you as he has been with my father.
1Sa 20:14 As long as I live, show me the same kindness the LORD does. And if I die, never stop showing this kindness to my family. Be faithful to us, even when the LORD destroys all your enemies from the earth." 1Sa 20:16 So Jonathan made this agreement with David and his family, and he asked the LORD to hold them responsible for keeping it. 1Sa 20:17 Jonathan loved David as himself, and because of this love, he asked David to repeat this agreement for himself. 1Sa 20:18 Jonathan said to David, "Tomorrow is the New Moon celebration. Your seat will be empty, so my father will see that you are gone. 1Sa 20:19 On the third day go to the same place you hid when this trouble began. Wait by that hill. 1Sa 20:20 On the third day I will go to that hill and shoot three arrows as if I am shooting at a target. 1Sa 20:21 Then I will tell the boy to go find the arrows. If everything is fine, I will tell the boy, 'You went too far! The arrows are closer to me. Come back and get them.' If I say that, you can come out of hiding. I promise, as surely as the LORD lives, you are safe. There is no danger. 1Sa 20:22 But if there is trouble, I will say to the boy, 'The arrows are farther away. Go get them.' If I say that, you must leave. The LORD is sending you away. Remember the code words. If Jonathan says the arrows are farther, David needs to get away, he is in danger. If Jonathan says the arrows are closer to him, David is safe and he can go closer to Jonathan. 1Sa 20:23 Remember this agreement between you and me. The LORD is our witness forever." 1Sa 20:24 Then David hid in the field. The time for the New Moon celebration came, and the king sat down to eat. 1Sa 20:25 He sat next to the wall where he usually sat, and Jonathan sat across from him. Abner sat next to Saul, but David's place was empty. 1Sa 20:26 That day Saul said nothing. He thought, "Maybe something happened to David so that he is not clean."
Look at Saul here thinking he is fully worthy to be at that feast and accusing David in his heart, all the while he was the one trying to kill David! The Lord sees our heart and we cannot hide from Him if we hate someone. That hatred will eventually be revealed. 1Sa 20:27 (ERV) On the next day, the second day of the month, David's place was empty again. Then Saul said to his son Jonathan, "Why didn't Jesse's son come to the New Moon celebration yesterday or today?" 1Sa 20:28 Jonathan answered, "David asked me to let him go to Bethlehem. 1Sa 20:29 He said, 'Let me go. Our family is having a sacrifice in Bethlehem. My brother ordered me to be there. Now if I am your friend, please let me go and see my brothers.' That is why David has not come to the king's table." 1Sa 20:30 Saul was very angry with Jonathan and said to him, "You son of a twisted, rebellious woman! I know that you have chosen to support that son of Jesse it will bring shame to you and to your mother. 1Sa 20:31 As long as Jesse's son lives, you will never be king and have a kingdom. Now, bring David to me! He is a dead man." Now everything is out in the open. One day, God will expose all the bad things in our hearts, all our bad thoughts and he will destroy them and cleanse us with His holy words. Mat 15:19 (MKJV) For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies; Remember that verse, kids. Out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, and all sorts of bad things. When someone tell you to trust your heart, don t believe them. Trust the Lord. Trust the Bible. Trust those who truly love you and care about your well being. 1Sa 20:32 (MKJV) And Jonathan answered Saul his father and said to him, Why shall he be killed? What has he done? 1Sa 20:33 And Saul threw a spear at him to strike him, and by this Jonathan knew that his father was determined to kill David. 1Sa 20:34 And Jonathan rose from the table in fierce anger, and did not eat food on the second day of the new moon. For he was grieved for David, because his father had put him to shame. 1Sa 20:35 (ERV) The next morning Jonathan went out to the field to meet David as they had agreed. Jonathan brought a little boy with him. 1Sa 20:36 He said to the boy, "Run. Go find the arrows I shoot." The boy began to run, and Jonathan shot the arrows over his head.
1Sa 20:37 The boy ran to the place where the arrows fell, but Jonathan called, "The arrows are farther away." 1Sa 20:38 Then he shouted, "Hurry! Go get them. Don't just stand there." The boy picked up the arrows and brought them back to his master. 1Sa 20:39 The boy knew nothing about what went on. Only Jonathan and David knew. Do you remember the code words? If Jonathan says the arrows are farther away, what does it mean? Two friends speaking code words to each other. They are like the members of the body of Christ speaking God s words with each other. The world doesn t know what we are talking about as the boy didn t know what was going on. But the words of God are perfectly clear to those given God s holy spirit. 1Sa 20:40 (ERV) Jonathan gave his bow and arrows to the boy and told him to go back to town. 1Sa 20:41 When the boy left, David came out from his hiding place on the other side of the hill. David gave a formal greeting by bowing to the ground three times to show his respect for Jonathan. But then David and Jonathan kissed each other and cried together. It was a very sad goodbye, especially for David. 1Sa 20:42 Then Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace. We have taken an oath in the LORD'S name to be friends forever. We have asked the LORD to be a witness between us and our descendants forever." It s true that the followers of Christ will have sorrow in this world. But like Jonathan and David, we know that this sadness is temporary and we look forward to the day when the Lord gives us our full reward.