| 2:21 MIN READ |

I am privileged and blessed to have some great friends. They bring joy, provide counsel, and make life more meaningful. If you haven’t done so recently, stop for a moment and thank God for your friends.

David, the well-known character in the Bible, had a great friend. His name was Jonathan. It’s helpful to know a bit about the backstory of David and Jonathan’s friendship.

Jonathan was the son of King Saul, the first king of Israel. Therefore, Jonathan was Israel’s prince, the next in line to take his father’s throne.

Very suddenly, the landscape of national popularity in Israel changed. It happened the day David defeated Goliath. David immediately became the talk of the town. People were singing about him in the streets. He was the champion. His name was likely on everyone’s lips. It was evident that this young man was remarkably different from King Saul. David had courageous faith. Saul didn’t. The political tide was turning in Israel. David’s stock was rising rapidly.

Saul’s reaction to this was quick and severe. He became very jealous of David. He decided the best thing he could do was kill him. In Saul’s twisted mind, failure to get rid of David would possibly mean the loss of his throne. It would certainly mean the forfeiture of his son, Jonathan’s reign.

Jonathan had a different take on the success of David. Unlike his father, Jonathan saw the hand of God on David. Somehow, miraculously, Jonathan understood that his calling in life wasn’t to become Israel’s king but to keep David alive so he could become the next monarch of God’s nation. Incredible!

The Bible describes the moment this divine friendship between David and Jonathan happened.

1 Samuel 18:1 (Voice) “By the time David had finished speaking to Saul, Saul’s son Jonathan was bound to David in friendship, and Jonathan loved David as he loved himself.”

1 Samuel 18:4 (Voice) “He took off the robe he wore and gave it to David, and also his armor, sword, bow, and belt, symbolically transferring to David his right to ascend the throne.”

Jonathan modeled real friendship to David. He put himself in the background and supported God’s person and God’s plan. He laid down his interests for the benefit of his friend.

I think you would agree; everybody needs some “Jonathan-like” friends. The best way to have one is to be one!

Pastor Dale

Tweet