Now over in 1 Samuel chapter
20, we resume our study, and it's,
as I said, it's a long chapter, but it's not one we can really
take in part, so we'll try to get through it, and I'll just
kind of make a few comments on each passage as we go through
this. So let's start with verse 1.
And David fled from Naoth in Ramah, and came and said before
Jonathan, What have I done? And you know why David's fleeing.
Saul has tried to kill him yet again. And so David is meeting with Jonathan
here. He knows he has a friend in Jonathan.
And he said, what have I done? What is mine iniquity? What is
my sin before thy father that he seeketh my life? And he said unto him, God forbid,
thou shalt not die. Behold, my father will do nothing,
either great or small, but that he will show it me, and why should
my father hide this thing from me? It is not so. And David swore
moreover and said, Thy father certainly knoweth that I have
found grace in thine eyes. And he saith, Let not Jonathan
know this, lest he be grieved. But truly, as the Lord liveth
and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and
death. Now David said this last phrase
because He was in trouble and he knew it. He was being pursued
by Saul the king, not just anybody off the street. The king of Israel
was determined to kill him. And he said as a result of that,
there's but a step between me and death. And this is a reminder
to us that that's always true. That's always true of everybody. A step, a single step. Now David
mentions it here particularly because he was in trouble and
we tend to think that way too. But there was a step between
David and death every day he lived. And I'm not just saying
that because he had an extraordinarily troublesome and dangerous life. Even when he wasn't in danger.
When he was facing Goliath there was a step between him and death.
But when he was out in the field watching his father's sheep.
Even when the lion and bear didn't come. He was but a step between
death and. There was but a step between
him and death. And this is true of us every
day. We just realize it more when there's a trial. The Lord
showed me this not too terribly long ago. Because we face some
things as a church. Different ones of us have been
through some things that have caused us to realize there's
but a step. There's just a step. I remember when little Jackson
was in the hospital. And we're praying for him, and I remember
talking to, and several of us talking together and saying,
you know, we realize today that God has Jackson's life right
there in his hand. But that was true before. That's
true today of him and us and all of us. He gives us these
things that we go through to cause us to understand that.
It's not any more true when we're going through something. But
it's not a bad time to say it. We just need to realize it all
the time. All the time. But the blessed
comfort that we have as believers is this. Even though there is
but a step between us and death. And David, I think the way he
was saying it was this, if I make one wrong step, I'm a goner.
I've got to be careful. Every step I take, I've got to
watch, I've got to be wise about it. But even if we take it, even
if that's true, one wrong step and we're goners, the Lord directs
all of our steps. He directs every one of them.
And we can't be harmed at all. He said not a hair shall fall
from your head without your Heavenly Father. Much less us lose our
life. And even if I did die tonight, it would be gain. In Christ it
would be gain. It'd be a blessing, wouldn't
it? And so that's so comforting.
In verse 2 there, it might seem strange that Jonathan spoke the
way he did. When I read that, you might have
thought, well, wait a minute, Jonathan knows Saul, he knows his dad pretty
well here. Why is he saying, no, this can't
be true? Because he's very aware that Saul has been presumed.
But I think there's a couple of reasons why Jonathan said
that. First of all, his dad had promised. He said, I swear to
you, isn't that what he said to Jonathan? He shall not die.
I realize what you're saying is right. He's never done anything
but good to me. He's never been anything but obedient and submissive. He's no threat to me whatsoever.
It's horrible of me to feel the way I do about him. You have
my word. He won't be touched. And Jonathan,
the believer wants to think the best of other people, don't we?
We want to. And yet we know uniquely human
nature. like the world cannot possibly
know it. And yet we want to be able to take people at their
word. And also now, Jonathan was always aware before of his
father's plots. You know, he openly just told
everybody, I want him dead, and Jonathan included at one time. And I suspect he was always,
that Jonathan was always, because you remember, Jonathan's always
plotting with David. He's, look, this is not good.
We're going to have to do something about this. This is not the first
time they've plotted together in this chapter. So Jonathan's
thinking, I would know about it. He wouldn't hide it from
me. But then David gives the reason. He knows that you're
in with me now. He's figured this out. He knows
that you're protecting me. And that's why you don't know
about it. He's determined that he's going to hide it from you
because he knows that you're going to tell me about it. And
so we see that there. And then verse four. Then said
Jonathan unto David, whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even
do it. for you. Now this is a real friend. And there are not many things
more precious in this world than a true friend. God gives his
people friends, real friends. And I wonder about this sometimes. You know, the world, everybody's
got friends, you know. But this world doesn't know anything
of the love of Christ. The fruit of the spirit is love. And if you ain't nothing but
flesh, you don't have that fruit in you. You don't have it in
you. You just don't. And I suspect that the friendship
of this world is not worth a whole lot. You think I'm going too
far maybe with that? The friendship of this world.
I suspect that there's not a person in this world that wouldn't kill
their own mother for a drink of water if it came down to it.
if it came down to it, without the grace of God now. And I think, and look, I've got
friends still, a couple, that I believe don't know the Lord,
and we're good friends, so don't misunderstand me. But I know what the word of God
says too, and I gotta be honest with myself. If you don't have the love of
God in your heart, it's not the same thing. I've had a couple
of friends, I suspect all of God's sheep, the Lord will see
to it that you have one or two that would do anything. Jonathan
said you name it. Now look, I've got a lot more
friends that I call friends than I do ones that are like this.
You understand what I'm saying? Maybe one or two in a lifetime.
Maybe not any, some may not have any like this. Whatever thy soul
desireth, I'll do it for you. I can think of at least two just
off the top of my head. But that's not really the point. That just helps us understand
what this is. This is precious now. This is
special. It's not everybody that'll do this. And there's a bond between
the sinner and the Savior that's unlike any other. It surpasses
any earthly relationship. Is there anything you wouldn't
do for the Lord? Think about that now. David is clearly Christ
in this relationship here, in this chapter. What would you
not do for him? And if not, why? What would keep
you? And I know what Jonathan's thinking
here now. There may be several reasons why Jonathan loves David,
but surely chief among them is he saved me. He saved me. And Jonathan couldn't get over
that. That's kind of how I am, by the grace of God. I can't
get over it. The Lord Jesus Christ has saved me. And I hope I never
get over that. In verses 5 through 8, And David
said unto Jonathan, Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should
not fail to sit with the king at meat. But let me go, that
I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even. If
thy father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly ask leave
of me, that he might run to Bethlehem this city. For there is a yearly
sacrifice there for all the family. If he save us, it is well, thy
servant shall have peace. But if he be very wroth, then
be sure that evil is determined by him. Therefore thou shalt
deal kindly with thy servant, for thou hast brought thy servant
into a covenant of the Lord with thee. They made a covenant together,
if you will remember, in chapter 18. And we won't have time to
turn there tonight, but you remember that. Notwithstanding, if there
be in me iniquity, look, if Saul is right to try to kill me, then
you just kill me now. You talk about honest, just honest. Slay me yourself. Why shouldst
thou bring me to thy father? He's thinking maybe, maybe, you
know, all of this that Jonathan really does, is still loyal to
his father and all of this is part of the part of the trick
you know he's not sure maybe that may be why he said that
if you're if you're if your intention is just to turn me over to your
father anyway eventually just kill me now let's get it over
with i like that attitude let's let's bring it let's just whatever
it is Believe that's of the Lord. Tell you let's settle it. Let's
just settle it. Let's get it over with. I like
that And David mentions the covenant
that they had made together in chapter 18 and he conspires again. He puts his life into Jonathan's
hand And he's saying here and as though it could be possible
maybe and That if Jonathan is going to, if you're, if you're
going to turn me over, just let's do it. But he does trust, he
trusts his very life with Jonathan, doesn't he? That's why he made
that statement too. Let's just settle it right here.
But if not, I'm trusting you. I'm trusting you. I'm putting
my life in your hand and he does trust you. There's a lot of trust
in the relationship between Christ and his sheep. We're persuaded that he's able
to keep We trust Him with everything. Paul said, He's able to keep
that which I've committed unto Him. What have you committed
to the Lord, Paul? What have we not committed unto
Him? If there's anything you've kept back, commit it to Him.
Because He's worthy of it. Commit it all to Him. Your soul,
your family, every day of your life, every moment. Everything. We're persuaded that he's able
to keep that which we've committed unto him against that day. And he's entrusted us too. It's
not the same. We trust him because he's trustworthy.
He's entrusted us out of condescension and grace. Now think with me. He's trusted us with that which
is most precious to him. He's exalted his word above all
in his name. And yet he said to us, and his
sheep, how much does he love his sheep? And he says to us,
take care of my sheep, feed my sheep. We're stewards of his grace,
of his gospel. We're given the honor of feeding
his sheep. First Timothy 1.11, Paul said, according all that
he said before this is according to the glorious gospel of the
blessed God, which was committed to my trust. Now, the Lord doesn't trust our
flesh. That's not what this is about. We're trustworthy for
one simple reason. Next verse, after 1 Timothy 1.11,
1 Timothy 1.12, and I thank Christ Jesus, our Lord, who hath enabled
me. That's why when I preach the
gospel, you can hear what I say and you can trust me. I'm not
gonna lie to you. Now, do you trust me explicitly? Well, you may want to check up
on me from the word of God. That'd be fine. I'm all for that.
But somebody who preaches the gospel got to be. That's a that's
a trust. That's a trust. It's a sacred
trust. Now you trust in your children
to believe what I say. Who have enabled me for he counted
me faithful. He didn't find me faithful. He
made me faithful. He enabled me and he counted
me faithful, putting me into the ministry who was before a
blasphemer. That's how he found me. A blasphemer
and a persecutor and injurious, but I obtained mercy. And now
look at me. God has given me, he's entrusted
me with the glorious gospel of the blessed God. But what a condescension and
blessing it is that God made it so that we can be trusted
with this. He's made it so. Now, verses
9 through 13, back in our text, and Jonathan said, far be it
from thee, for I knew certainly that evil were determined by
my father to come upon thee. Then would I not tell it thee?
So you see, David just throws it out there. Look, if you're
going to take me to him, if this is all just a big plan and plot
against me, and you're in on it, let's just do it right now.
Just kill me now. And Jonathan says, oh no. No, if my father had told me
that, look, it's back on, let's kill him, I would have told you
that. I would have told you that. I thought about it. Our Lord
said, if it were not so, I would have told you. I would have told
you. That's a true friend now. He'll
tell you the good and the bad. He'll give it to you straight.
And then said David to Jonathan, who shall tell me, or what if
thy father answer thee roughly? And Jonathan said unto David,
come and let us go out into the field. And they went out, both
of them, into the field. And Jonathan said unto David, O Lord God of
Israel, when I have sounded my father about tomorrow, any time,
or the third day, and behold, if there be good toward David,
and I then sin not unto thee, Show it to thee the Lord do some
and much more to Jonathan but if it pleased my father to do
the evil that I will show it thee and Send thee away that
thou mayest go in peace and the Lord be with thee as he had been
With my father as king. He's saying as kingdom But also
that you notice that he's called David Oh Lord God of Israel Was
he going too far, I don't know I believe I know why he said
that he knows that God is with David and He's acknowledging
God's anointing upon David, that David is God's king. And so he's
respecting him as he would respect God himself. Doesn't the Lord
say of wives to respect your husbands as the Lord himself? I believe I could find that for
you if I had to. I don't remember where he is right now. And did
he not say, if you've done it to one of the least of these,
my brethren, you've done it to me. And that reminds me of that.
Whatever reason he said that, it reminds me of that. And so
Jonathan conspires with David to further David's interests,
although it was at his own expense. Think about what Jonathan has
to lose here. Jonathan's in direct line to the throne. He's next.
Not too many people would think that too shabby. riches beyond
your imagination, commanding the respect of everybody. The
king had all authority and everything he wanted. Servants and wealth
and respect and honor, everything that the flesh craves. But he
denied his flesh for David's sake. And that's the believer
now. If you don't take up your cross
and follow me, You're not worthy of me. You're not worthy of me,
our Lord said. Jonathan chose David over himself.
That's what happened in Hebrews 11, 24. By faith, Moses, when
he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's
daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people
of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, esteeming
the reproach of Christ, greater riches than all the treasures
of Egypt. As Pharaoh's son, he would have
been the most powerful, rich, honored, and fawned over man
in the world at the time. But he chose the reproach of
Christ because he had respect unto the
recompense of the reward. He counted it as actually more
valuable to be hated with Christ than to be loved. as Pharaoh
over Egypt. And that's what it means to take
up your cross and follow the Lord Jesus Christ. It's to crucify
this flesh. You would rather die every day
than be without him. That's what it means. You crucify
the flesh with the affections and lusts for his sake. Galatians
5 24. They that are Christ's. Apostrophe
S. They that belong to him. have
crucified the flesh with the affections and lust. It means
more to us to belong to him than it does to indulge the desires
of this flesh. And when I say that, you're thinking,
boy, I don't know about me then. Yeah, I know what you mean. I know what you mean. Saul is going to throw this in
Jonathan's face now later in the story in verse 31. He's going
to say, you're sitting here taking sides with David and you're not
ever going to be king that way. It didn't faze Jonathan one bit.
I don't want to be king, do you? Not anymore. I was born wanting
to be king. Ye shall be as gods. That was
Satan's temptation. It wasn't look how, you know,
tasty that apple looks or whatever it was. It was you shall be as
gods. That's what the significance
of eating that forbidden fruit. And we wanted to be. But not
anymore. Not anymore. That's the grace
of God. I don't want to be king. I want him to be king. That was
Jonathan. Didn't phase him a bit. Verses
14 through 16. You reckon we're going to get
through this? Well, yeah, we're only halfway. And thou shalt not only while
yet I live show me the kindness of the Lord that I die not. Here's
what I'm doing for you. I'm going to see to it that you
get overthrown. But here's what you're going
to do. You're going to show me the kindness of the Lord that I die
not. And did you notice when we read
in 2 Samuel 9 that that's the way David put it? He said to
Ziba, is there anybody left of the house of Saul that I may
show the kindness of God unto him? Of course that's Christ. David
is Christ there. The kindness of God is bestowed
by God in the person of his son. But can a believer show the kindness
of God? It's the fruit of his spirit. Kindness. It's the fruit of his
spirit. But also thou shalt not only
to me, not only while I yet live, but also thou shalt not cut off
thy kindness from my house forever. Verse 15. No, not when the Lord
hath cut off the enemies of David, every one of them from the face
of the earth. So Jonathan made a covenant with
the house of David saying, let the Lord even require it at the
hand of David's enemies. You see, first of all, Jonathan's
faith here. This is just like the thief.
Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. David, remember
me when you're on the throne and all of your enemies are cut
off. There was no doubt in Jonathan's mind that he was God's anointed.
There was no doubt in the thief's mind that that one hanging there
bloody and broken and humiliated and put to an open shame, he's
God's anointed. Is there any doubt in your mind?
Is there any doubt in mine? May God remove it. Help our unbelief,
Lord. But also here, this is the covenant
that saved Mephibosheth. When David ascended in 2 Samuel
9, where we read a while ago, when David ascended the throne
later, many who were loyal to Saul had to die. There just wasn't
going to be, it was going to be them or David. And it's going
to be them, because David's God's king. Somebody's going to die. And Mephibosheth would have been
among them. Now he's an heir to the throne under Saul. And
a lot of people were still loyal to Saul. And Mephibosheth feared
that he'd be one of them. He was hiding out in Lodabar,
the place of no pasture. That's us by nature. Hiding in
the desert from God. Hiding in a place with no water,
nothing to eat, nothing to drink. But what he didn't know is that
he was going to live like the king. himself. Eat with the king. How many times did it say that
in that passage? He's going to sit at the king's
table continually. I think it's four times. Pretty
sure. And be taken care of by the king. He appointed servants. You're going to take care of
him. He's not going to have to do anything. Everything's going
to be done for him. Does that sound familiar? We're
lame, we can't do anything if we wanted to. If you're part of this covenant,
you don't need to do anything. Just bask in the glory of his
love and grace. Saul's grandson Mephibosheth,
he feared, but he didn't realize that all the days of his life
he was going to benefit He was going to be rich and taken care
of and loved. This wasn't something that David
did grudgingly. He said, I want you to sit at
my table. I'm not just going to send food
to you that's great. I'm not going to send you ribeyes
and baked potatoes. I want you to sit here and eat
with me. He loved him for Jonathan's sake. All because of a covenant that
was made before Mephibosheth was ever born. And that's us. That's the sheep of God. That's
Christ's people given to him by the Father in the covenant
of eternal grace. There are two covenants in the
scriptures. Two made by God with sinners. The covenant of works
that requires that terms be met by the sinner. This do and live
was the charter of the old covenant. You obey, you hold up your end
of the bargain, and I will bless you. This do and live. And when God made that covenant,
he knew we couldn't measure up to it. He said, when you sin,
when you break this covenant, go to the mercy seat. God's not
naive. He knows what we are. He didn't
make the old covenant of works so that we would obey Him. He knew we couldn't measure up
to it. He made that covenant to show us that we could not
measure up to it. That's what Paul said in Romans
chapter 3, I believe it is. Those who are The law says what it says to
those who are under the law. Why? That every mouth may be
stopped and all the world become guilty before God. He gave his law to cause us to
say, I'm guilty. I can't do it. I see by the light
of your perfect holy law that I am wretched and vile. And I
need a savior, I need mercy. That's why he said, he gave his
law and when he gave it, he said, go make a mercy seat and put
blood on it. On the day of atonement, the
high priest will go in there and he'll make atonement for
you. And I'll dwell with you, I'll commune with you upon the
mercy seat. Why do we need a mercy seat?
We'll keep this law, we'll do great. No, you won't. No, you
won't. He made that covenant, that old
covenant of works, to show us that we can't measure up. And
by that covenant of law, Paul said, is the knowledge of sin.
The knowledge of sin, not the taking away of sin, not the remedy
for sin, the knowledge of sin. And it acted as a schoolmaster,
he said in the book of Hebrews, I believe, to bring us to Christ.
The law was a schoolmaster. Now it was, I don't know where
that was. Exactly. I think it might have been in
Galatians. But the law is a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. It did
that. It brought us to Christ by showing
us how sinful and hopeless we are under that law. We cannot
bear that burden. We cannot bear that yoke. None
of our fathers were able to bear it. And we can't bear it. And
so it drives us. It makes us hopeless sinners. And hopeless sinners come to
Christ. Sinners may not but hopeless
ones come to Christ They come to him for mercy they
come to the mercy seat The public and said God be propitious to
me on the mercy seat because I'm the sinner And they're made
hopeless by the law that's why there's an old covenant, but
blessed God There's a covenant that's older than the old covenant
called the new covenant If it's older than the old, why is it
called the new one? Because it's never void as the old one is.
Paul said all through the book of Hebrews, the old one is void.
If it had been perfect, then there hadn't been any reason
to have a second one. And the old one is passed away.
Because the second is established. It's built upon better promises.
This do and live is a promise. But if you're a sinner, it's
not a real good promise for you. Except in that it shows you your
hopelessness. But this one's built on better
promises now. I will have mercy. I will remember
your sins and iniquities no more. I will reveal myself to you.
I will be your God and you'll be my people. I will. I will.
I will. You shall. Ordered in all things, and sure. And it's called new because we're
born under the old and we're introduced eventually, newly,
to the new as it's revealed to us in the gospel. It's new to
us when God reveals it to us in the gospel. God made an everlasting
covenant that does not require that any terms be met by the
sinner. That's the covenant we need,
because we can't meet any terms. We can't do a single thing right.
There is none that doeth good, no not one. There is in my flesh
no good thing, Paul said clearly. All of the terms of the new covenant
were met by the Savior, by our representative, by our surety,
the Lord Jesus Christ. And under the terms of the new
covenant, our Lord Jesus Christ both lived and died for us, for
all those who God made this covenant with. Like David said, he made
with me this covenant. It's not so with my house. And
I thought about that because I think he may remember what
Jonathan said when he said, although it be not so with my house, because
you remember what Jonathan said? Not only with me, but with my
house. Have mercy on everybody I love. And that's what we want. But God didn't always do that.
David said, although it be not so with my house, yet he's made
with me an everlasting covenant. We're going to read that later
and just rejoice in the covenant of grace that God made before
we were born. And yet everything about us is
affected by that covenant. Everything. It doesn't require that we meet
any terms. They're all under the terms of that covenant. Christ
lived as our righteousness and died as our sin offering. And
through him, by him, because of him and all that he did for
us, we are accepted of God, forgiven. All the benefits of the covenant
are ours through him. Forgiven, justified, redeemed,
and free from the law. The charter of the old was this
do and live. The charter of the new is look
and live. Look with the eye of God-given
faith. It is a faith that it might be
by grace. That faith is not of yourselves,
it's the gift of God. Free, sovereign, distinguishing
grace through God-given faith. Look to Christ for all that you
lack. Look to Him as sin offering for
all that you've done. Doesn't matter how wretched you
are. His precious blood cleanseth from all sin. Mephibosheth was
forever safe and blessed simply because he was included in that covenant that was made
before he was born. That's me. That's me. Because of covenant love. 2 Samuel 23 5 Although my house
be not so with God, yet he hath made with me an everlasting
covenant, ordered in all things and sure. It's not contingent
upon me. For this is all my salvation. Wait a minute, David, didn't
you have to believe? Didn't you have to repent? Didn't
you have to? This is all my salvation. God made with me an everlasting
covenant. If he made that covenant with
you, you will believe. You will repent. You will believe
on him. You will come to him. All that
the Father giveth me in that covenant shall come to me. But
all my salvation is that he loved me before I was ever born. It's really that simple. And
it's all my desire. I don't want anything else. Don't
need anything else. Don't have to put my two cents. I wouldn't put my two cents worth
if I had two cents. He did it all. And that's the
way I like it. That's what a real sinner now
will say. A sinner made by the grace of
God. Verse 17, we may not make it. Jonathan calls David to swear
again because he loved him. For he loved him as he loved
his own soul. Jonathan wanted to hear the words again from
the mouth of David. David's already promised him
this, hasn't he? Tell me again. Why? Because I don't trust you? Because I, you know, Because
I forgot, now because I love you. Isn't that beautiful? Is that why you came tonight,
to hear it one more time? I hope that's why I'm here. Tell
me one more time, because I love you. Verse 18. Then Jonathan said to David,
tomorrow is the new moon, I shall be missed because thy seat will
be empty." Now, look, this is verses 18 through 29. Read that
for me later, and let's not do it right now, because I've only
got about 12 minutes left, and I don't want to... Here's what
it says. Now, this is a plot that Jonathan
tells David, here's how I'll do it now. I'll come once we've,
you know, you're not going to be there. And Saul's going to
be upset about it. And here's what I'll do once
I find out whether he's really determined to kill you. I'll
come and let you know. I'm going to shoot three arrows.
And I'll have a servant with me. And if I tell the servant,
they're beyond you. You haven't gone far enough.
That means it's not good. And you're going to have to leave.
You're going to have to leave because my dad's going to kill
you if you don't. If I tell him, you've gone too
far, come back. Apparently he was reserved the
third one or whatever. It worked out one way or the
other that he could say it. Either that you need to go further
or you need to come back. You've gone too far. If I say
that, then it means everything's fine. It means you can come back.
And so they worked out this plan. And think about this now. God
has anointed David king. No question about that. And there
was no question in Jonathan's mind about that. There's no way
God's going to allow David to be killed any more than the Lord
Jesus Christ could be taken until his hour was come. Not going
to happen. And yet we have all this scheming
on David's part and Jonathan's part to make this work out. They're
trying to figure, OK, well, I'll shoot these arrows and I'll go
and I'll tell Saul this and I'll come back and all that. It's
just a big old scheme. to make it all work out. Even
sin is involved. They both lied. David told Jonathan
to lie about it, and then Jonathan went and lied about it to Saul,
and it's never right to do that. We don't have to lie to work
things out, and yet we see that in here, and this teaches us
something about how God brings about his immutable purposes
of grace toward us. He uses means to do it. There's
going to be all kinds of scheming on our part. We're going to be
thinking of this and think we got to do this and we got to
do that. Strange and complex combinations of events sometimes
are involved that have to coincide with one another. And even our
sin is involved. Do you think our sin is going
to thwart the purpose of God for us? Is that the message of the passage
that we need to ally sometimes in order to get out of these
messes we find ourselves in? Of course not. The message of
the passage is this. God has covenanted and ordained
that we reign with him forever. And there are a lot of earthly
means to that end. Lots of scheming and decisions
and complicated circumstances and things like that. this is there's there's the threat
of death there's there's beautiful friendship there's hatred and
love there's betrayal Saul he betrayed David he said he said
I'm not good it's gonna be fine and then he turned his back on
him again trying to kill him again but also faithfulness Jonathan
said I'll never I'll always tell you when there's danger and when
there's not I'll tell you I'll do anything for you you name
it I'll do it there's betrayal and faithfulness Hatred and love
faith Jonathan said you're gonna be king And when you are have
mercy have mercy And there's unbelief But in it all and through it
all god is on the throne And because of his covenant love
and by covenant promise all of god's people are predestinated
to be like christ and with christ forever And nothing's going to
change that Nothing's going to change that. In all of the details
and circumstances and situations of life, including our sin, God's going to make it happen.
David's going to be on the throne. And there is going to be mercy
for everyone that he covenanted and promised mercy on. Verses 30 and 31 Then Saul's
anger was kindled against Jonathan, because Jonathan, you know, he
told him, you know, David asked me if he could go back. You remember
the story they worked up before? He told him that same story.
Didn't change it. And then Saul's anger was kindled
against Jonathan. He said unto him, Thou son of
the perverse, rebellious woman, do not I know that thou has chosen
the son of Jesse to thine own confusion and unto the confusion
of thy mother's nakedness? For as long as the son of Jesse
liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor
thy kingdom. You know, see, he's tempting Jonathan here with,
wherefore now sin and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely
die. It's gonna be good for you, Jonathan. I'm just thinking of
you. You should be king, you're the rightful king. Jonathan doesn't
care about that. He don't care about that, he
cares about David. Well, this at once is instructive to us
and it shames us, doesn't it? This is how we ought to be. Not
to care about anything else, but David! Exalting David! Promoting David! Unfortunately,
I care about a lot more than that. A lot more than that. This whole depraved world
is still trying to be God. That's all Saul could think of.
Boy, are you crazy? You're the king. You're supposed
to be king next. I'm king now. David's a threat
to all of that. We can't allow it. But wait a
minute. What about God? What about what God said? God
said David's king. It's one or the other. It's you
or him. It's God or mammon. The whole world still wants to
be God now. They still want to run everything
and be rich and wealthy and famous. You know, have their way. Have
a free will. But not Jonathan. And not God's
sheep. Jonathan doesn't care anything
about that. We're just fine and dandy with Christ being on the
throne. Aren't we? Fine and dandy. And Jonathan's
faith, again, he knew David was God's anointed king and all his
hopes were tied to that. All of his hopes. You think about
that. The covenant. All of the hopes. The covenant doesn't mean
anything if David doesn't reign. It doesn't mean anything. All
of my hopes are tied to the sovereign Lord Jesus Christ. If I'm wrong
about him, I lose everything. You know what? I'm willing to
take that chance. Aren't you? I'm willing to take
that chance by grace. I'm committing everything to
him. If he's not on the throne like I think he is, I'm in big
trouble. That's fine. I'm not worried about it, are
you? Doesn't give me a... Don't have a second thought.
By the grace of God, I don't. I got all kinds of problems.
But that's not one of them. He's on the throne. He rules
and reigns. And I'm glad. Jonathan never questioned that.
You're the king. You can do what I need you to
do. The only question is, will you? And that's the covenant. The covenant answers that question.
Who he is answers the first one. Can he? Oh yeah. Will he? Look at that covenant. He promised,
didn't he? He said, I will, I will come
again and receive you unto myself. Verse 32 through 34. And Jonathan answered Saul, his
father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? What hath
he done? That keeps coming up, doesn't he? We killed the Lord
for nothing. For nothing. We just did. That's how vile we are. What
hath he done? And Saul cast a javelin at him.
Despite him, he's trying to kill his own son now. Whereby Jonathan
knew that it was determined of his father to slay David. Sure
enough, he's a liar. So Jonathan arose from the table
in fierce anger, made him mad. Think about this now, when the
world betrays your Lord, make you a little bit mad? I hope I got a little bit of
that in me by his grace. If not, I'm lost. I'm lost if
I don't. And did he eat no meat the second
day of the month for he was grieved for David because his father
had done him shame. done him shame. He was mad and
it bothered him. He was grieved over it. Now this
whole world hates the one that we love as our own soul. And
it makes us angry and grieved. And they'd kill us if they could.
You got any doubts about that? Oh,
Chris, there's a lot of people in this world that don't want
to kill me. They just don't know you good enough. And God's preventing
it. Yeah, you know what I'm talking
about under the right circumstances Which are just a step away a
step away You think things have gotten
better since they killed the Lord and all of his apostles
most of them And he said they're gonna try to kill you for my
sake Many of you will be killed But it doesn't change anything
It doesn't change anything. It has no bearing on the covenant.
It has no bearing on anything that's going to happen. Saul
was powerless. He's sitting there watching God
do what God's going to do. He just didn't know it. And that's
this world. They have no idea what's going
on. And they think they have all kinds of power. They think
they're on the throne. And it came to pass, verse 35,
in the morning that Jonathan went out into the field, at the
time appointed with David, and a little lad with him. And he
said unto his lad, Run, find out now the arrows which I shoot.
And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. You see, that's
how it worked out. And when the lad was come to
the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried
after the lad and said, Is not the arrow beyond thee? And Jonathan
cried after the lad, make speed. Hey, stay not. And Jonathan's
lad gathered up the arrows and came to his master. He's telling
David, who he knows is hiding nearby, you gotta go. It's not
good. It's not good. But the lad knew
not anything. That's what we just said. Saul
didn't have the slightest idea. He thought he knew exactly what
was going on. He didn't. He couldn't do anything about
what he did know. But this lad here, he pictures the world too. Only Jonathan and David knew
the matter. Only Christ and his people have the slightest idea
what's happening. And you think about that. There's
a lot happening in this world. And the world thinks that they're
on top of it. They don't have any idea what's
really happening. There's all kinds of stuff going
on here. Important business being conducted matters of life and
death Having to do with the covenant life and death are hanging in
the balance This covenant is in effect and all of this is
like this is Jonathan holding up his part of it now from the
earthly standpoint And all that happens is according to that
And they're not included in it. They don't know what's going
on because they're not included in the covenant Haven't got the
slightest idea And this is all of us now, by
nature, until we find out about it. And we don't know everything,
we don't know anything that God hasn't revealed to us, but thank
God he's revealed some things to us. I know what's going on,
don't you? I know what's going on. That's why I don't worry
that much. It still bothers me, and we should be bothered by
the iniquity. You know, David was a political
person. When he saw wrong, it grieved him. He, as king, he
tried to do something about it. He was determined to fight the
battles with the people and things like that. He was involved in
what was going on around him, but he knew some things that
not everybody did. All of this has happened according
to the covenant. God's saving his people, that's
what he's doing. And all the things, all the seeming setbacks
and problems, they're not problems. I know in a sense they are, but
all things are working together for good to them that love God,
to them who are the called according to his purpose. And then verses
41 and 42, and as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out
of a place toward the south and fell on his face to the ground
and bowed himself three times and they kissed one another.
and wept one with another until David exceeded. In other words,
he just, he cried too long. Have you ever done that? Probably should have dried up
a little bit before that, but it was just killing him. It was
killing him. They were determined, I mean,
they were convinced that they weren't going to see each other
again. And they loved each other. And
Jonathan said to David, go in peace for as much as we have
sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying the Lord
be between me and thee and between my seed and thy seed forever.
And he arose and departed and Jonathan went into the city. This was an unusual friendship.
They loved each other like very few people ever experience. in all of life. And it seems
as though they'll never see one another again. And it's clear
what this picture's for. This is Christ and his people
still. All through this it is. The disciples, when the Lord
left this earth to go sit on the throne. That's where David's
going. Didn't look like it at the time. Didn't look like it
to the disciples that the Lord Jesus was going to sit on the
throne. He went to the cross. That doesn't look much like,
you know, But he's going to sit on the
throne. And when he did, they were sad. And they were troubled. And they were afraid. You know
how I know all that? Think about this. The way I know
how they felt was in the words of our Savior when he comforted
them. Let not your heart be troubled. You know who he says that to?
A troubled soul, a troubled heart. You believe in God. What can
you say to a heart that's troubled? Believe also in me. Believe on
the Lord Jesus Christ. And fear not. Don't be troubled.
Don't be afraid. In my Father's house are many
mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to
prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place
for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that
where I am, there you may be also. And I know that they were
afraid because he said in verse 27 of that same chapter, peace
I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth,
give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled,
neither let it be afraid. And I know that they were sad.
Because in Luke 24, 17, he said to the disciples that walked
with him on the road to Emmaus, what manner of communications
are these that you have to one another as you walk and are sad?
And then they told him why they were sad in the next several
verses. And then in verse 25, then he said unto them, O fools
and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.
You know, anytime that we're sad, really, it's foolish, isn't it? It makes me glad to think
that sadness is foolishness, doesn't it, you? Because the
reason for that is we're his. We're his. Oh, fools and slow of heart to
believe. If we're sad, it's because of
our unbelief. And he said this, ought not Christ
to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory?
Ought not he? Why be sad about that? And beginning
at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all
the scriptures the things concerning himself. Do you want to not be
sad? Look in here. as he showed them
and have him show you all the things concerning himself. That's
what we want to see. That's why we're here and I want
to see about him. If you want to not be afraid,
not be troubled, and not be sad, that's the only way. That's the
only way to have any comfort and peace. And when he finally
left those disciples there and they begged him to stay, once
they realized who he was, don't leave, Lord. Let's just, just
let us commune with you and speak to us and let us stay with you. And it says though, when he finally
left them in verse 51 of that same chapter, Luke 24, it came
to pass while he blessed them, that he was parted from them.
While he blessed them, what does that mean? What did that mean
right then, at that time? What did he do exactly that he
blessed them? I don't know for sure, but I
know that we're blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly
places in Christ. We're blessed because he blesses
us. And he was parted from them and
he, and carried up into heaven. And that's true, you know, we
don't, if the Lord Jesus Christ were
with us in this room tonight, it'd be tough to be sad, wouldn't
it? If we knew this is the Lord, now he can hide himself. He hid
himself from them for a while. But this is, if the Lord met
with, if we knew, and he promised he was. I believe he is. If we
knew that, it'd be hard to be sad, wouldn't it? But because
he's not with us, and when he departed from them, you know,
when he had gone to the cross, and they didn't know what to
think, they were confused because of their unbelief. He said, it's
foolish, I told you, I've spoken these things to you all along. And it must happen that way. But then he blessed them. And
you know what they did this time? He parted from them and was carried
up into heaven. And the next words are this,
and they worshipped him. Is that us tonight? I'd love to be with him. But tonight, that's just not
in the fullest sense. We're not. We can worship him. We can worship him by his grace. And they returned to Jerusalem
with great joy. Can we go back to where we live
with great joy tonight? Knowing that because he loved
us before we were ever born, everything's going to be fine. And they were continually in
the temple praising and blessing God. May that be us until the
last day. I'd love for him to just wind
it up on a Wednesday night or a Sunday morning or a Sunday
night while we're together worshiping him. However he does, it'll be
fine. But may we be continually in his house praising and blessing
his holy name. Boy, there was a lot in that.
And I know I didn't spend enough time. But like me, you're tired
and we're limited, aren't we? May God bless it to our hearts
in spite of us. Let's pray.