How often are we asked a question and give a response as forthgiving as Jonathan’s response in 1 Samuel Ch 20v 4 ?
And Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do it for you.”
Here we read about David’s difficulties and Jonathan’s dilemma. Saul is NOT HAPPY with David and has some kind of personality disorder throughout his relationship with David. On several occasions he tries to kill him.
Jonathan as we read loves David but at the same time Honors his father. Jonathan makes a covenent with David and David agrees! They simply make a decision to stand by each other, no matter what the cost!
It says in 1 Sam ch 20 v 17 ‘And Jonathan made David reaffirm his oath out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself!’
What confidence and security!
We have to remember that Jonathan would have been the next King however he knew that David was annointed to be King and take his place!
What stuff would he have to have dealt with? Jealousy, envy, selfish ambition?
But no, he chose to submitt and be like Christ! This to me is a shadow of what was to come. Jesus himself taught this same instruction. ‘To love your neighbour as yourself.
These words when spoken can seem so easy to say but to live out in the various circumstances can be a different story!
So how was Jonathan able to show such love and kindness?
- He knew how to be intimate with David which reflects his intimacy with God.
- He put others before himself
- He knew the importance of honoring
The love of God, which is his character and who He is we see outworked in their relationship. This to me shows that Jonathan had a knowledge of the living God, not just in words but in actions. He would have read scriptures and kept these words within his heart, and at this point when he needed God the most we see the Grace and love of God outworked through him, for God’s purposes.
Can you imagine how Jonathan would have felt at times? But he chose to put thoses feelings aside and serve! He put others before himself. He was confident in his relationship and knew what God thought of him. He was secure and able to trust even thought he didn’t know the outcome.
Jonathan later dies besides his father. How sad! but wait it’s not finished their.
We read in 2 Sam ch 9 v 1
‘David asked, is there anyone still left of the house of saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?’
Jonathan’s faith was still outworking through King David! He was repaying the honour and love of Jonathan. We then see a broken man named Mephibosheth brought to the King’s Table and rewards are beyond anything he could have dreamed of. When entering the King’s presence v 6 it says that Mephibosheth bowed down to pay him honour.
He (sorry but it takes ages to right his name) then receives a reward to sit at the Kings table and ate like one of the king’s sons! All of the land was restored to him and he enjoyed such abundance.
This was the reward of honoring that Jonathan had seen and was being outworked through David into the next generation. Notice the words that Ziba (Saul’s servant)says:
‘Your servant will do whatever my lord the king commands his servant to do’
WOW! it’s payback time, the same words that Jonathan had declared to David was returning to Jonathan’s son! Jonathan had put his life on the word of God and now it was returning back to the next generation!
The bibe says that God’s word does not return void, when we sow the word of God into our lives and lalow him to outwork his plans and purposes we see remarkable results.
Choose today to lay your life down for others and build generationally by making an oath with your God;
Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do for you!