Covenant Relationships

INTRO

Our phrase for 1 Samuel is Anointed One. In 1 Samuel 19, things got crazier. Saul told his son Jonathan to kill David (v. 1), and Jonathan told David what Saul had told him to do (vv. 2–3). Jonathan went back to his father and spoke well of David, so Saul said he would not kill David. Jonathan returned David back to Saul, and David served Saul again (vv. 4–8). But the evil spirit returned to Saul, and Saul tried to pin David to a wall with a spear. David had to run for his life (vv. 9–10). Saul searched David’s home for him, but his wife Michal helped David escape by placing a household idol in bed to look like David was lying there sick (vv. 11–14). Saul sent his servants to bring David from his bed, but they only found the idol (vv. 15–18). When Saul found out where David was, he sent his agents there, but they encountered a group of prophets and began to prophesy. This happened three times (vv. 19–21). Saul then went as well, and the Spirit of the Lord came on him and he too began to prophesy (vv. 22–23). Saul stripped off his clothes, collapsed, and laid naked all day and night (v. 24). The story continues in chapter 20.

TEACHING

Dale Ralph Davis highlights four scenes that are acted out in this chapter.¹

The first scene was before Jonathan. The first step was to debate the danger (vv. 1–4). David fled to Ramah, found Jonathan, and questioned why Saul was trying to kill him (v. 1). Davis states that David could go to Jonathan because their covenant provided David recourse.²Jonathan said Saul had promised he would not kill David (v. 2). But David countered that Saul was withholding information from Jonathan (v. 3). Jonathan reaffirmed his covenant with David (1 Samuel 18:1–5). “Whatever you say, I will do” (v. 4). The covenant was not just renewed, but extended.

The second scene was to prepare a test(vv. 5–7). David said that since the next night was the New Moon, the beginning of a religious festival, he would skip having dinner with the king and hide for three days (v. 5). The New Moon festival had a sacrificial meal when the family came together for a time of worship (Numbers 10:10). David was now a part of Saul’s family and expected to attend. The test was to see if Saul would miss David’s presence and how Saul would react to his absence (vv. 5–6). David put Jonathan in a position of having to lie to Saul. The test would show if Saul was good with David’s absence or if he became angry and had evil intentions (v. 7).

Jonathan appealed to the covenant (vv. 8–9). David said that if he had done anything wrong, then Jonathan should kill him (v. 8). The phrase “deal faithfully” (hesed) can be understood as the deal kindly or deal faithfully. In the KJV, the word is translated 250 times as “mercy.” Davis explains that the order of this process is: “love gives itself in covenant and gladly promises devoted love; the covenant partner then rests in security of that promise and may appeal to it, as David does here.³Jonathan refused David’s suggestion. Jonathan remained loyal to David and let him know Saul’s intentions (v. 9).

Jonathan reaffirmed covenant promises again (vv. 10–17). David and Jonathan went out to the field to set up a “dry run” for how they would communicate Saul’s reactions. Jonathan promised to send David word about whether Saul was favorable toward David (vv. 12–13). The covenant provided a vehicle for uncommon faithfulness. Jonathan recognized that David was the king and what was to come. Jonathan took it even further when he asked David to be gracious to him and to his household after Jonathan’s death (vv. 14–16). The tradition was that a new king would eliminate anyone and their households who posed a threat to the king’s reign (1 Kings 15:29). Wiersbe points out that “David never had a co-regent because Jonathan was killed in battle, and David rejected Saul’s daughter Michal as his wife and she died childless. Had she borne any children, it would have brought confusion into the royal line.”⁴Jonathan then swore his love and support to David again (v. 17).

Jonathan and David also had to determine necessary signals (vv. 18–23). Jonathan told David to hide by a great rock in the field. Jonathan would shoot three arrows toward the rock. Then, depending on the instructions Jonathan gave to the young man fetching the arrows (to look for them off to the right or beyond the rock), David would know whether it was safe to return. In verse 23, Jonathan reaffirmed their covenant once again.

The third scene was at Saul’s table(vv. 24–34). David’s place at Saul’s table remained empty for two days. When Saul asked where David was on the second day, Jonathan told his lie about David going to Bethlehem (vv. 24–29). Saul responded in anger and threw insults at Jonathan (v. 30). Saul recognized that Jonathan’s allegiance was with David and explained that Jonathan’s allegiance to David would cost Jonathan his throne (v. 31). Wiersbe explains that “God had made it very clear that none of Saul’s sons would ever inherit the throne, and David was the king of God’s choice, so Saul was fighting the will of God and asking Jonathan to do the same thing.”⁵When Jonathan responded to Saul’s anger by asking what David had done to him, Saul threw a spear at his son, trying to kill him (vv. 32–33). Jonathan was grieved over “his father’s shameful behavior toward David” (v. 33). Jonathan is a foreshadow of a disciple of Christ (Luke 14:26).

The fourth scene was in the field(vv. 35–40). Jonathan followed their plan precisely to get his message to David (vv. 35–40). David bowed to the ground. Then, he and Jonathan wept together because David had to flee (vv. 41–42). Jonathan told David to “go in assurance” or “go in peace” that the Lord has your back.

CLOSING

There is peace because of the covenant. We can find peace in Christ alone:

Romans 5:1, 3: “Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ… And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance.”

John 16:33: “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.” You can have covenant with Christ and He alone will give you peace.

Colossians 3:15: “And let the peace of the Messiah, to which you were called in one body, control your hearts. Be thankful.” Only your relationship, your peace with the Messiah will get you through life. This is the beauty of walking with the anointing.