1 Samuel 20:30-42

Then Saul’s anger burned against Jonathan and he said to him, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman! Do I not know that you are choosing the son of Jesse to your own shame….For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established.”

1 Samuel 20:30,31

Faith chooses the will of God over earthly advantages.

Jonathan had volunteered, out of his love for David, to find out whether Saul truly intended to kill David or not. David’s absence at the feast of the new moon was noted by the king and when Saul asked Jonathan about it, Jonathan gave the excuse David had concocted. The result was Saul’s tirade, quoted in the verses above. It became abundantly clear to Jonathan that his father was determined to kill David and he warned his friend, just as he had promised he would.

But, from a dynastic standpoint, Saul’s point was well-taken. It was true that, as long as David was alive, Jonathan’s place as king would never be established. And whether Saul’s hatred was strictly personal or, as he indicated here, it had a dynastic component to it - from a human standpoint his argument was unassailable. But Jonathan, like his dear friend David, was a man of deep faith. Consequently, we watch the heir to Israel’s throne as he abdicates his position in favor of the king God had chosen.

This was not merely blind friendship. Jonathans’ choice was clear and it was deliberate. We don’t know when he came to realize that David was God’s anointed, but based on that knowledge, Jonathan defended David and kept him out of Saul’s hand. He knew that David would surpass him and he chose to hitch his wagon to David’s star rather than to promote himself. In making this choice, Jonathan turned his back on the prominence and prosperity of the monarchy. He gave up his position so that he could join in promoting God’s design. Jonathan chose David over himself and, in doing so, provides us with a dramatic illustration of the truth that faith chooses the will of God over earthly advantages.

From a worldly perspective, Jonathan’s choice made no sense. Yet, God’s people make this choice every day’ and the Bible is replete with examples of those who turned their backs on personal advantage in order to follow God’s will.

It is the way of the Pilgrim: Abraham. God called him to leave his familiar home and the prosperity he enjoyed. “Exalted father” (Abram) had married “princess” (Sarai) and we can imagine the wealth and position they had just from the meaning of their names. Yet, he left it all behind to follow the will of God. He could have gone back at any time. (see Heb. 11:15) But he did not. “Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God.” Heb. 11:16

It is the way of the Leader: Moses. As the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, he was in line for the throne of Egypt – the world power of the day. Think of what good he could have done for Israel from that lofty position! But he “refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin; considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward. Heb. 11:24-26

It is the calling of the Prophet: Jeremiah. Well-known at court and by the king, Jeremiah could have had it made. All he would have had to do was prophesy “smooth things” like all the other prophets. (see Jer. 6:14, 16-17; 23:16ff) But he chose to be faithful to the Lord and suffered the consequences: shame, rejection, imprisonment.

It is the life of our Savior. Jesus left the courts of heaven, emptying Himself of His divine prerogatives for the sake of His love for us. Throughout a life of suffering and sorrow, He consistently and perfectly chose the will of His Father of His own. He had no interest in earthly prominence – although the people at one time wanted to make Him their king. But He wouldn’t allow it. (see John 6:15) Even as He faced death, He said, “No My will, but Thine be done.”

This is God’s call on our life as well – to be Jonathans. You see, you can’t love both the world and God. You can’t simultaneously promote yourself and faithfully serve God. The Bible clearly teaches that you can’t serve God and mammon. The true child of God is distinguished by the fact that he chooses the will of God – often to his own hurt. And those who choose otherwise are in danger of a spiritual disaster of eternal proportions. “Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world.” 2 Tim. 4:10. Here’s how Paul exhorts Timothy earlier in this letter: “Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.” 2 Tim. 2:3,4 As Jim Elliot wrote, “He is no fool, who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

1 Samuel 20:12-17

I regret my delay in posting this entry. This has been a very busy time. I trust God will encourage you as you read - regardless of my tardiness.
- Dan.

So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord require it at the hands of David’s enemies.”

1 Samuel 20:16

Bind yourself to God’s Word and will.

David fled from Saul and sought out his friend, Jonathan, to find out why Saul was so intent upon killing him. The two of them talked and concocted an elaborate plan that would allow Jonathan to warn David of danger without exposing his whereabouts. It is remarkable to see Jonathan’s loyalty to David in the midst of this crisis. Any man found helping David at this time would have to face the king’s wrath. But, as the king’s son and heir, Jonathan was not only braving Saul’s wrath, but was also abdicating his own claim to the throne of Israel. By supporting David, Jonathan knew that he was destroying his own opportunity to succeed his father.
Yet, Jonathan went beyond mere support for David. In this passage, he insists that David reaffirm the covenant that the two of them had made after David’s defeat of Goliath. Jonathan was not only helping David, he was committing himself irretrievably to David’s kingship. Somehow, Jonathan knew that David was ordained by God to be Israel’s next king. With that knowledge, he chose to bind himself to the will of God, rather than seek his own benefit.
Jonathan didn’t have to move in this direction. He could have simply stepped back and waited to see the outcome of the conflict between David and Saul. If David emerged victorious, then Jonathan would have been able to take refuge in the first covenant between them. But if Saul won, then Jonathan would have been secure as his successor. Instead, Jonathan took an active part in protecting his father’s “enemy.” He knew he was throwing away his only chance to be king, but his love for David and his love for the Lord were so strong that he didn’t care.
In this action, Jonathan stands once again as a type of Christ. His sacrifice for us arose out of His covenanted love for us. Alone of all men, He had the ability and authority to simply stand above the fray and allow our enemy, sin, to hunt us down. But He chose to take an active part in our escape, placing Himself in harm’s way so that we could be freed. But, as with all types, the picture is dim. For Christ brought good news from His Father, news of salvation rather than destruction. And He rendered that news certain not only by reaffirming His covenant with us at the Last Supper, but also by standing in our place and allowing our enemy to take His life. Our freedom was not obtained by clever plans but by the blood of the Son of God. He willingly committed Himself to the Word and will of His Father for our sake.
And so it should be with us. When we see God at work, when we are given some insight into what God is doing, we need to bind ourselves to His Word and will. Blackaby says to find where God is working and join Him there. So often, we try to tell God what to do and where to work, hoping He will bless our plans and our desires. But it is not for the servant to dictate to his Lord. Even Jesus Christ submitted His will that that of the Father – “Not My will, but Thine be done.” We are called to follow Him and, in order to do so, we must also willingly submit to the will of our Father. Our part in God’s grand scheme of redemption will necessarily be a small one. Jonathan largely disappears from the narrative of David’s life from this point on. However, God’s Word, His work, and His will are our greatest joy, and we are honored to play a part in His plan, no matter how small. May the Holy Spirit show where God is at work and give us the grace and courage to join Him there.

1 Samuel 20:1-23

Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah…

1 Samuel 20:1

We are mistaken if we think God is primarily concerned with delivering us from difficulty.

Having been providentially delivered from Saul, David could have assumed that this was an indication that his troubles would soon be over. God had openly taken a hand in David’s circumstances by providing a remarkable means of escape. But rather than become complacent, David continued to flee – seeking out Jonathan for an explanation of Saul’s continuing hatred. David seemed to sense that this wasn’t over yet. He had been burned enough times already that he suspected there was more to come, so he went looking for some explanation for his difficulty.
This is far different from the way most of us handle hard times. We seldom look beyond the removal of the immediate trial, and our prayers clearly indicate that our concern for deliverance is often greater than our concern for God’s glory. In an age of immediate gratification, we tend to see deliverance (i.e. our removal from a hard situation) as the greatest gift we can receive. It is the peculiarly evangelical form of the prosperity gospel: while we may not believe that God wants us all wealthy, we DO believe that He wants His children to be comfortable. This is the reason why we so often pray for deliverance from trials rather than pray for growth in faith and holiness. This is the reason why we do not have a well-developed theology of suffering (even though it is a major Biblical theme). Consequently, there is a vital lesson for us here in David’s experience. God allowed this particular trial to continue on in David’s life. It dragged on for YEARS! He may do the same with us.
In fact, we may go even further and assert that every one of God’s true children will have a “Saul” in their life – some person or circumstance that produces tremendous stress and tests us spiritually. James assumes this point when he tells us to be joyful WHEN (not if) we encounter various trials. (James 1:2) You see, God loves to strengthen our faith in Him and He chooses to do so through difficulty. James goes on in this section to assure us that “faith tests” produce spiritual endurance. Our Father is training marathoners, not sprinters.
God could easily have delivered David at any point in this years-long trial. Yet, it was during these difficult years that the seeds of David’s greatness were sown. He learned battle wisdom; his band of “mighty men” was formed; his family began to take shape. But most of all, David came to know God in a way that few others have even known Him. Show me a man who walks in close fellowship with God, and I will show you a man who has developed that fellowship through trial and difficulty.
So, God leaves trials, and sometimes even sins, in our life in order to teach us what we would or could not learn any other way. These long-term difficulties teach us to depend upon divine strength and not our own. (2 Cor. 12:9,10) They teach us that it is enough to walk with Christ, and that this can be done regardless of our outward circumstances. We also learn that God is able to give us joy IN the trials – even when He doesn’t deliver us. In other words, we gradually come to learn that the spiritual gains we make as a result of such trials are FAR more valuable than the temporal comfort we might have received through premature deliverance from them.
God had something beyond immediate deliverance in mind for David. And He often has the same in mind for us. This is the explanation for prolonged illnesses, interpersonal conflicts, financial struggles and family crises. As we struggle with our trials, may God enable us to look beyond the immediate circumstance, and give us grace to see our situation from an eternal point of view. May He teach us to trust His wisdom, to rest in his sustaining grace and to be assured that His power will deliver us from our trials at just the right time.

1 Samuel 19:23,24

…And the Spirit of God came upon [Saul] also, so that he went along prophesying continually until he came to Naioth in Ramah….and he too prophesied before Samuel and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”

1 Samuel 19:23,24

Gifts and performance are not certain indicators of godly character.

The henchmen Saul had sent to do the deed had been overcome by the Holy Spirit and, instead of killing David, had begun to prophesy. Consumed by his rage, Saul had decided to come and kill David himself. But as he drew closer to Samuel’s home, to the school of the prophets and to the frantic fugitive, Saul also began to prophesy. In fact, the power of the Spirit was so strongly upon him, that Saul apparently pulled off his outer garments, fell on the ground and prophesied uncontrollably for 24 hours straight.
This account produces some confusion on the part of certain commentators, who find it inexplicable that Saul would be used by God as a mouthpiece. Some even suggest that this may show that Saul’s heart was still, in some way, turned toward the Lord. But we can reply to this confusion in the same way Christ did to the Pharisees: “You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures, or the power of God.” (Matt. 22:29) Many times in Scripture we find evidences of spiritual power and giftedness among God’s enemies. This is especially true of the spiritual gift of prophecy. We only need to think of Balaam, Caiaphas (Jn. 11:51) or (as in this account) Saul, to realize that possessing a spiritual gift does not necessarily indicate godliness. God is free to use whatever vessel He chooses. Not only that, but Satan is also able to counterfeit many of the gifts of the Spirit. This is why John tells us, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” (1 Jn. 4:1)
So, what was going on here? The passage is clear that this prophetic gift, evidenced by Saul and his merry men, was a gift of the Holy Spirit. But, knowing the Word, we realize that a gift is not a certain indication of spiritual character. But several things ARE demonstrated in this event: First, we see God’s power to deliver using means we would never anticipate. We considered this in the previous devotion. God was also graphically demonstrating His favor upon David and His determination to protect him. Imagine how encouraging this scene must have been to David as he watched his enemy not only rendered powerless, but also in the process, giving glory to God! Saul should have taken the hint and kept away from David at all costs. But men consumed by their sin are irrational. Finally, this event shows God’s ability to intervene in ANYONE’S life – regardless of their spiritual state.
Notice that this was NOT a saving experience for either Saul or for his men. They had a powerful encounter with God and “tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come.” (Heb. 6:4,5) But it was not an experience that benefitted them in any way. In fact, the Hebrews passage indicates that such experiences only serve to increase the condemnation of those who remain unrepentant. You see, this was not the first time Saul had experienced something like this. In 1 Samuel 10:10, we find “the Spirit of God came upon [Saul]mightily, so that he prophesied.” This first instance was a sign to Saul that God had indeed chosen him to be king of Israel. I would suggest that this second experience with prophecy was God’s reminder to Saul of what he used to be and of how far he had strayed from the Lord. It was a merciful warning that Saul should have heeded but did not.
Despite this obvious evidence of the Lord’s favor upon David, Saul continued to pursue his perceived enemy to destroy him. It will only end with Saul’s own destruction.
Those who are looking for outward signs and wonders may indeed find them. But, in themselves, signs and wonders are no certain indication of God’s favor on a man, a ministry or a theology. We are warned in Scripture to carefully evaluate the spirit that motivates such outward manifestations of power. It is by their fruit that you will know their true character, and that fruit can only be evaluated by Scriptural guidelines. In other words, men and their ministries must exhibit both an adherence to the truth taught in the Word and the power of the Holy Spirit before we endorse them as being sent by God. God is often not in the wind, the fire or the earthquake, but rather in the “sound of a gentle blowing.” (1 Kings 19:11ff)
This means that we also must be careful within the church that we don’t anoint gifts and performance without seeking to discern the spiritual character of the individual. In 1 Timothy 3, the qualifications of an elder are (except for the gift of teaching) all about character, not giftedness. In fact, Paul warns Timothy later in the letter, “Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thus share responsibility for the sins of others…” (1 Tim 5:22) It also means that, as we evaluate our own spiritual health, we cannot rely upon the functioning of our gifts as a reliable indication of how well we are doing. The Scripture encourages us to focus, not on the gifts or their manifestation, but upon the God who gives those gifts. This is the key to David’s greatness, and it will be the key to our individual usefulness within Christ’s Kingdom. May the Lord grant you such a great heart for Himself that, whatever gifts He gives or withholds, you will strive daily to know Him better and to walk in His ways. This is the heart of true spiritual health and godly character.