JONATHAN AND DAVID - FRIENDSHIP

     I Samuel 18:1, "And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathon loved him as his own soul."

    “The soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David.” True friendship is a gift of God, and a person who has a true friend should count him as such. God knit the soul of one to the soul of the other. When God gives one a friend, He knits their souls just as real as Christ is knit to the church and as the husband and wife are knit to each other. Proverbs 17:17, “A friend loveth at all times.”

    I find it of great importance that Jonathon's soul was knit to David's. David needed a friend. God gave David such a friend.

   Blessed is the person who knows such knitting of his soul to that of another. Notice the words, "as his own soul." Jonathon loved David as he loved his own soul. When God gives such a friendship, He gives a love for the friend that is akin to a love for self. My friend's welfare is my welfare!

    Jonathon gave up the kingdom for David. I Samuel 18:4, “And Jonathon stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.” Jonathon's friendship led him to give all to his friend. David's welfare meant more than his own. True friendship knows no bounds of sacrifice, love, and giving. 

   The word "Jonathon" means "given by God." Apart from salvation itself, God has no more gracious gift than the gift of a true friend. If there is one such person in the world to you, thank God daily for him and do your best to nurture this relationship to its fullest.

   True friendship is often closer than blood ties. I Samuel 19:2, “But Jonathon Saul’s son delighted much in David: and Jonathon told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself unto the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself.” In Proverbs 18:24 there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. In John 15:13 the greatest love is one laying down his life for a friend. How sweet it is when the bonds of Jesus Christ and the bonds of Christian friendship exceed even the ties of blood.

   Jonathon and David made a covenant between them to die for each other. People should develop friendships so close that death itself would not be too great a gift. Jonathon proved the sincerity of his heart when he risked his life again and again for his friend David. Each of us would like to have such a friend, but it's more important that each of us become such a friend.

   Jonathon was willing to be in the shadows. I Samuel 23:17, “And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.” True friendship is willing to be second. It is willing to exalt the other in place of self. It steps in the shadows and pushes the friend into the limelight. It finds its satisfaction in loving and not in being loved, in helping and not in being helped. It rejoices in the success of a friend.

Jonathon expressed his friendship to David every time he saw him. Again and again he took care to tell David of his love, devotion, and friendship. There should be an excess of "I love you" rather than a scarcity. How sweet it is when friends express devotion one to the other. Jonathon gave to David his every desire. I Samuel 20:4, “Then said Jonathon unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee.” True friendship seeks for the needs of its object. The DESIRE of a friend is a royal command! 

    Bodily absence does not mean that friends are apart. Jonathon and David were not together as much as one would think, yet their souls had been knit. There is a fellowship other than physical fellowship. How beautiful it is when the souls of two people are so knit together that they cannot be "separate" from each other.

    There are some people in this world for whom I would die. Each day I thank God for them. Paul said in Philippians 1:7 that he had the people in his heart. In verse 8 he expressed his longing for them. True friends should have each other in their hearts and should have such soul fellowship that nothing can separate them.

   It is interesting to note that not long after Jonathon died, David had his terrible affair with Bathsheba. Then he lost the baby from this union. A son raped a daughter. One son murdered another son. The murderer son then rebelled against his father, fought to take over the kingdom, and was soon killed in a battle against the forces of his own father. None of this happened to David while he had his friend. Could it be Jonathon's friendship helped keep David right?

   I know the inspiration that is given by having a friend. Such relationships can make my preaching better, inspire me more, and even keep my life cleaner and more dedicated to God. A true friend leads one to righteousness. A true friend enables his friend to become a better Christian.

   David gave to Jonathon after Jonathon's death. All relationships on earth must end for a season, and so did David and Jonathan's earthly friendship. Jonathon died, but David's friend-ship lingered. In II Samuel 9:1 David, in honor of Jonathon, brought Mephibosheth, Jonathon's son, to the king's palace to live as one of his own. We should do now what we plan to do later for our friends. Tell of our love now! Show our appreciation now! Sacrifice now! Give now! It's good to give to one's descendants after his death, but it's better to give to them during his life.

   How sweet it is when God miraculously imparts friendship to two people. There are many close relationships in life such as parent-child, husband-wife, brother-sister, etc. Along with these relationships must go a true friendship - the kind of friendship that exists between the Jonathons and the Davids, the kind of friendship which is a gift from Heaven and which will last throughout eternity.

 DJH