June 21st, 2026: Jonathan and David Resolute Friends | 1 Samuel 18:1-4, 1 Samuel 20:16-17, 2 Samuel 1:6-17, 21:7

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

(John 15:13-16)

The Bible mentions friendship and being a friend often. Abraham was a friend of God. God spoke to Moses face to face as one does a friend.  Scripture tells us to be discerning. To have friends, we must be friendly.  To be a friend, we must understand what a true friend is.  

There are many kinds of friends. Saying you are a friend doesn’t necessarily make it true.  Scripture tells us, for example,  Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul. (Proverbs 22: 24-25).   

We are to consider who influences us and how we influence others.  Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. (Proverbs 27:17). Our friends help define who we are and should make us better individuals.

Today’s lesson shares with us the faithful, dedicated friendship of David and Jonathan.  In very turbulent and difficult times, these two men remained resolute in their promises to each other.  They are a picture that points us to our greatest friendship of all. One friend stands above them all as our advocate and defender. A true friendship, with promises lasting long beyond our life here on earth.   A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24).   

Background

The tribes of Israel have become a nation. They have asked for and have been given their first King. King Saul has not been completely obedient to the instructions of God. The prophet Samuel has told King Saul that the kingdom will not stay in Saul’s family but will be given to another whose heart is after God’s heart. Depression, anxiety, and fear overcome Saul’s decisions.  He figures out that David will be the next King. He sees David winning battles and slaying giants.  He watches as David’s popularity grows and sets it in his heart to kill David.  His attitude will not only separate him from God, it will also cause division in his family and separate him from his son. 

Our first selection begins following David’s defeat of the Philistine Goliath.  King Saul is talking with David about the battle, and the King’s son, Jonathan, hears the conversation. 

1 Samuel 18: 1-4

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 Jonathan loved him as his own soul. And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house. Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan 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.

As Jonathan listens to David, he recognizes a kindred spirit.  They are a few years apart in age; most scholars think about a 5-year difference, with Jonathan being the oldest.  Both men believe in the authority of God over and defending Israel.  As David faced the giant Goliath, he made it clear it was not the military prowess of David that would destroy Israel’s enemy.

And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field. Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hands. (1 Samuel 17: 44-47). 

Jonathan, no doubt, was witness to or at least had heart about all of this. David does not come from the defeat of Goliath to speak with King Saul arrogantly or as a champion.  He comes in humbly as the son of his father, Jesse the Bethlehemite.

And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand. And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite. (1 Samuel 17: 57-58).  

By these words, David affirms his belief in what he had spoken before: the battle was the Lord’s, and it was the Lord’s doing that slayed the giant. 

Keep in mind that Jonathan himself had declared the same Godly authority as he quietly sneaked into the the Philistine camp, just a few chapters prior.  And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the Lord will work for us: for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few. ( 1 Samuel 14:6).

These two men have a lot in common. They think the same.  They depend on the same God. They are knit together, bound together in the soul fundamentals relating to God. Is there any better friendship among men or women than friendship between those who believe in God? Those friendships mesh together as a force of faith.  Jonathan and David make an agreement to stay the best of friends.   

Jonathan removes his royal cloak and weapons to give to the shepherd David.  They commit to  more than friends. They are brothers not of birth but in spirit. David had been offered Saul’s weaponry.  It did not fit and was not proven. Jonathan’s garments and weapons were a perfect fit! 

Jesus is our friend who is closer than a brother.  When we confess our sins and begin our relationship with Him, we too embark upon a covenant relationship.  Jesus laid down His life and paid the price for our sin. His garments become our white robe. His weapons to us are His Word and the whole armor of God. To accept Him is to belong to God. We become resolute in a covenant agreement with Him. Jesus in turn, will speak on our behalf to the Father. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. (John 15:12-14).

1 Samuel 20: 16-17

So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the Lord even require it at the hand of David's enemies. And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

By this time, an evil spirit torments King Saul. He is obsessed with pursuing David to kill him.  Every success of  David’s feeds Saul’s envy and jealousy.  King Saul is very aware of the friendship between his preferred heir to the throne, Jonathan, and the anointed future King David. Jonathan and David renew their agreement. The agreement extends from the individual to the family.  Their relationship will include a protective promise to their descendants. There is a great love between these brothers. 

1 Samuel 20: 32-34

And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done? And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David. So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the second day of the month: for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame.

The seriousness of King Saul’s actions causes his son Jonathan to ask what is going on.  To this point, it seems the King has hidden from his son the intentions for David.  Now King Saul is consumed with wanting David dead. Jonathan has seen nothing from David that would justify Saul’s desire to kill him.  When bitterness or jealousy become rooted deep within a person, their actions more than speak for their heart. Saul turns on his son and tries to kill Jonathan. If Jonathan had hoped that maybe his father wasn’t as bad as David had thought, this action proved otherwise. Jonathan remains loyal to David, despite the attitude of his father.  He is ashamed at the wrong being pursued by his father. 

There are many believers in Christ who face a similar dilemma. Becoming a son or daughter of God does not sit well with some family and friends.  The world disowns and marginalizes those who profess faith in Jesus.  Many people die because of their faith. Jesus knows all about this as well.  He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1: 10-12). 

1 Samuel 20: 42

And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch 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 for ever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city. 

The covenant agreement between these two men continues to grow. They have learned to trust each other.  There is no fear because of Saul.  They remain committed despite the efforts to separate their relationship.  

Paul says the same thing as he writes to the church in Corinth. It doesn’t matter the circumstance, we as believers are in Jesus and Jesus keeps his promises.  Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are your's; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are your's; And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's. (1 Corinthians 3:21-23),

2 Samuel 1:26-27

I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!

Hear is the agony of David’s heart as he learns that Jonathan has been killed in battle.  It has been somewhere between 20-25 years that he has been on the run from King Saul.  During that time, their relationship has remained strong, but often was strained.  In his mourning, David tells us of the depth of this brotherhood.  This loss is great. We, too, have lost many dear sisters and brothers in the faith. Many were closer to us and even passed the love for our own families.  There will come a day when death and separation will be defeated.

Jesus was crucified. He was betrayed by one of his 12 disciples.  He knows about pain and loss.  He knows all too well about the separation of death. Yet He will return and when He does He will be asked…And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. (Zechariah 13:6).

2 Samuel 21:7

But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the Lord's oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul. 

David becomes King, and he does not forget his promise to Jonathan.  He brings the only living son of Jonathan to his home and takes care of him for the entirety of his life. Jesus does the same for us.  He hears and cares for us all the days of our lives here and will take us on to eternity with Him.  

Is Jesus your friend?  Do you know Him? You can. Just ask. How do I know He will be your friend?  Because He laid down His life for you.  How do I know His promises are true?  Because He picked back up his life and became a resurrected Savior. What a friend we have in Jesus!

Thank you for studying with us! God bless!