Day 131 – Jonathan Helps David

• OK, so where are we up to? Saul had murder on his mind in Saturday’s passage, didn’t he, and as today’s passages open, David is contemplating his future. Saul’s son Jonathan meets up with David at the start of today’s passages to discuss the problem.
• What are David’s concerns? How does Jonathan encourage him?
• What do they discuss out in the fields? Their discussion leads to a covenant agreement. What was the basis of this promise?
• How does Jonathan find out what his father’s intentions are towards David? It starts in 1 Samuel 20:24 and comes to a climax in verse 34.
• How does Saul act with his son as Jonathan tries to understand his father’s anger towards David?
• What’s going on with the shooting of arrows and calling out code phrases, in 1 Samuel 20:35 onward? How did this communicate with David? Why do you think they did it in secret?
• Which of the verses in Proverbs link in with the story in 1 Samuel? How do they show the importance of good friends?
• Look at the New Testament passage. Who does Jesus say we are in verse John 15:14? How has Jesus proved his love for us?
• What are we called to do in response, both in regards to Jesus (verse 14) and those around us (verse 17)?

   

Well, David now knows that he can never show himself to Saul again. As we read over the next day or so, we’ll see where David goes to, and spend lots more time learning about the attempts Saul made to kill young David!

Today we have seen the wonderful friendship between Jonathan and David, and how Jonathan showed his love for his friend by helping out of a difficult situation, despite putting himself in danger at the same time. It’s great to have friends like Jonathan, isn’t it? Do you have any friends like that – people on whom you can share everything, and who can be someone to call on in a time of need? I hope you do. I also hope that you can be that sort of friend to someone else – especially each other in this group.

Jesus epitomised love for the other person when he died in our place on the cross. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son”, as the famous verse from John 3 goes. Love is woven throughout the story of the bible, and in the person of Jesus. Work hard to make sure that love is woven into your life too.

One little side note, just in case you were wondering. David and Jonathan were clearly very close friends. 1 Samuel 20:11 and 20:41 indicate this, as well as the way they act around each other in chapters 18 and 19. Some people have suggested that this might be because David and Jonathan were gay, or had a relationship that was more than just friendship. There’s no reason to think this though. Jonathan supported David through some very tough times and they became close through this. There is no suggestion of a romantic relationship.