1 Samuel 20 - David and Jonathan's Covenant | Bible Podcast, David Alley, Peace Christian Church

In this video listen to 1 Samuel Chapter 20, read by David Alley, followed by comments and prayer.

In 1 Samuel Chapter 20 David leaves Samuel to get intelligence about what is happening, and why Saul is trying to kill him. But Jonathan seems to know nothing about it. The period between his fleeing to Ramah, and this coming back must have only been a short period for Jonathan to have remained ignorant. Jonathan and David agree on a system to find out and pass on information about the truth, and they do it with a secret message sent via the archers bow.

Here we see an example of the world of espionage as in ancient times, passing on secret messages as used to happen before technology changed everything. After the message from the archer’s bow confirmed David’s life was in danger, he and Jonathan briefly talked, agreed to treat each other's families well in the future, embraced and departed in great sadness.

This was the second last time they were to see each other in life, not that they were to know this of course. The Last was in 1 Samuel 23 when Jonathan snuck out to see David while he was hiding out in the wilderness. Not only was David in a difficult place, Jonathan was too being loyal to his father and also loyal to David.

What should he have done? Should he have left his father to serve David, or stayed with his father as he did? Perhaps if he had left his father to serve David he may have survived the battle of Mt Gilboa at the end of 1st Samuel. Meanwhile, though in exile, David himself actually remained loyal to Saul in his heart. Despite being physically separated he was emotionally connected.

Contrastingly many people remain physically connected but emotionally separated. It takes a great man or woman, to give the heart to another, and to not remove it even when things are not to your advantage.