David and Jonathan

When I read the passages of 1 Samuel, I felt uneasy to note that the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David (1 Sam 18:1). However, when I read the following chapters, I realized that I was being skeptical of their friendship (May God forgives!).

As I read on, I was very touched by the fact that David and Jonathan are both having genuine concern, trust and friendship with each other and of each other's family. The preamble begins with David gaining favour with Saul, after he has defeated Goliath.

1 Sam 18:1-4, NKJV
Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.  

Saul took him that day, and would not let him go home to his father’s house anymore. 
Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.  

And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt.

After Samuel the prophet proclaimed judgment of the Lord to Saul, Saul began seeking to kill David. Jonathan secretly informed David and spoke well of David in the presence of Saul and Saul halt his plan to kill David at that moment.

Not long after that, Saul attempted to get rid of David and David ran for his life. When David returned from the first escape with Saul, both David and Jonathan had an argument. Jonathan was defending his integrity and his father – Saul and David was questioning Saul and Jonathan’s actions. Below is the gist of the conversation between David and Jonathan. Here, their covenant with each other was renewed.

1 Sam 20:12-17, NKJVThen Jonathan said to David: “The LORD God of Israel is witness! When I have sounded out my father sometime tomorrow, or the third day, and indeed there is good toward David, and I do not send to you and tell you, may the LORD do so and much more to Jonathan. 

But if it pleases my father to do you evil, then I will report it to you and send you away, that you may go in safety. And the LORD be with you as He has been with my father. And you shall not only show me the kindness of the LORD while I still live, that I may not die; but you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever, no, not when the LORD has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” 

So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “Let the LORD require it at the hand of David’s enemies.”Now Jonathan again caused David to vow, because he loved him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul. 

During a feast, Jonathan noticed that his dad – Saul was determined to kill David and thus Jonathan and David both bid farewell.

1 Sam 20:41b-42, NKJVDavid arose from a place toward the south, fell on his face to the ground, and bowed down three times. And they kissed one another; and they wept together, but David more so.  

Then Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, since we have both sworn in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘May the LORD be between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants, forever.’” 

So he arose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.

After David had escaped from Saul’s presence for the second time, Jonathan quietly went to David’s stronghold (1 Sam 23:16-18). Bear in mind that it poses so much risk for Jonathan to trace David’s whereabouts and visited him as his father might kill him along with David. What is more amazing is that Jonathan was even selfless to acknowledge David’s kingship over his father’s and willing to be his “side-kick” (second man)!

Following those events, David being a righteous man and his covenant with Jonathan, he spares Saul twice and became king of Israel. However, the ending of Jonathan was tragic - he was killed along with Saul and siblings during the war with the Philistines. David, being the “brother” of Jonathan mourned and wept and fasted for Saul and for Jonathan. (2 Sam 1:11-12)

Such was the mutual love, care and friendship between Jonathan and David which were seldom heard of in our circles of friends. I urge you therefore, if you have someone who hears you, cares for you genuinely, instead of swaying you away from the truth or influencing you for bad habits, may you strive to work out your friendships with one another.

If indeed anyone has disappointed you/betrayed your trust, would you be willing to be the first to reconcile with the person?

In Him,
Yit Mun (aka IP Man)

Images taken from:

http://fellowshipbatesville.org/wordpress/2011/one-kingdom-one-king/
http://www.thechangeblog.com/become-a-person-people-want-to-be-around/

Depravity of sin

Lately God has been giving me a lot of the moments of "David realizing how serious sin was". Remember the encounter he had with the prophet Nathan?

The story went by where David sin against the Lord by taking Bathsheba as his wife and plotting Uriah (her husband) to be killed in battle.

2 Samuel 12:7a

"And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man.."

2 Samuel 12:13a

"And David said unto Nathan, i have sinned against the LORD.."

Of course I've not commit a sin as serious as David, but to God, regardless the degree of sin - it is still sin to Him. And sin is serious business for the wages of sin is death (Separation from God!)

The thing is, just like David, I didn't think I was sinning. I just figured it was just another moment I wasn't that close to God and I'll just have to keep trying my best to work this out. I thank God by His grace that I continue to struggle with it because He really stay with the low and contrite (Isaiah 57:15). He revealed to me towards my attitude of the spiritual discipline I've been learning from Bible class lately.

When I meditated about how the pharisee commended himself over the fact that he fasted twice a week and tithe everything he had to God compared to the publican in the temple, I always thought i could see myself as the publican, for who can ever be like the arrogant, self conceited pharisee?

Then God told me right in my face, "YOU are the pharisee!" (Can you see how is this connected when Nathan told David "THOU art the man" when he was telling the story to him?)

You see, I always try to make sure i wouldn't fall into this trap. Because during bible class, we were already taught and warned that a lot of people feel that they are very self righteous and "holy" just because they were practising the spiritual disciplines. (Just incase you're very puzzled with what are the spiritual disciplines, to name a few would be like fasting, meditation, scripture study etc.)

But the more I tried to make sure I didn't, the more I got myself into that trap. Instead of focusing on the journey where God is trying to take me through those spiritual disciplines, I was more focus on guarding and making sure I'm doing everything right. That in itself got me spending a lot of my focus and time on the disciplines rather on God which in the first place, He has designed those disciplines for Himself. Not for us or any other reason you can ever think of. Remember what Mark 2:27 said?

"And He(Jesus) said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath."

In this context of scripture, Jesus was trying to correct the pharisees idea of what sabbath was created for, but they worshiped the sabbath that they totally overlooked the fact that God has made it for men!

Subconsciously, I started to feel more self righteous. I started to "praise" myself for doing a good job to keep up with all the disciplines. I was more focused on how long I could do my meditation and prayer rather than sincerely asking God, "Speak to me, i yearn to listen from You". Eventually, my spiritual journey throughout the days got more dry. I didn't feel like talking to God as much as I used to or even trying to listen throughout the days.

But God so loving and gracious, He never left me to run astray all on my own, for He knows how much I do not understand and know Him still. Just as I have faith that He always brings me back to Him, up until now, He has always been faithful. And as He brought me back, I looked back and realized how close I was in walking back into that darkness, the darkness where I once belong where light is purely absent. I could only tear and "would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner."! (Luke 18:13) It was then only I realize, now I'm the publican instead of the pharisee.

If you're a youth leader, CG leader or even just a Christian, remember never let any of your works get up to you. For there is nothing you can ever do, or any works you can ever boast because it is by His grace, you have it all. It is by His grace, it is all made possible. The only appropriate response would be pure gratefulness to the One who has richly and abundantly bless us.
- Gary Heng

Images are taken from :

http://beingisgood.blogspot.com/2010/06/upside-down-world-more-signs.html
http://worldwidepastor.blogspot.com/2011/09/pharisee-tax-collector.html
http://thegodbuzz.blogspot.com/2010/05/humility-before-god.html
http://notquitejuno.blogspot.com/2011/01/silence-is-golden-but-duct-tape-is.html

David

David, the son of Jesse, was an enigma. A survey through his life would present many inexplicables. He was reputedly a ruddy lad; handsome with beautiful eyes. Yet his father had ‘forgotten’ about this son when asked to present all his sons before the prophet Samuel. He was assigned the duty of watching over the flocks whilst his elders attended to more urgent matters; was he a lesser? A tiresome youngster, a pesky nuisance, his brothers had rebuked him for leaving the flocks in search of excitement. Still this less than bashful lad would challenge the mighty Goliath whilst the whole army of Israel wilted in a miasma of fear. Unfettered zeal? Youthful naivety? Optimistic derring-do? But this kid, who claimed that he had killed a lion and a bear, was now ready to take on Goliath for insulting the Name of the LORD. He donned no armor, was armed with a slingshot and a few pebbles.

With the house of Saul, he showed much regard. There is more about Jonathan than about his own siblings. His own cousins had larger roles in his army and life. David would not retaliate against Saul though presented with several opportunities to do so. Saul, his father-in-law, who hunted him like an animal, forcing him to hide and run in hills and caves. A demented king plagued by bouts of attacks, would launch spears at the one who could play his lyre to calm the spirits that so haunted him. A young man of valor, a man of war, handsome and prudent in speech, a man of music! And the LORD was with him.

He spent his time as a wandering warlord but did not abuse the local people. He slaughtered all his enemies. He allianced the Philistines, and would have been in the invading army had not the Philistine princes distrusted him. He could have by force, exacted tribute but chose instead to make requests for consideration from the likes of Nabal. When offended in front of his army, he was quick to convene a response force, but stopped short when placated by Nabal’s wife, Abigail. This same lady was widowed and was subsequently proposed to, by David.

Inaugurated King of Israel, he commanded the nation, and could require harems of fair maidens from throughout the empire, yet he had to have his comrade, Uriah’s wife. He commanded her presence and profaned the house of Uriah. A scheme was conceived to entice and deceive his loyalist to return to his house to conjugate his already pregnant wife. It was executed without success. This escalated to a plot to have Uriah betrayed and killed in battle, an opportunity capitalized by his cousin Joab to rid himself of several others; quite a few of David’s own strong men. David was hamstrung, but showed no regret or remorse on the murder of those who were his able and faithful lieutenants nor was there any evidence of anger or accounting for Joab. David summarily thought that he had put matters right; by marrying the woman!

He would willingly suffer the bilious attack by Shimei, when he had to flee his own Absalom. He imbibed the full measure of his son’s rebellion. He thought that it was the LORD who commanded Shimei’s vitriol insolence. His own fate would not have been in dispute had Absalom been successful. Words were not enough for Shimei as he continued to follow, cursing and throwing stones at David and his fleeing army. On his return, he would so mourn the death of his treasonous son till his generals doubted his sanity. In the general amnesty, he decided under oath, in the Name of the LORD, to assure Shimei of his life and released him. Yet on his death-bed, he commanded Solomon not to allow Shimei any consideration when the next opportunity to dispatch him appeared! It was also at his death-bed that he commanded retribution for Joab; for all his earlier conspiracies, but could it also be, for Joab’s slaughter of Absalom?

Yet this was the same man, the great psalmist who penned so many of the psalms in praise of the LORD. This was the same man who was described as a man after God’s heart, a man who would do much in preparation for the Temple, a man who would not have his Lord confined in a tent whilst he lived in a house, a man who would dance and sing before the LORD till his wife could stand him no longer! This same man wrote;

One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. (Psa 27:4)

His testimony was of his single desire, his one pursuit in life; to dwell in the house of the LORD with the view of beholding His beauty, and to strenuously search and enquire into His word. Quite a confession; the distilled essence of nights of contemplation in the fields and in distress whilst on the run? Did David live and end well? Towards the end, he could not even keep himself warm. His sons were running wild; Absalom usurped the throne and made a public display of violating his concubine wives. Adonijah conspired with Joab and Abiathar for the throne. He had lost control though a king. There is a marked paucity of psalms from this era.

If I would seriously examine the life of David, as a man after God’s heart, I will have no restraint in attesting him a misnomer. Many of his knowing actions would not pass the test of a decent man, much less a godly man. David is no hero of mine. He proved himself to be severely wanting. His life story however, would be a glorious testament of a fallen sinner, saved, only by grace. A testament, all of us share.

And David the king came and sat before the LORD, and said, Who am I, O LORD God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? And yet this was a small thing in thine eyes, O God; for thou hast also spoken of thy servant's house for a great while to come, and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O LORD God. What can David speak more to thee for the honor of thy servant? for thou knowest thy servant. O LORD, for thy servant's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all this greatness, in making known all these great things. O LORD, there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears. (1Ch 17:16-20)

God bless.



/ckh