Reflections Of A Biblical Friendship Series

I begin tonight with a question, “Who would you call your best friend?” For some of us, it is our spouse. For others of us, a sibling is our best friend. For others, a childhood friend whom we still communicate with today holds the title of being our “best friend.”

Best friends are very important. Best friends are our confidants. They are our counselors. They are our PR persons. They back us up when others are against us.

No problem is ever as dark when you have a friend to face it with you. Especially when that person is a best friend.

When one thinks of friends in the Bible some natural friends come to mind

Joshua & Caleb

Jesus and the Disciples – I call you friends

Paul and Barnabas

Paul and Silas

Tonight I want us to focus on the idea of Biblical friendship by exploring the friendship of David and Jonathan. Jonathan is the oldest son of Saul and the heir apparent to the throne – yet because of his father’s sin he will forever be a prince – never a king. Yet his friendship with David is one we should all strive to emulate. Their friendship is best seen in the second part of verse 1 in 1 Samuel 18 “Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself.”

The story of Jonathan and David begins in I Samuel 18, continues with what would be the final contact between them in chapter 23, and tragically ends with Jonathan’s death on the battlefield in chapter 31. It is a story that covers perhaps 10 years or so. And that, I think, is important to remember because the love that God expects us to demonstrate toward others is not a short-term love but a long-term and life long one. Jonathan and David’s relationship was one that remained until death.

There are three episodes in the story of Jonathan and David we need to briefly review before we consider God’s idea for a Biblical friendship.

1. The first episode is seen in I Samuel 18: 1 - 4.

READ TEXT

Two things are of note: First in verse 1, we note, “There was an immediate bond of love between them and they became the best of friends.”

Have you ever had that happen to you? You met somebody and you “clicked” with him or her. You immediately liked them. You became good friends, even best friends. That’s what happened here. Jonathan and David liked each other immediately and they became “like two peas in a pod.” Where one was, the other one was close behind.

The second thing to notice occurs in verse 3 and 4. Jonathan made a vow of friendship with David and sealed the vow by giving David his robe, tunic, sword, bow, and belt.

What does this mean?

It means something of deep significance. Jonathan was so committed to David that he gave things of great value to him. Now this does not mean that he was trying to “buy” David’s friendship. But, it does mean that Jonathan was committed to David at any cost and he sealed that commitment by giving David items that were of great value to him.

By the way, remember what happened when Saul gave his armor and weapons to David to fight Goliath? They did not fit! David could not fight Goliath with Saul’s armor because it was too big and cumbersome.

But, what about Jonathon’s items? I think that we can assume from the text, that they fit David. They became part of the tools he used to do battle for God, Israel, and Saul, in that order.

2. Now the second episode is found in chapter 20 where Jonathan intercedes, at great risk to his own life, on behalf of David.

READ TEXT 1 Samuel 20:1 - 4

The chapter opens with David, running for his life from Saul, Jonathan’s father and the King of Israel, catching up to Jonathan and asking him, as we read in verse 1, “What have I done? What is my crime? How have I offended your father that he is so determined to kill me?”

Jonathan denies that his father would do such a thing and David presses him to prove otherwise. So Jonathan devises a plan that allows him to find out what Saul is planning to do and then tell David.

Well the plan is put in place and Jonathan learns, as we read in verses 30 and 31, what his father’s true intentions are - murdering David so that Jonathan becomes king. Then, as we read in verse 33, Saul hurls his spear at Jonathan, which causes Jonathan to leave in anger, find David, and tell the truth about what is going on.

Jonathan takes great risk to both maintain his relationship with David and tell him what is really going on. But, he does because of his love and respect for David.