LOST IN THE LOST IN THE SHUFFLE SHUFFLE

JONATHAN JONATHAN A TRUE A TRUE FRIENDFRIEND

I Samuel 20:1-23I Samuel 20:1-23

David and Jonathan Rembrandt 1642

Lord, grant me the privilege Lord, grant me the privilege and joy of true, deep and joy of true, deep friendship. May I be the kind friendship. May I be the kind of friend who would go the of friend who would go the distance, no matter what, for distance, no matter what, for a real friend. a real friend.

Com

mitm

ent

Com

mitm

ent

He would have been king of Israel if his He would have been king of Israel if his father, Saul, had not disqualified himself.father, Saul, had not disqualified himself.

He was a mighty soldier, accomplished He was a mighty soldier, accomplished with both the sling and in archery.with both the sling and in archery.

Along with his armor bearer, Jonathan Along with his armor bearer, Jonathan defeated twenty enemy troops in an defeated twenty enemy troops in an ambush.ambush.

He led 1000 men in battle against the He led 1000 men in battle against the Philistines.Philistines.

But he was never president or CEO But he was never president or CEO

Lost

in th

e S

huffl

eLo

st in

the

Shu

ffle

David was in line to be the next king. He David was in line to be the next king. He would follow Jonathan’s father, King Saul.would follow Jonathan’s father, King Saul.

Saul was erratic, jealous of David, and even Saul was erratic, jealous of David, and even ordered Jonathan killed for eating honey ordered Jonathan killed for eating honey after a military victory. Fortunately the after a military victory. Fortunately the orders were not obeyed.orders were not obeyed.

Jonathan entered into a covenant with Jonathan entered into a covenant with David, promising to stick with him, no matter David, promising to stick with him, no matter what.what.

They had a love which was uniquely deeper They had a love which was uniquely deeper than a man has for a woman. Their hearts than a man has for a woman. Their hearts were ‘knit together’.were ‘knit together’.

A T

rue

Frie

ndA

Tru

e Fr

iend

The loyal friends devised a way for The loyal friends devised a way for Jonathan to signal David of these sinister Jonathan to signal David of these sinister plans, allowing David to flee.plans, allowing David to flee.

Today’s Scripture Today’s Scripture explains how Jonathan explains how Jonathan learns of his father’s intent to kill David.learns of his father’s intent to kill David.

Eve

n in

Fac

e of

Dea

thE

ven

in F

ace

of D

eath

Jonathan Helps David EscapeJonathan Helps David Escape  11 David escaped from Prophets Village. David escaped from Prophets Village. Then he ran to see Jonathan and asked, Then he ran to see Jonathan and asked, "Why does your father Saul want to kill me? "Why does your father Saul want to kill me? What have I done wrong?"     What have I done wrong?"     2 2 "My father "My father can't be trying to kill you! He never does can't be trying to kill you! He never does anything without telling me about it. Why anything without telling me about it. Why would he hide this from me? It can't be true!" would he hide this from me? It can't be true!"

        33 "Jonathan, I swear it's true! But your "Jonathan, I swear it's true! But your father knows how much you like me, and he father knows how much you like me, and he didn't want to break your heart. That's why didn't want to break your heart. That's why he didn't tell you. I swear by the living LORD he didn't tell you. I swear by the living LORD and by your own life that I'm only one step and by your own life that I'm only one step ahead of death." ahead of death."         44 Then Jonathan said, "Tell me what to do, Then Jonathan said, "Tell me what to do, and I'll do it." and I'll do it." From the (CEV) Contemporary English VersionFrom the (CEV) Contemporary English Version

Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society

““I swear it's true!” I swear it's true!”

1 Samuel 20:1-231 Samuel 20:1-23

5 5 David answered: David answered:    Tomorrow is the New Moon Festival, and    Tomorrow is the New Moon Festival, and I'm supposed to eat dinner with your father. I'm supposed to eat dinner with your father. But instead, I'll hide in a field until the But instead, I'll hide in a field until the evening of the next day. evening of the next day. 66 If Saul wonders If Saul wonders where I am, tell him, "David asked me to let where I am, tell him, "David asked me to let him go to his hometown of Bethlehem, so he him go to his hometown of Bethlehem, so he could take part in a sacrifice his family could take part in a sacrifice his family makes there every year." makes there every year." 77 If your father says If your father says it's all right, then I'm safe. But if he gets it's all right, then I'm safe. But if he gets angry, you'll know he wants to harm me. angry, you'll know he wants to harm me. 88 Be Be kind to me. After all, it was your idea to kind to me. After all, it was your idea to promise the LORD that we would always be promise the LORD that we would always be loyal friends. If I've done anything wrong, kill loyal friends. If I've done anything wrong, kill me yourself, but don't hand me over to your me yourself, but don't hand me over to your father. father.

““Be kind to me”Be kind to me”

1 Samuel 20:1-231 Samuel 20:1-23

99 "Don't worry," Jonathan said. "If I find out "Don't worry," Jonathan said. "If I find out that my father wants to kill you, I'll certainly that my father wants to kill you, I'll certainly let you know." let you know."         1010 "How will you do that?" David asked. "How will you do that?" David asked.        11 11 "Let's go out to this field, and I'll tell "Let's go out to this field, and I'll tell you," Jonathan answered. you," Jonathan answered.    When they got there,    When they got there, 1212 Jonathan said: Jonathan said:    I swear by the LORD God of Israel, that two    I swear by the LORD God of Israel, that two days from now I'll know what my father is days from now I'll know what my father is planning. Of course I'll let you know if he's planning. Of course I'll let you know if he's friendly toward you. friendly toward you. 1313 But if he wants to But if he wants to harm you, I promise to tell you and help you harm you, I promise to tell you and help you escape. And I ask the LORD to punish me escape. And I ask the LORD to punish me severely if I don't keep my promise. severely if I don't keep my promise.    I pray that the LORD will bless you, just as    I pray that the LORD will bless you, just as he used to bless my father. he used to bless my father.

"Don't worry" "Don't worry"

1 Samuel 20:1-231 Samuel 20:1-23

14-15 14-15 Someday the LORD will wipe out all of Someday the LORD will wipe out all of your enemies. Then if I'm still alive, please be your enemies. Then if I'm still alive, please be as kind to me as the LORD has been. But if as kind to me as the LORD has been. But if I'm dead, be kind to my family. I'm dead, be kind to my family.     16     16 Jonathan and David made an agreement Jonathan and David made an agreement that even David's descendants would have to that even David's descendants would have to keep. Then Jonathan said, "I pray that the keep. Then Jonathan said, "I pray that the LORD will take revenge on your descendants LORD will take revenge on your descendants if they break our promise." if they break our promise." 17 17 Jonathan Jonathan thought as much of David as he did of thought as much of David as he did of himself, so he asked David to promise once himself, so he asked David to promise once more that he would be a loyal friend. more that he would be a loyal friend. 18 18 After After this Jonathan said: this Jonathan said:

1 Samuel 20:1-231 Samuel 20:1-23

"I pray that the "I pray that the LORD will” LORD will”

Tomorrow is the New Moon Festival, and Tomorrow is the New Moon Festival, and people will wonder where you are, because people will wonder where you are, because your place will be empty. your place will be empty. 19 19 By the day after By the day after tomorrow, everyone will think you've been tomorrow, everyone will think you've been gone a long time. Then go to the place where gone a long time. Then go to the place where you hid before and stay beside Going-Away you hid before and stay beside Going-Away Rock. Rock. 20 20 I'll shoot three arrows at a target off I'll shoot three arrows at a target off to the side of the rock, to the side of the rock, 21 21 and send my and send my servant to find the arrows. You'll know if it's servant to find the arrows. You'll know if it's safe to come out by what I tell him. If it is safe to come out by what I tell him. If it is safe, I swear by the living LORD that I'll say, safe, I swear by the living LORD that I'll say, "The arrows are on this side of you! Pick "The arrows are on this side of you! Pick them up!"them up!" 22 22 But if it isn't safe, I'll say to the But if it isn't safe, I'll say to the boy, "The arrows are farther away!" This will boy, "The arrows are farther away!" This will mean that the LORD wants you to leave, and mean that the LORD wants you to leave, and you must go. you must go. 23 23 But he will always watch us But he will always watch us to make sure that we keep the promise we to make sure that we keep the promise we made to each other. made to each other.

1 Samuel 20:1-231 Samuel 20:1-23

““We keep the We keep the promise we made promise we made to each other”to each other”

When Saul and Jonathan were killed in When Saul and Jonathan were killed in battle David composed this famous lament battle David composed this famous lament preserved in preserved in 2 Samuel 1:19-27 (RSV)2 Samuel 1:19-27 (RSV)..

Dav

id’s

Lam

ent

Dav

id’s

Lam

ent

"Thy glory, O Israel, is slain upon thy high "Thy glory, O Israel, is slain upon thy high places! How are the mighty fallen!" places! How are the mighty fallen!" "Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets "Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon; lest the daughters of the of Ashkelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult." uncircumcised exult." "Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or "Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you, nor upsurging of the deep! For rain upon you, nor upsurging of the deep! For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil. From the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil. From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty." sword of Saul returned not empty."

Dav

id’s

Lam

ent

Dav

id’s

Lam

ent

"Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely! In life "Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely! In life and in death they were not divided; they were and in death they were not divided; they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions." lions."

"Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who "Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you daintily in scarlet, who put clothed you daintily in scarlet, who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel." ornaments of gold upon your apparel."

Dav

id’s

Lam

ent

Dav

id’s

Lam

ent

"How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the "How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! "Jonathan lies slain upon thy high battle! "Jonathan lies slain upon thy high places. I am distressed for you, my brother places. I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; very pleasant have you been to me; Jonathan; very pleasant have you been to me; your love to me was wonderful, passing the your love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women." love of women."

"How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of "How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!" war perished!" D

avid

’s L

amen

tD

avid

’s L

amen

t

Most people never have a friendship Most people never have a friendship even slightly like that of Jonathan and even slightly like that of Jonathan and David.David.

One of the friends may ascent to the One of the friends may ascent to the heights, politically or financially, owing heights, politically or financially, owing much of the success to other.much of the success to other.

True friends are willing to stand in the True friends are willing to stand in the shadows when the other basks in the shadows when the other basks in the sunshine.sunshine.

The key: The key: They loved each other more They loved each other more than they loved themselves. Jonathan than they loved themselves. Jonathan loved David as his own soul. (I Samuel loved David as his own soul. (I Samuel 20:17)20:17)

SUCH SUCH FRIENDSHIPS FRIENDSHIPS ARE FEW AND ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEENFAR BETWEEN

Twist in the wind.Twist in the wind.

Worry about Worry about confidentiality or loyalty.confidentiality or loyalty.

Suffer alone.Suffer alone.

Rejoice alone.Rejoice alone.

FRIENDS DON’T FRIENDS DON’T LET FRIENDS…LET FRIENDS…

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,Prevent the dog from barking with a Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,juicy bone,Silence the pianos and with muffled Silence the pianos and with muffled drumdrumBring out the coffin, let the mourners Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come. come.

Let aero planes circle moaning overheadLet aero planes circle moaning overheadScribbling on the sky the message He Is Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead,Dead,Put crepe bows round the white necks of Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,the public doves,Let the traffic policemen wear black Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves. cotton gloves.

PERHAPS YOU’VE PERHAPS YOU’VE LOST A FRIEND AND LOST A FRIEND AND FELT LIKE THIS…FELT LIKE THIS…

He was my North, my South, my East He was my North, my South, my East and West,and West,My working week and my Sunday rest,My working week and my Sunday rest,My noon, my midnight, my talk, my My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;song;I thought that love would last forever: I I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong.was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now: put out The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;every one;Pack up the moon and dismantle the Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;sun;Pour away the ocean and sweep up the Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.wood.For nothing now can ever come to any For nothing now can ever come to any good.good.

W. H. Auden W. H. Auden “Stop All The Clocks”“Stop All The Clocks”

To be a friend like that you To be a friend like that you must be must be Loyal Loyal Forgiving Forgiving Faithful Faithful And True And True Over the long haul. Over the long haul.

Lord, grant me the Lord, grant me the privilege and joy of privilege and joy of true, deep friendship. true, deep friendship. May I be the kind of May I be the kind of friend who would go friend who would go the distance, no matter the distance, no matter what, for a real friend. what, for a real friend.