”And David said to Jonathan, “Indeed tomorrow is the New Moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king to eat. But let me go, that I may hide in the field until the third day at evening. If your father misses me at all, then say, ‘David earnestly asked permission of me that he might run over to Bethlehem, his city, for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.’ If he says thus: ‘It is well,’ your servant will be safe. But if he is very angry, be sure that evil is determined by him. Therefore you shall deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a covenant of the Lord with you. Nevertheless, if there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself, for why should you bring me to your father?” But Jonathan said, “Far be it from you! For if I knew certainly that evil was determined by my father to come upon you, then would I not tell you?” Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me, or what if your father answers you roughly?” And Jonathan said to David, “Come, let us go out into the field.” So both of them went out into the field.“
I Samuel 20:5-11 NKJV
a. If your father misses me: David asked Jonathan to observe Saul’s reaction to David’s absence at an important feast held monthly for the high officials of state. David wondered if Saul would take the opportunity to reconcile or take the opportunity to kill him.
i. The New Moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king to eat: Special sacrifices were commanded for the new moon (Numbers 28:11-15), at the beginning of each month on the Jewish calendar.
b. If there is iniquity in me: Again, David seems somewhat shaken by the fact that Jonathan did not tell him about the attempted arrest at Naioth. David is asking Jonathan, “Am I in the wrong here? Are you still behind me?” Essentially, David says “If you really are working for your father and agree with him that I deserve to die, then just kill me now.”
i. We have to see all of this from David’s perspective. He realized that Jonathan’s support for him was challenged by the fact that his father was against David. He also realized that Jonathan’s support for him was challenged by the fact that Jonathan was next in line for the throne and therefore might set himself against David.
ii. Jonathan’s response is the same as in 1 Samuel 20:2. He didn’t know that Saul set out to get David at Naioth, though previously his father told him everything.
c. Far be it from you! With this encouragement Jonathan told David to no longer doubt his loyalty. Jonathan senses that David is in a vulnerable place and he wants to give him encouragement in the midst of it.
d. Who will tell me: David now poses a practical problem. If Saul has determined evil against David and Jonathan intends to warn him, how will he do it? How will Jonathan get the message to David? (Guzik)
Loyalty
We’ve all experienced a friend at one time or other that became disloyal for one reason or another and betrayed our trust but look at what the Lord says about loyalty!
”Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”“
Hebrews 13:5-6 NKJV
And Jesus said, ”My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.“
John 10:27-29 NKJV
Do you hear His voice?
Blessings
https://solm.org/images/booksamples/ENGLISH-MSHMV_1st_chapter.pdf
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