Compare Jonathan's covenant with David to God's covenant with us through Jesus. Setting the Scene: 1 Samuel 20:11 “Come,” said Jonathan, “let us go out into the field.” So the two of them went out into the field. Jonathan and David step away from prying ears to seal a covenant of steadfast love and protection—a quiet moment that foreshadows a louder, global covenant God would later cut through His Son. Jonathan’s Covenant with David: What It Looked Like • Initiated in loyal love (1 Samuel 18:3) • Sealed by an oath “in the name of the LORD” (1 Samuel 20:12–17) • Rooted in self-denial—Jonathan surrenders royal rights for David’s future (1 Samuel 23:17) • Enduring beyond danger or death—Jonathan asks that kindness extend to his descendants (1 Samuel 20:15) • Confirmed by tangible signs (the arrows, vv. 20–22) and gifts (robe, armor, sword, 18:4) • Ultimately honored—David later seeks out Mephibosheth to keep the vow (2 Samuel 9:1-7) God’s Covenant with Us through Jesus: The Greater Fulfillment • Initiated in eternal love—“For God so loved the world” (John 3:16) • Sealed by blood—“This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you” (Luke 22:20) • Rooted in self-sacrifice—“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13) • Everlasting—“I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5) • Confirmed by resurrection power and the Spirit within (Romans 8:11; Ephesians 1:13-14) • Guaranteed to bless spiritual descendants—“To all who believe” (Galatians 3:26-29) Key Parallels You Can’t Miss 1. Covenant Love • Jonathan: vowed “for he loved him as he loved his own soul” (1 Samuel 20:17). • Jesus: “Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end” (John 13:1). 2. Substitution & Protection • Jonathan risked Saul’s wrath to shield David (20:32-34). • Jesus bore God’s wrath to shield us (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Thessalonians 1:10). 3. Shared Inheritance • Jonathan relinquished the throne so David could reign (23:17). • Jesus shares His throne with believers (Revelation 3:21). 4. Covenant Signs • Arrows and armor for David. • Bread and cup for us (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). Crucial Contrasts That Magnify Christ • Human versus Divine Mediator—Jonathan could only plead; Jesus atones (Hebrews 7:22-25). • Limited reach versus universal call—Jonathan’s covenant covered a household; Jesus’ covers “every tribe and tongue” (Revelation 5:9). • Temporal security versus eternal salvation—Jonathan ensured safety in Saul’s reign; Jesus secures life beyond death (John 11:25-26). Living Out the Better Covenant Today • Rest in unfailing loyalty—“If we are faithless, He remains faithful” (2 Timothy 2:13). • Show covenant kindness—extend grace as David did to Mephibosheth (Luke 6:36). • Walk in fearless obedience—David faced Goliath and exile; we face trials knowing Christ already overcame (John 16:33). • Celebrate regularly at the Lord’s Table—remembering the cost and certainty of the covenant (Hebrews 10:19-22). Jonathan pointed David to a throne; Jesus points us to an everlasting kingdom—and brings us safely there Himself. |
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