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Learning Trust

1 Samuel 20:1-42

In chapter 20 David learns the final truth about Saul?s intentions. From the process we learn about leadership, diplomacy, friendship, loyalty, and the truth.

 

1 ? 2

 

As David recorded in Psalm 59 (?) he knew he had done nothing wrong. Yet Saul was after him with a vengeance. He finds his friend and confidant Jonathan somewhere near Gibeah and I think sincerely wants to know if there is something he is not aware of. It is the heart of a humble person that even in the face of personal integrity is open to the Lord revealing sin. This will be a hallmark in David?s life. Though he wasn?t always aware of wrongs he had committed (vis a vie Bathsheba) he was always open to the Lord speaking into his life.

 

Jonathan reassures him that 1) he pledged to help keep David alive, that 2) he would know if his father planned to kill David without reason and 3) it simply wasn?t so. In fact Jonathan is wrong on two of the three points. He was between a rock and a hard spot, wanting to be loyal to his father but also a friend to David. Jonathan would have to make a choice soon, and he would make it. Jonathan misjudged his relationship with his father and thought it was closer than it really was. Just a small point here. When dealing with a person ruled by the flesh, don?t think you can have an understanding or a handle on the situation. It?s better to seek the Lord?s wisdom than rely on what you hear or assume.

 

3 ? 4

 

David has a keen understanding and realizes that Saul has kept Jonathan out of the loop because he knows Jonathan?s affection and loyalty lie with David. David reveals to Jonathan how close he is to death. One mis-step and its all over. And that was literally the truth. Jonathan believes David and says ?what do you want to do?? David needs to gauge Saul?s real state but protect himself and Jonathan in the process, so he devises a little James Bond plot to gather intelligence.

 

5 ? 7

 

The story David gives to Jonathan is plausible. It was customary for each family would have a feast at the new moon (Numbers 10:10, 28:11-15, Psalm 81:3). Saul would hold such a feast and for his son-in-law and military leader not to attend would have been an insult. So Jonathan is to tell Saul that David went to his own family?s feast in Bethlehem. If Saul gets out of control it would reveal his true intentions (were they not already clear enough? I guess not for Jonathan). The only problem of course, is that Jonathan would have to lie because David wasn?t in Bethlehem but hiding in a field.

 

8 ? 11

 

David and Jonathan had struck a close alliance in Chapter 18. David calls on their friendship now to find out for sure what is going on and not rely on supposition. David essentially says ?look, if I?m a traitor then you kill me yourself but don?t deliver me into the hands of Saul without finding out the real truth!? So now they have to be extra careful because, as they say, the walls have ears.

 

12 ? 17

 

Jonathan promises to find out the real deal and let David know. But I think he suspects that something is up because he makes David promise that whatever happens to Saul that his friendship and alliance with David will remain strong. In chapter 23 they agree that Jonathan would serve next to David. That never happens, of course, Jonathan is killed along with Saul in battle. But David does get to deliver on the promise by taking care of Mephibosheth (2 Samuel 9).

 

18 ? 23

 

So Jonathan devises this little code exchange?kind of an espionage covert ops sort of thing. But it was necessary because they could trust no one.

 

24 ? 26

 

How would David dare not come to my banquet, thinks Saul. Let?s see?he tried to kill him at least three times by spear, in bed at night, and came after him with troops. Could that be the reason?

 

27 ? 29

 

Notice how Jonathan embellishes the story even more than David gave it to him. But Saul sees right through it and now his dysfunction and evil intention turns towards his own son (not the first time either).

 

30 ? 31

 

Saul wonders why Jonathan doesn?t share the same desire for power as he has. How often do those who do not belong to Jesus wonder why we Christians don?t act and think like we used to.

 

1 Peter 4:1-4

4 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 3 For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles ? when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. 4 In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. NKJV

 

32 ? 34

 

Finally Jonathan sees the light. Saul was essentially saying that he was bringing shame on his mother like exposing her nakedness by not trying to take the throne. He accused him of being like an illegitimate son. Well in a way now Saul was not his father in that Saul wanted Jonathan to go against God?s will like he was.

 

35 ? 42

 

After hearing the bad news David bows before Jonathan, perhaps in grief over the situation. They then depart. This wasn?t their last meeting (that happens in chapter 23) and they renew their friendship to each other.

 

Lessons:

 

What does David Learn:

 

David learns that you have to have people you can trust. He puts his life into Jonathan?s hands. He doesn?t have to. He learns that there are qualities in people that allow you to trust them: a genuine relationship with the Lord, a quality of honesty and sincerity, and you need to allow friends to prove themselves.

 

What does Jonathan learn:

 

Jonathan learns that honoring God and discovering the truth come before blind loyalty. He learns that truth is more important than family ties but that following God sometimes means not following your heart (going with David or openly supporting him). There is a time for complete transparency and then a time for sharing counsel only with those who have earned your trust (the fake story about David and the cloak and dagger in the field)

 

What do we learn:

 

We need to be able to accept the truth, even if it means going against our presuppositions

 

Believe the best but be open for the worst

 

1 Corinthians 13:7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

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Acts 15:37-40 Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. 38 But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. 39 And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and departed,

 

How do you know? Oneness of purpose, dedication through trials, honesty and transparency, vulnerability, common sense, godly values.

 

Forgiveness is mandatory, trust is optional and earned

 

Jesus said for us to love our enemies and forgive those that have trespassed against us. We are also to pray for those who persecute us. We need to do this because God forgave us and God wants that person healed and if takes you ?taking it? then that?s okay, but there is a limit ? not to forgiveness, but to trust.

 

?Breach of trust? goes all the way back to Exodus 22 where God says the one who broke trust must pay double. In a way that works in other areas of life as well. Sometimes a person who has broken trust must work twice as hard to earn it again.