Please read the whole chapter and feel free to post a reply even before you read my thoughts. If you don't have a Bible with you, you can follow this link to the passage: 1 Samue 18
With the plot thickening it's easy to lose sight of God's activity in this passage. I think the best story in here is the relationship between Jonathan and David. "Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt." This is an awesome picture for us. Jonathan is not simply being dramatic, he's handing his own identity as the King's son over to David. He gives him his robe and his armor, because of his love for him. Sound familiar. This is what happens for you and me. Because of Jesus' love for us we are clothed with his robe of righteousness and are given the armor of faith. It is amazing how often in the Old Testament we get pictures of and preparation for God's work in Jesus Christ.
I hardly know where to begin with this chapter. Saul is obviously at a loss as to what to do with David. He gets angry that the people like him. so he gives him a more public position where he wins more battles and gets even more love. The bit about the Philistine foreskins is the sort of story that would be embellished into a fairy tale in some other culture, where the poor boy has to do three impossible tasks and is aided by magic to win the princess. The scripture tells the story so blandly you almost miss it. (not exactly a Sunday school story anyway!). The straight forward telling and lack fantastic embellishment makes this history and not fairy tale.
ReplyDeleteDan P.