Evening. Good to see you all here tonight. Today, this evening, we'll be reading from 1 Samuel 20.
I've entitled this sermon, The King Who Divides, so it's another episode in the life of Saul and David.
So the new year isn't all that old yet. In 2018 saw the close of the commemoration of the centenary of the end of the First World War.
Here are the kings on the three major powers that were in the First World War.
So this was obviously a major division that caused massive loss of life and suffering all through Europe.
They were really thinking about last year.
And the interesting thing about these three men is that they're all cousins.
All these kings that were formed up against each other and took their country to war against each other were related.
They were all cousins. King George, Kaiser Bill, or Kaiser Wilhelm, I should say, and Tsar Nicholas of Russia were all cousins related through their grandmother, Queen Victoria,
who acquired the nickname, the Mother of Europe, because many of the monarchs of the time in Europe were descended from Queen Victoria.
And the reason I thought of this and this division and this conflict was division is the big theme of this passage tonight.
The division we'll see here is not because of an argument in this sense or a sort of family dispute because of something like the First World War.
It's because one person is God's chosen king, David, and the other, Saul, is rejected.
So this division is based on each one's obedience or disobedience to God's will.
Up until this point previously in the life of David and Saul, we've seen the slow demise and decline of Saul.
We see how he's completely self-absorbed and only getting worse.
He's so intent on retaining the kingship, he'll ignore God and his will by trying to kill God's anointed king.
So this chapter is just another incident that shows how far Saul has come on his journey,
how far Saul has left good sense and God's will.
And all through this process of being chased and abused by Saul, how David has obeyed God and the king,
the king that's trying to kill him, even though he knows he is the rightful king.
So, a faithful friend from verses 1 to 23.
If you'll join me in looking at verse 1 of the passage,
we read and see that David has fled from Nioth at Ramah, where Saul chased him to.
He's come to seek out Jonathan, King Saul's son, to ask him a question and seek his help.
David asked Jonathan in the second part of this verse that we've read,
What have I done? What is my crime?
How have I wronged your father that he is trying to kill me?
So David has come before Jonathan and potentially put himself in danger.
Jonathan is Saul's son and may show loyalty to his father Saul by betraying David or killing himself.
But Jonathan replies in verse 2,
You are not going to die.
So Jonathan is not going to betray or harm David.
And then in verse 4, reveals to us Jonathan's heart and mind where David is concerned.
He says to David,
Whatever you want me to do, I'll do for you.
Which is remarkable. It's mind-blowing.
David has come to Jonathan seeking his help.
David is the inferior and Jonathan the superior.
David is an important man in the kingdom, an army commander and the king's son-in-law,
but still not as important as Jonathan.
Jonathan is like Prince Charles here.
He's like the Prince of Wales of Israel.
So when he says to David his inferior who is running for his life,
they will do whatever he can to help him.
Jonathan asks, as I've said, as a faithful friend to David.
He puts himself under his inferior, at his command,
because he recognises David as God's true king, as his true king.
Even in spite of who he is,
and that his father is currently on the throne,
during this chapter,
Jonathan behaves as a faithful friend to David,
the true king.
And then going down to the next verse,
verse 5,
and if you'll look there,
in verse 5,
so David said,
look, tomorrow is the new moon feast,
and I'm supposed to dine with the king,
but let me go and hide in the field
until the evening of the day after tomorrow.
So David is devising this plan
to sound out Saul's intentions
and see what he means to do to him,
and also to convince Jonathan
that his father is out to get him.
So David was an important attendant of King Saul
by this point.
He was expected to be at this new moon feast,
to be at this new moon festival.
So with his absence,
David will be able to tell,
along with Jonathan,
what Saul intends to do,
without a shadow of a doubt,
what he wants to do to David.
At the end of the plan,
in verse 8,
David invokes the covenant
they had sworn between them
two chapters before in chapter 18.
A covenant just being a sworn,
holy, sacred agreement
between two parties promising
faithful, loving kindness.
So a modern day example
of a covenant would be marriage.
Obviously in marriage,
two people promise themselves
to forsake all others,
all others in front of witnesses.
So David and Jonathan
have a sworn covenant
much like this,
between them,
but with God as their witness.
And in verse 8,
when it says,
as for you,
show kindness
to your servant.
That word kindness,
although the NIV,
the New International Version,
translates that word
as kindness,
a better translation
of that word kindness
there would be
faithful, loving kindness.
So kindness is part of it,
but it doesn't fully cover
the breadth and depth
of this word
in the original Hebrew.
It has to be built
in mutual love
for each other,
to be bound up
with loyalty
and friendship.
And then from verses 12
to 23,
this covenant is renewed
and extended
beyond David
and Jonathan
to their descendants
as well.
And if you look
with me at the end
of verse 13,
it says,
may the Lord be with you
as he has been
with my father.
So Jonathan is in
this conversation
with David.
He's standing before him
and by saying that
he's saying,
the Lord's favour
has been withdrawn
from my father.
And it's been given
to you.
Along with the Lord's favour,
he has also given
David the kingdom.
He's also given you
the kingdom.
So Jonathan is acknowledging
here David's rightful
place as king
and his rightful place
as a humble subject
of God's king.
And then Jonathan
then goes on to say
in the next verse,
verse 14,
if you look there.
Do not ever cut off
your kindness
from my family.
So he's saying here,
you're the king,
your line will be
established over mine
and my line
will serve yours.
Totally relinquishing
his status,
importance
and position
to serve God's king
and to do God's will
over his own.
And then David
goes on to reaffirm
his oath to Jonathan
and his descendants.
This chapter
is a hard one
to wrap our heads
around as we've
sort of said
and thought about.
It took me ages
and I initially
sort of got it wrong.
However,
it has a really valuable
lesson for us all
and the lesson
is learned
from how
Jonathan
conducts himself
and what he says
in this passage.
Jonathan
is faced
with God's
anointed king,
the man
that God has said
will reign after
his father.
The man
that will take
his place
as the next king
and it would be
understandable
from our sinful
position
and our sinful
point of view
if Jonathan
had acted
like Saul,
if Jonathan
had opposed
David
and tried
to kill him
like Saul
did.
However,
he doesn't.
When confronted
with the choice
between arrogant
rebellion
and humble
obedience,
Jonathan
chose wisely
and took
the rightful
place
as the humble
servant of God's
anointed king.
king,
we also face
that same
choice
every day.
We are faced
with making
a decision
about our
king,
Jesus,
our true
king.
Just like
David
divided
Jonathan
and Saul,
if you look
at the screen
I've put up
a New Testament
passage,
look chapter
14,
25 to 27
if you turn
there in your
Bibles,
we read
about a
similar
division
caused
by our
king,
the Lord
Jesus.
I'm just
going to read
this now
for us.
Large crowds
were travelling
with Jesus
and turning
to them
he said,
if anyone
comes to
me and
does not
hate
father and
mother,
wife and
children,
brothers and
sisters,
yes,
even their
own life,
such a
person cannot
be my
disciple and
whoever does
not carry
their cross
and follow
me cannot
be my
disciple.
Don't
misunderstand
the house
for not
being
Christians
and our
faith should
cause us
to argue
with people
unnecessarily
about small
issues and
small things.
In fact,
they should
give us more
love and
concern for
our family
and our
friends,
so I'm not
saying that,
so don't
go on the
phone to
anyone when
you get
back or
send out
any rash
emails.
And if
you do,
it wasn't
me telling
you to do
that.
However,
we need
to know
that the
Lord Jesus
acknowledged
that the
Christian's
faith in
him and
love for
him is
going to
cause us
to be
at odds
with society,
to be
at odds
with our
culture and
to be
at odds
with people
within it.
It will
lead us
to being
drawn into
conflict at
times with
people we
know in
various
different
contexts,
in our
workplaces,
in our
schools,
universities,
and our
colleges,
socially,
and where
we meet
other people
or friends.
So we
shouldn't
look for
conflict or
argument with
our loved
ones or
anyone else.
people.
But let's
be aware
that this
division does
exist in
the Christian's
life and
in this
modern day
and it's
important that
we respond
correctly to
the Lord
Jesus.
Respond in
faith and
obedience.
If we don't
respond in
faith and
obedience,
then we will
find ourselves
rejecting the
king, which
will look
different for
the people
who do.
It's not
going to look
like this in
this passage.
No one
here is going
to throw
any spears
at you or
anything like
that.
So it
probably won't
look like
this, but
it will end
up, like
Saul, frustrated
and unfulfilled.
And worst
of all, each
person is going
to meet our
king Jesus.
And if we've
rejected him in
life and been
on the wrong
side of this
division, then
he will reject
us in time.
So we need to
be on the right
side of the
division.
like Jonathan
and learn
from Saul
and his
side of
division and
his reaction
to the
king.
And that
leads me on
to my next
point.
So a
spiteful king
from verses
24 to 42.
And if you
look at me,
but certainly
as well look
at verses
30 to 31.
Saul's anger
flared up at
Jonathan and he
said to him,
you son of a
perverse and
rebellious woman,
don't I know
that you have
sided with the
son of Jesse
to your own
shame and to
the shame of
the mother who
bore you?
As long as the
son of Jesse
lives on this
earth, neither
you nor your
kingdom will be
established.
Now send and
bring him to
me, for he
must die.
So we see
in these verses
the extent of
Saul's decline.
He has
steadily
departed from
all good
sins.
Jonathan has
just told his
father, Saul,
that David will
not be present
at the new
moon feast with
the king for
the celebration
and feasting.
David had
said to
Jonathan,
if Saul is
calm when you
tell him this,
then I'm safe
and the king
doesn't want my
life.
And if Saul
becomes angry
that he and
David will be
absent from the
celebration, then
Saul does mean
David's harm and
he does want to
kill him.
So this is
confirmed here.
He does indeed
want to kill
him.
So let's, I'm
going to move on
and pick some of
this apart so we
can understand it
a bit better and
see the extent of
Saul's thinking
about David and
Jonathan and
really reveal his
heart in all
this.
So you son of
a perverse and
rebellious woman.
This insult is
directed at
Jonathan rather
than his mother
as it says,
meaning that he's
a disobedient son
and he should be
ashamed of how he
has endangered his
birthright and
turned his back and
betrayed his father
the king.
Don't I know that
you have sided with
the son of Jesse
to your own shame
and to the shame
of the mother who
bore you?
When he says
that don't I
know, you can
almost hear the
contempt and
disgust in his
voice.
Here he's saying
he's either been
told of the
covenant between
David and
Jonathan or
that he's been
put together the
pieces of the
puzzle and
worked out and
how Jonathan and
David treat each
other and conduct
our friendship.
You have sided
with the son of
Jesse.
Here is Saul
drawing a division
all of his own
making between
him and David.
There's no need
for this but he
does it anyway and
he's saying to
Jonathan you have
sided, you've chosen
the wrong side, you
have to be loyal to
me, I'm the king, I'm
your father.
When actually Saul
should be on the
same side as
Jonathan supporting
David rather than
trying to kill him,
acknowledging him as
king as opposed to
chasing him all over
the country.
And in this verse
when I've underlined
the son of Jesse,
this is another
insult Saul throws
at David.
Saul hates David so
much he will not
even call him by
name.
Almost trying to
take David's
accomplishments and
fame from him by
invalidating his name
and refusing to
speak it.
He calls David
this twice as well
in verse 31.
where he calls for
Jonathan to betray
David and bring him
to Saul so he can
kill him.
Sighting that
Jonathan and his
claim to the
kingdom will not
come to fruition as
long as David is
alive.
Jonathan realises
that's not true.
Saul however thinks
that he will be able
to get rid of David
and secure his fame
and glory.
So let's not be
confused.
Although Saul
speaks to Jonathan
and uses the language
of Jonathan
inheriting the
kingdom from Saul
Saul is in fact
only concerned with
himself.
Saul loved the
adulation of the
people and the
fame it brought
and when David
received more praise
and more honour
from the people
than Saul did
that began to turn
Saul against David
and now we see
Saul for what he
really is.
A spiteful king
willing to do
anything to hang
on to power
and fame
and glory.
In verse 33
it goes on
to confirm this
thinking even
further
that Saul is
only concerned
with himself.
So in verse 33
if you look there
now
Saul flies into
a seething rage
with Jonathan.
So verse 33
says
but Saul
hurled his spear
at him
to kill him
then Jonathan
knew that his
father intended
to kill David.
So Saul
throws his spear
at his own
son Jonathan
at the start
of verse 33
but not just
to kill him
it's not just
that he wants
to kill him
and murder him
he specifically
tries to kill him
the exact same
way he tried
to kill David
earlier in the
story.
He thinks so
little of Jonathan
this humble
servant hearted
man
that he will
try and kill
him in the
same way
he tried to
kill his
supposedly great
enemy David
and just the
fact that he
tries to kill
his own son
and all this
is shocking
and then the
end of verse
33
is Jonathan's
realisation
that yes
Saul
my father
the king
is indeed
trying to
kill David.
And you can
almost feel
and hear
the remorse
in Jonathan's
voice as he
comes to that
realisation
that Saul
his father
the king
is trying to
kill his
friend
and this
friend is
God's chosen
king for
God's chosen
people.
David's been
chosen for a
very important
and special
task to
steward God's
nation Israel
as king.
Saul had been
chosen for the
same job
and he'd
blown it
basically.
Rather than
being a
servant-hearted
king like
God commanded
and God
laid out in
his law
Saul was
proud and
used the
kingship to
aggrandise
himself with
fame and
glory and
honour at
the expense of
God often
forgetting God
and neglecting
God's fame and
glory over
his own.
And in
verse 34
Jonathan
leaves the
king's
presence and
is ashamed
of how
Saul has
treated
David.
For two
reasons.
Because David
is Jonathan's
friend and
because David
is God's
king and
Saul is not
just sinning
against David
but against
God as
well.
And then
continuing in
verse 41
David and
Jonathan meet
each other
once again
after Jonathan
has used the
code of the
arrows to
communicate that
Saul does
indeed want
to kill
David.
And this is
hard to hear
for the two
friends.
Hard because
now they
must part.
Hard because
Saul will
seemingly stop
at nothing
to kill
David.
And hard
because the
current king
of God's
people is
very quickly
going off
the rails.
Just like
any time you
have to say
goodbye to a
friend you
know you won't
see again for a
long time because
they live abroad
or they have
such a busy
lifestyle it's
hard to meet
them.
It's hard and
painful for
Saul and David
here.
And Saul is
very quickly
descending into
madness and
violence.
Consumed by
his own
importance,
his fame and
the legend that
he has actually
started to
believe about
himself.
He's forgotten
the days when
he like David
was an ordinary
Israelite and
that God
also picked
him for
the task.
God doesn't
work like
men and
his throne
is not to
be controlled
as Saul is
trying to.
That just
because Saul
sits on the
throne that
his descendants
will as well
is an
assumption that
Saul is working
on.
Even though
Samuel has
told Saul the
opposite of
that.
And moving
on to the
last verse in
the passage,
verse 42,
if you'll look
there with me.
Jonathan said
to David,
go in peace
for we have
sworn friendship
with each
other in the
name of the
Lord,
saying,
the Lord has
witnessed between
you and me
and between
your descendants
and my
descendants
forever.
Then David
left and
Jonathan went
back to the
town.
Jonathan sends
David away as
he said he
would if his
father Saul
wanted to kill
him.
Citing their
sworn friendship
with God as
our witness,
this covenant
between them
and also
between their
houses in the
future.
Jonathan once
again pledging
his loyalty to
David and the
loyalty of his
descendants after
him to David
and his
descendants for
all time.
As we saw in
this chapter,
David is a
king who
divides opinion,
splitting Saul
from Jonathan.
he divides
father and
son.
And Saul
unfortunately
finds himself
on the wrong
side of this
division.
He finds
himself not
just set
against Jonathan
and against
David,
but most
importantly set
against God,
set against
God's will,
set against
God's king.
Saul is
hard-hearted
and refuses
to accept,
believe,
and act
appropriately in
the face of a
clear and
direct word of
God.
Instead of
bowing to
this, Saul
continues to
rage and
tries to
help Jonathan
in the process.
Saul by this
point is
completely caught
up in his
own fame and
ambition.
And we face
the same
division which
I had mentioned
earlier.
the division
between our
reaction to
the king.
Not King
David like in
the chapter,
but our far
greater king,
King Jesus.
And in those
verses we looked
at from the
New Testament,
from Luke
chapter 14,
25 to 27,
Jesus says
that he will
divide families,
relatives and
friends.
One side of
that division is
with Jesus and
the other against
him.
and the
people who
are with
him.
This is the
only true
division in
life.
All the time
in the news
we're hearing
about other
divisions and
hostility between
people over in
America, between
Donald Trump and
his supporters and
the people that
oppose him.
Over here,
Brexit, with
people who want
to stay in the
EU and people
who want to
leave.
And even in
Scotland, between
those who want
independence and
those who want
to stay as
part of the
United Kingdom
and countless
more we can
think of, such
as World War
I or any
other number of
ones from the
past or from
the present.
However, none
of these divisions
that I've
mentioned deserve
as much attention
as the division
we're discussing
here tonight,
because this is
a life and
death scenario,
i.e.
everlasting life
or everlasting
punishment.
If we are with
Jesus, then we
are safe and
our future is
secure.
We will be
welcomed by
Jesus and be
given a glorious
inheritance.
And if we are on
the opposite side
of this division,
then you are in
great danger.
no one knows
when their life
is at an end.
If we die
without receiving
forgiveness for
our sins from
Jesus, then we
will find ourselves
eternally separated
from Jesus and
eternally on the
wrong side of this
much greater
division.
And we will be
trapped on the
wrong side of this
division.
to go back to
the First World
War, Roger
Kipling, a
favourite and a
famous author from
that time, wrote
in a national
newspaper at the
time in an effort
to drum up
national pride and
patriotic fervour for
the war effort.
However the world
pretends to divide
itself, there are
only two divisions
in the world
today.
Human beings
and Germans
I don't agree
with that.
Don't take that
home with you
either.
But even in the
terrible days of
the First World
War and all the
suffering and
inhumanity, that
assertion there is
incorrect.
And whatever other
division we would
think about today
that I've mentioned
is incorrect.
Despite what was
going on at the
time and people's
feelings and the
war and all that,
there was only ever
been this one
divide we have
spoken about here
this evening.
The divide between
Christians and
non-Christians.
Those who have
been forgiven of
their sins by the
Lord Jesus and
those who have
not.
If you're here
tonight as a
Christian, again,
you're on the
correct side of
this division and
you are secure.
If you're here
this evening as a
non-Christian,
however, then you
are on the wrong
side of this division
from God and
from Jesus and
need to come to
Jesus and ask for
forgiveness and
shelter as well.
Let's just pray.
Heavenly Father, we
thank you for your
word and what we
have read here
tonight.
we thank you that
you have sent the
Lord Jesus to
bring us over this
divide to yourself,
Heavenly Father,
that although we are
sinners, we can have
this forgiveness and
cross this divide and
be secure in the
knowledge that when
the Lord Jesus
returns again, that
we will be on the
right side of this
division and we
will be welcomed and
we will not be
rejected.
Heavenly Father, we
just pray that you
will help us to
think in these things
and think in your
word in this week to
come and think of
this division and
where we are in
regards to it.
And we ask this all
in Jesus' name.
Amen.