One In Spirit

After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. 1 Samuel 18: 1 NIV.

Jonathan and David were as brothers.  Jonathan is King Saul’s son, the son of his flesh and blood, living with his father. Saul has taken a deep liking to young David and wants him to live with them in the palace. The king has taken David as his own son, the son of his spirit, to live with him. Surely, Jonathan and David must have lived as siblings with brotherly love. Saul took him that day and would not let him go home to his father’s house anymore. 1 Samuel 18: 2. Note how that relationship changed into one of a covenant relationship, in spirit. Jonathan’s love at first was brotherly love, but it changed and became one in spirit. Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even his sword, and his bow and his belt. 1 Samuel 18: 3 – 4.

Does this not pale before you, as you are made to think, hear, see and feel Jesus and you? Is not Jonathan, our Jesus and David, you and me? Is it not true that Father God has taken us from our father, the evil one of unadulterated lies, whose very nature is deceit, and would not let us go back home to unalterable darkness? Father God brought us to Jesus, just as Saul brought David to Jonathan. We believe this, for does not Jesus repeat this in many ways throughout His most fervent prayer to Father God, as He is about to face the cross? I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. John 17: 9. Clearly, Jesus sees His disciples, even you and me, as God’s own heart-love, the apple of His eye, whom He has given or brought to Jesus.

We are told that after the coming together through father Saul, that Jonathan made a covenant with David. Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. Has not Jesus made similar Love-covenants with us, because He loves us with His all surpassing Love? Listen again to what has been covenanted or promised to all who are abiding as one with Jesus and in Jesus. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. John 15: 7 – 8.  Regardless of whichever covenant it is that you lift up high, between Jesus and you, it is made because Jesus loves you with His all, His entire Being. It is He who loved you, His very own, to the end. Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. John 13: 1b

The love covenant which Jonathan made with David was not just in words, or in spirit, but he made it flesh, as it were. He did visible, tangible things, so that any seeing eyes could see on David, Jonathan’s princely garments, the dress fit for a king. And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David. As simple and simplistic as this may appear, I see grandness in what Jonathan has done to David, for in covering him with his clothes, has he not conferred an unwritten and unspoken new title upon him? Do you see how David became what he was not previously, just with that action of Jonathan?

I need to take us back to the main text which serviced us throughout last week and observations which were made.

Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles: Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot; Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor. Luke 6: 12 – 16.

It was interestingly noted that Jesus’ first action, His first work after that all-through-the-night praying was a threefold one. He called, His disciples together. He chose twelve of them. He conferred a new name on them. In other words, He clothed or dressed and addressed them with what they were not before.  He conferred on them something new and different so that they who were disciples, became apostles, because of the conferring of a name upon them. Those disciples had absolutely nothing to do with it, but to accept it, and live its truth. Be very openly aware of it. Those disciples never offered, volunteered, or asked for this conferment. It was strictly and entirely of Jesus’ doing.

This is the understanding I bring to what is happening to David at the moment.

Tomorrow, we shall come with faith and trust, ready to take an even deeper plunge into this hope.