1 Samuel 19:1-7 Intercession is Important

Intercession is important

1 Samuel 19:1–7 ESV

And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted much in David. 2 And Jonathan told David, “Saul my father seeks to kill you. Therefore be on your guard in the morning. Stay in a secret place and hide yourself. 3 And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak to my father about you. And if I learn anything I will tell you.” 4 And Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his deeds have brought good to you. 5 For he took his life in his hand and he struck down the Philistine, and the Lord worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood by killing David without cause?” 6 And Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan. Saul swore, “As the Lord lives, he shall not be put to death.” 7 And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan reported to him all these things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as before.

Introduction:

So we once again see where Saul is seeking to kill David. So Saul is again trying to kill David and of course as we saw before Jonathon enters the picture and starts talking his dad out of killing David. He reminds him of all the good things that David has done and asks him why would he shed innocent blood. So Saul relents and David gets to come home. Now that is a mile high view of what is going on here and I want us to zoom in on some of this and really start to look at how the landscape is shaping up in this conflict between David and Saul.

So let’s just jump right into this passage tonight because there is something that has changed about the story line from the last time Saul wanted David killed. 1 Samuel 19:1

1 Samuel 19:1 ESV

And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted much in David.

What is the first thing that you notice here in the hostilities between Saul and David? What is different this time from the last time he tried to have David killed? Saul has ordered not only Jonathon but all his servants to kill David. This is not just I’m gonna kill David quietly to myself I am ordering others in my house to kill David. Saul has upped the ante so to speak not the hostilities are open and everyone can see not just in secret. Not just Jonathon knows that Saul wants David dead but the whole house has been ordered to kill David. This is a big escalation from the last time he tried to kill him using the army of the Philistines.

Saul’s hand was against David but he didn’t try to do it openly it was like this secret hatred and he wanted him dead but he did not really want everyone to know he did it. So now it is just open warfare on David.

Remember when I told you that the relationship between Jonathon and David was gonna be important well we have arrived at the first spot in this story where that comes to light. Notice the word but in there….this conjunction is known as an erasure word. It takes out what comes before it. But Jonathon DELIGHTED much in David. This word means a lot but one of the meanings is to protect…..to defend…to be zealous for…to protect at all costs you might say.

Jonathon was on David’s side and now that his father was openly ordering everyone to kill David he could not just stand idly by and wait for David’s death. He felt zealous for David so much so that what he does next would not seem like much to us but to them it was taking his very life in his hands.

1 Samuel 19:2–3 ESV

And Jonathan told David, “Saul my father seeks to kill you. Therefore be on your guard in the morning. Stay in a secret place and hide yourself. And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak to my father about you. And if I learn anything I will tell you.”

Jonathon not only defied an order from the king he was in essence betraying his own father for David. He was taking sides in the fight when he really did not have to take a side at all. David was threatening his throne…his legacy and yet he still loved him so much that he was willing to risk everything on his behalf.

Are we this zealous for the lost that we will forsake everything to see someone come to Christ?

Are we this way when we see someone being mistreated?

Do we stand up for those who cannot defend themselves?

4. When someone is talking bad about Jesus are we His witness do we come to His defense?

Let me just make this point really really clear. Jonathon is not acting like a friend here he is acting like David’s brother. He is defending David when no one else is. When David is not even aware of what is happening Jonathon makes it a point to go to him and say “Hey bro your life is in danger right now….but don’t worry I got your back.” We say that a lot don’t we that we have someone’s back.

I heard this saying one time when someone came and told this guy that someone was planning to hurt him he said the thing that bothered him most was the fact that they were comfortable saying it in the guy’s presence who was telling on them. He had not shown the kind of loyalty to a friend that would make someone uncomfortable plotting to harm him while they were there.

I will not stand by while someone plots to hurt my friend. I am not going to stand there while you talk bad about my friend. I am not going to stand there and let you talk bad about no one but I really ain’t about to let you run my friends name down and think that I am going to co-sign on that kind of behavior. If I am nothing else I am loyal to a fault. I will not stand idly by while someone is being mean to someone else or bad mouthing someone else.

We don’t take a stand at all anymore. We have been conditioned to believe that speaking up when someone is talking bad about Jesus or when someone is being mean to someone else that this is none of our business. That we should just stay in our lane and let Jesus handle His own fights….(sound room incident).

1 Samuel 19:4–5 ESV

And Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his deeds have brought good to you. For he took his life in his hand and he struck down the Philistine, and the Lord worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood by killing David without cause?”

Jonathon spoke well of David to who? His father. The very guy who said “Everybody is to try and kill David. I want him dead and I am the king so get after it.” He had a standing order to kill David and again we see where Jonathon takes his very life in his hands and starts talking good about David to his father. Now we can argue today that “well that was his daddy and his daddy ain’t really gonna kill him would he. I wouldn’t kill my kid because of his friends.” Well #1 you ain’t the king and #2 during this period of time yes you would.

Jonathon steps out in faith and just starts defending David to his father. Notice in verse 4 “Let not the king SIN against HIS SERVANT David, because he has not SINNED against you.” Jonathon calls Saul out on his sin. We just read this and kind of skip over that in our mind that he is arguing for David but he calls his dad out on being wrong to kill David.

He also reaffirms that David is the servant of the king…..”Look David is no trying to take your spot man he is just being David. He has done all that you have assigned him to do and he is serving you faithfully why does that deserve death.” He is making the strongest argument that he can and appealing to his father in terms that are of the strongest nature.

He says that David has not sinned against you. David is not the sinner you are. David is not trying to kill you….you are trying to kill David. You are the sinner dad.

5. How many of us calls sin sin whether it is in our lives or the lives of someone else?

6. Do we make excuses for why we are sinning in the first place? Try to argue with God and justify why we are doing what we are doing.

1 Samuel 19:6–7 ESV

And Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan. Saul swore, “As the Lord lives, he shall not be put to death.” And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan reported to him all these things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as before.

Saul listened to the voice of Jonathon and swore “As the Lord lives, he shall no be put to death.” Jonathon called David and he told him all about the conversation with his dad. Notice that Jonathon brought David to Saul and then he was in his presence as before. “As before.” Do you think Saul changed his mind about David?

We are gonna see next Wednesday night that he did not really change anything because just like before he again is trying to kill David but there is something here that bears saying folks. Jonathon’s intervention of the behalf of his brother was the deciding factor for the time being that David was not running for his life with Saul actively trying to kill him.

Jonathon stood with David his brother and interceded with his father on David’s behalf. Now I don’t know if this is Messianic in nature I don’t know that I would go so far as to say it points to what Jesus did and does for us daily with God the Father because first of all if God wanted to destroy us all he had to do was spare Jesus from the cross as I have said many times….but it does point to that kind of relationship that we have with Jesus.

Jonathon was a mediator of peace in his father’s house. Jonathon defended David before his father. Jonathon was loyal to David in that he did not abandon him when his father wanted to kill him.

Life Application:

We have to be like Jonathon and be mediators of peace whenever we possibly can.

We have to stand with our brothers and sisters in Christ when they are facing dark times and trials.

We have to be bold for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and speak out whenever and wherever we are able.

The last thing is this even when my brother or my sister is not there I am on their side praying for them and asking God to intercede for them in their lives.

I am not looking for the sin that they commit I am looking for a way to lead them either to the cross or back to the cross whichever the case may be.

I am loyal to Christ and His teachings that I apply to my life every single day.