Loyalty

This passage deals more with David and Jonathan and Saul’s anger, this anger will not end but before David flees we are going to learn a bit about unity between brothers and sisters in Christ,

Intro

In The Lord of the Rings, there’s a character who doesn’t get the spotlight like Aragorn or Gandalf, but he represents something incredibly powerful—Samwise Gamgee. Frodo is the one chosen to carry the Ring, but Sam is the one who shows us what covenant loyalty really looks like.

From the very beginning of their journey, Sam sticks by Frodo’s side. He leaves behind his home, his garden, and the simple life he loves because Frodo is his friend. And as the road gets darker, the loyalty only grows stronger. There’s this unforgettable moment near the end of their journey, when Frodo collapses under the crushing weight of the Ring. He can’t take another step. Sam bends down beside him and says, “I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you.” Then he picks Frodo up and carries him up the mountain.

That picture of loyalty, devotion, and sacrificial love is a modern parable of what we see in 1 Samuel 20 between Jonathan and David. Jonathan knew that David was the Lord’s chosen, even though by all rights Jonathan himself should have been next in line for the throne. But instead of clinging to his own claim, Jonathan made a covenant of friendship with David. He chose loyalty over ambition. He chose faithfulness over fear. He risked his relationship with his father Saul, even his own safety, to protect David.

Like Sam with Frodo, Jonathan couldn’t carry David’s calling for him. But he could stand beside him. He could warn him. He could strengthen his hand in God. That’s what covenant friendship looks like—it doesn’t remove the burden, but it helps shoulder the weight.

And all of this points us to someone greater still. Jesus is the ultimate Friend who doesn’t just walk beside us—He carries us when we fall. He doesn’t just risk His life for us—He gives His life for us. Where Jonathan and Sam point the way, Jesus fulfills the picture perfectly.

So here’s the question: Are we living out that kind of loyal love? Are we friends who stick closer than a brother? Do we show up not just when it’s convenient, but when it costs us something? That’s the call of ḥesed love, covenant love—loyal, sacrificial, steadfast.

The bond between followers of Jesus is to be borne out of the relationship we have with Jesus. Loyal love and friendship that does not turn a blind eye to sin but that works together even through the hard times. Friendships when the going gets tough - how can we stand united in the midst of the spiritual war we faec?

first we go through more of the life of David and Jonathan to see what we can learn from their life.

David & Jonathan’s plan - 20:1-24

David knows that he is being pursued by king Saul, He knows that Saul wants Him dead, but Jonathan doesnt seem to want to believe it at first. So to set the stage, things are getting bad and the kings son is being asked to betray His best friend for the sake of a growingingly crazy king. What would you do? turn on your brother for the sake of political favor? Remember, Jonathan should be ext in line for the throne. So essentially to side with David was giving up future kingship, I mean who would do such a thing.

1 Samuel 20:1–2 CSB

David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came to Jonathan and asked, “What have I done? What did I do wrong? How have I sinned against your father so that he wants to take my life?” Jonathan said to him, “No, you won’t die. Listen, my father doesn’t do anything, great or small, without telling me. So why would he hide this matter from me? This can’t be true.”

at first Jonathan did not really believe, though I am not sure why.

1 Samuel 20:3–4 CSB

But David said, “Your father certainly knows that I have found favor with you. He has said, ‘Jonathan must not know of this, or else he will be grieved.’ ” David also swore, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you yourself live, there is but a step between me and death.” Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you say, I will do for you.”

for some reason it seemed that people thought Jonthan didnt know, mainly because everyone knew him and jonathan were close.

they set up another plan. One where David was supposed to hide while Jonathan went for supper like planned with His father. They had a secret plan, one in which Jonathan was supposed to lie to his father, the king. They had made a copvenant together you see.

1 Samuel 20:8–9 CSB

Deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought me into a covenant with you before the Lord. If I have done anything wrong, then kill me yourself; why take me to your father?” “No!” Jonathan responded. “If I ever find out my father has evil intentions against you, wouldn’t I tell you about it?”

This seems kind of tricky. Friends, brothers who decided to be ther for eachother but the covenant that they made meant that they had to lie to the king. But it was for the right reasons.

The evil plan was to tell the king the reson for Davids missing was he had to go with his family to make a sacrifice.

The covenant that they made together is really neat to see.

1 Samuel 20:14–15 CSB

If I continue to live, show me kindness from the Lord, but if I die, don’t ever withdraw your kindness from my household—not even when the Lord cuts off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.”

remember, Jonathan was supposed ot be the future king, if Saul’s plans came to pass but God had other plans and I think He saw that. So he made a covenant with the God ordained king to show kindness to his family. Even though evil was going to come to pass on one of them for what was going to happen they where going to stick together.

The plan they made was a secret way of communicating the true plans of Saul with out being noticed.

24-34 - the Festival

obviously Saul noticed that David was missing from this meal.

1 Samuel 20:25–26 CSB

He sat at his usual place on the seat by the wall. Jonathan sat facing him and Abner took his place beside Saul, but David’s place was empty. Saul did not say anything that day because he thought, “Something unexpected has happened; he must be ceremonially unclean—yes, that’s it, he is unclean.”

But after this had happened a few times obviously Saul starts to get angry. Jonathan backed up David, telling the lie that they came up with. You see standing up for his friend, Jonathan was going to take his life into his hands. or rather give them into the hands of the king.

Saul understood something at least, eveyr day David was alive, his throne was in jeoperdy. He knew the people loved David and that David had the favor of God.

1 Samuel 20:31 CSB

Every day Jesse’s son lives on earth you and your kingship are not secure. Now send for him and bring him to me—he must die!”

Jonathan refused to give up and denounce his friend, so saul tried to kill his own son in anger.

He was angery and ashamed of his fathers shameful behaviour. S he went to the meeting place and signaled to David that his life was in danger. saddened the parted. which next we are going to go into David fleeing for his life

1 Samuel 20:42 CSB

Jonathan then said to David, “Go in the assurance the two of us pledged in the name of the Lord when we said, ‘The Lord will be a witness between you and me and between my offspring and your offspring forever.’ ” Then David left, and Jonathan went into the city.

“Hesed” Loyalty

The word Hesed is an interesting one, it is used a few times in this passage and that is what I want to focus on for a bit since we have gone through this story.

1 Samuel 20:8 - Deal Kindly (Hesed) with your servant

1 Samuel 20:14-15 - If I am still alive, show me the steadfast love (hesed) of the Lord

do not cut off your steadfast love (hesed) from my family

This is a faithful love, a covenant faithfulness, a loyal love. It goes beyond mere friendship. It’s covenant loyalty rooted in the faithful love of God. It is seen in God’s love ofr us even though we did not deserve it, we deserve death but God offered us life through the blood of Jesus.

as in God made a covenant with us written in the blood of Jesus. We become part of that covenant when we accept Jesus as our Lord and saviour and live our lives for Him. This loyal love of Jesus is given to us, it is a covenant love.

think Noah and the ark. God made a covenant with Noah to never flood the earth like he did before, and that sign was the sign of the rainbow. which people have tried to steal. And we know that God does not break his promises. Ruth shows ḥesed to Naomi by her loyalty (Ruth 1:8; 3:10).

So then how does this same type of relationship apply to us as believers? How do we stand together like we are supposed to.

The love that has been shown to us by Jesus dying on the cross, is to be the same love we are to show our brothers and sisters in Christ.

As Jesus loved us, so we must love others

We are told in

1 Corinthians 12:27 CSB

Now you are the body of Christ, and individual members of it.

We are one in Christ as the body of Christ. We are to be united together, forgiving one another and moving forward with the goal of making disciples of all nations. So how is it that we are loving one another, forgiving one another walking forward together. Remember, it is only through the grace of God shown to use

Characteristics, Loyalty beyond duty, Kindness motivated by covenant, not convenience, A reflection of God’s own character when humans show it to one another. Jonathan took his life into his hands for his brother would we be willing to do the same.

How did Jesus love us though? What love are we supposed to copy?

Well we know that it is a self sacrificial love, a love that thought of others before himself. A love that called others to himself.

what this is supposed to look like is telling others and helping others to follow Jesus. It means telling others that they are not good enough on their own, they need to trust in Giod and give themselves to them. To love thm enough to pull them from the fire. If we really love people will we leave them as they are in their sin or will we desire to let them know how to be saved. Jesus called others to be more, to live for others, to follow His ways, to go and sin no more and that is what we are to follow as an example as well.

But besides that we can say that we love each other, that we will be united together but there is a side of loving your brother and sister in Christ that we dont really like to talk about.

Love means discipleship

but Hesed love for one another does not always overlook wrong. When someone sins against us we are to deal with it. that means talking to one another. I know that is a novel idea, but we must be able to communicate when the going gets tough. so step one is to communicate with one another.

Love means that when our brother or sister in Christ has done something that goes against the word of God we will, in love make sure they know how to walk with God and live a life for Him. As friends, as a church we must work together to disciple one another. Even David said to Jonathan in their friendship that if the is anything that he has done wrong, then kill him. Now we do not

Covenant Anchor

Ḥesed binds God to His promises; it is His loyal love rooted in covenant, not in Israel’s merit.

Bridging Justice and Mercy

God remains righteous, yet His ḥesed provides forgiveness and restoration.

Foreshadowing Christ

The New Testament concept of grace (χάρις) reflects God’s covenantal ḥesed fulfilled in Christ.

John 1:14, 16–17 — Jesus reveals God’s “grace and truth,” echoing ḥesed and ’emet (steadfast love and faithfulness).

We can build relationships that are durable, that withstand the test of time.

Key Aspects

Unfailing Love: Persistent even when Israel is unfaithful (Hosea 2:19).

Mercy & Compassion: God forgives sin and restores His people because of His ḥesed.

Action-Oriented: God’s ḥesed is not sentiment, but rescue, provision, and protection (Ps. 23:6).

Generally, Christians today bemoan what is happening in our culture concerning the abandonment of children by parents, the crumbling of traditional marriages, and the broken and dishonorable way in which business is conducted in today’s marketplace. The concept of ḥesed-faithfulness in this text holds up a discernible model that teaches about advanced decision-making and mutual dependence. Thus the Bible opens up a whole different perspective into the potential of human relationships. Against much of modern pop culture, this text teaches that it is possible for humans to build relationships that are durable and employable in God’s plan for the future.

Covenant love and faithfulness is what is shown to us as followers of Jesus and it is what is to be shown to eachother. as well.