Friendship

Intro

Well, it’s been a little while since we’ve been together!

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Years.

We continue on today in 1 Samuel. And here’s a little recap to set us up for contextual understanding.

Israel demanded a king and the Lord gives the Saul.

Not the king they need, but the king they deserve.

Saul is cowardly from day one.

He is unfaithful and disobedient.

He is selfish and manipulative.

But, in spite of all this, the Lord uses him.

Eventually Saul goes too far and offers a sacrifice in an attempt to rally the people around him.

But that’s not his job.

He was impatient.

Because he stepped out of the bounds that the Lord set for him as king, the Lord rejects Saul as king and leads Samuel to anoint David.

Where Saul was the first choice many would make for a king (tall, handsome, strong), David is the last choice.

He’s the youngest, left in the field watching sheep while all of his brothers are paraded before Samuel.

And it’s here where God shows what He is looking for in the leader of His people.

A heart that is fully devoted to, and pursuing after, Him.

David is anointed, but doesn’t ascend the throne that day.

He goes back to the shepherding fields and waits.

And writes songs.

And waits.

Saul is so distraught with the Lord removing His spirit from him that he sinks into awful fits of depression and outrage.

David is brought into his courts to soothe his soul with music.

Saul enjoys David so much that he makes arrangements with David’s father, Jesse, to have him remain in his service and travel back and forth from home (Bethlehem) and the palace (Jerusalem).

Last time we were together, we talked about David overcoming Goliath i chapter 17.

That brings us up to date...

Chapter 18

Chapter 18 picks up right where 17 left off.

Saul and David are talking.

Saul is in awe of David to the point that he asks, “Who are you?”

1 Samuel 18:1–5 ESV

As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father’s house. 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. And David went out and was successful wherever Saul sent him, so that Saul set him over the men of war. And this was good in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.

What a description of friendship...

We don’t see friendships like this today!

While this is a unique instance, friendship like this can actually happen (like, out in the wild).

What bound or “knit” David and Jonathan together?

What are some of the things that make friendship so difficult for us?

Why do our friendships fail?

Proverbs 18:24 ESV

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Chapter 19

Chapter 20