2 Sam. 9, 19.
JONATHAN’S love for David is one of the most lovely instances of unfeigned love we have in Scripture. The Holy Ghost thus records it, “Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle.” (1 Sam. 18:3, 43Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 4And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle. (1 Samuel 18:3‑4).)
The more God is found to be with David, the more exceedingly Saul hates David. He knew that he was to succeed him, and that Jonathan should not be established in the kingdom. Jonathan knew this also. Yet he succored David, and saved him from the hand of his father; for his love rose above all personal considerations. Jealousy does not weaken or disturb it. “Many waters cannot quench love.” “Love never faileth.” “I will very gladly spend, and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.”
In David also, the man after God’s own heart, we see the same spirit. His lamentation over Saul and Jonathan is a beautiful expression of love rising above all personal advantages. “And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son. The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen!...From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.....I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan; very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.” (2 Sam. 1:17, 19, 22, 2617And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son: (2 Samuel 1:17)
19The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen! (2 Samuel 1:19)
22From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty. (2 Samuel 1:22)
26I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. (2 Samuel 1:26).)
The Amalekite supposed that David would be greatly pleased by his bringing tidings of Saul’s death, and laying his crown at David’s feet. But he little knew the springs of faith and love which dwelt in David’s heart. David regarded the death of Saul as the fall of the Lord’s anointed, and an occasion of triumph to the enemies of Jehovah and His people. Faith views everything according to the mind of God; and “faith worketh by love.” Thus, whilst Saul’s death gave the kingdom to David, and so ended his troubles, he regards the death of Saul and Jonathan in the light of God’s presence, and not according to the selfish thoughts of man. How lovely it is when self is laid aside, and faith and love are the springs of our affections and judgments.
David rejoices not over a fallen enemy, after the manner of men. His lamentation is more to his honor than the crown he then received.
The affection of David for Jonathan did not end here. His was no transient burst of feeling. The glory of the kingdom did not efface Jonathan from his affections. When established on his throne, we find him asking, “Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” (2 Sam. 9:11And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake? (2 Samuel 9:1).) “The kindness of God” (vs. 3) fills David’s heart towards the house of Saul, for Jonathan’s sake. Here is the strength of an old affection in the heart of David. How needful it is to cultivate this spirit. We live in days of great change; friendship and affections long formed are easily dissolved. A sure proof of how little our kindness is the kindness of God, and our affections the affections of Christ. “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” “Christ loved the Church, and gave Himself for it.” “Having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end.”
Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan is the only one found of the house of Saul. How generously David behaves to him. He restores him all the possessions of Saul, and adds, “Thou shalt eat bread at my table continually ... as one of the king’s sons.” This needs no comment. Here is enduring love. This is using power in a way worthy of the leader of God’s people. The butler forgot Joseph when he was raised up. David, in the day of his exaltation, remembers Jonathan.
In after years, when David is in affliction and flees from Absalom, and then returns to his throne and house, how beautiful is the behavior of Mephibosheth. As David had sown so now he reaps.
“The king said unto him, Wherefore wentest thou not with me, Mephibosheth?” (2 Sam. 19:2525And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth? (2 Samuel 19:25).) Mephibosheth explains the cause, by exposing the treachery of his servant Ziba. He rehearses the great kindness of the king to him, in taking up a dead man and setting him at the king’s table; and declares that he cares not about the land, but for the king his benefactor. “Yea, let him (Ziba) take as, forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house.”
Love begets love. The gracious dealing of the king towards Mephibosheth has so won his heart, that all he cares for is to see the king restored to his house in peace. Such an one is worthy of a son’s place at the king’s table, whilst Ziba passes before us as a traitor to his master, and having only an eye to his own temporal advantage. The Spirit of Christ fills the one, the spirit of the world the other.
How affecting is all this as a type of the Church and Christ. He takes us up who were dead men, places us at His table as king’s sons, restoring to us lost possessions. He, our beloved Master and Benefactor, is an exile from His throne and kingdom. We long for His return. We, like Mephibosheth, mourn His absence. The marks of our sorrow are upon us. But when our beloved Lord returns, we are ready to meet Him, to answer for our conduct during His absence, to show the tokens of our sorrow, and to hail His return with joy. If He speaks to us of possessions, we reply, we need no more than to see His face, and to be forever with Him.