In Jonathan we have the very opposite of Saul. Saul only knew David as his amuser—playing: on the harp, or his helper—as armor-bearer. Jonathan knew him as the victorious saviors He, too, had been in the valley of Elah. He had found himself utterly helpless there to meet the power of the adversary: he had been sore afraid and amazed, like a man when he is brought to look death and judgment in the face, and he finds himself utterly helpless. Satan, the accuser, brings the army of all his sins, like the Philistines in battle array. He cannot deny them. He is; guilty, he feels it, he owns it, yet finds no relief. For forty days Jonathan had found no relief. Have you ever known the bitterness and horror of conviction, and death and everlasting judgment before you? Have you had your forty days?
Your fighting your own battle will not do now. The soft, soothing strains of music will not soothe your terrified conscience. But Jonathan now “saw David go forth against the Philistine.” With what intense interest he watched him! Yes, he saw David go forth alone to meet the adversary. He saw him take up those five smooth stones from the brook. He saw him take his sling. He heard those words of faith. He saw David put his hand in his bag, and take thence a stone: he saw the arm lifted up to sling: the stone is gone, the giant falls. “The stone sunk into his forehead, and he fell upon his face to the earth. So David prevailed.” He saw all this, and more, he saw him take the sword of the giant, and with his own sword cut off his head therewith. Could he have a single doubt as he saw David take the head of the Philistine and carry it to Jerusalem? He heard his fathers strange questions as David stood before him, with the giant’s head in his hand.
As Jonathan saw David descend into the valley of Elah, and do this great work of victory, have you seen by faith the Son of God descend from the glory He had with the Father, to this valley of sin and death? Have you seen Him go to the cross, and there alone win the eternal victory for us? Was it not there, alone before God, He bore the wrath due to us? There He fought the battle for us, but all alone: we helped Him not. Hark to those words as He conquers in death: “It is finished.” Yes, as finished as when the head was struck from Goliath of Gath. Could there be a question that it was finished, when David ascended to Jerusalem with his head in his hand? Can there be a question for you, if you see and believe that God hath raised up Jesus from the dead? Could Jonathan help, or could he ask David to help him to kill the giant? Surely not; it was done. Can you help Christ, or can you ask Him to help you to save your soul? Surely not; the work is done. And all is yours the moment you believe God. Yes, yours for eternity.
Now, what was the effect on Jonathan when he beheld the savior David before his eyes? “The soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.” And what will be the effect on you, if your eyes are open to behold the Savior Jesus? Your heart will be knit with the heart of Christ You will say, He loved me and gave Himself for me. You will sing, “Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever, Amen.” Yes, unto Him be glory, will be now your every desire, and will mark your every action. Let us trace the picture a little further.
When Jonathan beheld David, the all-victorious savior, did he ask him to become his helper? No, “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.” Ah, only let your eyes be open to behold the risen, glorified Savior, who has finished the work of eternal redemption, and you will strip yourself of all self-righteousness. You will take your fastings and fightings, your music and ritual, and lay them all at Jesus’ feet, saying, Thou art worthy, Jesus, Lord. Nothing short of the revelation of Jesus, the complete Savior, can strip you of self-righteousness, and self-fighting. Jonathan freely gave up both robe and sword to David, yes, and girdle, too, the emblem of service.
There is not a greater contrast between light and darkness, than there is between living faith in the Person and finished work of Christ, and the dark unbelief of praying to Christ to help you to do the work yourself. This, Jonathan did not do to David. He was saved from the horrors of Elah. He was saved from the defying adversary. He saw and believed: we see not, but we believe on God, who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead: —who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification. Believing God, we are justified—we are saved. It is done, it is finished; our Jesus is not on the cross now. He is not in the sepulcher now. He is in the brightness of the glory of God. He has neither to fight the battle again, nor to help us to fight it. Peace with God is the everlasting portion of those who, like Jonathan, believe it is done.
Not so poor Saul, the mere imitator of faith. What so offended the old man? Ah, he could not bear that song “Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands. And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him.”— “And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.” It is the same with the poor Sauls of this day. They cannot bear to hear that all who believe in Jesus and the finished work of eternal salvation which He has wrought, have eternal life; that they are justified, and know it; they have peace with God, and they are in the unchanging love and favor of God in Christ—and all through the finished work of Christ. Yes, the Sauls are very wroth, and these sayings displease them sore. And they eye those who believe this glorious gospel from that day forward. Oh, how often in their frenzy of hatred, they cast their javelin at David, for what they do to the members of His body, they do to Christ. “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?”
What! ascribe such ten thousands of blessings to those who only believe in Christ or to Christ for them, and to ascribe almost nothing to us, with our sacraments, and priests, and music, and services, and long repetitions, and works, and lightings? Why, the most we ever get is a hope, that the giant will be killed by all these. But to say he is killed; to say the work is done; to say you are saved; to know it, and to strip all off and to give all the glory of a present, known, and eternal salvation to Christ—we will not have it, we will not believe it. No, the most we can get here is a hope to be saved hereafter.
Do you say, “But is not this doctrine of a finished salvation—the finished work of Christ—a very dangerous doctrine, and will it not lead to great indifference and carelessness in walk? Our priests tell us to avoid such people, and not to hear them, nor read their tracts and books.”
Let us follow the inspired illustration, and see if we have an answer to such queries. Saul did not believe in this savior David; he would still use him for his amusement on the harp; but this only increased his hatred to David. “And David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Sauls hand. And Saul cast the javelin, for he said, I will smite David even to the wall.” And the subsequent history describes Saul filled with ever-increasing hatred to David, the savior of Elah, until Saul’s death on Gilboa.
It will be so, nay, it is so, with every rejecter of the full, eternal salvation in Christ. The gospel is brought before you. as David stood before Saul with the head of Goliath in his hand. You reject Jesus as your Savior, and go back to use Him for your musical entertainment and soothing pleasure. As sure as Saul hated David, so surely will you hate Christ, and all connected with Him. And yet, as with Saul, you will be troubled with anxious fear: “Saul was yet more afraid of David; and Saul became David’s enemy continually.” (1 Sam. 18:2929And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became David's enemy continually. (1 Samuel 18:29).) How fearfully true this is of thousands in our day! May every reader of these lines be delivered from this dreadful state!
Jonathan, on the other hand, sees the work is done, is finished. His heart is turned to the savior David. He knows he is saved. He does not ask David to help him fight the giant. He gives up robe and sword. Does this make him indifferent as to David? Saul asks him and all his servants to kill David. Did he? “But Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted much in David.” (1 Sam. 19:1, 21And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David. 2But Jonathan Saul's son delighted much in David: and Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself: (1 Samuel 19:1‑2).) Blessed Jesus, the more the heart knows Thee as the complete Savior, the more shall we delight much in Thee. Thou art our joy, our crown, our all.
Jonathan made one great mistake, as to reward a fatal mistake, he remained in the house of his father, the king, who hated David, the true and future king. Yet in the house of his father he confessed David. Many more particulars as to this may be seen in a tract written years ago. It would be deeply interesting to trace the future history of these men, as illustrating the two principles of owning Jesus as the complete Savior, to merely using Him for refreshment as in this day. It is enough to see that one “Jonathan” Morrish, London, engenders deep hatred to Christ; the other, great delight in Him. And this delight is the true spring of an obedient walk. As Jonathan said to David, “Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee.” In this, however, we shall do well ever to keep in mind our entire dependence on the Lord—to give up robe, sword, bow, and girdle to Him, the true David. But there can be no real delight in Christ, as the spring of a holy obedience, unless we know Him as our complete and eternal Savior.
In Jonathan and Mephibosheth, we have a double revelation of Christ in those types. In Jonathan it is the finished work of Christ; in Mephibosheth, it is the kindness of God revealed in the person of David. Mephibosheth remained identified with David during the days of David’s rejection. Jonathan remained in his father’s house. How exact the balances of the sanctuary! We need to know both, to really leave the house of Saul and be identified with the present rejected Christ. May we be assured that the battle is over for us; redemption accomplished; and hear, and believe the word of God. “I will surely show thee kindness for Christ’s sake!” “Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” Certainty of salvation will not lead to indifference about Him who has thus saved us.
C. S.