God Will Give Us Wisdom

 Solomon Received Wisdom

 Book of 2 Chronicles Chapter 1 verses 7 through 12

 

 As we begin this first lesson in the Book of 2 Chronicles, we know that King David had died after ruling all the tribes of Israel for a total of forty years.

 Seven years over Judah and Benjamin and thirty-three years over all of Israel.

 God had decided that Solomon, the son of David and Bathsheba, would now lead all of Israel after their marriage.

 The first act of Solomon was to take secure control of the throne of Israel.

 We know that Adonijah another son of David was trying to take control of Israel with the help of some rich and powerful leaders, but he had failed.

 Solomon's second act as the new King of Israel was to seek the Lord, worship Him, and pray for the wisdom to be King. 

 The Tabernacle was now in Gibeon, but the Ark of the Covenant was in Jerusalem because God had chosen Jerusalem to be the place where worship would continue.

 King David had built a special Tabernacle to house the Ark of the Covenant.

 I believe that this tabernacle is mentioned in prophecy.

 Isa_16:5  And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness.

 Amo_9:11  In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:

 Act_15:16  After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:

 Solomon knew where the Tabernacle was located with the Ark of the Covenant, but the Brazen Altar was at Gibeon, and this is the place where sacrifices were to be made according to Levitical Law

 The Brazen Altar was the one place where all sacrifices were to be made, and Gibeon was only six and one-half miles from Jerusalem.

 The Brazen Altar is in fact a type of Mount Calvary where our Lord Jesus was sacrificed for our sins.

 God had said if anyone offers a sacrifice and brings it not unto the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, offering it to the Lord then that blood would be applied to that man and he would be cut off.

 Lev 17:3  What man soever there be of the house of Israel, that killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the camp, or that killeth it out of the camp, 

Lev 17:4  And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer an offering unto the LORD before the tabernacle of the LORD; blood shall be imputed unto that man; he hath shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people: 

 King Solomon knew this law applied to him as it did to all the children of Israel.

 King Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings upon this Brazen Altar.

 It is the night after the day that King Solomon did this that the Lord appeared to King Solomon in a dream.

 *****2Ch 1:7  In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee. 

 We first see that God knew Solomon needed some guidance just as we all do.

 We will also see that God will test King Solomon even though God knew what Solomon would ask Him for.

 Solomon had brought all the leadership of Israel and the judges with him to Gibeon.

 This included all the heads of the military.

 It was important for all the leaders of Israel to know that King Solomon would serve the Lord God of Israel.

 What a shame that our leaders will not do this because they reject the God of Truth.

 They claim God and reject His Words, and it does not work like that.

 Now our nation allows so-called scientists who boast of superior insight into the nature of things to direct our nation.

 Many scientists assert that their investigations prove that the teachings of Scripture are false, but real facts show that the Bible has no controversy with real science.

 Because Solomon and those leaders acknowledged their need for the Lord, God accepted their worship through those sacrificial offerings.

 Today God accepts our worship, if we are sincere because the Lord Jesus sacrificed Himself, and the veil in the Temple at Jerusalem was torn from top to bottom and we can go directly to the Lord in our time of need or any other time.

It was important that the veil was torn from top to bottom. If it had been torn from bottom to top, it would have meant that man had done it

 God appeared to King Solomon: 1Ki 3:5  In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. 

 God appeared to Solomon in a dream that was much more than a dream.

 This was one of the more significant dreams in the Bible.

 God revealed Himself in various ways in the Old Testament.

 There are many places where God spoke audibly to people.

 To Abraham: Gen 18:13  And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?

 Gen 18:17  And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;

 To Moses: Exo 19:9  And the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD. 

 To Isaiah: Isa 6:8  Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. 

 God also revealed Himself through dreams as we see here with King Solomon.

 Whether it was more like a dream or a vision it was interactive and it was real and it honored God.

 God spoke to Solomon and Solomon spoke to God and prophecy was fulfilled.

 When this is mentioned in the Book of 1 Kings we can see that it is not Jehovah who responded to Solomon but it was Elohim.

 Jehovah appeared but Elohim spoke.

When we hear from the Lord Jesus Christ, He is speaking the words of His Father.

 In this passage here we see that Elohim appeared to Solomon.

 So, even though the Ark was not at Gibeon, God still met with Solomon and talked to him.

 We see that even in the times of the Old Testament, God made it clear that He was not restricted to the Holy of Holies or the Ark of the Covenant.

The Holy of Holies was a place where God met the High Priest of Israel.

 God said: "Ask what I shall give thee".

 We can take this to mean that Solomon could have asked for anything.

 We can just imagine how we would respond if the Almighty God asked us this same question.

 We know that we can ask for anything that is in the will of God for our lives, and He will give those things to us.

 What did Jesus say?

 Mat_7:7  Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

 Mat_21:22  And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

 Jhn_16:23  And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

 Now it does not really say that God would have given Solomon anything he asked for, because God knew before Solomon asked, what he was going to ask for.

 We can be sure that God's response had nothing to do with those one thousand animals that were sacrificed.

 It was because Solomon's heart was surrendered to God at this time!

 This is the key to answered prayer! Having our hearts surrendered to the Lord.

 Joh 15:7  If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

 *****2Ch 1:8  And Solomon said unto God, Thou hast shewed great mercy unto David my father, and hast made me to reign in his stead. 

2Ch 1:9  Now, O LORD God, let thy promise unto David my father be established: for thou hast made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude. 

 It should be very clear that God knows what is in our hearts before we ask of Him!

 When we ask of God, we must have faith that He can supply what we ask for or we will never receive gifts from God.

 God is not only able, but He is also willing to give us anything, but it must be in His will for us.

 God had shown more than great mercy to David, God had also made David a rich man.

 Why might we ask?

 1Ki 3:6  And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. 

1Ki 3:7  And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in. 

 David had left all those riches to be used to build a Temple for God in Jerusalem.

 At this time Solomon was certainly not a child according to our standards.

 He was probably between the ages of seventeen to twenty-two.

 The one thing Solomon knew was that he was personally inadequate to fulfill God's promises to his father David.

 The nation of Israel was too great.

There were too many people for him to govern effectively.

The task that was lying before him was just too overwhelming.

 Solomon felt helpless.

 Solomon likened himself to be a small child.

 Solomon knew he lacked the wisdom to be King of Israel.

 The laws of Moses stated that Israel had to have a king who was humble and who would remain humble.

 A king was required to read the law of God daily and follow it.

 Deu 17:18  And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: 

Deu 17:19  And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: 

Deu 17:20  That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel. 

 No king was to feel he was superior to his fellow citizens.

 We know that this is a problem in the last few governments that we have.

 Those ultra-liberal Senators and Congressmen men and women treated us as inferiors!

 Solomon knew he needed God's help.

 This is exactly where God wants each of us.

 The Lord Jesus put it this way: Jhn_15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

 We have found this to be very true!

 What was God's promise to David?

 2Sa 7:12  And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. 

2Sa 7:13  He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. 

2Sa 7:14  I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: 

2Sa 7:15  But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. 

2Sa 7:16  And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever. 

 We know this prophecy did not only concern Solomon but more importantly our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only one who could fulfill this prophecy.

 What did Solomon need?

 *****2Ch 1:10  Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great? 

 What is the difference between wisdom and knowledge?

 **By knowledge Solomon meant the ability to gather and understand facts.

 By definition knowledge is a clear and certain perception of things that exist.

 We have no knowledge of things that do not exist, but God has perfect knowledge of all His creation so human knowledge is very limited.

 Knowing these things then keep in mind that ignorance is the curse of God.

 We know that Jesus Christ alone possesses all the knowledge of God.

 **Wisdom is the ability to apply the facts that are learned.

 By definition, wisdom is the right use of knowledge.

 Wisdom in fact is one of the names of Jesus Christ: 1Co_1:24  But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

 We should know that Solomon became king because God was rewarding his father, King David.

 What Solomon needed the most was the 'Grace" of God.

 We see that Solomon did not have a clue on how to rule a kingdom.

 When we admit what we are, dumb sheep, then God has something to work with.

 *****2Ch 1:11  And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king: 

 And God speaks.

 What did God tell the Prophet Samuel before this all began?

 1Sa 16:7  But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. 

The word heart is used 833 times in the KJV Bible.

The heart is the center of the physical, mental, and spiritual life of all humans!

It is the heart that is at the center of our physical life.

Act 14:17  Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. 

The heart and our mind are closely connected.

It is thought that our heart is the seat of our intelligence.

Pro_8:5  O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

Sometimes we think with our heart.

Pro 23:7  For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. 

We ponder things in our hearts.

Luk 2:19  But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. 

We see the heart and mind connected.

Our emotions are tied to our hearts.

God can see into our hearts, and He knows who his children are and those who are not and never will be.

Rom 1:24  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 

Rom 1:25  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 

Now we cannot read our own thoughts into this. 

This is something God knows, and we cannot know!

The heart is the center of our spiritual life!

Job said: Job 27:6  My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live. 

It is our heart that will condemn us, but it is also in our heart where we feel the power of God.

1Jn 3:19  And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. 

1Jn 3:20  For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 

1Jn 3:21  Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. 

It is because our heart is at the root of all our problems this is the place where God does His greatest work!

Rom 2:14  For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 

Rom 2:15  Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) 

Rom 2:16  In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. 

It is the heart where God sows His seed (the Word of God).

Mat 13:19  When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. 

Rom 10:10  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 

Rom 10:11  For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 

It is in the heart where God will make His home within us.

2Co 1:21  Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; 

2Co 1:22  Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. 

This is why if God wants to know us, all He has to do is look into our hearts.

This is why we can witness for the Lord.

Rom 5:5  And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 

This is what God saw in the heart of Solomon.

*****2Ch 1:12  Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like. 

There is a principle in the Bible that we have trouble understanding and the Lord Jesus uses it: Mat_25:29  For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

We see that King Solomon had enough wisdom to offer up a wise prayer, so God increased his wisdom as the answer to his prayer.

We see that all those who make this world their end will come up short in the gifts of God.

Those who make it to the "Glory World" will not only obtain a mansion in God's home, but God will give us enough in this world that we live and take care of our families.

Yes, God gave Solomon riches and wealth and honor, but these things had another purpose.

The truth is, if we put the Lord and His ways first in our lives then, good things can happen.

It means following God's will for our lives, then blessings will come our way!

God freely gives His wisdom if we will just ask Him.

Jas 1:5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 

Amen`

God Requires Our Devotion

 A Devoted Servant

Book of 1 Samuel Chapters 18-20

What does God require of His children? He requires each of us to be devoted servants!

The character of the true servant is the knowledge of the service we owe to our Creator.

Psa 119:89 For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. 

Psa 119:90 Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. 

Psa 119:91 They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants.

Those who do not acknowledge our Creator, will never serve the Lord even though deep within them they know the Lord is real!

Job 12:16  With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.

God requires our devotion to Him!

In our lesson today we will see than Saul's son Jonathan was a devoted friend to David and Jonathan was true to God.

They loved each other as if they were brothers.

Now this was not some immoral thing that we see today, but we know that some friends are closer than our brothers and sisters to us, and there is nothing immoral about this sort of friendship.

If we follow this passage in the Bible, we will see that they both had courageous spirits and they both possessed great faith in the Lord.

Jonathan was a little older than David, but they both were probably in their twenties.

I can tell you for certain that young men who fight in wars together, develop a closeness that is not understood by most people, and it is real, and it is not immoral!

David had a heart for the Lord, and he was truly bold in battle.

The Lord will never blame the soldier for their actions in war, as long as they protect the innocent and do not intentionally kill when it is not necessary.

The Lord will hold rulers and politicians and murderers accountable for the useless carnage of war!

David's victory over Goliath had propelled him into the limelight in the nation of Israel.

David was a national hero!

King Saul at first brought David close to him as he had done with every valiant soldier.

Saul liked to surround himself with valiant men and bring them into the King's court.

In Christianity, it is the love we show to each other that shows our love for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Mar 12:30  And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 

Mar 12:31  And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Without this love and devotion we are devoid of what is essential to a Christian life! 

In this lesson we will also see that jealousy and envy can cause all kinds of problems for us, as we go through this short life we live on earth.

*****1Sa 18:1  And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 

1Sa 18:2  And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house. 

We can see from the first, Jonathan admired David for his act of heroism against Goliath.

David was a true hero.

When Abner brought David to King Saul, David still had the head of Goliath in his hand.

In typology, we see that all of Israel was saved, and David was the Savior.

In the New Testament, the Lord Jesus Christ is called the Son of David many times.

All true Christians are saved because we have a Savior and He is Christ, the Lord God of the Bible!

Jonathan also realized that if David had failed, they would all have been servants to the Philistines, and Israel would have become a nation of slaves again as they had been in Egypt.

So David was also a Deliverer!

Our Savior is also our Deliverer and He will soon return to be our Redeemer.

David could not be a Redeemer and no human can have this role!

What is the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ?

The Lord sees something in us in our worst state that He loves, and to Him we are so valuable that He died for us.

We certainly will not understand this while we yet live, but maybe we will understand this when we get to Heaven.

We see that Jonathan removed his clothes of royalty and gave them to David.

*****1Sa 18:3  Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 

1Sa 18:4  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.

In this case, it is Jonathan who is a type of Christ.

Jesus Christ came to this earth after having removed His Heavenly attire and then, He has offered to clothe every believer in His own garments of purity and righteousness.

When we are clothed in the garments of the "Glory of the Lord" then, we will be like Christ.

Today we are to try our best to be like our Heavenly Savior who has delivered us, and Jesus will return to redeem His prized possession!

When we meet the Lord, we are to cast off our ragged clothing of sin and evil habits and be clothed in the garments of goodness, and meekness and of hope and love.

It is not that we are saved from sorrow and despair and punishment for our sins, but that our sin nature is removed, and we become a new creature, a member of the Army of God.

Notice Jonathan gave not only his clothing, but also his weapons of war.

It takes a lot for a soldier to give up his weapons of war!

A soldier for Jesus Christ must never give up his weapons of war!

In reality, our weapons of war do not match up to the weapons of Jesus Christ which He used when He was tempted.

Heb_4:15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

He gives us the girdle of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of preparation of the Gospel of peace, and the shield of faith.

So, wherever David went he behaved wisely just as we are all to do!

*****1Sa 18:5  And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants. 

David was incredibly wise in the way he managed every task that was assigned to him.

We need to be wise in the things that God gives us to do!

Mat 10:16  Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. 

We must understand the will of God for our lives!

Eph 5:17  Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 

Along with this wisdom, we are to patiently wait upon the Lord!

Col 4:5  Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. 

Col 4:6  Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. 

David was also highly successful in every assignment that was given to him.

We must not forget that David was still a young man, but in his defeat of Goliath came respect from the other soldiers in the army of Saul.

Because David was faithful in his duties, Saul made David the commander of a portion of his army.

Abner was the general of Saul's army.

We can see that David was on God's training ground to become the next King of Israel.

The people and the army were pleased that David commanded part of the army of Israel.

Gradually David's fame became so great that it aroused the worst feelings in King Saul's mind.

What we see is ,that God causes David's true glory to outshine the importance of King Saul and Saul retaliates.

*****1Sa 18:6  And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick. 

1Sa 18:7  And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.

The truth is most people love national heroes!

The people of Israel had not forgotten the years they suffered at the hand of the Philistines, and they needed a hero and God provided them a hero who was after God's own heart.

Just as it is today, it was the women who swooned over David just as they swooned over Saul when he was first made king.

The important part of this story is the closeness of David and Jonathan.

When the army of Israel was successful, David was praised and not King Saul.

The women came out to escort the victors home with singing and dancing.

Dancing was the usual expression of rejoicing on occasions of national triumph.

Keep in mind, there is a great victory for a mother when her children come home safe from war.

The Israelite men seldom got caught up in dancing.

When David danced later it was an exception.

These dances were usually accompanied by the tabret, what we know of as the timbrel.

These dances developed into a national war dance.

Michal, the daughter of King Saul and wife of David, felt that this type of dance was beneath the dignity of a king, and she hated David for this reason as he danced at the return of the Ark to Jerusalem.

It could be said to be a hand-drum with pieces of brass fixed to it.

Some say it was these things that upset the king, but more than likely it was that David was successful in defeating the Philistines where Saul had not been successful.

We should remember an army needs a reason to go to war and having a hero guide them certainly helped the army of Israel.

David had no fear of the enemies of Israel!

The Philistines had been the enemy of Israel all the days of Saul and in reality, David had slaughtered maybe ten times more of the Philistines than Saul had.

David developed military skills and military qualities which later made him the founder of a wide empire possessing most all the land that God had given to Israel, and David handed over this empire to his son Solomon.

These songs became well known to the enemies of Israel.

1Sa 29:5  Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands? 

These things were displeasing to the King and Saul was ruled by his own jealousy from that day forward.

*****1Sa 18:8  And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? 

1Sa 18:9  And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

King Saul became envious of David!

What do we know of the truth of envy? Envy is a sign of a reprobate mind!

Rom 1:28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 

Rom 1:29  Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 

Rom 1:30  Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 

Rom 1:31  Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 

Rom 1:32  Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. 

Saul was gripped with the spirit of jealous rage and had God not protected David, he would have certainly died at the hand of Saul.

Jealousy and envy can cause all sorts of problems for us.

These things will cause us to degrade ourselves.

These things will cause covetousness within us and cause us to attack that person not only verbally but also physically.

Envy will cause us to fill hatred, and cause a negative reaction in all kinds of ways.

Envy will absorb all our thoughts.

Envy can absorb all our time.

Envy will eat away at our hearts and our mind just like some uncurable cancer.

Envy will consume your life if you allow it to fester in your heart!

This envy was the downfall of King Saul!

Pro 14:30  A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones. 

Gal 5:25  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 

Gal 5:26  Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

Envy brings hatred and we see hatred rule in our nation today!

As Jonathan saw this change in his father, he knew David needed his help.

*****1Sa 20:41  And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded. 

1Sa 20:42  And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, The LORD be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.

We see that Jonathan conquered jealousy and envy, but his father did not.

The difference was easy to see because it was through the power of God.

God always provides a way if we would just use that way!

That power is through the power of the cross! 

We know that we all stand on level ground at the foot of the cross!

It is through the cross that we receive forgiveness of our sin, and through the power of His Resurrection we receive the power of the Holy Ghost who raised the Lord Jesus Christ up from the dead and who gives us a New Life.

It is the Holy Spirit who gives us power over all our sins including jealousy and envy.

Jonathan had kept his word and he went to the prearranged field he had told David about and where David was hiding.

We will see that Jonathan may have been as good with a bow as David was with his sling.

What were Jonathan's instructions to David?

1Sa 20:38  And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master. 

"Make Haste", "Hurry", "Go Quickly" "Do not wait or delay.”

Before David would leave, he came out of hiding to say goodbye to his dear friend.

David had it in his mind that they might never meet again.

They had a loyalty that only close friends could have.

This in typology teaches us, that we have a friend in Jesus who is closer than a brother.

Pro_18:24  A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

Notice that David bowed to Jonathan for he was a prince and royalty.

David became a fugitive of his own nation and was charged with a capital crime.

David was cut off from everyone he loved and from all his earthly possessions.

David's life came crashing down on him and he had done nothing to deserve these things happening to him.

We see these things happen in our own nation today as a jealous and envious president is doing his best to eliminate all his foes of which many of them have done nothing to deserve his wrath.

America seems blind to this truth!

Israel became blind to the plight of David for a time, and he received truly little help because Israel became afraid of the wrath of King Saul.

Jonathan kept his oath and is a fitting example for us today, in these things.

Integrity says that our word is our bond!

We need to mean what we say and say what we mean just as our Heavenly Father does!

When we make an oath then we need to keep it.

The most important oath we can make is to ask for forgiveness while making an oath to follow the Lord Jesus Christ.

Is it possible to be saved and not be a Christian?

Each of us needs to answer that question ourselves!

Deu 23:21  When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee. 

Deu 23:22  But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee. 

Deu 23:23  That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the LORD thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth.

Next week we will continue with the true story of Saul and David.

Amen.