1 Samuel 20 … Consider the Lovingkindness of the LORD

Originally posted: 12/07/2019

“If I am still alive, will you not show me the lovingkindness of the Lord, that I may not die?”  (20:14).

Jonathan understood David was God’s anointed. Unlike his father, Saul, Jonathan chose to submit to God’s will, placing himself in humble submission to the Lovingkindness of the LORD.

Consider the Lovingkindness of the LORD

“If I am still alive, will you not show me the lovingkindness of the Lord, that I may not die? ¹⁵ You shall not cut off your lovingkindness from my house forever, not even when the Lord cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” ¹⁶ So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord require it at the hands of David’s enemies,” (20:14-16).

• The Lovingkindness of the LORD would be the only hope for life.
  • “If I am still alive, will you not show me the lovingkindness of the Lord, that I may not die?”

• The Lovingkindness of the LORD would provide hope for all eternity.
  • “You shall not cut off your lovingkindness from my house forever,”

• The Lovingkindness of the LORD would be offered to one born in the house of the enemy.
  • “not even when the Lord cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.”

• The Lovingkindness of the LORD is offered through His Covenant with the house of David; but those who refuse His offer will be held accountable.
  • So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord require it at the hands of David’s enemies.”
  • So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the LORD hold David’s enemies accountable,” (2:20 Berean Standard Bible).
    

How do we respond to the Lovingkindness of the LORD?

• We are all born in the house of the enemy. Our only hope for life is to be born again through faith in the death and resurrected life of Jesus Christ, given by the Lovingkindness of the LORD to satisfy the debt of sin we are utterly unable to pay.
  • Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God,” (John 3:3).
  • “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life,” (John 3:16).
  • For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord, (Romans 6:23).

• When we receive the free gift of God, secured by the death and resurrection of His sinless Son, our Messiah descended from the house of David, we can be assured we will be held by the zeal and Lovingkindness of the LORD forevermore.
  • There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
    On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
    To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
    From then on and forevermore.
    The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this, (Isaiah 9:7).
  • “and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand,” (John 10:28-29).

• Let us give all praise and thanksgiving for the extravagant Lovingkindness of the LORD, Who gave His life to save and reconcile His enemies.
  • But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. ¹⁰ For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life, (Romans 5:8-10).

• As we consider and dwell on His grace and Lovingkindness, how can we contain ourselves? How can we keep so great a salvation to ourselves when we know that those who refuse Him will be held accountable? Let us bow in humility, gratitude and love for our Savior, Jesus. And may we grow in readiness to share with others what we have received from Him, the gift of the Lovingkindness of the LORD.
  • “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. ³² All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; ³³ and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left… ⁴⁶ These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life,” (Matthew 25:31-33, 46).
  • but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; (1 Peter 3:15).

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