{"id":249,"date":"2019-08-12T03:00:25","date_gmt":"2019-08-12T03:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/warapungamonday.wordpress.com\/?p=249"},"modified":"2019-08-12T03:00:25","modified_gmt":"2019-08-12T03:00:25","slug":"swifter-than-eagles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/warapunga.ch\/?p=249","title":{"rendered":"Swifter than eagles!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Good Monday Morning to this week 33 of 2019
\n
\nDavid and Jonathan\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Jonathan and David become friends and loved each other as themselves.
\nJonathan swore eternal friendship David and gave him his robe.<\/p>\n

David became successful pleasing Saul, killing even Goliath in battle.
\nDavid became the peoples favorite, making Saul jealous and suspicious.\u00a0<\/span>
\nDavid committed to the friendship also his musical gifting on the harp.<\/p>\n

Saul put the life of David in danger, not dealing with his demons.
\nSaul was afraid of David after his two attempts to kill him.
\n<\/span>Saul, not David felt abandoned by God.<\/p>\n

Israel and Judah loved David as a successful leader<\/p>\n

Saul tries his trick David and promises his oldest daughter.
\nDavid had a good idea of timing and didn\u2019t want to be joined to the King yet, nor did he take the bait given by Saul.
\n(With David having 7 wives, 19 sons, and one daughter in the time of his life,\u00a0 there is more than timing at play here I assume.)<\/p>\n

David changed his mind, fell in love with Michal,
\nthis time delighted to\u00a0become\u00a0the kings’\u00a0son in law.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The greater the love between David and Michael , David and Jonathan, grew,
\nthe\u00a0more afraid Saul became of David.<\/p>\n

Jonathan told David of his fathers plans to kill him.
\nJonathan stood to the friendship and commitment to David.
\nJonathan intervened even to speak to his father in favor of David.
\nSaul still wasn\u2019t rid of his demons and tried to kill David again.<\/p>\n

Again David fled, Saul, followed close behind, Michal warned David and
\nhim and let him down a window to escape.<\/p>\n

Michal also stood to David and tricked her father, this time with goats hair on a pillow.
\nGroups of Prophets were gripped by God’s spirit when Sauls’ men came they too were gripped by God\u2019s spirit and began dancing and shouting. The same thing happened to the messengers three times, then finally even when Saul went,
\nthe Spirit of God took control of him in Samuels presence.
\nDavid fled again and went to Jonathan for advice and friendship.<\/p>\n

Jonathan negotiates a plan, while David hid.
\nSaul threw his spear at Jonathan in rage.
\nJonathan sent the arrow to warn David to hurry out.
\nJonathan and David were filled with grief as they farewelled.<\/p>\n

Jonathan blessed David.<\/p>\n

The friendship of David and Jonathan:
\nThey were swifter than eagles
\nThey were stronger than lions.
\nThe weapons of war couldn’t withstand their friendship.<\/p>\n

Jonathan\u2019s gifts to David; a robe, his armor, a sword, his bow, and a belt.
\nWere these a token of their ancestral friendship? When Jonathan makes \u201ca covenant of love and brotherhood with David does he invest\u00a0with his garments and weapons? By giving him his clothes, Jonathan gives to David,\u00a0a personal pledge of love, by David\u2019s accepting them, he accepted Jonathan\u2019s invitation to become his dearest friend yet more also expression of \u201cloyalty, service and obedience\u201d as Jonathan pledges his allegiance to David, recognizing him as the next king of Israel.<\/p>\n

J.P. Fokkelman (1986) proposed a three-fold meaning here: By giving David his arms, Jonathan \u201cis transferring the title of a champion of Israel to David,\u201d as the national hero and great liberator in the name of the Lord. By giving David his cloak, the crown prince hands over to him \u201chis rights and claims to the throne.\u201d<\/p>\n

There is so much purpose, intention, symbolism, signs, methods, truths, and learnings in this short story of the Bible.<\/p>\n

From Sunday school or early childhood memories we probably already have our interpretation and “takeaways” from this story.<\/p>\n

Here a few of mine:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

– God values relationships and friendships far beyond our imagination.
\n– God has a plan and will reach his goal whatever detour he takes with his people.
\n– It’s good to deal with demons before they guide our lives and try to take all from us.
\n– God is the only who has the “big picture” in mind, every move he makes!
\n– The battles we win, are won in deep friendship with Him, our almighty Guide!
\n– Some secrets and hidden things stay hidden to then later reveal God’s intentions.<\/p>\n

A personal takeaway:<\/strong><\/p>\n

A deep personal intimate relationship with God our Maker, Father and divine King,\u00a0 enables us to be, swifter than eagles, stronger than lions, therefore the opposition formed against us can’t stand!<\/p>\n

Wishing you a very good week!<\/p>\n

Philemon<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Good Monday Morning to this week 33 of 2019 David and Jonathan\u00a0 Jonathan and David become friends and loved each other as themselves. Jonathan swore eternal friendship David and gave him his robe. David became successful pleasing Saul, killing even Goliath in battle. David became the peoples favorite, making Saul jealous and suspicious.\u00a0 David committed … <\/p>\n

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