“Stripped and Trusting”
“Stripped and Trusting”
Blessings folk!
Let us spend another moment on what Jonathan did.
He made covenant with David.
This is far more than a contractional agreement.
This is life-altering.
1Sa 18:3-4
Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.
Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David,
with his armor, including his sword and his bow and his belt.
Remember, Jonathan was King-in-waiting.
He was the Prince.
Yet, when he stripped himself, he did so as an act of humility and an act acknowledging that David would be the King.
David had already been anointed as King.
(Did Jonathan know? Likely not yet.)
The robe was a sign of the Kingdom of Israel.
He transferred reign to David.
There is something else here also.
Jonathan was acknowledging what Samuel had stated.
Saul’s kingdom would not have a continued dynasty.
1Sa 13:13-14
Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, for now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.
“But now your kingdom shall not endure. The LORD has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has appointed him as ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.”
Jonathan knew that David was the man.
Jonathan knew that he was not.
Profound.
Jonathan set aside all status and protection due the king and his lineage.
No armor,
No sword.
No bow.
No belt.
All he gave to David.
He now rested in David.
He now trusted David.
What does this have to do with us…Believers?
We do the same when we come to the Lord.
We bring all we “think we have” and lay before Him.
We acknowledge that He is King. He is Lord.
Through the Lord, we strip ourselves of ourselves.
Thereby, we are empowered to die to self and abide in Him!