A teaching by Rev. Barbara Williams, President of the Ministry of the Watchman International
Week of March 8-12, 2021
MONDAY
So Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you yourself desire, I will do it for you.”
1 Samuel 20:4
David is in trouble and Jonathan’s father is the cause of it. David has earned some fame as a warrior and King Saul, Jonathan’s father, is unhappy about it. You would think a King would be glad for the kind of help David gave Israel, but Saul is not. He seeks to kill David and there is no cause. His son, Jonathan, wants to do the right thing, so he helps David. He gives David a blank check by declaring that he will do whatever David’s soul desires. The soul is a mighty big place. Jonathan must have mighty high regard for David to make him an offer like that. The souls of Jonathan and David were knit together in a bond referred to as a covenant. What is the essence of the covenant?
If you are in need of healing, there is good news! Proverbs 4:20-22 SAYS:
My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
So there is life and health in God’s word. Since God’s word is medicine, we must take it like we would a prescription. I suggest three times a day, like you would your food. Remember, healing is the children’s bread. Consider this your “dose” for today. Remember, read, and meditate three times a day the following:
Rx: Matthew 8:1-3 ~ When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”
Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
2 Timothy 2:15
If you’ve never studied the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, we invite you to join us as we read through the Bible in a year. Read and meditate on these chapters this week:
March 8: Exodus 19, Luke 22, Job 37, 2 Corinthians 7
March 9: Exodus 20, Luke 23, Job 38, 2 Corinthians 8
March 10: Exodus 21, Luke 24, Job 39, 2 Corinthians 9
March 11: Exodus 22, John 1, Job 40, 2 Corinthians 10
March 12: Exodus 23, John 2, Job 41, 2 Corinthians 11
March 13: Exodus 24, John 3, Job 42, 2 Corinthians 12
March 14: Exodus 25, John 4, Proverbs 1, 2 Corinthians 13
TUESDAY
“And you shall not only show me the kindness of the Lord while I still live, that I may not die; but you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever, no, not when the Lord has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “Let the Lord require it at the hand of David’s enemies.”
1 Samuel 20:14-16
A covenant is made with someone because we love them as we love ourselves. This is the type of love that Jonathan and David had for one another. This type is similar to the agape love we find expressed by Jesus in the new covenant. This covenant of “strong friendship” encompassed the life of an individual for protection, survival of their seed, provision, favor, and other needs. A person who was considered worthy of this type of relationship was very highly respected for their gifts, skills, status or other abilities. When a person was desired as one who was “worthy,” then another person of equal worth would form this type of an alliance with him.
WEDNESDAY
“And you shall not only show me the kindness of the Lord while I still live, that I may not die; but you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever, no, not when the Lord has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “Let the Lord require it at the hand of David’s enemies.”
1 Samuel 20:14-16
The souls of these persons became tied or knit together for a common purpose. The purpose was to preserve each others’ lives, thereby making the future of Israel secure. When a key person’s future is not secure, then the future of the family, organization, or nation that that person represents is in jeopardy. Any collective group is only as strong as the sum of its parts. When the leader falters or is threatened, then the strength and security of the organization is threatened. Jonathan and David knew their worth to the future of Israel, so they formed a covenant to help protect one another. This was a good tie.
THURSDAY
“And you shall not only show me the kindness of the Lord while I still live, that I may not die; but you shall not cut off your kindness from my house forever, no, not when the Lord has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “Let the Lord require it at the hand of David’s enemies.”
1 Samuel 20:14-16
Somehow Jonathan knew that David would prevail over his father, Saul. He knew that God would cut off all the enemies of David from the face of the earth, because he was the Lord’s anointed, and it was obvious that he was more skilled as a leader than Saul. Remember Saul’s beginning? He hid from the men who were coming to anoint him and he feared the people instead of God. He was not the same man that David was… a man after God’s heart…continually. It was a blessing for Jonathan to be in covenant with a man such as David. He could not in good conscience allow David’s life to come to an end. His soul being tied to David’s allowed David to escape Saul’s evil plans.
FRIDAY
Now Jonathan again caused David to vow, because he loved him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul
1 Samuel 20:17
The love that David and Jonathan had for one another is the same love that is available to us as believers, one for another. When we are in covenant with God, we can love one another with our minds (soul) and strength. We can actually think love thoughts for another person. Loving one another with our minds means we believe good and not evil about or toward one another and we can expect good. This is the good soul tie. We have a healthy mind, bathed in the fruit of the spirit, and are willing to invest in the future of others because we think of them what God thinks of them. What do you think of the person for whom Christ died? Let us covenant to think as God thinks one toward another.