God speaks to us in several and many different ways.- He speaks through dreams; through visions; impromptu thoughts; signs; wonders; clear voice; unctions; rhemas; events; through His servants; sends angels; but one of the most powerful ways God speaks to us today is through pictures in the Old Testament.
- He gives you a historical account of what the present operating system should be on the earth in terms of construction of the church.
1 Samuel 18:1-4 1And 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. 2And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father’s house. 3Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. 4And 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.
Jonathan standing next to Saul had never seen such an exhibition of the anointing.
- When he saw the anointing on David he was attracted to David and he then moved to the next level where he attached himself in covenant with David.
- He recognized the anointing; he recognized that David would be king one day and so he covenanted with him.
In a practical sense this is how many of us have come to be in an apostolic house.
- We may have been drawn by the Word and the message that is being lived and preached in this household.
- We came to a place of recognizing the grace of God upon our lives and also that we need that grace if we wish to grow and develop to a place of maturity in Christ.
1 Samuel 20:1-11 1And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life? 2And he said unto him, God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will show it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so. 3And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knoweth that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death. 4Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee. 5And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even. 6If thy father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city: for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family. 7If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have peace: but if he be very wroth, then be sure that evil is determined by him. 8Therefore thou shalt deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the LORD with thee: notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father? 9And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee: for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee? 10Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what if thy father answer thee roughly? 11And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field.
Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David saying let the Lord require it at the hand of David's enemies.
- Jonathan again calls David to vow because he loved him as his own soul.
- There was this powerful soul tie between David and Jonathan, but Jonathan wants to remind him of this and that it extends to his children - make my children part of this covenant.
- So the covenant is ratified.
- Jonathan dies with Saul in the battlefield and the nurse that was carrying Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth, 5 years old, he fell and became lame.
2 Samuel 4:4 4And Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.
- The nurse dropped the baby, who broke both his feet and grew up lame.
- Several years go by and David is promoted - he has moved through Adullum, he has moved through Hebron, he has moved to Zion, he has conquered all his enemies and is in a position of rest.
2 Samuel 9:1 1And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?
David is a man of great integrity. Here he reaches his position of rest and while he is sitting on his throne and thinking to himself...
- Who were the ones that were with him in his journey?
- Who were the ones that encouraged him?
- Who were the ones that supported him?
- Who were the ones that loved him?
He realized that Jonathan was a man that loved him and entered into covenant with him.
- Now that he was in a position of great influence and power - is there anyone remaining of the house of Jonathan?
- David needed to keep the contract before God.
