1Sam 17:48-50
David’s New Life
We are not very far into studying the life of David to see that things kept
changing for David.
1. He started as a shepherd.
2. He became the royal musician.
3. He was returned to the sheepfold.
4. He was made a dairy delivery boy.
5. While on that run, he became a giant slayer.
That last feat, however, will change David’s life forever. David becomes a national
war hero. You can rest assured, within a few days of David slaying
Goliath, everyone in Israel and in the nations which surrounded Israel, knew the
name, David, son of Jesse!
Just in keeping with the narrative, let’s notice a few thoughts about the after-
math of Goliath’s slaying before we move on to David’s new life.
1. \\#1Sam 17:50-51\\ David becomes the head man.
a. Nothing says you are dead better than holding up a severed head.
b. \\#Dan 17:54\\ David took his head with him to Jerusalem.
(1) That arrogant mouth that defiled the armies of the living God was
used as an exhibition piece.
(2) No doubt the slogan was, "See what happens to those who blaspheme
the God of Israel!"
2. \\#1Sam 17:52\\ The Philistines fled.
a. \\#1Sam 17:9\\ According to Goliath, the Philistines were supposed to
have become Saul’s servants. I guess Goliath lied.
b. Regardless, Israel inflicted heavy defeats upon the Philistines that
day.
c. It looks like the Philistines were beat down all the way back home.
d. Ekron and Gath were two of their major cities.
3. \\#1Sam 17:54\\ Goliath’s armor, probably including his sword, went into
David’s tent.
a. Somebody gave David a tent!
(1) I don’t think he had one when he got there.
(2) He had only planned on passing through.
b. No doubt that armor would continue to encourage David for the remainder
of his life.
(1) Whenever David got discouraged, he could just look at that armor
and be reminded of the power of his great God.
(2) Everybody ought to have some kind of a collection of his enemies’
to remind him of God’s power.
(3) It has been years since I pulled it out, but I believe I still
have the business card of the lady who called me into her office
on Dec 7, 1977. When our first child was born, I was in Bible
college. We had no hospital insurance and the lady at the desk
insisted on a check for $500. I didn’t have a credit card and
had not brought a check because there was no money in the bank
account. I told the lady that, but she insisted so I left my
wife sitting in a wheel chair, drove back home to get a bum
check, and gave it to the lady. Christy was born during the
night hours. Long about 9 AM, I went out to see my in-laws and
tell them of Christy’s birth. My father-in-law said the business
office wanted to talk with me. When I sent to the office, the
lady gave me her business card and told me that the Lord had
paid our bill. I carried the card for years but left it in an
old wallet that I retired to better preserve it.
c. The sword of Goliath will eventually end up at Nob \\#1Sam 21:8-9\\.
(1) Nob is a priest city.
(2) Several possible locations exists. One about five miles from
Jerusalem. The other about twelve miles.
(3) Being a priest city, it was used to store holy items.
(4) The sword of Goliath was probably there because it represented
the deliverance of God to the Jews.
d. \\#1Sam 17:55-58\\ Saul did not recognize David.
(1) Here is another one of those passages which cause humans to want
to rewrite the Bible.
(2) Why didn’t Saul remember David? It could have been many reasons.
(a) Maybe much time had passed. We don’t know how long David
continued to play for Saul.
(b) Maybe David had grow into a young man. Boys grow into men.
(c) Maybe Saul’s demon afflicted him.
(d) Maybe Saul never really noticed who played the music to him.
It is obvious that Saul was focused more on self than others.
(e) Maybe Saul had a memory like mine.
(3) \\#1Sam 18:2\\ Regardless, Saul kept David from that point on.
(a) David was a war hero.
(b) It seems obvious to me that David could fight.
(c) But even if he could not, he would have been a morale
builder to the nation.
Let’s look at some of the elements of David’s new life.
I. \\#1Sam 18:1-4\\ David gets a new friend.
A. The new friend is Jonathan, King Saul’s son.
B. There are two unusual things about this friendship.
1. \\#1Sam 18:3\\ Strength of the friendship
a. It is difficult to determine who the HE is in this verse, but
I take it that the verse is saying that Jonathan loved David
like his own soul.
b. One could understand why a former shepherd and soldier would
desire to be best friends with the king’s son far more easily
than one could understand why the king’s son would want to be
friends with a former shepherd and soldier.
c. The answer would have to be that God put a love for David into
Jonathan’s heart.
2. \\#1Sam 18:4\\ Symbols of friendship
a. Jonathan gave David his own robe and sword.
(1) The robe signified Jonathan’s position. (You can bet not
very many wore a robe like Jonathan!)
(2) The sword and bow signified Jonathan’s power.
b. There is little doubt that Jonathan had other robes and
another sword, but to have items which belonged to the royal
family was certainly unique.
c. Why would Jonathan give these gifts to David? Perhaps
Jonathan already understood that David, not he, would be the
next king of Israel.
(1) Perhaps Jonathan figured it out.
(2) Perhaps the Spirit told Jonathan.
(3) Perhaps David told Jonathan.
C. One thing is for certain. Jonathan was a man of character like unto
David.
1. Jonathan never shows indication of jealousy or resentment toward
David. Like David, Jonathan was content to see the will of God
accomplished.
2. Jonathan loved the man of God; that is, Jonathan loved David.
a. Jonathan and David were from two different worlds.
b. On the surface, I count three things they had in common:
1. They both loved God.
2. They both loved their country.
3. They both were skilled in combat. (Jonathan was especially
gifted with the bow and arrow.)
2Sam 1:22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of
Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.
c. I believe it was that love for God that linked their souls
together.
3. Jonathan maintained his love, loyalty, and obedience to his father.
a. There is no doubt that Jonathan’s devotion to his friend and
his devotion to David will be at odds with each other.
b. Jonathan will have the almost impossible task of doing what is
right and being loyal to his father, yet he will do both.
c. Jonathan will die fighting at his father’s side in a battle
that he probably knew was lost before it began, but he will
do so.
2Sam 1:23 Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their
death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger
than lions.
d. Young people, you may not use the name of Jesus to be
disobedient or dishonorable to your parents.
We will stop there for tonight. David will have other new things to come into his
life, but God gave him a friend first. Perhaps it was because God knew that David
would need such a friend.
Every body wants a friend like Jonathan and there is nothing wrong with praying,
"God, give me a friend like Jonathan." However, that is not the best prayer we can
pray. The best prayer we can pray is, "God, make me a friend like Jonathan."
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