In this chapter Jonathan’s and David’s bond comes into focus and Jonathan sends David away from Saul in order to protect him.
“David rose from beside the stone heap and fell on his face to the ground and bowed three times. And they kissed one another and wept with one another, David weeping the most. Then Jonathan said to David, ‘Go in peace, because we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, “The Lord shall be between me and you, and between my offspring and your offspring, forever.” ‘ And he rose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.” (41b-42)
David and Jonathan share a very special bond – they each love other ‘like his own soul’ (ie. one loves the other like he loves himself). They have a strong fraternal love, a bond of brothers, they are the closest of friends. God has knit these two together, making them a powerful team to enact His will.
Every time I think of these two, I think of a teaching I once heard on the phrase “blood is thicker than water”. The popular meaning of this phrase implies that family bonds are stronger than those of friendship or love. That’s one interpretation, however, what if there another possible meaning?
The strongest form of covenant in the Bible was a blood covenant, where actual blood was spilled to sign an agreement (see Gen 15:9-21 for a famous example). It was usually the blood of animals, however, when God paid the penalty for sin and signed the New Covenant, He spilled His own blood (the blood of Jesus) to seal the deal. This implies a covenantal bond is ‘of blood’.
In the Bible, water is symbolic of many things, even childbirth. Jesus himself referred to childbirth as being “born of water”: “Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.’ ” (Jn 3:5) This implies that your tie to family is ‘of water’.
If you put the two together, you end up with something like this: “Two modern commentators, authors Albert Jack and R. Richard Pustelniak, claim the original meaning of the expression was that the ties between people who have made a blood covenant (or have shed blood together in battle) were stronger than ties formed by ‘the water of the womb’, thus ‘The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.’ ” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_is_thicker_than_water)
I would suggest that in the case of David and Jonathan, their bond forged in love and blood (they did fight together in battle and made several vows to each other) is far stronger than Jonathan’s familial bond with his father (a bond through ‘the water of the womb’).
No matter how you would interpret that old phrase, I would encourage us to have these types of friendship bonds. It’s incredibly helpful to have at least one brother/sister in Christ with whom we share everything – laughter and tears, sickness and health, hilltops and valleys. God designed us to be in relationship, so we may want a best friend in Jesus to walk through life with us. Of course this person could be a relative by birth or marriage, but they certainly don’t have to be. Regardless, if you don’t have at least one of these friends, I strongly suggest putting yourself out there to find them. They, like Jonathan, may literally and/or figuratively save our life, and trust that we would do the same for them.
Father God, our Great and Mighty King, we praise Your holy name. Thank you for the gift of brothers and sisters in Christ. Your body, the church, are a huge encouragement and support to us on our journey to know You better. Father please help us to form lasting bonds that will transcend trial and tribulations, that will bring us much joy in the midst of sorrow. May we be the light of Christ in someone else’s life as well, carrying them in times of hardship, and loving them even if no other person does. Thank You Jesus for modeling this selfless love for your brothers and sisters, showing us how to handle these critical relationships. Holy Spirit, thank you for guiding and leading us in our daily lives and interactions. In the name of Jesus our Savior and King we thank You, amen.
~ Conqueror in Training