When David wrote that "goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life," he was describing the inherent covenant quality of kheseed.  It works like this.

The Hebrew scholar, William Gesenius, tells us (in his Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon) that kheseed denotes an active "chasing after" for the purpose of capturing.  The Hebrew letters that make up this word incorporate diacritical or "breathing" marks which add specific character and intent.  The "breathing" denotes the intensity of that which is being expressed.

There is an intensity to this word, kheseed.  The "breathing after" the individual who is the objective of kheseed indicates great emotion -- and in this instance, great love and affection.  Thus, David frequently uses this word throughout the Psalms, and we find it translated (as noted above) "lovingkindness" or "tender mercies."

We noted on Wednesday how, in the picture of David and Jonathan, Jonathan was requiring of David protection over his house, his descendants, for as long as David shall live.  THAT, my friends, is what covenant is all about.

Thus David makes this new covenant with Jonathan.  And after they've covenanted again, Jonathan causes David to swear allegiance to this covenant with him a third time.  No problem!  David loves Jonathan with the same kind of bond that Jonathan has toward him.  This is nothing less than agape.  Agape ALWAYS produces kheseed.

Because agape and kheseed function together, the covenant that is produced IS a covenant that is love-based.

Actually, I think I need to backtrack for a minute to something we covered briefly on Wednesday when we first started talking about the covenant that was made between David and Jonathan.  Go back to I Samuel 18.

"And 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.  And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father’s house.  Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.

"And 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."

In every covenant, there is a greater and a lesser (from the position of authority and strength).  The one who has the more recognized authority is considered the "greater" while the party to the covenant who is of lesser standing socially or financially is the "lesser."  Covenant is cut between the two parties because each has something to offer.

We use the word "cut" because that is literally the interpretation of the Hebrew word úéø„a -- beriyth (the "e" sound is almost silent) -- to cut (and enact) a compact or covenant by cutting flesh and passing between the cut pieces (remember Abraham's covenant?).

In Jonathan's case, he was -- at this point in time -- the "greater" because of his standing as a prince, son of King Saul.  With that standing came wealth and power.

David, on the other hand, though a relative pauper at this stage of his life (Boy, did things ever change for him!), had public acclaim for his prowess in killing the giant, Goliath, and his supernatural victories in battles with the Philistines.  David showed himself as wise -- having the wisdom of God operating in his life -- and powerful as a soldier and fighting man.

The purpose of their covenant was to make the two as One from a legal and functional standpoint.  All covenants had legal consequences.  The parties to that covenant were considered equals.  The resources of each party were available to each other.  Thus, Jonathan's wealth and stature as a prince became David's effective (and legal) stature because of their covenant.

David's might as a soldier, his public acclaim and recognition, and his ability to make supernaturally wise decisions became Jonathan's might, public acclaim and recognition, and wisdom.  They drew from each other by virtue of their covenant.

We see the effective transfer of this covenant from Jonathan to David when Jonathan takes his royal robe and gives it to David, along with his princely garments AND his sword, his bow (which was a real piece of work!), and his girdle (an armored skirt which provided protection for a soldier's lower parts).  Jonathan was effectively transferring everything that he was as a prince of Israel to David.

David could now walk the streets or ride his horse wearing the princely robe and be recognized as part of the royal house of Israel.  Bearing the royal insignia on the sword and bow meant that David would also be recognized as having the authority and backing of the King in all that he did.

Time passes and -- as we have already noted -- conditions have changed drastically.  Instead of being the "lesser" who has the recognition and backing of the King, David is now hunted for his life by the King.  Despite the change of circumstances, Jonathan's covenant stance with David has not changed one iota.

Because Jonathan's father has decided that David needs to be killed, Jonathan -- by virtue of his covenant relationship with David -- now stands in opposition to his father and places his own life at risk by standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the sworn enemy of the royal court.

Something else has changed as well.  The anointing over David to become Israel's king (remember "Thou anointest my head with oil"?) has become obvious and apparent to his covenant partner, Jonathan.  Jonathan now knows that because of his father's rebellion against God, that anointing has been stripped from his father and given to David.  David, who was originally his "lesser" when they first cut covenant has now become the "greater."

The time has come, therefore, for a new covenant between these two parties: a covenant which acknowledges the change of status of the two and extends the provisions of kheseed to the new "lesser."

It begins with a prayer on Jonathan's part.  (See I Samuel 20, beginning at verse 12.)

"O LORD God of Israel, when I have sounded my father about to morrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward David, and I then send not unto thee, and show it thee; the LORD do so and much more to Jonathan: 

(Now he addresses David) "but if it please my father to do thee evil, then I will show it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the LORD be with thee, as he hath been with my father.

"And thou shalt not only while yet I live show me the kindness of the LORD, that I die not: But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever: no, not when the LORD hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth.

See the picture of the extended benefits of kheseed to the house of Jonathan and his descendants?  This is what is expected to be a covenant that lasts beyond the lifetime of either party.  Lovingkindness and tender mercy are expected as the natural product of this covenant of love.

"So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the LORD even require it at the hand of David’s enemies.  And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul."

Now Jonathan sets up a covert scenario by which he can warn David.

"Then Jonathan said to David, To morrow is the new moon: and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty.  And when thou hast stayed three days, then thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself when the business was in hand, and shalt remain by the stone Ezel.  And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at a mark.  And, behold, I will send a lad, saying, Go, find out the arrows. 

"If I expressly say unto the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee, take them; then come thou: for there is peace to thee, and no hurt; as the LORD liveth.  But if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go thy way: for the LORD hath sent thee away.  And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the LORD be between thee and me for ever."

Jonathan's last statement here is very telling in this covenant picture.  He makes it abundantly clear that this is not just a man-made agreement between two consenting parties, but rather a covenant that includes the Lord as the governing party to their agreement.

Now the covert scenario unfolds as planned.

"So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat meat.  And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon a seat by the wall: and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul’s side, and David’s place was empty.  Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean.  And it came to pass on the morrow, which was the second day of the month, that David’s place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor to day?

"And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem: And he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me to be there: and now, if I have found favour in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the king’s table."

Brother!  Now things get more than a little tense!

"Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother’s nakedness?  For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die."

Remember what I said about Jonathan recognizing that the anointing for the scepter had passed from the house of Saul to the house of David?  Jonathan now puts his own life at risk by virtue of his covenant with David by defending him against his father, the king.

"And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done?  And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David.  So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the second day of the month: for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame."

Whewww!!!  Pretty strong, isn't it?

"And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him.  And he said unto his lad, Run, find out now the arrows which I shoot. And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.  And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, Is not the arrow beyond thee?  And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan’s lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.  But the lad knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter.

"And Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city.  And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded.  And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, The LORD be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city."

This would have been an extraordinarily emotional moment for both David and Jonathan.  The consequences of their covenant were engraved in stone, so to speak; more accurately, cut in blood.  Neither of them have any idea if they will see each other alive from this moment forward.  From the perspective of the Law, Jonathan was on the opposite side of David.  David was now a declared outlaw.

It's pretty obvious that I'm not going to get to finish this today, so let's break here and continue on Monday.

Faithfulness is nothing more and nothing less than continuing to do the last thing Jesus told you to do, until such time as He says to do something else.

Blessings on you!



Regner A. Capener
CAPENER MINISTRIES
RIVER WORSHIP CENTER
700 South 6th Street
Sunnyside, Washington 98944
(509) 837-4657

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