New Clothes

There are many wonderful friendships that are displayed in the pages of the Bible: Ruth and Naomi, Paul and Timothy, Elijah and Elisha. But perhaps the most lovely one of all occurs between Jonathan and David. I was reminded of this once again as I read the opening verses of 1 Samuel 18:

“As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father's house. Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt. And David went out and was successful wherever Saul sent him, so that Saul set him over the men of war. And this was good in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul's servants.”

This friendship is all the more remarkable given the circumstances and context of this passage. The incident immediately preceding this was David’s defeat of Goliath. Yet David was still, essentially, just a shepherd boy, and Jonathan was heir to the crown of Israel. The description of their friendship, as being knit to each other’s souls, is an incredible work of God.

What Jonathan does to seal this friendship is amazing. After making a covenant with David, Jonathan literally gives him the clothes that he was dressed in. And these were not ordinary items of apparel, but a robe, armor, sword, bow and belt. These items signify the privileges that are given the son of a King. They are the very symbols of authority and power.

Now think about our Lord Jesus. We are knit together with Him as a result of His work on the cross. He stripped Himself of His glory and clothed us with white robes of righteousness. Matthew Henry describes it this way:

“David is seen in Jonathan’s clothes, that all may take notice he is a Jonathan’s second self. Our Lord Jesus has thus shown his love to us, that he stripped himself to clothe us, emptied himself to enrich us; nay, he did more than Jonathan, he clothed himself with our rags, whereas Jonathan did not put on David’s.”

If the friendship between Jonathan and David is so very precious, let us rejoice that we are, to an even greater degree, of one soul with the King of kings and Lord of lords. The covenant that God the Father and God the Son made before the foundation of time has opened the way for this friendship. Jesus has done all the work to make it so. And one day our rags will be traded in for garments befitting the sons and daughters of a King!