Jonathan: the first son of King Saul is our guest in this edition. Most of us know him as David’s friend, than the man that would have succeeded his father as King of ancient Israel. He first appeared in the Biblical narrative after he and his armourer routed the Philistine army at their Geba stronghold. Jonathan’s valour earned him the respect of the entire Israeli nation.
Shepherd Heart: Mr Jonathan, we appreciate your presence with us today.
Jonathan: I also looked forward to the interview. Thank you for having me.
Shepherd Heart: Our readers would love to hear from the horses’ mouth. Who is Jonathan?
Jonathan: I doubt that I can add anything to my brief, besides what God recorded in Scripture. Anyway, I was the first son of King Saul. According to the tradition of ancient Middle East, I should naturally have succeeded my father. He primed me for this role, but God had other plans.
Shepherd Heart: As we noted in the introduction, most of us identify more with your friendship with David than your relationship with your father. What singular thing attracted you to David?
Jonathan: He had another spirit, which of course stood him out. At our first meeting, I did not realise that he had a special calling from God to deliver Israel from its enemy. All I saw was a pleasant looking kid that was ill at ease in the palace. David loved keeping watch over his sheep and was not too enthusiastic about leaving them to attend to my father. You would recall that he used to minister to the king whenever evil spirits tormented him. This was of course before he fought Goliath.
Shepherd Heart: At what point did you realise that the kingship was leaving your family to David?
Jonathan: It was not a sudden revelation. I saw the hand of God upon him right from when he killed Goliath. That feat was unparalled in the history of ancient Israel. Everyone knew that God’s hand was upon David, especially my father. His hatred for the young man actually started after the victory over the uncircumcised Philistines. Israeli women did not help matters as their victory song touted David’s achievements above my father’s. He felt betrayed and belittled because he had fought many battles for Israel and conquered many of their enemies.
Shepherd Heart: Did David do anything to encourage people to look down on your father and his achievements?
Jonathan: Certainly not. He did not take any victory salute even though he was instrumental to the defeat of the Philistines. David was content with his position as one of the captains in my father’s army.
Shepherd Heart: People in our generation are amazed at how you willingly sacrificed your position as the next in line to the throne to David. You had the resources and the influence to either kill him yourself or use other people in the army to eliminate him. Why did you spare his life?
Jonathan: David was dearer to me than anyone on earth was. How could I have conspired against him? In fact, the scenario you have described did not even enter my mind. Of course, my father nursed that idea, but I loved David beyond words.
Shepherd Heart: Among the basic ingredients of true friendship are loyalty, trust, compassion, love and care. You exhibited all these qualities in your friendship with David. What was your relationship with God like then?
Jonathan: I guess you could say that I related with God through David. He was a man after God’s heart and this showed in his interaction with everyone, including my father who wanted him dead. I, on the other hand did not have a personal relationship with God. You should know that most Israelites, whether modern or ancient, are very religious. This had to do with the foundation of the nation, which is rooted in the eternal covenant God made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We may not have engaged God productively as individuals, but the religious system was and is still enough to sustain the spiritual genes received from Abraham.
Shepherd Heart: With the benefit of hindsight, coupled with your present location in heaven, would you have pursued a more productive relationship with God while on earth?
Jonathan: That is a very good question. Many Israelites in heaven are surprised to find themselves there. Keep in mind that they were not saved by their works, as Jesus’ blood atoned for the sin of the entire human race. When you discuss with such people, even in the glorified atmosphere of heaven, they express their regrets at not making any effort to get to know God while they were in the flesh. However, the Father is gracious and He does not allow them to grieve over their errors.
Shepherd Heart: Many people in our generation are making the same mistakes. They have no interest in the Father as a person. They see Him more as a means to an end. Such people pretend to be followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, but are actually more interested in what they can get from God. Consequently, they do not make any effort to build a relationship with Him. They do not read the Bible for themselves and are content to feed on human philosophies and ideas promoted by their pastors and ungodly theologians. What advice could you give to such people from your vantage position as a citizen of heaven?
Jonathan: What they need to know is that God does not have grandchildren. Every man must receive eternal life for himself. Everyman will stand before God in judgment; without the help of a pastor, theologian or even parents. The truth is that the Father is the easiest Personality to relate with, whether on earth or in heaven. What exactly is the price we pay for knowing Him? He is the One who came down from heaven to pay the ultimate price for the redemption of our souls. Nothing God commands humans to do is harmful to them. John the Beloved said in first John chapter five, verse three, “His commandments are not grievous.” So, anyone who desires to have eternal life must feed on the word of God consistently, and allow himself to be led by His Spirit. Paul the apostle said in Romans chapter eight, verse fourteen that only those who are led by the Holy Spirit are the sons of God.
Shepherd Heart: What do you say to Christian leaders who assert that God is love and that He cannot send anyone to hell?
Jonathan: Indeed God is love and does not desire that anyone should be separated from Him eternally, which is what hell is about. If a man is in a deep well and someone brings a rope to assist him get out of the well, what should be his own responsibility if the predicament does not encumber his hands?
Shepherd Heart: It is his responsibility to grab the robe.
Jonathan: Exactly! That is what God has done by sending His Son to rescue humanity. God would not force anyone to grab the robe, because He created humans with a freewill and will not infringe on it. Those who preach the gospel that makes God responsible for salvation without the human component are under the influence of the evil one. Salvation is free at God’s expense but humans must repent of their sins to enjoy redemption. Repentance opens the door to God’s mercy. That was why John the Baptist preached repentance, as did the Lord Jesus Christ and his early disciples. Remember that the prodigal son did not receive mercy from the father until he came to his senses (repented) and returned home. The lie that humans have no role to play in their salvation is similar to what satan told Eve at the Garden of Eden which led to the fall. God said they would die if they ate the forbidden fruit. The enemy told the woman, “You shall not surely die” and she believed him instead of God. If the Father would not judge sin, then believers have to discard two thirds of the Bible, including the book of Revelation. Regardless of the lies agents of the devil peddle in the name of God, those who love Him hear His voice and obey His commandments. These ones would spend eternity with Him.
Shepherd Heart: This is profound and much blessing to us. We pray that our readers would also benefit from your insights. Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts with us.
Jonathan: The pleasure is mine.