As we continue our series exploring the lives of Old Testament figures, we turn to Jonathan - a prince and warrior whose remarkable faith, courage and sacrificial friendship reveal what it means to put God’s purposes above our own.
A prince who chose God’s Kingdom
Jonathan is one of those Old Testament figures who perhaps does not receive as much attention as his father, King Saul, or his closest friend, David. Yet his story is remarkable.
As Saul’s son, Jonathan was a prince of Israel and the natural heir to his father’s throne. He was also a courageous warrior, a loyal friend and, above all, a man whose faith in God shaped some extraordinarily costly decisions.
His life unfolded during a turbulent period in Israel’s history. Saul had been rejected as king because of his disobedience, while David had been secretly anointed by Samuel as the man God had chosen to succeed him (1 Samuel 13:13-14; 16:1, 12-13).
This placed Jonathan in an extraordinary position. David’s rise could have been seen as a threat to everything Jonathan stood to inherit. Yet rather than becoming David’s rival, Jonathan became his closest friend and one of his greatest supporters.
In the most unlikely circumstances, a friendship - indeed, something resembling a brotherhood - was formed. Jonathan's life shows us what true courage, covenant love and commitment to God’s purposes can look like, even when they come at a personal cost.
1. Faith Gives Us Courage to Take Risks
One of the earliest and clearest pictures we receive of Jonathan’s character comes in 1 Samuel 14. Israel was in a desperate position. The Philistines had military superiority, many Israelites had fled or gone into hiding, and Saul was left with only around 600 men (1 Samuel 13:15-22).
Yet Jonathan decided to act. Accompanied only by his armourbearer and without the awareness of his father, he approached a Philistine outpost and declared: “Perhaps the Lord will act on our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few” (1 Samuel 14:6).
There is something striking about Jonathan’s use of the word “perhaps.” He did not presume to know exactly what God would do. What he did know was what God could do. It echoes the faith of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who declared that God was able to deliver them from the fiery furnace, but that even if He did not, they would remain faithful to Him (Daniel 3:17-18).
Jonathan’s confidence was not in numbers, weapons or his own strength, but in the power of God. That distinction is quite powerful: faith is confidence in God's power and character, not certainty that He must act according to the outcome we desire. Jonathan and his armourbearer attacked, and what began with two men eventually contributed to panic throughout the Philistine forces and victory for Israel (1 Samuel 14:13-23).
The contrast between Jonathan and Saul is difficult to miss. Jonathan was climbing towards the enemy while Saul was sitting beneath a pomegranate tree (1 Samuel 14:2). Jonathan had only his armourbearer beside him, while Saul had hundreds of soldiers. Yet it was Jonathan who stepped forward in faith. There is an important challenge here for us. Prudence and wisdom are biblical virtues, but sometimes what we call carefulness can become fear in disguise.
His example raises a question for us today: have we become so concerned with avoiding risk that we sometimes hold back from boldly following where God leads? Faith does not mean knowing exactly how everything will turn out, but it does mean trusting who God is and taking the next courageous step.
2. True love is selfless, not competitive
The friendship between Jonathan and David is one of the most beautiful relationships recorded in Scripture. After David’s victory over Goliath, we are told that Jonathan “became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself” (1 Samuel 18:1). Jonathan then made a covenant with David and gave him his robe, tunic, sword, bow and belt (1 Samuel 18:3-4).
What makes this extraordinary is who Jonathan was. He was the king’s son. David’s growing popularity and God’s favour upon him could have made Jonathan jealous. David represented a threat to Jonathan’s own future position. Saul responded in exactly this way. As David’s success and popularity increased, Saul became jealous, fearful and eventually murderous (1 Samuel 18:6-12). Jonathan responded differently. He loved David rather than competing with him.
This challenges a culture in which we can easily compare our lives, ministries, careers, relationships and achievements with those of others. It is easy to celebrate someone while they remain behind us. It can be much harder when they begin to receive the opportunity, recognition or blessing that we hoped would be ours.
Jonathan teaches us that godly love does not need another person to become smaller so that we can feel bigger. True love can celebrate God’s work in someone else’s life, even when their elevation comes at a cost to us.
3. Following God’s will may cost us something
Jonathan’s greatest test came when he found himself caught between his father and his friend. Saul wanted David dead, but Jonathan recognised David’s innocence and repeatedly defended him. When Saul first ordered Jonathan and his servants to kill David, Jonathan warned David before appealing to his father on David’s behalf (1 Samuel 19:1-7). Later, when Jonathan again questioned why David should be killed, Saul became so enraged that he hurled a spear at his own son (1 Samuel 20:30-33).
Jonathan loved his father, but honouring Saul did not mean supporting him when he was doing wrong. His loyalty to his family could not come before his commitment to what was right before God. This is something believers may also encounter. Honouring our parents, families and those in authority does not require blindly agreeing with everything they do. At times, faithfulness to God may mean respectfully disagreeing, refusing to participate in wrongdoing or standing alongside someone who is being treated unjustly.
But Jonathan’s decision was even more costly than this. By 1 Samuel 20, Jonathan effectively had to choose where his ultimate loyalty lay. And he chose God’s purposes. Jonathan and David renewed their covenant with one another, with Jonathan asking David to continue showing kindness to his family even after the Lord had defeated David’s enemies (1 Samuel 20:14-17). Jonathan appears to understand something Saul refuses to accept: David is going to be king.
That makes Jonathan’s commitment particularly profound. He is not merely choosing his friend over his father. As crown prince, he is supporting the man whose kingship means surrendering his own claim to the throne. Later, Jonathan tells David plainly: “You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you” (1 Samuel 23:17). Jonathan could have fought for what appeared to be his by birth. Instead, he submitted himself to what he believed God was doing.
His example points us towards a difficult truth about discipleship. Following God sometimes costs us something. Jesus Himself said that anyone who loves father or mother more than Him is not worthy of Him (Matthew 10:37). Our allegiance to Christ must ultimately stand above family expectations, status, success, comfort and even our own plans.
Jonathan did not oppose Saul because he hated him. He opposed Saul’s actions because they were wrong. This shows us that love and truth are not enemies. Sometimes one of the most loving things we can do is refuse to follow someone down the wrong path.
Jonathan had to decide whether he would cling to the kingdom he might have inherited or align himself with the king God had chosen. We face the same fundamental question: will we build our own kingdom, or seek first God’s?
4. Covenant love remains faithful when circumstances change
Jonathan’s relationship with David was deeper than a friendship based on convenience. Scripture repeatedly describes it in the language of covenant (1 Samuel 18:3; 20:8, 16-17, 42). A covenant in Scripture is a solemn, binding commitment involving promises and faithfulness.
Jonathan’s commitment to David therefore did not disappear when remaining loyal became difficult. In fact, he chose David when David had very little to offer him. David was a fugitive. Saul wanted him dead. He was forced to flee into the wilderness and live under constant threat. Yet Jonathan remained committed to him.
There is something deeply Christlike in this kind of faithful love. Human relationships can easily become transactional: we remain close while someone is useful, successful, enjoyable or able to give us something in return. Jonathan’s friendship with David challenges that mentality.
Biblical love remains faithful when circumstances become inconvenient (1 Corinthians 13:7; Ruth 1:16-17). It echoes, however imperfectly, the unconditional covenant love God shows towards His people – a love based not merely on changing circumstances or feelings, but on faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23; Deuteronomy 7:9; Hosea 2:19-20).
As Christians, we are recipients of an even greater covenant love through Jesus Christ (Romans 8:38-39; Hebrews 13:20-21). His love towards us is not dependent upon our usefulness or achievements (Romans 5:8; Ephesians 2:4-5). It is a steadfast love that calls us, in turn, to love others faithfully and sacrificially (John 13:34-35; 1 John 4:11; Ephesians 5:1-2).
5. Humility means accepting that God’s plan may not centre on us
Perhaps one of Jonathan’s most remarkable qualities was his willingness to accept a future in which he was not the main character. He was born a prince. By ordinary expectations, the throne should have been his. But God’s plan was different.
Jonathan recognised that David would become king and was willing to take second place (1 Samuel 23:17). That requires extraordinary humility.
We often speak about discovering God’s purpose for our lives, fulfilling our calling and reaching our potential. These things matter, but Jonathan’s life reminds us that God’s kingdom is much bigger than any one person’s ambitions.
Sometimes our role may be to encourage someone else. Sometimes we plant what another person harvests. Sometimes another person receives the position we expected. Sometimes God’s purpose requires us to step aside rather than step forward.
Jonathan shows us that faithfulness is not measured by whether we occupy the highest position. In this, we see a faint reflection of the humility perfectly demonstrated by Jesus, who “made himself nothing” and took the nature of a servant, humbling Himself in obedience even to death on a cross (Philippians 2:6-8). In God’s kingdom, being second while faithfully serving His purposes is infinitely better than being first while resisting them (Matthew 20:26-28; Luke 9:48).
6. Godly love can leave a legacy beyond our lifetime
Jonathan’s story ends tragically. He and his brothers were killed alongside Saul in battle against the Philistines at Mount Gilboa (1 Samuel 31:1-6). David mourned deeply when he heard the news, describing Jonathan’s love for him as extraordinary (2 Samuel 1:17, 25-26). But Jonathan’s story did not end with his death.
Years later, after David had become king, he asked: “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” (2 Samuel 9:1). There was. Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth, who had been left disabled in both feet after an accident during childhood (2 Samuel 4:4).
As a descendant of Saul, Mephibosheth had reason to fear David. In the ancient world, surviving members of a former royal dynasty could be viewed as threats by a new king. But David did not summon Mephibosheth to destroy him. He summoned him to bless him. David restored to him the land that had belonged to Saul and promised that Mephibosheth would always eat at the king's table (2 Samuel 9:7-13).
The covenant between David and Jonathan continued to bring blessing even after Jonathan was gone. What a powerful picture of legacy. Our faithfulness today can have consequences we may never live to see. The love we show, the promises we keep, the people we encourage and the seeds of faith we plant can continue bearing fruit beyond our lifetime.
7. A picture of grace
The story of Mephibosheth also gives us a beautiful picture of the Gospel. Mephibosheth approached David afraid, uncertain of what the king would do with him. Instead of judgment, he received kindness. Instead of rejection, he was given a place at the king's table. He was treated “like one of the king's sons” (2 Samuel 9:11).
In a far greater way, this reflects what God has done for us through Christ. Sin has left humanity spiritually broken and separated from God (Romans 3:23). We cannot earn our place in His family. Yet through the death and resurrection of Jesus, those who trust in Him are reconciled to God and adopted as His children (Romans 5:8-10; Ephesians 1:5).
Like Mephibosheth, we are invited to the King’s table not because we earned the right to be there, but because of a covenant of love. And unlike David, who showed kindness because of his covenant with Jonathan, God Himself took the initiative to establish the new covenant through His Son.
Jonathan’s sacrificial love, David’s covenant faithfulness and Mephibosheth’s undeserved acceptance each give us glimpses of something ultimately fulfilled in Christ.
Final reflection
Jonathan may never have worn Israel’s crown, but his life leaves behind something perhaps more valuable: an example of courageous, humble and selfless faith.
He teaches us to trust God’s power rather than our circumstances, to love without competition, to remain faithful when relationships become costly and to surrender our ambitions when God’s purposes lead in another direction.
Most importantly, Jonathan challenges us to consider where our ultimate allegiance lies. He stood between two kingdoms: the kingdom of his father Saul, which he could have inherited, and the kingdom of David, God’s chosen king. Jonathan chose to surrender his own claim and align himself with the king he believed God had appointed.
So, dear reader, where does your ultimate allegiance lie? Christians face an even greater King. Jesus calls us to love Him above family, possessions, status, comfort and our own ambitions. Following Him may sometimes involve surrender, risk and sacrifice. But Jonathan’s life reminds us that faith does not cling desperately to its own kingdom. It recognises the true King and chooses His.
