Cleft in a rock -friendship

"Thy love to me was wonderful." --2 Samuel 1:26

I recently read the Bible verse again relating to the friendship of David and Jonathan. This friendhip has always fascinated me. Here you have Jonathan, the son of Saul, rightful heir to the throne. Befriends David, God's choice to be king. Saul tries killing David, David spares his life. Jonathan protects and fights for David against his father Saul. Amazing love and friendship.

Matchless love. Points to the Love of Christ for us.


"O my dear brother Jonathan,
I’m crushed by your death.Your friendship was a miracle-wonder,

love far exceeding anything I’ve known—
or ever hope to know."(vs 26)


2 Samuel 1:26

I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan
So he was, not only by nation and religion, but by affinity, having married the sister of Jonathan; and still more so by affection and friendship, he being a friend of David's, that stuck closer to him than a brother, and who loved him as his own soul; he was distressed for him, not on account of his spiritual and eternal state, which he doubted not was happy, but for the manner of his death, his loss of him, and want of his pleasant conversation, of his counsel and advice, and assistance in his present circumstances:

very pleasant hast thou been unto me;
in their friendly visits of, and conversation with, one another; many a pleasant hour had they spent together, but now must see each other's faces no more in this world:

thy love to me was wonderful;
as indeed he might well say, being towards one of a mean extract in comparison of his, to one who was not his own brother, but a brother-in-law; and to one that was a rival to the crown he was heir to, and would take it before him: and who ran the risk of losing his father's affection, and even his life, for espousing his cause:see ( 1 Samuel 18:1 1 Samuel 18:3 1 Samuel 18:4 ) ( 1 Samuel 19:21 Samuel 19:4 ) ( 1 Samuel 20:30 1 Samuel 20:33 ) ;

"this far surpassed the highest degree of conjugal affection and constancy. See here,That nothing is more delightful in this world than a true friend, that is wise and good, that kindly receives and returns our affection, and is faithful to us in all our true interests. That nothing is more distressful than the loss of such a friend; it is parting with a piece of one’s self. It is the vanity of this world that what is most pleasant to us we are most liable to be distressed in. The more we love the more we grieve."(MHC)

Come, dear readers, let each one of us speak for himself of the wonderful love, not of Jonathan, but of Jesus. We will not relate what we have been told, but the things which we have tasted and handled-of the love of Christ. Thy love to me, O Jesus, was wonderful when I was a stranger wandering far from Thee, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind. Thy love restrained me from committing the sin which is unto death, and withheld me from self-destruction. Thy love held back the axe when Justice said, "Cut it down! why cumbereth it the ground?" Thy love drew me into the wilderness, stripped me there, and made me feel the guilt of my sin, and the burden of mine iniquity. Thy love spake thus comfortably to me when, I was sore dismayed--"Come unto Me, and I will give thee rest." Oh, how matchless Thy love when, in a moment, Thou didst wash my sins away, and make my polluted soul, which was crimson with the blood of my nativity, and black with the grime of my transgressions, to be white as the driven snow, and pure as the finest wool. How Thou didst commend Thy love when Thou didst whisper in my ears, "I am thine and thou art Mine." Kind were those accents when Thou saidst, "The Father Himself loveth you." And sweet the moments, passing sweet, when Thou declaredst to me "the love of the Spirit." Never shall my soul forget those chambers of fellowship where Thou has unveiled Thyself to me. Had Moses his cleft in the rock, where he saw the train, the back parts of his God? We, too, have had our clefts in the rock, where we have seen the full splendours of the Godhead in the person of Christ. Did David remember the tracks of the wild goat, the land of Jordan and the Hermonites? We, too, can remember spots to memory dear, equal to these in blessedness. Precious Lord Jesus, give us a fresh draught of Thy wondrous love to begin the month with. Amen.

Evening 2/1 CHS



2 Samuel 1:23-27

The Message (MSG)
23 Saul and Jonathan—beloved, beautiful!
Together in life, together in death.
Swifter than plummeting eagles,
stronger than proud lions.

24-25 Women of Israel, weep for Saul.
He dressed you in finest cottons and silks,
spared no expense in making you elegant.
The mighty warriors—fallen, fallen
in the middle of the fight!
Jonathan—struck down on your hills!

26 O my dear brother Jonathan,
I’m crushed by your death.
Your friendship was a miracle-wonder,
love far exceeding anything I’ve known—
or ever hope to know.

27 The mighty warriors—fallen, fallen.
And the arms of war broken to bits.

2 Samuel 1: 23-27 (ESV)

23 “Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely!
In life and in death they were not divided;
they were swifter than eagles;
they were stronger than lions.

24 “You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet,
who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.

25 “How the mighty have fallen
in the midst of the battle!
“Jonathan lies slain on your high places.

26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
very pleasant have you been to me;
your love to me was extraordinary,
surpassing the love of women.

27 “How the mighty have fallen,
and the weapons of war perished!”



































Exodus 33:21-23
God said, “Look, here is a place right beside me. Put yourself on this rock. When my Glory passes by, I’ll put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with my hand until I’ve passed by. Then I’ll take my hand away and you’ll see my back. But you won’t see my face.

It is in the clefts of this rock that we are secured from the wrath of God, which otherwise would consume us; God himself will protect those that are thus hid. And it is only through Christ that we have the knowledge of the glory of God. None can see his glory to their comfort but those who stand upon this rock, and take shelter in it. (vs 22 MHC)

Rock of Ages

"I have not much to say at present about any persons in particular, but I should be glad to relate how it is with me. I have had some very smart trials, and strong winds, to the point that I almost lost my breath on the slopes; but I considered myself to be pulled up the hill by the following two chains: ‘And a Man shall be as an hiding place,’ &c.; ‘Come, my people, — and hide thyself,’ &c. It was calm and warm for a time. (Ann Griffiths)

Gladly Would I leave Behind

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFpexotDL5A