1 Samuel 19:2-7

(2) But Jonathan Saul's son delighted much in David: and Jonathan told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: now therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and abide in a secret place, and hide thyself: (3) And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where thou art, and I will commune with my father of thee; and what I see, that I will tell thee. (4) And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been to thee-ward very good: (5) For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the LORD wrought a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause? (6) And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, As the LORD liveth, he shall not be slain. (7) And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan shewed him all those things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as in times past.

While we behold the friendship of Jonathan to his beloved David, let us not overlook His friendship, concerning whom it may truly be said, as it relates to us and our rescue from everlasting destruction, a greater than Jonathan is here. Jonathan was made useful to David, in communicating to him his unkind father's designs concerning him; and he pleaded for David with his unnatural father. But our Jesus's friendship to us and our fallen nature, was, and is, manifested in communicating to us the blessed intentions of our most merciful and kind Father, in redemption work. He lay in the bosom of the Father, and was intimately acquainted with all his gracious designs towards us from everlasting, and hath communicated them: I have called you friends, (saith Jesus) for all things that I have heard of my Father, I have made known to you. John 15:15 . Yes! thou dear Lord, thou art a Friend indeed, a Brother born for adversity, that lovest at all times, and one that sticketh closer than a brother. Proverbs 17:17 .