In the Old Testament, when King Saul's son Jonathan declared his allegiance to David,

it came with a great cost. He turned his back on his own father, he gave up his life of comfort and privilege.

Many Christians face similar sacrifices today for their loyalty to Jesus. We'll take a closer look today on Truth for Life as we conclude our series in First Samuel.

Alistair Begg is teaching from chapter 20, and we're picking up right after Jonathan has explained David's absence to his father, King Saul.

Well, how does this go over? We discover in verse 30, we're not surprised by this, but nevertheless it is still something to behold.

Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan. He actually blows his top as we say, and he addresses his son, you son of a perverse rebellious woman.

Well, that's not very nice, is it? Why do you have to drag his wife into it? The fact is, he is the son of a perverse rebellious man.

You son of a perverse rebellious woman, do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of your mother's nakedness?

Well, in actual fact, it wasn't so much that Jonathan had chosen David as that God had chosen David.

And the rejection that Saul is aware of, now if you like, is crystallized in this scene that unfolds. A tragic scene I suggest, where he is now confronted by the rejection, not simply of this David character, but by the son of his own home.

And in verse 31, it's almost as though he makes a final appeal to him when he says, listen, as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established.

Therefore, send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.

Don't think, I don't know where your allegiance lies, he says, looking at his son.

Now we know that Jonathan actually had surrendered his rights long before this encounter. Indeed back in 18, we stopped and wondered at what was going on when that covenant was made between Jonathan and David in verse 3 of 18.

And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as his own soul. And then on that occasion he stripped himself of the robe that was on him.

And remember we talked about how the robe had been torn and it was an emblem of the kingdom being torn from his father Saul.

And now he takes off his robe as the crown prince and he gives it to David and he gives him his armor and even gives him his sword and his bow and his belt.

So this appeal was useless on the part of his father. Saul didn't really understand the extent to which Jonathan and David's lives were interwoven with one another in the steadfast love of God.

What I find quite amazing here is that verse 32 begins then Jonathan answered Saul his father. Why? Why? This is mission accomplished.

We have already been able to deduce the reaction of Saul. That's what the setup is for. If he says good then we'll be able to send that message out.

If he loses his temper and goes nuts then we'll know exactly what we're supposed to do. So now we do know what we're supposed to do.

And then Jonathan answered Saul his father and he said to him why? Should he be put to death?

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