ICS Daily Devotions
God Gave Us Himself and His Armour
2 Sam 9:1 Now David said, “Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”
David is known to be a man after God’s heart and he knew the ways of God, that God is a God of covenant, and He watches over the Word of His covenant especially in the area of protection and deliverance in times of trouble and need. He had personally experienced God’s protection as his covenant partner when he encountered bears, lions and Goliath. He was confident in the God of covenant and he understood what it meant to be in covenant with someone.
Jonathan cherished David’s friendship so much that they established a covenant with each other. They were like blood brothers who looked out for each other.
1 Samuel 18:3-4 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt.
Jonathan gave David his robe which symbolized his position and profession. To the Hebrew, a person’s robe represents the person. This covenant ritual symbolically says, “I’m giving you all of myself. My total being and my life, I pledge to you, and you would do the same to me”. Similarly, when we accept salvation through Jesus Christ, we exchange clothing with Him by giving Him our filthy rags in exchange for the robe of righteousness.
Isaiah 64:6 But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.
Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
They also exchanged armour and weapons by taking off their belts. Belts in those days held the entire armour together: dagger, bow, arrows and sword, so symbolically it means “I am giving you all my strength and my ability to fight. If anybody attacks you, they are also attacking me. Your battles are my battles and mine battles are yours. I will fight together with you”.
Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Similarly, through our covenant with God, God has also given us His amour. God is saying, “I will help defend you and protect you”. This can never be broken.
Sermon Series: Dine at the King’s Table
