Ruin at Gioboa / Ruined Friendship

David's lamentation over the tragic loss of Saul and Jonathan, together with many of God's people, on Gilboa, is punctuated with the phrase, 'how are the mighty fallen'. We have already considered this from the context of a ruined leadership, now our attention is to be focused on a ruined friendship.

In this life, filled with uncertainty, heartache and difficulty, it is good to have friends; without doubt the best friend to have, is the 'friend of sinners', the one that hath said 'I will never leave thee nor forsake thee', the Lord Jesus Christ. As David mourns Israel's loss and ruin at Gilboa, he begins to reflect on his friendship with Jonathan; 'How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle!' That day, David had lost a dear friend in the most callous and terrible manner, when the enemy took away Jonathan's life.

Earlier David watched on helplessly as Israel under Saul compromised their separatist principles and entered into fellowship with the enemy. Persecution from the leadership in Israel had chased David into the fields while his friend Jonathan remained in the palace; yet such circumstances did not break their friendship; their friendship was in the Lord and so it had a lasting foundation. When Jonathan went onto mount Gilboa, David's heart went with him; in David's eyes his friend was a mighty man of God; not withstanding his friend was in great peril because God's presence had been withdrawn from Israel. As a fellow soldier, David felt the deep loss of Jonathan on that God forsaken battle field.

David said, 'O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places'; this could be that Jonathan had reached the height of his career, he had been in high office next to the king; yes, he had been set on high. His death was all the more poignant in David's sight; David's friend was cut down when he was just in his prime, making the loss well nigh unbearable.

Jonathan loved David in the Lord, this was a love that rendered the tie of friendship with David unbreakable unto death. 'I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan; very pleasant hast thou been unto me; thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.' Now the greatest test of David's friendship to Jonathan had come; Jonathan had been defeated before the enemy, he had fought without the Lord and had lost; his testimony was now in question, his error was great. The enemy had prevailed, David had lost his dear friend; the strong cord of friendship was finally broken, the enemy had gotten the victory.

The parallel is easily enough found amongst evangelical protestants today in the wake of the recent ruinous circumstances where evangelical protestant leaders have sought friendship of the world. God's people that once were close friends in various church fellowships, no longer speak to each other. Office bearers will not shake hands with one another; gospel ministers often behave in a callous and abrasive manner towards their flock; other pastors seek to destroy neighbouring flocks by railing against them. There is no point in naming any particular denomination here, as it is already public knowledge, to the shame of all that are saved by grace. 'how are the mighty fallen'

There is no doubt, friendships have been broken and what is more, are being broken daily in evangelical protestant fellowships; why? because the enemy has got into the midst and has destroyed the foundation upon which Christian friendship can be established. Christian friendship is built upon separation from the mammon of this fallen world, and separation unto God's Word. 'friendship of the world is enmity with God' -- 'whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God'. When, as believers, we see the ruined friendships that prevail in evangelical protestant circles today; we can but echo the words, 'how are the mighty fallen'