Adrian
Old-Sunday Worship July 5th, 2026

      • Psalm 100ESV

  • Hymn of Praise
  • Hymn of Praise

      • Romans 7:15–25ESV

      • Romans 7:15–25ESV

  • Hymn of Meditation
  • Doxology

      • 2 Samuel 9:1–12ESV

  • “Saved by Grace”

    2 Samuel 9. 1-12
    “Saved by Grace” (Edited)
    K. Adrian Scott
    July 5, 2026
    Introduction.
    Our text is about a deep and enduring friendship between two remarkably godly young men. One is David, the king of Israel, and the other was his friend Jonathan, the son of Israel’s first king and David’s antagonist, Saul. What makes this friendship between David and Jonathan so unique is because Saul, Jonathan’s father and the former king of Israel who for no good reason hated David with a passion as I talked about last week. Saul’s hatred for David was purely out of jealousy and insecurity as king, believing David was a threat to the king’s throne. Saul’s hatred for David was so extreme he attempted to take David’s life on more than one occasion, if you remember. In fact, Saul’s rage was so out of control he even attempted to kill Jonathan, his own son, because of Jonathan’s friendship with David - “But Saul hurled his spear at him to kill him. Then Jonathan knew that his father intended to kill David” (1 Samuel 20.33). But Saul’s ill will toward David did not decrease the special brotherly love he and Jonathan shared as true friends. In fact, so special was this brotherly bond that they went so far as to make a blood covenant between themselves. That covenant was David’s promise to show toward Jonathan and Jonathans household ‘hesed’ which can be interpreted as favor, mercy, or steadfast love’ and that favor toward Jonathan and his family would last forever, according to 1 Samuel 20.15). And in 1 Samuel 18.1 it is said, “Jonathan loved David as he loved himself.”
    Alot of people never live to enjoy God’s gift of friendship like this.
    Chapters 19 and 20 confirm for us that Jonathan dealt with David loyally, and in return, David pledged with an oath of blood to never cut off his kindness or favor toward Jonathan’s house, 1 Samuel 20.14-17 - “If I am still alive, will you not show me the lovingkindness of the Lord, that I may not die? 15 You shall not cut off your lovingkindness from my house forever, not even when the Lord cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth."16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, "May the Lord require it at the hands of David's enemies." 17 Jonathan made David vow again because of his love for him, because he loved him as he loved his own life.”
    Saul and his three sons, including Jonathan, David’s closest friend, were all killed by the Philistines on Mt. Gilboa according to 1 Samuel 31. The death of King Saul would bring Saul’s reign as king and at the same time facilitate the ascension of the ever-popular David to the throne of Israel.
    Don’t we see how God’s timing works? By not raising a hand against the jealous Saul, and by not trying to force his way into being the king of Israel, God took care of David’s enemy and essentially gave David the throne. Church, we must learn to wait because God’s timing is perfect! And what a blessing for Israel that David would return from exile and become their king, because it was said if David what could not be said of Saul, “David had success in all his undertakings, for the Lord was with him” (1 Samuel 18.44). With his nemesis, the former King Saul now deceased, forever gone were the fears and constant anxiety David lived with due to Saul’s insanely jealous spirit and paranoid personality. The open hostility with which Saul dealt with David, and the numerous attempts Saul made to take David’s life are now a thing of the past. David, of course, knew of his constant danger when he reminded Jonathan in 1 Samuel 20.3, “there is but a step between me and death.”
    Context.
    In this text David has now been king over Judah, which was the southern portion of Israel, for the first seven years, and now beginning in his eighth year David is king over all Israel. David has won the respect of most of the people, including the military and is feared as a warrior by the enemies of Israel. Additionally, King David has restored the sacred artifacts of the Temple back to Jerusalem and has even expressed a strong desire to build a temple to the Lord there.
    Despite his exalted position, David did not forget the solemn oath of steadfast loved he pledged to Jonathan and to Jonathan’s household before Jonathan’s death. It is out of that pledge, that sacred oath borne out of a beautiful friendship, a blessed unity he and Jonathan shared, that David moved to sovereignly orchestrate the fulfillment of that promise.
    However, there is bitterness between the former and the present administration, represented by the two leading families in all Israel. When there was once fellowship, now there is strife because Saul’s family wanted to maintain control of the throne of Israel, but God had another person in mind, and that person was, of course, David.
    v. 1; “And David said, is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?”
    Now, if there is a relative of Saul still living, perhaps an overture of grace and mercy by the new king David could mend that severed cord of love. With Saul and his sons, including Jonathan, now deceased, a person of lesser personal character would have simply pretended to forget about the oath David had made with Jonathan, his friend. But, to the contrary, out of his love for Jonathan and his faithfulness to his word, David in humility went out of his way and began searching for a relative of Saul that he might share with them the same kindness and fellowship he enjoyed with Jonathan before his demise. So, one day King David summons Ziba, the former servant of King Saul to the King’s Quarters and asks Ziba, “Is there still someone of the house of Saul that I may show him kindness/mercy ‘hesed’?
    Preaching Point.
    Now, we have to keep in mind that it was common military practice for the new king’s administration would exterminate or dispose of the former King’s household, but David is doing something unheard of; he is looking for someone of the household of the former king Saul not to destroy them, but that he might show them kindness! Kenneth Chaflin confirms this in his commentary on 2 Samuel when he says, and I quote, “it was the common practice to destroy the household of one’s predecessor” unquote. But David had no such insecurities like Saul had, he knew that what God had given him, God was more than able to keep it for him and whatever position God gives him no one can take it away.
    Who does this? What kind of a king does this? Rather than destroying, he looks to give life and rather than exercise justice he desires to extend mercy, and instead of exercising judgment and killing the last of the previous king Saul’s family David wanted to offer grace! Oh, this is an unusual king! Where did this king come from who is freely giving abundant love and showing mercy through forgiveness!
    ‘Did you find someone, Ziba? Did you find someone from the family of Saul?’
    Once Davis learned of a relative of Jonathan and Saul and that he was still living, David would eventually be taken to him and instead of killing the man, the relative was sought out for other purposes! This purpose of David was a sacred purpose, a purpose that goes beyond a political agenda and a purpose that would have ramifications in the king’s kingdom! It is then with determination to honor his covenant with Jonathan that David is moved to inquire of Ziba, “is there still someone of the house of Saul that I may show him kindness?”
    The king is searching! He is not looking for someone who thinks they are worthy of his generous love, but he is specifically looking for someone from the enemies’ camp, even the enemy who tried to kill him, all for the purpose of wanting to show this relative, this enemy, if he exists, kindness. This king is not like the other kings who wanted to exercise judgment, but it is said of this king that he wanted to show mercy or lovingkindness!
    Preaching Point #2.
    “Is there still someone of the house of Saul that I may show him kindness” - What a question to ask by the most powerful man in all of Israel and one of the most powerful men in the entire known world at that time! King David could have looked for and retained the fellowship he had with the other heads of state or reached out to some of his childhood friends. After all, David was a king with absolute power! This king could have looked for and obtained the company among those he knew when he was a sheepherder, or any number of persons he had a business or personal relationship with, or someone he had something in common with; those familiar with royalty and protocol, and those acquainted with royal pomp and circumstance. But no, David the king specifically asks if there is someone left living, who had not been killed in the war with the Philistines from the house of the former king, Saul. Whoever this person was David did not need him, but he would need David rather he knew it or not.
    If there were any lingering hard feelings or bad memories from David’s dealings with the late King Saul, one would think that even the mentioning of Saul’s name would bring those feelings rushing back to the surface. Did he have flashbacks of running for his life; did David recall the feelings of terror and isolation when he was forced to hide from Saul in caves, and having nightmares while he endured bouts with cold sweats during those sleepless nights? All of this could have still haunted David’s memory. After all, it was with Jonathan that David enjoyed his greatest fellowship, his immensely satisfying joy, his unwavering unity, and yes, the greatest love of a brother. It was with Jonathan, not Saul; David pledged covenant faithfulness to and not Saul. It could be accurately said that Saul’s immediate house was an undeserving house. But deserving or earning the king’s favor was not the prescription that was written by David with Jonathan! It did not matter that this person was a relative of Saul because David, the newly crowned king was motivated by love, God’s love. David could have easily be called the ‘king of kings’ just as his great son who was born of Mary, the Lord Jesus Christ would be called!
    Preaching Point #3.
    David sent his servant, at his cost or his expense, just the same! He could have quite easily looked beyond the family of Saul and looked for another object of the king’s love, but he did not! David also could have decided he would be satisfied with the fellowship he enjoyed among his own royal household, or even the splendor of his own company, but instead the king wanted to show his seemingly limitless capacity to love someone, even though they would not be deserving. The king could also have chosen to enjoy the real magnificence of his exalted status as king or sovereign over Israel and not share his vast resources with anyone else, but he didn’t!
    King David had everything. Gold was his; silver was in his possession; the palace was his; the cattle on a thousand hills was his! You see, it wasn’t purely for the sake of fellowship, and certainly not companionship that motivated David to intently and intensely look for an object of his mercy and kindness, but it was love, David’s steadfast love! The king had it all. He needed nothing because the king was self-sufficient and this person Ziba found would have nothing to offer the lord of Israel! Here is David as a reflection of almighty God himself; needing nothing and no one; independent and who does as He wills.
    Preaching Point #4.
    Next, I should tell you that not one single person knew of the blood covenant between David and Jonathan, only those two people and one of them is deceased. The agreement was made in the privacy of their own fellowship! But David was on a mission; a mission borne out of that covenantal faithfulness. However, David could not go back on his word! David had pledged to be committed to loving a family that had disregarded, disrespected, and at one point, despised him. But the King would keep his word! Robert Beran, in his New American Commentary on 2 Samuel says, “covenantal faithfulness is the highest of virtues in the Hebrew world.” All David had was his word, and while I am at it let me say, all God has is His Word.
    Here is the heart of grace in King David, and his royal integrity is on full display, that whatever he decrees will come to pass.
    The Close.
    Like David, God is seeking those who will come to the king’s house and fellowship with him. Are you one of those whom the Lord is searching for? And why were you spared when so many are not? If you are of the rebellious house of Saul and have been spared judgment, you have been spared God’s judgment for a reason; and that reason is so that you may allow God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be judged in your place.

      • 1 Samuel 20:33ESV

      • 1 Samuel 18:1ESV

      • 1 Samuel 20:14–17ESV

      • 1 Samuel 20:3ESV

      • 2 Samuel 9:1ESV

      • Acts 3:19ESV

      • Romans 8:39ESV

  • Song of Affirmation

      • Exodus 15:2ESV

Adrian
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