Covenant Brotherhood: A Biblical Model of True Friendship

Understanding the ancient Near Eastern practice of covenant friendships through their story.

David and Jonathan had a "covenant friendship." Jonathan gave of himself. Jonathan stripped all the trappings of his power, honor, and rank and gave it to David. He gave David his weapons and even the way he carried his weapons. His girdle means belt or waist cloth for carrying his sword, daggers, etc. Princes usually made their girdles from highly decorated leather or fabric. Jonathan's girdle would have been a defining mark of who he was, the prince and the soon-to-be king of Israel.

Then Jonathan and David made a covenant because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle. 1 Samuel 18:3–4.

The Covenant of Friendship

1. The covenant friendship was born of love. Jonathan loved David as much as he loved himself, with all his heart.

2. Can you see how Jesus did the same for us? He stripped Himself and gave it all to us. We are God's beloved sons and daughters because of how Jesus loved and loves us.

3. David and Jonathan swore to each other to be friends, to be there through thick and thin. They swore in the name of the Lord and in His presence to be friends.

4. Jonathan was there when David feared for his life, strengthening his hand in the Lord God.

5. Jonathan and David agreed David would take Jonathan's place as king, and Jonathan would serve as second in command. Their friendship was excited about sacrificing for the good of the other.

6. David promised to protect Jonathan's family when he died, which was totally counter-cultural.

Historical Covenants

In the ancient Near Eastern cultures, they had the concept of covenant friendships or sworn brotherhood. David and Jonathan are great examples of this.

Covenant is the same word used for God's Covenant with Israel. The covenant bonds were considered sacred. Notice several steps in the Covenant:

1. They exchanged personal items, representing a sharing of identity and status.

2. They promised mutual protection.

3. They transferred their privileges.

In Biblical times, people celebrated these covenants with elaborate rituals emphasizing the Covenant's importance and the relationship.

1. There was often the shedding of blood

2. The exchange of garments

3. Shared meals

4. Even written contracts with witnesses signing.

5. The Covenant was usually a public declaration.

The Covenant came with mutual obligations.

1. Protecting each other's interests

2. Support during wartime

3. Caring for family members

4. Sharing resources

5. The obligations were even binding on descendants

Today's Covenant

The only Covenant I see today that resembles these covenants is marriage. In marriage, we make vows to be there for each other in the good and the bad, care for each other, share resources, take care of our children, and much more.

We usually share a meal and exchange gifts. We make promises.

Greatest Covenant of All

The greatest Covenant of all is that Jesus, God in human flesh, shed blood, ate a meal, made promises, shared His resources, never left us, and much more. I thank God for the Covenant we have with Jesus.

The word Covenant

Hebrew

The Hebrew word covenant means a compact, treaty, alliance, league, agreement, or pledge; it also refers to an alliance of friendship, or an alliance of marriage.

Covenant is a technical term referring to imposing an obligation upon another.

Both parties walking between pieces of flesh formalized the Covenant. The idea of a covenant is cutting.

Eating together was almost a public sign of a covenant

The Covenant was a binding oath, an obligation

Greek

The word covenant or testament in the New Testament means an agreement creating obligations between the parties making the agreement.

A covenant is an agreement between two parties, a coming together, a compact.

Conclusion

We have many colleagues, companions, buddies, and pals, but few friends. True covenant friendship was very close to marriage in today's terms. You didn't turn it off and on. That's who you were, and people knew you for it.

Oh, how I want to be a better friend!

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