The Death of Jonathan, Friend and Son of the King

Jonathan, son of Saul of Kish, is one of my favorite people in the Bible.  He sees David, and he can feel something is different about him. He's a Prince, the son of King Saul, and David is unafraid... David has a faithfulness about him, a fearlessness about him, that Jonathan senses and respects.

David and Jonathan develop a fast friendship. Their relationship is one of the most controversial in the Bible--people have speculated that they were homosexual, etc. But David and Jonathan talk about being one in spirit--the same metaphor used of Christ and the Church, of husband and wife, in the New Testamant.

This kind of soul faithfulness... feeling someone inside your soul... I can sense that this is true... this is real... this is how we're supposed to relate to one another.

This is the kind of love and communion shown in Avatar when the Avi hook their antennae into the flying dragons and all the other animals. It's the love of soul to soul connections.

It's the love when Tinuviel gives her immortality up for Beren. It's the love when Christ died for us... but Christ's love is SO much more pure and real and all-encompassing.

Jonathan dies in battle with his father, Saul, and his brothers. The Philistines are coming and Saul doesn't want them to make sport of him, so he kills himself, and waits for the Philistines to come and kill his sons.

Jonathan dies wondering where he best friend is, seeing his country ruined from his father's faithlessness, hoping that God would save Israel with David.

The Bible never speaks of a funeral for Jonathan, or the mourning or the ceremony. But I know, if I understand their friendship, I understand that David needed time to get over the loss of his soul-friend. And I mourn with him.