Decamp from the past, embrace the future

Here is a profound question, what actually killed Jonathan?

While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that Saul had come out to take his life. And Saul's son, Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God. "Don't be afraid, "he said. "My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this." The two of them made a covenant before the Lord. Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh. 1 Sam. 23:15- 18

Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. 2 Then the Philistines followed hard after Saul and his sons. And the Philistines killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Ma1chishua, Saul's sons. 3The battle became fierce against Saul. The archers hit him, and he was severely wounded by the archers. Then Saul said to his armorbearer, "Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised men come and thrust me through and abuse me:'

But his armorbearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword and fell on it. And when his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword, and died with him. So Saul, his three sons, his armorbearer, and all his men died together that same day.1 Sam 31:1-6 

What then really killed Jonathan? Was it the poison-laden arrows of the philistines, or the miscalculated war plan? Was it an armor bearer who refused to protect his master in the face of war, or a traitor who gave up the heir apparent to the Israeli throne, for the enemy to kill. NO! 

It was Jonathan's inability to recognize that Saul, his father was already living in the past tense on the agenda of God. He was already forgotten, forsaken and rejected by God, while David was in the future, the hope of God for the land of Israel. Jonathan died because he was sentimental. He loved his father at the expense of his future. 

Jonathan was meant to choose between David and Saul. Saul represented the past, and David the future. Jonathan loved David to the point that he virtually relinquished his kingship right to the son of a mere shepherd. He gave him his staff of authority. He gave him his garment. He stripped himself naked, that David might have no trouble becoming all that God wanted him to be. In fact, Jonathan confessed that he knew David would become the king of Israel, and he, Jonathan would be content to be his second in command. Jonathan saw the future, he knew the future, he saw himself in the future, but he unfortunately died with the old, the past ... Saul. Why did he leave David to follow Saul? Jonathan, why did you do that? You acted the fool. You saw the dying, whom God had rejected, abandoned and forgotten, and you followed him. You saw him whose dynasty was already expired, whose God was already resolved to abandon, you saw him, and you followed. Why? 

Jonathan clung to his past and he died. He and Saul died in the same war, the same day, on the same mountain; they died like they were never anointed. Very sad! 

While talking about David's reign as king over Israel, maybe, we would have been talking about Jonathan as his deputy, if he had followed David into the caves. But Jonathan was still obsessed with his father's fame. He was afraid of what people would say if he left the comfort of the palace for the desert. He felt it was not just right to leave the comfort of the palace for the desert with a fugitive who had gathered mere distressed and discontent men. I have a strong feeling that Jonathan wanted to eat his cake, and still have it.  Friend, until you learn to break off from your past, you cannot access all that God has in stock for you in the future. You must forget your past achievements, successes, breakthroughs, triumphs, failures, disappointment etc, and plug into the new things God is doing. Even Apostle Paul, despite all his achievements declared in Phil 3:13-14. 

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 

I urge you very strongly to determine to be a better person than you are now. Refuse to be satisfied, deny yourself, and become all that God has ordained you to be. I will see you at the top.