The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-09-07
DAVID AND JONATHAN.
International Sunday school Lesson fo
September 4, 1889.

Especially arranged from S. $. Quartcrly.l
LESSON TEXT Sam. 20: lib.
GOLDEN TEXT-There Is q friend that
sticketh closer than brother.-Prov. Is -.
CENTRAL TRUTH-Truth, friendship with
God and with man, Is full OF blessings and
power,
TNE-B. {. 1852 About year after Da.
sid's victory over Goliath
| PLACE-Gibeah, four miles north of Jeru-
salem, ut the royal palace, and at the stone
Eel in the fields
SAuL-About 53 years old. King over Is.
rael IL years, or 81, according tothe common
chronology
| DAvIp-Twenty to twrnty-three years old,
dwelling, since his victory, At the court OF
Saul; captain over LOCO soldiers, and SON
in.law TO the King.
JoNATHAN-Son OF Saul, natural heir 10
the throne, perhaps thrty-tive years old.
| INTRopUCTloN-After the victory over
Goliath, David was retained at saul $ court
But he was so praised by others, lie was so
| favored by God, and so wise, that Saul was
envious, and tried 10 kill him. Several au
| tempts were made in vain; but at laSA
Saurs anger was so great that David fed
to Samuel at Ranah, four miles northwest
Of Jerusalem, and not far from Gibeah.
HELPS OVER HARD Places. From
Ndioth: "the cluster Of cottages" probably
the dwellings Of Samuers school Of the
prophets. 3. Thy father kno,ccth, etc !:
David was sure that Saul was intending to
kill him. 5. The ne,D moon: feast was
usually held on the drs' day OF each month
which began with the now moon. 1t was
celebrated by sacrticial feast and the
| blowing Of trumpets Mum. 1910; % A-l5).
THIRD day the feast probably continued two
days. .. Yearly sacrifice: probably like the
one at which David was anolnted. (See
lesson 81 This was not perfect truth, but
the Bible only states tire fact, and does not
approve 1t. Moreover, we must judge OF
the guilty by the light Of those days, not by
ours. IL. Come, let as go out, etc: The
story OF David's escape is told in the latter
part Of the chapter,
LESSON FACTs-David was obliged to flee
from Saul, and in his simplicity asked JON
athan what the cause of his fathers anger
against him was. Jonathan comforted his
friend, assuring him that he would not be
! killed. To this David answers that iona
| than does not know the bitter spirit that
his father cherishes, because his father has
hid it from his eyes. Then David asked his
friend to find out tho true inwardness OF
tho King, so that he may know how TO gov
| ern himself. This Jonathan promises to do,
| and they make an arrangement as to how
Jonathan shall let his friend know what he
| finds out about the mind Of the King. In
all this interviev we see very clearly the
grand spirit that Jonathan has in his heart
for his friend.
COMMENTS root of all Saul's actions
towards David was hidden deep down IN
his heart. and so in the lesson of to day we
shall find the root of all Jonathan's con
duct towards David in the same place. In
the former case, however, the root was
envy. In this case, it is love. And how
different the fruitage! Call the scholars
attention to the grandeur Of this love OF
Jonathan's towards his friend. Humanely
speaking, if Saul had any occasion to envy
David, Jonathan had more. Because,
though David might not attempt to seize the
reins Of government during Sauls lifetime,
he might more readily do so after the death
of Saul. And Of course this would prevent
Jonathan from ever ascending the throne
That Jonathan often thought Of this there
can be no doubt. Yet all this raised no
spirit Of animosity at all in his noble heart.
But more than this In spite Of all tempta
tions to be David's enemy, Jonathan not
only refused to oppose him, but actually
helped him in many ways. And not only
this, but he helped him at his own great
personal risk. 1t really seems as though
Jonathan's thoughts were far more con.
cerned for David's happiness and safety
than for his own. When he "fell in love
with DAVID Il Sam. lS:D, he gave up TO
him every thing, and from that day on, to
the end of his life, he chung to him closer
than brother. AS an example OF friend
ship between man and man, this affection
between Jonathan and David fully matches
that between Ruth and Naomi.
Draw parallel between the love OF
Jonathan and David, and that of Jesus for
US. This will not be hard to do, for in
every particular, while the one surpasses
the other, it is yet like to it, For example,
(a) the love Of Jonathan for David cost him
a heavy price. SO the love of Jesus cost
Hun heavy price, even the outpouring of
His ife-b 90 Jonathans love brought
him nothing but the mere JOY of loving, and
the pleasure he took in Davids welfare. SO
with our Saviour. His love TO us brought
Him nothing, saving the joy and love and
the pleasure of saving sinners. (c) Jon
athan's love was steadfast unto the end
SO Jesus, having loved His own, loved them
to the end. When, however, we have made
all the comparisons we can, between the
love OF Jonathan to David, and the love OF
Jesus to US, we must go on by
contrasts, Thus: (a) David never did any
injury to Jonathan; but while we were yet
sinners (enemes), IN due time Christ died
for us. CO. David never rejected Jon
athan's love- But when Jesus came TO His
own, His own received Him not, He was
despised and rejected, and yet He loved.
(c) After David accepted Jonathan $ friend
ship, he never wounded him. But Jesus
can say that He has often been "wounded
in the house Of His friends" and yet He
loves. 1t is this continuous love of Jesus
for His creatures that is most amazing,
Not that He loved US once with a divine but
spasmodic love, leading him to make one
final effort TO save us, but that He loves
right on, in spite of wanderings many and
rebuffs many. Take Jonathan's wonderful
love for David and multiply it by infnity,
and you have the love of Christ towards
every one. Rev. A. +. Schaufiier.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
/. The best friendships requires worth in
both parties.
Q. Friendship is tested by adversely.
3. We grow like those we love.