The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-09-06
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
SEPTEMBER q.
Lesson Text: David and Jonathan,
Sam Xxx, 1f3- Golden Text:
Prov. xviii, documentary
on the Lesson.

I. "And David fed from Naioth In Ramah
and came and said before Jonathan, What
have l donor Saul, being constantly
troubled with an evil spirit, had sought on
two different occasions to slay David chaps.
xviii, 10; xix, l0l, but David escaped out OF
his hand, for the Lord was with him, and
he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth.
III we are true children of God tho presence
Of the Lord is ever with us, as a
wall of fire round about us, and moth
ing can reach without His permission:
and whatever He may permit to reach us,
nothing can by any means harm us, for our
life is hid with Christ i'm God. Enemies may
seem tn prosper, but God will make even tho
wrath OF man to praise Him. As to David
and Jonathan, wc read that their souls were
knit together, and that Jonathan loved
David as his own soul Chap xviii, 1-:D; and
in David's lament for Jonathan wo hear him
passing the love of women" UI Sam. T.,
26) The lesson to-day gives an illustration
of the wondrous love of these two men, but
the golden text reminds us of the greater
love Of a greater Kings Son, who has knit
His soul to ours and stripped Himself of all
His glory that Ho might save US from wrath
and exalt us to His throne.
q Thou shalt not die.r David inquiries of
Jonathan why Saul, Viz sathss.- should thus
done to merit such i'll treatment at the hands
of Saul. Jonathan assures him that he shall
not die and that inasmuch as his father will
do nothing without telling him, and has given
him no hint Of such a purpose, therefore IL
cannot be; but the sequel proved that in this
case the mind Of Saul WINS hidden from iona
than. and that he was really determined to-
kill David Tvs. @-3N, because, IA he said,
while David lived Jonathan, his own son,
could not he established in his kingdom.
3. "Thcre is hut step between mo and
death" This was humanity speaking, true
of David and is true of every one of us. In
Gods hand is our breath and by His kind care
we live and move and have our being day 10y
day, and whether on land or sea it Is equally
true that the next step may usher us into
eternity This may well cause tho up:avcd
| to trcmblc but it should givo no anxiety to
| one who is redeemed by tho precious blood OF
| Christ and is therefore seeking day by day TO
edo Justly, love mercy and walk humbly with
| God"
4. "Whatsocvor thy soul desircth, will
even do it for thee" Thus said Jonathan to
David in his great love for him
There were many things which Jonathan
was not able TO do for David, however will
ing he might be, hut Jesus, our Savior and
King will without fail do for US all that our
souls desire for His glory, for He is not only
willing, but able having all power in heaven
and on earth Matt. xviii, lS; John xiv,
l3. ~
81. 'Tf he say thus: 1t is well; thy ser.
want shall have peace; butt By thus n5.
srnting himself from his accustomed place
for three days David would certainly learn
| the mind Of Saul toward him, and Jonathan
|
fathers thoughts toward David. If any
| think that they SEQ deception hcre on the
| part of David in his speaking of going to
Bethlehem, let them remember that God
cannot possibly in any way tolerate sin, and
| never docs He excuse it: and if David sinnc'l
| in thi. matter it must have brought him
chaStcniuC. He certainly was not manifest.
ing the foitl, and courage which he displayed
vixen hr went against Goliath; hut as tn his
| practicinr deception, who knows that he did
Ynt IN, IN ,lnh ~
"Therefore thou shalt deal kindly with
thy servant, for thou has brought thy ser
want into n covenant of the Lord with thee. VI
| David had already the love Of Jonathan. and
the love of all Israel and judah xviii, |, ,l6),
but his one great enemy caused him to fear,
| and Jonathan waS now to be the mediator
standing between David and his enemy OH
behalf of David, and there was covenant
Of The ford. Jesus is our true Jonathan, He
has stood against the enemy on our behalf;
| Jonathan almost lost his life at this time o::
h"h:!f os David w., So, but Jesus actually
| laid down His life on our behalf, and has
sealed with His own blood the covenant
which lie has entered into for us.
would not tell il thee;" David had
| asked Jonathan to kill him, if he was guilty,
rather than let him be brought to Saul. Jon
| nthan's reply is that if he know evil was do
| termned against David he would surely tell
him.
10. "Who shall tell mc?" Now David wants
| the interview between Jonathan and his
| father He surely does not honor tho love OF
his friend, nor seem To esteem his FRIEND or
his friends word very highly 10y these qleS-
! not now sing: ~ will not fear, though the
| earth he removed" PS. XVII, y; he does not
talk like valiant David. n man after Gods
| own heart hut rather like the spies who saw
| tn" giants and walled cities instead of seeing
God. Let us learn from him that nothing
| must ever hn allowed to como between lis and
God lest we too be filed with fears and dis
| honor Christ.
II. Come and let us go out into tho field "
"Come apart" said Jesus to the disciples.
bid the servant pass on hut stand thou still
| awhile" said Samuel to Saul. 1t is wise,
| when we would have fellowship with God, to
| got alone with Him and shut out all else. 1t
| Is wise, also when you would deal personally
with soul in His name, to take them alone
with not even q third party near, and thus
| you will have more power with them have
always found it so.
IL, l3 THAT thou mayest go in peace
and the Lord be with thee" Jonathan now
| soemnly calls the Lord God to witness that
whether the tidinGs from his father be good
or evil. he will surely let David know: and in
the following verses, i'll most remarkable
words, hc speaks of time when all the enc
mics of David shall have been cut off from
! the face OF the earth, and rs il anticipating
! his own and his fathers fall and David's cx-
| altation, he causes David to promise kind
ness Ia his house forever Then follows the
account of the interview between Saul and
! his son. and the way i'm which Jonathan ac-
/ quaintCd David with the result But even
! II TN" tidingS were 10 bc evil. and
/ Saul should seek the life of David,
! Jonathan says he is to go in peace for the
/ memhcrcd this when he sang: ''Hc shall not
! bcafraidl of evil tidings, his heart is fixed
! trusting in the Lord FPS. cxii., ~ The
! heart that rests in the love of Him who stick
I eth closer than brother, who has shown His
/ love by dying for His enemies and who hav-
ing given Himself has given all things with
Himself, should be able to say truthfully ut
all times: ''Bchold, God is my Saviour
will trust and moi hc afraid: for His thoughts
to me ar" peace and not evil; and He Him
self is my everlasting lifc."-LeSSon Helper.
TupEE IIMES NALL,DE act,