The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1889-09-05
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
hEssoN ron SEPTEMBER q
Daniel and Jonathan" 4 Sam. xx
:-t3.-Goidon Text, Prov xviii.
24-Notes

I. "And David fed from Naioth in Ramah
and came and said before Jonathan, What
have l doneY Saul being constantly
troubled with an evil spirit, had sought on
two different occasions TO slay David chaps.
xviii, 10: xix, 10, but David escaped out OF
his hand, for the Lord was with him, and
he and Samuel went and dwelt In Nnioth.
IL we are true children of God the presence
OF the Lord is ever with us, ms a
wall Of fire round about us and moth
| ing can reach us without His permissons
and whatever He may permit TO reach us,
nothing can by any means harm us for our
life is hid with Christ in God Enemies may
seem TO prosper, but God will make even the
wrath of man to praise Him. As to David
and Jonathan, we read that their souls were
/ knit together, and that Jonathan loved
| David as his own soul CHAP. xviii, l-@, and
/ In David's lament for Jonathan we hear him
saying: THY love for me was wonderful,
| passing the love Of women III Sam l.,
26l 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 20 ours and stripped Himself of all
| His glory that He might save US from wrath
and exalt us TO His throne
>. "Thou shalt not die" David inquiries Of
Jonathan why saul his father, should thus
| persistently seek his life, and what he had
| done 20 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 purpose, therefore 10
cannot be; hut the sequel proved that in this
: case the mind of Saul was hidden from Jona-
! than. and that he was really determined 10
| kill David Tvs. 30-33, because. ms he said.
while David lived Jonathan, his own son,
could not he established in his kingdom.
3. There is but II step between me and
death" This was, humanity speaking true
Of David and IS true Of every one Of us In
J Gods hand is our breath aud 10y His kind care
we live and move and have our being day by
day, and whether ON land or sea it is equally
| true that the next step may usher us into
eternity. This may well cause the unsaved
/ 60 trcmhle, but IL should give no anxiety to
one who is redeemed by the precious blood of
| Christ and Is therefore seeking day by day 10
do Justly, love mercy and walk humbly with
/ God"
:. Whatsoever thy soul dosircth. will
even do IL for thee Thus said Jonathan 10
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 he, but Jesus, our Savior and
1 King, will without fail do for us all that our
souls desire for His glory for He is not only
willing hut able having all power in heaven
nrd on earth. Matt xviii, IS John xiv,
| IL. lil
-. III he say thus. II Is well: thy SCR
want shall have peace; but BY thus alb
senting himself from his accustomed place
for three DAYS. David would certainly learn
the mind Of Saul toward him, and Jonathan
would see IL and then know for himself his
fathers thoughts toward David. II any
think that they see deception here on the
part Of David in his speaking of going to
, Bethlehem, Let them remember that God
cannot possibly IN any way tolerate sim and
never does He excuse IL. and IL David sinned
in this matter IL must have brought him
Christening. He certainly was not manifest
ing the faith and courage which he displayed
when he went against Goliath; but rs 10 his
practising deception, who knows that he did
not go 90 Bethlehem To the sacrfices
Therefore thou shalt deal kindly with
thy servant, for thou has brought thy SER
want into n covenant of the Lord with thee -
David had already the love of Jonathan. and
the love Of all Israel and Judah xviii, I, i6,
but his one great enemy caused him 10 fear,
and Jonathan was now 10 he the mediator
standing between David and his enemy on
behalf Of David, and there was covenant
between them -'hch David calls covenant
Of the Lord. Jesus is our true Jonathan, lie
has stood against the enemy on our behalf
Jonathan almost lost his life at this time on
behalf of David ~, 33j. but Jesus actually
laid down His life on our behalf, and has
sealed with His own blood the covenant
which He has entered into for us
Would not | tell il thees' David had
asked Jonathan TO kill him, If he was guilty,
rather than let him be brought to Saul Jon,
athan's reply is that If he knew evil was de-
termncd against David he would surely tell
him
10 "Who shall tell me-" Now David want,
90 know how he shall find out the result Of
the interview between Jonathan and his
father. He surely does not honor the love OF
his friend. nor seem To esteem his friend or
his friends word very highly by these ques
tions He seems to he greatly moved, he does
not now sing: IL will not fear though the
earth bc removed 80 tps. Xvi, p he does moi
talk like valiant David. n man after Gods
own heart but rather like the spies who saw
the giants and walled cities instead of seeing
God Lot US learn from him that nothing
must ever be- allowed To come between us and
God lest we too be filed with fears and dis
honor Christ
II. Come and let us go ont into the field y
"Come apart said Jesus TO the disciples
| "Bd the servant pass ON, but stand thou still
awhile" said Samuel 10 Saul. II is wise
when we would have fellowship with God, tC
get alone with Him and shut out all else. II
/ is wise, also. when You would deal personally
with n soul in His name, 10 take them alone
with not even third party near, and thus
you will have more power with them; have
always found it So
II, l3. THAT thou mayest 20 In peace
and the Lord be with thee Jonathan now
, solemnly calls the Lord God 10 witness that
, whether the tdings from his father be good
or evil he will surely let David know: and in
the following verses in most remarkable
words, he speaks of a time when all the enc
mics Of David shall have been cut of from
the face Of tn" earth, and as If anticipating
his own and his fathers fall and Dayid's cX.
altatlon, he causes David 10 promise kind
ness to his house forever. Then follows the
account of the interview between Saul and
his son. and the way in which Jonathan nc
quanted David with the result. But even
IL the tidngs were TO be evil, ant
Saul should seek the life of David
Jonathan says he is TO go Ia peace for the
Lord will be with him. Perhaps David re
membered this when he sang; He shall moi
be afraid of evil tidings, his heart is fixed
trusting in the Lord" Ps. cEii., ~ The
heart that rests in the love of Him who stick,
eth closer than a brother, whoh shown His
love by dying for His enemies, and who hav
Ing given Himself hns given all things Will
Himself should be ahlcto say truthlully al
all times: Behold, God 4, my Saviour,
! will trust and not he afraid; for His thought,
10 me are peace end not evil; and He Him