Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-09-06
DAVID AND JONATHAN.
LESSON X, THIRD QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, SEPT. g.

TCompiled from Lesson Helper Quarterly by per
mission Of II. S. Hoffman, publisher, Phadel-
phia-
|. "And David fled from Naioth in Ramah
and came and said before Jonathan, What
have doneF' Saul, being constantly troubled
with an evil spirit had sought on two differ
ent occasions to STAY David CHAPS xviii, 10;
xix, i0, but David escaped out of his hand,
for the Lord was with him. and the last time
he fled to Samuel, and he and Samuel went
and dwelt i'll Naioth. If we are true chill
drep of God the presence of the Lord is ever
with us, as a wall of fire round about us and
nothing can reach us 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 in God Enemies may
seem to prosper, but God will make even the
wrath of man TO praise Him
2 "Thou shalt not dien David inquiries of
Jonathan why Saul, his father, should thus
persstently seek his life, and what he had
done to merit such III treatment at the hands
of Saul Jonathan assures him that be shall
not die, and that inasmuch us his father will
do nothing without telling him, and has given
him no hint Of such purpose, therefore it
cannot be; but the sequel proves that in this
case the mind of Saul was hidden from Jona-
than, and that he was really determined to
while David lived Jonathan, his own son,
could not be established in his kingdom I:
8 There is but step between me 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 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
to trr ,nble, but 1t should give no anxiety to
one who is redeemed by the precious blood Of
Christ and is therefore seeking day by day to
'do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with
God" There is no real death to the soul that
has eternal life; such can never perish, to
serve Christ in this mortal body is the great
est Joy on earth, to be with Him apart from
the body will be great gain, and to reign with
Him In body immortal and incorruptible
shall be the consummation of bliss, and To
that there shall be no end. What then, though
there be but step between us and death,
nothing could keep David from his throne
beyond the appointed time, and nothing can
keep u.s. Therefore, Be strong, Fear not.
4. "Whatsoever thy soul desireth, | will
even do it for theen Thus said Jonathan to
David In his great love for him. A greater
love said to poor blind man: "What wilt
thou that should do unto thee2"
81 ''If he say thus 1t is well; thy servant
shall have peace; butt By thus absenting
himself from his accustomed place for three
days, David would surely learn tho mind of
Saul towards him, and Jonathan would see
1t and then know for himself his fathers
thoughts toward David If 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 sin, and never does he excuse it;
and if David sinned in this matter it must have
brought him Christening.
s Therefore thou shalt deal kindly with
thy servant, for thou hast brought thy SEP
want into a covenant Of the Lord with thee.
David had already the love of Jonathan, and
the love of all Israel and Judah xviii, 1, 10y,
but his one great enemy caused him to fear,
and jonathan was now to be the mediator
standing between David and his enemy on
behalf of David, and there was q covenant
between them which David calls covenant
of the Lord
8. ~Would not l tell it theeq" David had
asked Jonathan to kill him, if he was guilty
rather than let him be brought to Saul. Jon
athanS reply is that If he knew evil was de
termined against David he would surely tel
him Now Scripture plainly states that ouI
great adversary seeks to devour us, and that
il men refuse the deliverer and deliverancs
so lovingly provided for them, they must sc
to the everlasting fire prepared for that ad
versary and his angels. Il Pet, v, 8; Matt
XIV, AL Can we who are called Christian:
be in any sense worthy of the name, or bt
said truly to love our fellow men, if we be
lieve that such evil awaits them and never
open our mouths to warn them or to entreat
them to behold the love of God and receiv,
, Jesus as their persOnal SayiOur2
10 who shall tell mef' Now David want
to know how he shall find out the result o.
the interview between Jonathan and hi
father. He surely does not honor the love o.
his friend, nor seem TO esteem his friend, o.
: his friends word very highly by thesa
questions. He seems to be greatly moved h
does not now sing II will not fear, though
the earth he removed" (Ps XVI, p he doe
NOT talk like valiant David, a man after Godl
own hnrt, but rather like the spies who saw
the giants and walled cities instead of seeing
God Lest Us learn from him that nothing
must ever be allowed to come between US unl
God List we too be filled with fears and dis
honor Christ
II. Some and bet us 60 out into tho field.
, Come apart said Jesus to tho disciples
"Bid tbs servant pass on, but stand thou still
awhile" silid Samuel to Saul. 1t is wise
get alcue with Him and shut out all elsa
Is wise, aha when you would deal PERSONAL,
with IA sOnl In His name, to take thom alone
with not even a third party near, and thu
you will have more power with them; hav,
l always foqnd it 50. There is also a powe
. ufttimes N being when possible, apart from
everything human; Gods fields or forest
Q around you and Gods sky your canopy
Alone with God is the place of power TO
your own soul, and also for fellowship witt
others In His Name; but you can in som
sense be alone with Him also In the crowde,
streets and scenes of great city.
1 l2, Ii. THAT thou mayest 60 in peace, an,
the Lord be with thee Jonathan now sol
EMMY calls the Lord God TO witness tina
whether the tidings from his father be goo
or evil, he will surely let David know; am
' in the following verses, III most remarkabl
I words, he speaks of q time when all the enc
mics OF David shall have been cut off fron
the face Of the earth, and as il anticipating
e his own and his fathers fall and David's ex
q altation, he causes David TO promise kindnes
!. to his house forever, Then follows the ac