The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-09-02
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR SEPTEMBER 6.


xiv. 12-Memory Verses, o, 7-Com.
mentnry on the Days Lesson.
I. Men OF Israel Fled" 1t is supposed
pain. OF Esdraelon and that the Israelites
lied before. their enemies to the slopes OF
Mount iGlboa, whittier .he Philistines fol.
lowed. Fell down slain" 1t was impos'
sibie. for them to rally. Saul and his sons
fought like heroes and no doubt threw
but all in vain; God was against them.
.. Followed hard" The onset of the
philstines was directed mainly against that
quarter where Saul and his sons were fight
iP5s 5s, fail. Ssw with the Ss. Saa' sons; God IoS5 SonH
be executed upon Saulfs house. 2. He
would make Davids way to the crown
Gear and omen. ). God would also show
lis that the difference between good and
bad is to he made in the other world, not
in this. Whatever may have been. the
character OF the others who fell, iona.
than''s fate was not the result OF his per
sonal transgresson but OF his fathers sin,
sineg harms only himself, and that the
good often in this world suffer be-
cause OF the bad. All relationships OF life
have some influence upon our earthly des'
tiny, but no other is so potent for good or
III as that which a parent holds to his
child. But ii Jonathan is a sad illustration
OF this truth, he is also a cheering proof
that ii son must suffer for his fathers
character he need not walk in that fathers
footsteps"
H. The death OF Saul Tvs. So. g.
"The archers." The men who shot arrows
with the bow. "Hit-overworked." After
the death OF Sauls sons the archcrs singled
Saul out and pursued him. Their missiles
were aimed at him and some Of them
" distressed" The Revised Version gives
the correct meaning. The word nowhere
means to be wounded as our version has il
here. He saw that he was the mark OF
the Philistine sharpshooters. and he there.
fore writhed aud quaked with terror at
the thought of failing by such hands.
4. Would not" The armorbearer, who,
according to Jewish writer's was Doeg,
would not yield to Saul's entreaty. II
was his duty to protect the King. and he
was responsible for Sauis life. He dared
not stretch forth his hard against the
an act filled him with fear. Fell upon it."
Thrust it through himself by falling over
upon it. 1t is believed by many. from the
const tructon OF the original. that Saul
ended his lie with the sword of the ar.
morhearer. Ii this be true. then Saul and
Doeg both fell by that weapon with which
they had before massacred the priests Of
God Il Sam. 22:lS). This account OF Saul's
death is e"cry wav consistent with itsslf
| and with Sauls character. and is to be
regarded as the true and authentic record
OF the sacred historian himself. The story
crown and bracelet and brought them to
David q Sam. l;+-l0), is to be treated as
| q fabrication.
5, s. "Saw that Saul" etc. He probably
drew the sword from the kings. body and
did what he could to save him. hut it was
/ y. f.11 -. IL. g.
the kings life he feared punishment; or
from a nobler motive of true fidelity, re.
| fused to survive his master. $50 Saul died"
! The real ground OF Sau?s last dark act OF
! seit-destructlon vas not the extremity OF
the moment fo- fear of insult from the
enemy, but the decay OF his .nncr life and
the complete severance OF his heart from
God. He who would not leave the ordering
of his life to God would neither permit
Him to order the manner OF his death.
Suicide is great sin. l.. Note the causes: ::
~ Not merely accumulated misfortunes,
ardly, fear OF suffering. t3) Caring more
for disgrace than for sin. az Abandon:
ment OF trust in God. as to this life and
the future life. 2. Note the effects: Q)
Others led by the example into the same
sin. (2) Personal dishonor not prevented
mans memory. a. The eternal loss Of the
soul. "All his men" Compare Chron
1915. Some think this refers to his body
guards and means that they were all slain
others think the reference is to all his
household who went with him to the war
and on whom his hopes for the future
hang.
III. The-Pthlsires victo.iou, Tvs. 7.lO,.
J. '"Othe- side OF the valley" The inhab-
ita1ts on the opposite side of the great
valley OF Jezreel The district to the north
zeSuan and SapS,a S e aWe osSs1 {" SSsa'ssS sas
Jordan The. panic. spread even to the
eastern side OF the Jordan. But possibly
the phrase here means "on the side of the
Jordan, that IS. in the district between
the battlefield and the river. Fled. II
was very natural for the people in the
flee. fo- had they awaited the arrival o!
the victors, they must. according to the
war usases OF the time, have been deprived
either of their liberty or their lives.
s-lo The Philistines ;. :, found. ;,
On discovering the bodies OF the king and
his sors on the battlefield, they reserved
them for special indignities. ''Cut off. u
The anointed o: Jehovah fares no better
than the uncircumcised Goliath, now that
God ha, forsaken him. ITO punish it. -
That the daughters Of the hsathen might
"Of their idols Their idols were re.
garded as the rivers OF the victory. The
Phihstines divided the horors among their
deities. "Ashtaroth," A heathen goddess
whose rites were filthy and abominab,e
The temple referred to here was soubt.ess
the famous temple of Venus in Asketon
mentioned by Herodotus as the most an
cient OF all her temples. "Beth.shan.'
The modern Besian. between the noun
tains OF Gilhoa and the River Jordan.
". The burial OF Saul and his sons Tvs
HID. .ll-l3. Inhabitants Of" Mindful
OF the debt OF gratitude they owed to Sau
for rescuing them from Nahash (chap. lD
Went all night" They made a journey
OF about twelve miles. secured the bodies
and returned to their own side OF the
Jordan in single night. This exploit was
!. A brave deed ?. \ p,.riotic deed 3
A grateful deed. But the bravery, pstriot
ism and gratitud, had been better showr
before Saul's death by helping him. Hon
ors after death make poor amends fo
neglect and unfaithfurness during life
Burnt them" This was not Hebrew
custom, and was either resorted to preven
any further insult from the Philistines, OF
more likely, seeing that only the flesh wa
burned. because OF the mangled condition
OF the bodies. TASTED" This was sigi
Of general mourning.