The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1908-09-04
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
The Senior 6erean Lesson for Sun
day, September 6.

SAUL AND JONATHAN SLAIN IN
BATTLE.
| Sam. 81.
Golden Text--Prepare TO meet thy
Go.-Amos 4. IL.
The Lesson Text, | Sam. 81.
/. Now the Philistines fought
against Israel. and the men Of Israel
fled from before the Philistines, and
fell down slain in mount Gilboa.
>. And the Philis;ines followed hard
upon Saul and upon his sons. and the
Philistines slew Jonathan. and Abin-
adab. and Melchishua. Sauls sons.
3. And the battle went sore against
Saul and the archers hit him. and he
wrs sore wounded OF the archers.
4. Then said Saul unto his armor-
bearer Draw thy sword. and thrust
me through herewith lest these UNI
circumcised come and thrust ME
through and abuse me. But his armor-
bearer would not. for he was sore
afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword
and fell upon II.
5. And when his armor-bearer saw
that Saul was dead. he fell likewise
upon his sword. and died with him.
6. So Saul died, and his three sons.
and his armorbearer, and all his men,
that same day together
7. And when the men Of Israel that
were on the other side OF lne valley.
and they that were on the side Jor-
dan. saw that the men of Israel fled.
and that Saul and his sons We're dead.
they forsook the cities. and fed; and
the Philistines came and dwelt in
them.
:. And it came 10 pass on the NOR
row. when the Philistines came to
strip the slain. that they found saul
and his three sons fallen in Mount
Gilboa.
.. And they cut or his head. and
stripped of his armor. and sent into
the land OF the Philistines round
about To publish II in the house OF
their idols. and among the people.
10 And they put his armor in the
house of Ashtaroth: and they fastened
his body TO the wall OF Bethshan.
IL. And when the inhabitants Of ia
beshgilead heard Of that which the
Philistines had done TO Saul.
l.. All the valiant men arose. and
went all night. and took the body OF
Saul. and the bodies OF his sons from
the wall Of Bethshan. and came To ia
besh and burnt them there.
-. And they took their bones. and
buried them under a tree at Jabesh,
and tasted seven days.
The Lesson Explained.
l. A Disastrous Slaughter Vers.
1.-The plain Of Esdraelon has been
called "the great battlefield Of Pales-
tine" Four decisive battles were
fought here The battle OF Kishon
resulted in the defeat of Sisers,
through Deborah and Barak (Judg 4.
49, AT the battle OF Moreh. Gideon
routed he Midianites (Judg :. 22).
The battle OF Megiddo witnessed the
death Of Josiah. king of Judah, at the
hand of Pharoah-necho % Kings %.
2s) The battle of Gilboa gave the
Philistines a complete victory over
the Israelites. The account Of this
last disaster is the subject Of our les
son. Ii Saul had gone into this battle
in the same spirit Of bravery with
which he had inspired his warriors
on former occasions. victory might
have come his way For he was occu-
pying a position Of much vantage on
the heights of Gilboa. as compared
with the Philistine forces, who pitched
in Shunem. which was on the slope OF
the opposite mountain range. The
purpose Of the Phlistines in this bat
tie was doubtless TO take possession
OF the caravan route 10 Damascus and
the East. which lay in this vicinity.
The location was favorable for Saul.
but he was without the unanimous
support of his forces and without the
favor OF Jehovah. The battle soon
became desperate. as the opposing
armies rushed at each other in bloody
conflict. The Israelites were faring
badly. Jonathan and two other of
Saul's sons fell by their fathers side.
He himself was soon overpowered by
a shower Of arrows. Hardly any of
OF his followers remained. Fearing
10 die a disgraceful death at the hand
of his enemies. he commanded his
armor-bearer 10 slay him. When he
refused. through fear OF laying VIC
lent hands on the Lords anointed,
Saul fell upon his own sword. in an
act of suicide. His example was fol-
lowed by his armor-bearer Thus five
OF the military elite Of Israel persisted
on that fatal field. not 10 speak of
many others. and Israel's lifelong
enemies were against victorious.
III. A Disgraceful Deed Vers $40.
On the next morning began the plum
der Of the slain. Here the horrors Of
ancient warfare were seen at their
worst Their search discovered the
bodies of Saul and his sons These
were rare trophies, especially the
body Of the king. They cut of his
head and sent il throughout the land
Of the Philistines. in proof Of their de
cisive victory. His armor they de-
posted in the temple of Ashtaroth.
TO proclaim that through this god,
they had achieved the victory. The
headless corpse they hung in derision
outside the walls of Bethshan. The
city had only recently been occupied
by the Israelites. but IL was now in
the possession of the enemy. This
barbarous practice OF impaling the