The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1915-04-29
INTERNATIONAL.
SUNll4YS(,'[I()OL,
| E,,S.SOq
(By p. o. SELLERS, Actine :D,rector -.
sunday School Course, The Moody R,bIa
institute, Chicago, Ill)
LESSON FOR MAY 2
SAUL TRIES TO KILL DAVID.

SAUL TRIES TO KILL DAVID.
LESSON TEXT Samuel 1sn-,a
+r'st DIM 49, GDxT-Whoso putteth his
1926. " Sha'1 pe sare.-Prov'
although anointed by Samuel VIC
,orlous In arms and promoted at court,
navld was many years in reaching his
.nrone' At first both court and army
old MIN honor (ch. 1879, yet he con.
quoted himself with great modesty
llS:!S, 2S. He also obeyed the king
explicitly though he knew fully that
ne was the God-appointed successor
Oh saul. Escapes as wonderful and as
providential as David's occur in the
lives Of most Of us IL we could but
know them.
!. David and Jonathan, w. f.3. The
story Of the love Of David and Jona-
than 1s a classic. With such close
FAMILY relations and q son-in-law so
successful at arms it Is strange that
Sauls anger should vent itself upon
David. At first Saul was much at
tached to David but the admiration of
the people for David aroused his jeal-
ousy, (ch. 1850 and jealousy is pecu-
liarly soldiers disease. The slave Of
jealousy never has peace. AS sin and
disobedience developed in his life Saul
became subject to fits Of insane rage
during one Of which, as David played
upon his harp and endeavored to-quiet
the monarch's spirit, he hurled a
Javelin, which served as his scepter,
at the harpist (ch. 1910. Saul felt
that David was divinely protected and
he knew that God had departed from
his own life (15:23; 16:14). Saul did
not keep his grief and rage to himself
for Jonathan and the nation alike
knew all about it.
II. Saul and Jonathan, wv. AZ. It
took courage and self-sacrifice on
Jonathan's part to speak on behalf Of
David. Prudence and principle are
combined in Jonathan's plea. Those
who envy include in their hate and
anger all who speak kindly In behalf
Of their enemy But Jonathan's argu-
ment (vv. 4, 81 is unanswerable.
David had not sinned against Saul; it
was Jehovah who wrought great
salvation for all Israeli on the day
David took his life in his hand and
overcame Goliath. Jonathan pleads fol
COD as we'll as for his friend. He
called to Saurs memory his former
JOY at seeing Jehovah's victory
through David and for the time being
Saul was persuaded (v. g. and made
another Of those impetuous promises
which proved so feeting. Ushered by
Jonathan (Matt. 500 David returned
to Saurs presence, entered once more
upon the discharge Of his duties ant
desisted only when he saw that his
presence only aggravated the king ant
that he was uselessly exposing his life
in Saul's presence. David was faith
full to God and to Gods anointed king
III. Michal and David, w. e.12
Saul's hatred was too deep to be per
manently overcome. David went out
and won great victory over the Phi
listines and as he followed his courtly
duty, Saul burst out with fresh at
tack (vv. s, 81. David had married
Michal when about twenty.one years
Of age and Saul's attacks occurred dur
ing the next three years. The evil
spirit mentioned was a demon (18:10;
Acts 16:16-18; Mark 1:23-26), mes
senger Of Satan permitted by God fol
Saul's discipline (1I Cor. 1870. God
permits evil to come upon men not tc
tempt them-solicit them to do wrong
but to bring them to repentance o.
to refine them as pure gold. Thus evil
may be said to do Gods work (ch
4:1) "to be sent from Jehovah
". Summary. All who envy arr
murderers at heart (Matt, 27:1S; John
1912, 49, The present day murderers
hurl their javelins Of slander. lying
and vituperation against the reputa
ton Of the men whom they hate. o.
else they hurl unfair and unjust bust
ness methods at others that they may
perpetuate their power or else built
themselves up upon the ruins Of those
] whom they envy. Saul missed Davit
| but he was no less murderer. Satar
always overshoots the mark when HI
assails one Of Gods anointed, choseI
ones. Saul could not harm Davit
though he wished to ever SO mucl
FPS. 1882, 33: Isa. 54:17; Luke 4:30
10:39). Saul's hatred stopped not ever
at the threshold of David's house bu
invaded the sacred precincts Of hi'
home Envy is blind, 1t assails al
that a man has, spares none will
whom he is connected and colors ev
cry act and relation Of life even to tn
relations Of father and child. Sau
was frustrated by his own children
Jonathan and Michal David's DANCE
was imminent, hence his speedy es
cape
Men are strong in so far as the,
see Gods purpose and discipline fl
their lives.
Saul's experience at Naioth wv. 2s
24) was response Of his emotiona
nature to religious appeal, anothe
time when God was waiting to b
gracious.
| Divested Of his armor and QUITE
robes Saul lay in trance, overcom
by the power of Kim who turns tn
hearts OF men as rivers Of water.
| The wrath Of man Is made to prais
him. the life Of the prophet is pre-
served and likewise the life OF hi
servant David.