The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-03-20
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson xlI.-First Quarter, For
March Fl, 1915.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

Memory Verse, 7-GoIden Text, Rom.
xiii, t2-commentsry Prepared by
Rev. D. M. Stearns.
Our first introduction to Jonathan,
the son of Saul, is in chapter xiii. 2.
where we find him the captain of a
thousand men smiting garrison of the
Philistines and thus melting them to
gather against Israel in numbers as
the sand which is on the seashore
(xiii. 80. causing many in Israel to
hide wherever they could-in caves,
rocks, high places and in pits and to
fee o-er Jordan, while those with
Saul followed him with trembling. 1t
was sad indeed and reproach to God
to have His people In such distress.
but the fault was wholly with them.
Let us lay 1t to heart that when be-
levers are cast down or overcome in
stead of victorious 1t is a reproach to
our God.
Samuel had instructed Saul to wait
at Glgal seven days until he should
come and offer sacrifices and show him
what to do Chapter K. s.. Saul waited
seven days, but not quite the full time.
and. as he said, forced himself and Of
fered the burnt offering, and just as
he had finished Samuel came and re-
proved him and told him that his king
dom would not continue, but that the
Lord had sought Him man after His
own heart (chapter xiii, $40. Did
you ever wait all but the time that
would have brought the person or thing
you expected and then grow restless
and just missed it? If so you can prob
ably sympathize somewhat with Saul.
But next time wait more patiently and
the full time. for, though He tarry, He
| will surely come In the fullness of time,
whether 1t be for some deliverance In
your daily life or to the air for us all.
Jonathan is one of the most beauti-
full Of all the characters In the Bible
and his love for David one of the most
beautiful of love stories-a rare man
indeed, seemingly raised up by God to
be true friend and comfort | David.
But we shall meet him again in our
studies. In our lesson verses he is a
real hero and, with his armor bearer.
starts wonderful deliverance for Is
rael. His reliance was on the Lord
and his courage most unusual, for
what could two men expect to dor He
must have remembered Deut. XXI, 80.
and the assurance that one should
chase thousand and two put ten
thousand to fight, for hear him en-.
courage his armor bearer with the
words. "It may be that the Lord will
work for us, for there Is no restraint
to the Lord to save by many or by
| few (verse o.. 1t may have been that
he thought Of the great deliverance by
Gideon's three hundred Gudg. vii. 4, q,
and possibly Asa long afterward was
encouraged by the remembrance of
Jonathan Oh Chron. xiv, 1D. l have
been personally strengthened and en-
couraged by each of these records and
expect some day in the kingdom to
have good fellowship with Gideon and
Jonathan and Asa and lots OF others
whose records have greatly helped me.
Jonathan's helper must have had the
same spirit as his master and greatly
helped him with his good words, "Do
all that is in thine heart; behold. l am
with thee according to thy heart"
(verse n. They sought guidance of
the Lord and received the token they
asked for If He would have them go
forward verses 10, 12), so they brave
ly scaled the rocks, just these two. and
the Lord wrought victory and fought
with them by great earthquake
| (verses 1915. When Saul and his men
heard of the battle and the noise of
victory they, with those who had been
In hiding, took part In the defeat of the
Philistines, and 80 the Lord saved Is
rael that day" (verses 1929. The rest
of chapter xiv tells of what looks like
a great mistake of Saul's, which caus-
ed much trouble and but for the inter
ference of the people on behalf of JON
athan might have resulted in his death.
! Saul had evidently begun to so astray.
as shown in his not waiting the full
time appointed by Samuel and also in
his receiving no answer from God
when he asked counsel of Him.
When one has ceased to be controlled
by God there is no knowing what he
may do, for if God is not controlling
1t is the devil. Even In the record of
Simon Peter when he testified of our
Lord, Thou art the Christ. the Son Of
the living Cod" Jesus said, MY Fa-
ther who is in heaven revealed that to
thee" In the same chapter it is re-
corded that Jesus had to say to him.
Get thee behind me Satan: thou art
an offense unto me, for thou savorest
not the things that be of God. but
those that be of men" Matt. xvi. 16, II,
23). The tongue is an unruly member.
| sometimes blessing and sometimes
cursing, but this ought not so to be
(Jas. Ill, $40. There is one good thing
written of Saul in chapter xiv, 35. He
built an altar unto the Lord-his first
one. 1t is also written that he deliver
ed Israel out of the hands of them that
spoiled them, but 1t Is also written
that there was sore war against the
Philistines all the days of Saul (verses
4S, 52). Contrast chapter VII. 13, The
hand of the Lord was against the Phi
listines all the days of Samuel" 1t was
better for Israel under the rule of
Samuel than under Saul, for Samuel
was the Lords representative. while
Saul was given to them in answer to