Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1915-05-05
SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON FOR MAY 8
SECURED EXCLUSIVELY BY THE
BANNER FOR ITS MANY
READERS
ACCORDING TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SERIES
Text of the Lesson, 1 Sam. XX, 32-42.
Memory Verse, 42-Golden Text,
Prov. XVII, Commentary Prepared
by Rev. ID. NJ. Stearns.

Our lesson topic today Is The
Friendship of David and 10 nathan"
but the lesson verses give only one In
cident out OF many. AS our next les
son will he In chapter XVI. we will
consider the David and Jonathan In
cidents I'm chapters xviii TO xiii. In
chapter xiv the name OF Jonathan IL
mentioned swenty-four times, and In
chapter Xxx Ii Is found twenty-seven
times. His name may mean the gift
of jehovah. ana he surely was such 10
David. real friend and comforter.
| making us think of Paul's words con
corning some OF his helpers. Fellow
workers unto the kingdom of God.
which have been a comfort unto me"
Col. Nv. ~. In our first introduction
10 Jonathan mhapters Kill and XIV. In
which we find his name just twenty
! eight times. we see him as "a brave sol
! der. relying upon Jehovah 10 fight for
him and with him xiv. o. u. The next
| mention OF him Is after Dayids defeat
| of Goliath. when we read that his soul
was knit with the soul of David. for
ht lONCd nlhl as ntS Wv SOui. ut
stripped himself of his garments and
armor and put them upon David ,chap-
ter xviii. II: see also Xxx. II; III Sam.
|, 2GI. They were truly kindred spir-
| It's. both strong in the Lord. We can
| not but think of Him who emptied
! Himself for us. laid aside all His glory.
that He might redeem US. clothe us
u-fth A,
us His Kingdom. We think also of
the disciple whom Jesus loved. who
leaned upon his bosom, but we remem-
Der what Is written In John xiii. |. Of
all true disciples. lie loved them unto
the end. To the uttermost" OR. V. mar.
GIN.
The next incident Is In chapter xix,
Ia. where Jonathan pleaded with his
father for David, reminding him that
through David the Lord wrought Il
great salvation for all Israel. and 40
David was for time restored To Sauls
favor. but we saw i'm last lesson how
worthless and uncertain IL was.
In our lesson chapter We SEE David
returning from Samuel 10 whom he had
4 utul 10 nIltTNleN BOHulluu anu W ttil
him that when near saul he felt that
there was but step between him and
death and To ask him 10 hnd out if he
could just how his father really felt
toward him. for IL would seem as II
David could scarcely believe that Saul
hated him rs greatly AS these sudden
outbreaks Of temper would Indicate
1
again and yet really love the person
spoken or acted against, How beauti
full was. JonathaIf's reply To David
Whatsoever thy soul desireth will
even do Ii for thee" Xxx, ~, or as In
the margin. Say what Is thy mind.
what thy soul speaneth or thinketh.
and | will do It," What friend to
have and yet listen 10 Him who calls
us friends. If We shall ask anything
In My name | will do ii" John XIV. 10;
xiv. IA Jonathan seems not to have
believed up 10 this time that his father
meant any real harm TO David prob
ably attributing all To his fearful tenn
per, for he said. IF | knew certainly
that evil were determined by my ia
| Il
1t theeT Xxx. o., They went out into
the field alone with the Lord and with
prayer. and. as In His sight. they made
covenant the one with the other and
arranged plan by which Jonathan
would find out certainly what his ia
Tiers attitude TO David really was
Xxx. 1923. When the plan was work
| Cd -, tno la ~ al
became SO manifest that he tried to
kill Jonathan for taking David's part
then iona han knew that IL was de-
termined Of his father to STAY David.
So he arose from the table In fierce
anger for he was grieved for David
Xxx. 1924. Then Jonathan in the
morning went out into the field and
communicated with David by pre-
arranged plan Xxx. 1924. 35-40).
Ii was a three days interval verse
1917. reminding us Of so many three
days stories. and II was a morning
farewell that these two friends now
had verse 35l. reminding us by anal
ogy and contrast of so many morning
stories. The statement In verse 80 that
the lad who gathered the arrows knew
not anything OF the Significance OF his
doings nor OF the real meaning OF JON
athan's words TO him has often come
to me with power. as | have given
His message from His word from time
to time. simply knowing that | was
seeking TO he faithful TO him, but not
knowing anything OF what He might
be accomplishing by the message. but
sure always that He knew what He
was doing and that His word will al
ways accomplish His pleasure John
vi. @; lisa. Nv. III How pathetic the
farewell OF these two after the lad had
gone-the kissing. the weeping. the
committing OF each o'ier TO the Lord,
and Jonathan's Go IN peace" verses
Al. Az, In the morning to which we
look forward we shall be forever with
IN =