Mrs. Grundy. (Tracy City, Tenn.) 1903-1930, 1920-05-27
LESSON FOR MAY 80
JONATHAN AND HIS ARMoR-
BEARER.


LESSON TEXT Sam. n:1-46
GOLDEN TExT-For the promise u
unto you and your children. and to all
tnat are afar on, even as many AZ the
Lord our God shall xsA.-Acts 2:3s.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL-I Sam. Il;
PRIMARY ropic-A story of BRAY.
JUNIOR Top1c-Hov Two Men Put an
Army TO Flight.
INTERMEDIATES AND SENIOR TOPIC
Our Foes and How to Overcome Them.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
The Value Of Initiative in Christian
Work.
|. Israei's Reduced Condition tvv.
1-3).
The Philistine oppression had be-
come 50 terrible that the king had
only about 600 men, and they were
completely disarmed. except that Saul
and Jonathan had each sword and
spear. Lest the Israelites should
make unto themselves swords and
spears the Phillstines took from them
their SMITHS; they only left them file
to sharpen their Instruments of hus-
bandry. This left them under the ne
cessity Of going to the Philistines to
have their tools sharpened. Saul him
self was in hiding. Because he had
presumptuousIy intruded into the
priests Office God rejected him. While
In this desperate condition God moved
Jonathan to 60 against the Philistines.
u. Description Of the Passageway
Between israel and the PhIIlstines
(vv. 4, 81.
Over against the way which iona
than and his armorbearer had to trav-
erse, on either side lay sharp rocks
called Bozez and Seneh. The opposing
camps we're probably three miles
apart. 1t required great effort to
scale the cliff. The feat of Jonathan
and his armorbearer was one Of the
most daring ever attempted.
nj. Jonathan,s Resolution to Go
Against the PhiIlstines wv. 6-10.)
/. Jonathan's summons to the young
man ". 81. Here the thought OF verse
one Is. reSnmed, xerses~tW0. to i've be
Ing parenthetical. Jonathan did not
doubt but that the Lord was leading
him. recognized his covenant re-
lationship with God, and therefore his
claim upon him as against the unclr-
cumcised Philistines, asserting that
"there Is no restraint to the Lord to
save BY many or by few" God Is all
powerful, so with him numbers cut no
figure. Whatever he willis for us he
can do. One with. God Is majority.
(Deut. 32:3O).
2. The noble response Of his arrnor-
bearer ". ~. He was actuated by the
same faith and courage as Jonathan
and entered heartily into the under
taking. When two agree together as
touching anything In the name Of
Christ It shall be done (Matt. 1919,
20).
3. Watching for the VIII Of God wv.
6-10). Doubtless the same Spirit who
had moved Jonathan to go had In
structed him to watch for the Divine
leading. The sign that God would de-
liver the Philistines into their hands
was the invitation for Jonathan and
his companion to come up to the Phil
istines. They did not so forward until
the sign Of divine leading was given.
w. Jonathan's Marvellous Victory
wv. 11-16).
Being assured Of the divine leading.
Jonathan with his armorbearer sprang
forward saying that the Lord had de-
livered the enemy into the hands Of
Israel. He did not say 'into our
hands," but 'into the hands OF Israel"
This Is fine touch Of humility: 1t
shows that 1t was zeal for God, not
selfish ambition that impelled him to
go forth. God interposed by a great
earthquake, causing CONSERVATION
among the Philistines. moving them to
destroy each other.
v. sauls Foolish Behavior wv.
lT-46).
l. hlS CaIndi zeal wv. 1f-1O1. AIter
the Lord had given the victory at the
hands Of Jonathan, Saul called for the
ark Of God to be brought, after which
he went forth In pursuit Of the enemy
who had already been routed.
2. His foolish obligation imposed
wv. 24-30). It was that q curse would
be upon any one OF his soldiers who
should stop to eat on that day. Fast
Ing Is proper at times. but It was the
height Of folly to demand strenuous
service Of his soldiers without the
necessary nourishment.
n 3. His determination 70 kill iona
than. Jonathan not having heard this
rash oath, partook u the honey as 10