The Marietta journal. (Marietta, Ga.) 1918-1944, 1920-07-09
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LESSON
tBy REV. P. B. FITZWATER, d. D.,
Teacher Of English Bible in the Moody
Bible Institute of Chicago.)
Copyright. 1920. Western Newspaper Union.)
LESSON FOR JULYlT
JONATHAN HEFRIENDs DAVID.

LESSON TEXT Sam. TO-
GOLDEN TEXT-A friend loveth at all
| times; and a brother is born for adver-
sity.-Prov 17:17
ADDITIONAL. WATERFALL Sam. IS:
is, 1870; 19;1-A
PRIMARY ToPIc-A Story of Two
Friends
JUNIOR ToPIC-David and His Friend
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
Friendships That Are Worth While.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Friendship: What 1t Is and WHAT 1t
Does
The friendship between Jonathan
and David is peculiar in that it oc-
Cured between two men of rival
worldly interests. Jonathan was the
crown prince, the heir to the throne.
David was. the heir according to divine
ciloice and arrangement. Jonathan
knew this and magnanimously waived
his natural personal rights to the one
whom he knew that God had chosen.
Following the interview of Saul and
David after the victory over Goliath,
Jonathan's soul was knit with that of
David. He loved him as his own soul.
While there was mutual love, yet this
pleasing trait stands out more in Jona-
than than in David, because it meant
great loss to ehim-the loss Of the
throne, but immense gain to David
the acquisition of the throne to which
he had no natural right. The genuine
friendship was shown:
!. BY Giving to David His Court
Robe and Equipment QS:4.
These belonged to Jonathan as the
crown prince. Following the love-cove-
nant between them (18:3) Jonathan
stripped himself Of these and gave
them to David. This act was virtual
abdication in favor of David. tLove
seeketh not her own Il Cor. 3:5).
II. BY Defending David Against the
Frenzy Of Saul Il Sam. 1910.
According to oriental custom, the
women met David and his soldiers as
they were returning from their victory
over the Philistines, and with singing
and dancing they ascribed more praise
to David than to Saul. This stirred
up the murderous envy of Saul and
moved him to thrice attempt to kill
David. In his third attempt Jonathan
defended David before his father and
evoked from him the oath that David
should not be slain 90 :6). Thus he
exposed himself to the anger of his In
furiated father, for David's sake.
When one is willing to lay down his
life for another he proves that his
friendship is real. Greater love hath
no man than this that man lay down
his life for his friends" John Is :13).
III. BY Revealing to David Saul's
Murderous Intent Il Sam. 20 :3O-40).
The beginning of a new moon was
celebrated by sacrifices and feastfng,
at which all the members of the family
were expected to be present ". 81.
David's excuse for absence was to go
home TO attend the yearly sacrifice of
the entire family. This annual feast
was more important than the monthly
| feast.
Matters were now so serious that
they renewed the covenant between
themselves. In Its renewal the terms
were projected beyond the life of
Jonathan wv. IA, 15). Saurs anger
was now so fierce that for Jonathan
to be found in company with David
was a dangerous thing, so he cleverly
plans TO give David a sign by which
he could know Saul's purpose. We
prove our friendship by warning those
who are exposed to danger. David's
heart responded to Jonathan's love by
pledging himself to deal faithfully
with Jonathan and his seed forever.
Later history proves that this was
faithfully carried out (II Sam. OF, 81.
Some Observations en- Friendship:
1. Friendships should be made while
the parties are young-whle the
hearts are capable of being knit to-
gether.
| 2. Real friends are few; therefore
DE careful In the formation Of the ties
of friendship. Friends should be Sc
lected. We should love everybody, but
we can have but few friends.
8. There should be some variations
in the temperaments in those who
would be friends. Friendships should
be formed for the purpose of mutual
ly helping each other. Both parties,
however, must possess real merit.
4. Both parties must be God-fearing.
David and Jonathan. both recognized
their obligation to the Lord and that
| his help was essential to the welfare
of both. Without deep religious life
there can be no friendship. There are
times when one party must absolutely
renounce his interests in behalf of the
other. Genuine love is the basis of all
friendship.