356
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
July 1930
Saul—A King Who Failed 1 Sam. 9:15-17, 25-27; 10:1; 19:9-11; 31 :l-4 Memory Verse : “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12). ApproachM; Some boys and girls (not you, of course!) often do things just a. little differently from what they are told! Sometimes they think there is no need to
Saul openly disregarded God’s command. He spared Agag, the king, and all the best of the oxen and sheep. When Samuel came he was so grieved that he “cried unto the Lord all night.” Saul tried to deny what he had done, but the Lord had told Samuel all about it. “Thou God seest me” was true then even as it is now; He sees right into our hearts and nothing is hidden from Him. When we obey, it is a joy to know this, but if sin is in our hearts, we shrink from His searching. It is better to open the heart to Him and let Him forgive and cleanse us now, than to harbor the sin and by and by when the Lord Jesus Christ comes to earth again, find out that we cannot enter into that beautiful place He has ready, just because of neglect or refusal to let Him make our hearts “right in His sight.” All the story o f Saul’s life and death is too long to tell here, but you may read it for yourselves as told in God’s Book. What is our response to the voice and call of God? Are we saying “ No” or “Yes” ? Prayer. August 24, 1930 Jonathan and David : a Noble • Friendship Lesson: 1 Samuel 18:1-4; 19:1-7; 20; 2 Samuel 1 :17-27. (Lesson Text: 1 Sam. 18:1-4; 20:14-17, 32-34, 41, 42; 2 Sam. 1 :25-27.) Golden Text: “He that maketh many friends doeth it to his own destruction: but there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother” (Prov. 18:24). * * * L esson in O utline I. Jonathan Covenants with David (1 Sam. 18:1-4; 20:14-17). 1. Jonathan’s love for David (1). 2. David’s new home (2). 3. A covenant of friendship (3, 4). 4. A new and enlarged covenant (20:14-16). 5. A new oath (17).
II. Saul Seeking to Slay Jonathan (1 Sam. 20:32-34). 1. Jonathan’s plea (32). 2. Saul’s hatred (33). 3. Jonathan’s flight (34). III. Farewell Words (1 Sam. 20:41, 42). IV. David Mourns for Jonathan (2 Sam. 1:25-27). * * * A pproach to the L esson T ONATHAN was the oldest son of J Saul. In his early history he distin guished himself as a military leader. In the second period of his life falls the story of his friendship for David. So great was his devotion that he risked his father’s ill will in defense of his friend (1 Sam. 18, 19), and was willing to sur render the claim to the throne which was his by right o f succession (1 Sam. 20). In the third period of Jonathan’s life, David was in exile. Jonathan took no part in Saul’s attempts to pursue and to destroy the man whom God had appointed king. Jonathan stands out as one o f the no blest characters of Scripture—brave, gen erous, loyal to friends, and showing a good measure o f filial respect for a fa ther whom he could not honor. But it was as the friend o f David that he won fame for all time. * * * H eart of the L esson I. Jonathan Covenants with David (1 Sam. 18:1-4; 20:14-17). V. 1. An end o f speaking. After Da vid’s victory over Goliath he was sum moned before King Saul and questioned about his family. It was this incident young men were honorable, sincere, noble characters. Both were above the spirit of envy and jealousy. Jonathan had the more to lose o f the two. V. 2. Saul took him. David had left home on a temporary and insignificant er rand—to bring food to his brothers who' were at the front in Israel’s army. He was suddenly called to do heroic service and was ready for the emergency. His victory over Goliath immediately changed the course of his life. He was no more to be in the field with his father’s sheep, but temporarily in Saul’s palace and later in his own palace and on his own throne as the great shepherd-king of Israel. Sudden elevation left him unspoiled. V. 3. Made a covenant. This pledge of friendship between the two was never to be broken. Of Jonathan it is said that he loved David “as his own soul.” V. 4. Jonathan stripped himself. Da vid had come to the camp in humble gar ments o f a shepherd; these were ex changed for the royal robes o f the crown prince. In Jonathan this was a mark of honor and also an evidence of his renun ciation o f his rights in David’s favor. The section omitted tells of Jonathan’s attempt to intercede with Saul for Da vid (19:1-7), David’s flight and residence at Naioth with Samuel (19:18), Saul’s t h a t brought Da vid and Jonathan together. Soul . . . knit with the soul of David. Literally “knotted to the soul o f David”—an un- b r e a k a b.l e bopd. Loved him. B o t h
obey a command. This is the way Saul felt! God told him to do some thing, but he thought his awn way was better, so he dis obeyed. He began his life well ; but it ended in sad fail ure. If he had al ways obeyed God, h ow different the
story of his life would have been! What sort of story are you making out of your life? Lesson Story — Samuel had been judge of Israel for many years and was now an -old man. The sons of .Eli, the former judge and high priest, were unfit to rule over Israel, and as Samuel had nobody in his own family to succeed him, the peo ple wondered who should take Samuel’ s place. All the nations about them had kings and the Israelites wanted one too. So they asked Samuel to appoint someone to be king over them. God told Samuel to choose Saul, o f the tribe of Benjamin. Read the story of how this attractive young man was made king. He was now ruler of a people ready to be loyal to him ; he had great opportunities not only for his own life, but as the leader of his subjects. But, instead of trying to be worthy, and to be a king who should influence his fol lowers for good, Saul became more and more wilful and disobedient. Once he almost lost his own son because o f his failure to trust and obey the Lord. This story o f Jonathan and his armorbearer is well worth reading. The Philistines had gained such power over the Israelites in central Palestine that they refused to let their smiths make weapons or sharpen their tools, so that they would be more defenseless. Saul pre pared for war with them. At the begin ning of the campaign Samuel told him to wait at Gilgal until he came, to offer sac rifices. Because Samuel delayed his com ing, Saul became impatient, decided to wait no longer, and offered thé sacrifices himself. For this irreverent and wilful act of disobedience, Samuel told him that his kingdom should not continue. Perhaps for awhile it checked Saul’s self-confident wilfulness, but soon he forgot or ignored the prophecy and warning. Saul was a great soldier; he engaged in war with all the countries around Pal estine. In the war with the Amalekites Saul committed the act which caused him to be rejected by God. This was after he had been reigning about twenty-five years. God told him to utterly destroy the Amal ekites, man and beast. He pursued them until they were in his power, and he could have destroyed them, thus ' fulfilling the prophecy against them given by Moses, because o f their cruelty to God’s chosen people when they fled from Egypt. But
For Little Things For little things and little ways, Dear Lord o f all, I give Thee praise. For morning light upon the wall, And stately trees that grow so tall, For daytime’s homely tasks to do, For neighbor friends so kind and true. For things to read, and evening rest, And talk with those we love the best, For all the dear blest common days, Dear Lord of all, I give Thee praise. — Selected.
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