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T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
August, 1933
Jonathan renewed the covenant they had made when first they met. They “kissed one another, and wept upon one another, until David exceeded.” The emotion at this parting was too deep for words and few were spoken. The feeling of both men was intense, and the beauty of their friend ship is here revealed as nowhere else in the history. Jonathan foreswore himself to protect David and David’s house whatever might lie in the future, and David engaged to protect Jonathan and Jonathan’s house forever. This covenant David never for got, and when at last he ascended the throne, he remembered to fulfill it in his treatment of Mephibosheth (cf. 2 Sam. 9). Lesson Questions 18:1-4. When did Jonathan’s affection for David begin? What was typified by Jonathan’s presentation of his garments, sword, etc., to David ? How does this same transaction occur, in a spiritual sense, be tween the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and “ David’s greater Son” ? 20:35-42. What part did “a little lad” play? What message did he unconsciously give to David? What other examples of unselfish love, similar to Jonathan’s love for David, can you recall? (See Judah’s— Gen. 44:18-34; Paul’s—Rom. 9:1-3.) Into what covenant did Jonathan and David en ter (1 Sam. 20:14-17) ? How did Saul re gard Jonathan’s friendship for David? (See 1 Sam. 20:30, 31; cf. Psa. 27:10; Mk. 10:29, 30.) Did David make good his word (2 Sam. 1:19-27; chap. 9 )? Golden Text Illustration A dispatch from Pa,ris tells o f a blind veteran who stepped up to a pedestrian and asked: “Excuse me, am I near the Wounded Soldiers’ Institute? I’ve only been twice, and I’m not quite sure of the way.” “You are close to it now; let me show you the way,” came the reply. Arriving at the door, the guide said to the janitor, “ Kindly take this man to the section for the blind.” “Take him yourself,” growled the jan itor, “under the archway on the other side o f the courtyard.” The civilian did so, but on the way out addressed the janitor again. “ Couldn’t you be a little more obliging to the blind?” he asked, gently. “There are too many, and I haven’t the time,” was the surly response. “ it seems to me it is your duty to help them,” said the civilian. “ I can find time —and I am Marshal Foch.” —S tark T ree T alk .
New Friends 1 S amuel 18:1-4; 20:35-42
BLACKBOARD LESSON
Memory Verse: “This is my command ment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you” , (John 15:12). Approach: For a while David went on living in the country and caring for his father’s sheep. Then something happened which brought him into King Saul’s palace. There was a great
giant of whom every one was afraid. No one could kill him. A n d w h e n every one was wondering what could be done about it, the little shepherd boy, David, came along with a sling shot and some stones. He s t ru c k the giant between
Jonathan’s history must be traced through the chapters outside the lesson proper, and it will richly repay the teacher to become familiar with it. While he was convinced that David was the chosen of the Lord, he continued to abide with Saul whose kingdom God had said must end. He was torn between his love of David and his affection for his father, and this made him appear fluctuating in his actions. Because of his open and avowed love for David, Jonathan placed himself in jeopardy from Saul’s anger. Through all the years, Jonathan was staunchly on David’s side, ever ready to hazard his life for the sake of his friend and ever ready to stand against Saul in Saul’s unjust and cruel treatment of David. There was no cowardice in Jonathan. When it was felt that Saul’s end had come, Jonathan courageously accompanied him to battle, even though he doubtless felt that this was to be the end for him also. On David’s part, there was never any thing but affection toward Jonathan within his heart, and his sorrow was profound and deep as he remembered the love wherewith Jonathan loved him. He de clared it was a love which was “wonderful, surpassing the love of women” (2 Sam. 1: 26). When Jonathan died, David knew that he had lost a brother, a friend, and a lover. The story of Jonathan reveals the char acter of friendship which is possible be tween friends, a friendship which counts that everything is to be held for the bene fit o f the other. It is the character of that friendship which should mark the progress o f the Christian with the Lord. The Lord has proven the self-sacrificing character of His love toward us, and then He says: “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I com mand you” (John 15:14). But to be friends with the Lord means, as it meant with Jonathan and David, to be friends with One who is despised and rejected. This involves the cross, which is to be taken up for His sake. It means to break with the world which rejects the Lord and become friends of the One who loved us and gave Himself for us. IV. J onathan ’ s P rotection of D avid (20:35-42). Jonathan undertook to discover Saul’s intentions toward David and to let David know what they were. He found that David’s life hung in the balance and only flight could preserve it. Presumably practicing with bow and arrow, Jonathan had a boy retrieve the arrows he used. When the lad came to the place where the arrow was, Jonathan shouted that it was beyond him and to make haste and stay not. Thus David, who was hiding near by, was warned that he should flee away at once, because Saul had definitely decided to slay him at the first opportunity. Upon the departure o f the lad, David came from his hiding place, and he and
the eyes, and the giant fell over dead. The people cheered David, and the king asked him to live in his palace. Lesson Story: While he lived in the pal ace, David met the king’s son, Jonathan. As soon as they met, they became good friends. Now after a little time, King Saul be came jealous o f David. The people kept remembering that David had killed the giant, and they praised him for it. Saul was afraid that the people would want to make David their king. Jonathan was Saul’s son, and he should be made king after Saul’s death. But Jonathan was David’s good friend, and he loved David so much that he was willing to give up be ing king that David might take his place. He knew that David was God’s choice. But all this made Saul angry. He planned to kill David. David had to flee from the palace and hide. It was Jona than who warned David o f his father’s an ger, and it was he who helped David es cape. They arranged a signal. David hid in a field and Jonathan was to let him know if it was safe for him to return to the palace. On the third day, when David was hid ing in the field, Jonathan took his ser vant boy and went out to shoot arrows. He went near where David was hiding. After he shot the arrow, he called to the boy, “The arrow has gone beyond you.” This was the signal, arid David understood that it meant, “My father is still angry. You must run for your life.” So David went away and hid. His life was saved, and he and Jonathan remained friends.
SEPTEMBER 17, 1933 SOLOMON 1 K ings , C hapters 5 to 8
est achievement of So l omo n . It was one of t h e m o s t ma gn i f i c e n t struc tures of a n c i e n t times. Down beneath the northern part o f the city o f Jerusalem is a great underground cave, wi t h m a n y
Lesson T ext: 1 Ki. 8:1-11. Golden T ext: “ Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise” (Psa. 100:4). The House of the Lord T he lesson today deals with the bring ing of the ark o f the covenant into the house o f the Lord. We shall not discuss that particular event, but will con fine our comments to the house itself. The construction of the temple was the great-
passageways. It is called “ Solomon’s Quarries.” It is here, we are told, that Solomon got the stone which was used in
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