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T H E
K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
June 1924
JULY 6 , 1924 DAVID AND JONATHAN 1 Samuel, Chapters 18-20
Saul confronted an awful sin (Jer. 26 :15 ). “B u t k n ow y e fo r c er ta in , th a t If y e p u t m e to d ea th , y e sh a su r e ly b r in g in n o cen t bl ood up on y o u r se lv e s and up on th i c ity , and up on th e In h ab it an ts th e r e o f; fo r o f a tru th th e Lo h a th se n t m e u n to you to sp e a k a ll th e se w o rd s in y ou r ea rs The moral courage of Jon ath an was equal to his physical courage. He prevailed. David was restored to favor and again led the arm y to victory. The secret of his streng th is found in Psa. 18:32: “It is God th a t girdeth me w ith strength, and m aketh my way perfect.” No man need fear whose cause is rig h t eous, for victory will always perch upon his banners (Psa. 24 :8 ). But Saul was a vacillating man, and his jealousy and envy of David soon overcame him, and he again sought David’s life (1 9 :2 0 ). However, David was delivered by the strategy of his wife, Michal, and fled to Samuel, a t Ramah, and told him all th a t Saul had done. (3) THE INVINCIBLE COVENANT, Ch. 20. “ So Jon a th a n made a covenant” v. 16. R eturning, David had an interview w ith Jon athan , which resulted in a plan by which. Jon ath an was to find out the purpose of his fath e r w ith reference to David. This caused Saul’s h ea rt to kindle w ith anger toward Jon ath an (vs. 30, 31). He went so far as to cast a reflection upon Jo n ath an ’s mother, and ordered David brought th a t he m ight put him to death. David’s life was in jeopardy. He had been anointed king. Saul had rejected, and yet Saul was reigning as king and David was the object of his hatred—-a king against a shep herd (Prov. 19:12; Matt: 10 :26 ). David was in imm inent peril, and yet he was perfectly safe. He was safe because he was in God’s plan and destined to be the king of Israel. (Rom. 10 :28 ). Saul was working out his own ruin. God, th rough Sam uel, and by providences had sought to bring Saul to himself, bu t all to no avail. The character of Saul is a study of the inheren t and developed sin in the human h eart, and the inability of God to curb or m aster some men. (Matt. 2 3 :37 ). In strang e .contrast was the h eart of David. His a tti tude is expressed in Psa. 7:3-5: “If I h a v e rew a rd ed e v il un to h im th a t w a s a t p ea ce w ith m e; (y e a , I h a v e d eliv ered h im th a t w ith o u t e au se w a s m in e n em y ), L et th e en em y p e r se cu te m y so u l an d ta k e it; y e a , le t him tread do w n m y life up on th e ea rth , and la y m in e ho nour in th du st.” Jon ath an was filled w ith righteous anger against his father. He was w illing to bear reproach for David’s sake (Heb. 11 :26 ). His fath er endeavored to separate them by assuring Jon ath an th a t he would lose his heirship to the throne, bu t Jon ath an cared more for David th a n he did for the throne (1 8 :3 ). “Th en J on a th an and D av id m ade a c o v en an t b e c au se h e lo v e him a s h e lo v ed h is ow n so u l.” The faithfulness of Jonath an under the circumstances re lated, gives us one of the best illu stration s possible of tru e friendship (Prov. 17:17 27:17; Rom. 5 :8 ). Any man or woman is rich who has good friends, and good friends are faith fu l (Prov. 27 :6 ). “ F aith fu l are the wounds of a friend.” The friendship of our Lord Jesus Christ for us is im measurable and unchanging, and is typified in th is love of Jon ath an for David. He loved him as his own soul. He loved him b etter th an he loved himself. Love is spontaneous, sympathetic, self-sacrificing,— it is always seeking new methods of m anifesting itself. The love of P aul for Christ is manifested in his desire expressed in Phillippians,— to know H im ; to w in H im ; to be conformed to His d eath ; to be found in Him. Love beareth all things, endureth all things (Rom. 8 :3 6 ).
Golden Text: “A man th a t h ath friends must shew him self friendly; and th ere is a friend th a t sticketh closer than a b ro th er.” Prov. 18:24. Outline: (1) The Insane Envy of Saul, Ch. 18. (2) The Intercession of Jonath an , Ch. 19., (3) The Invincible Covenant) Ch. 20. In tro d u c tio n : The signal victory of David over Goliath resulted in th e to tal defeat of the Philistines. The women, enthused by David’s trium ph, sang his praises (vs. 6 , 7). I t is always a tim e of peril when men begin to sing our praises, and th is was tru e in David’s case. The women LESSON m eant it for good, bu t it almost proved the EXPOSITION death of David. T. C. H orton (1) THE INSANE ENVY OP SAUL, Ch. 18. “ Saul eyed David.’’ v. 9. Only a g reat soul can see ano th er honored in th e place he thinks he himself ought to fill. There is a strik ing con tra st between Saul and Jon ath an ,—-one ready to take David’s life, and th e other ready to lay his own life down for David. Two things dom inated Saul— envy and jealousy. They are closely allied. There is no ty ran t like jealousy. Thou sands fail to enjoy life because of th e ir neighbors’ pros perity and good fortune. Haman could not enjoy the bless ings which were showered upon him because of his jeal ousy of Mordecai who sat a t the gate. (E sth er 3:,3). A rebellious heart, or an unsurrendered will, is an open door for the devil. A man must be mastered by someone— either God or Satan. Saul sought to slay David, bu t twice David escaped out of his hand. According to O riental custom, when a spear was cast at a freeman and he escaped, he was absolved from all allegiance to his m aster. So Saul set David a t liberty and put him over the army. This was the beginning of the years of persecution which followed. Saul sought to have David slain in battle, bu t Saul was fighting against God and cannot succeed. Saul promised his daughter, Merab, to David, and then gave here to ano ther man. Then Saul’s daughter, Michal, fell in love w ith David and Saul prom ised her to David provided he would get a victory over the Philistines. He hoped th a t in th is way David would be slain. David was subjected to a g reat test. His success was sufficient to tu rn any young m an’s head. He had come from obscurity into the full blaze of public adm iration; from tending sheep to the leadership of an army, and son- in-law to th e king. But he acted wisely (v. 14) very wisely (v. 15) more wisely (v. 30). Like Joseph, he lived by faith and God was w ith him. (2) THE INTERCESSION OP JONATHAN, Ch. 19 “Let not the king sin*** against David.” v.4. Jonathan, Saul’s son, loved David (1 8 :1 ), b u t th e h eart of Saul was filled w ith murder, and he boldly tells his son and his servants th a t David m ust die (1 9 :1 ). Jon ath an undertakes to intercede w ith his fath e r for David. There can be no more beautiful picture of unselfish, love th an this. Jon ath an warned David of his fath e r’s plan. David had been a faithful, loyal friend of Saul and had delivered him and his arm y from disgrace. He had risked his life for Saul more th an once.
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