THE K I N G ’ S B US I NE S S Jonathan evidently knew, that Saul was no longer in favor with God, and so determined upon the exploit for God on his own account. The picture and story is inspiring. One man taking it to heart. The king in the dumps. The people filled with fear. The army scattered and many hiding in holes in the hills. Circum stances all against them. But there was a need and Jonathan saw that and was blind to the unfavorable circumstances. He believed God. Saul may dream and pout, hut Jonathan’s soul is stirred with a strange and noble inspiration. It began in his own breast where God is always planting the seed of a noble aspiration. It was independent in ac tion. Faith needs not to copy, hut hews out its own way. Faith undertakes the impossible; looks not at others; con fers not with flesh and blood. There can be no doubt when faith calls. Faith takes risks; assumes re sponsibility. Faith’s vision is un dimmed. Faith’s voice has a ring. Faith’s courage is undaunted. (2) THE INVASION OF THE ENEMY’S CAMP, vs. 4-10. It was a breach of discipline for a sol dier to act independently. It was a violation of military rules. But there was a cause. Israel was helpless. They had no weapons of warfare (13:19-22). The condition was akin to that which faced the two lepers (2 Ki. 7:4, 5). “ If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there; and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall into the host of the*Sy rians; if they save us alive we shall live; and if they kill ns, we shall but die. And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Syrians; and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold there was no man there.” and with the same condition that con-
505 fronted David when hungry, (Mark 2: 25, 26). “ And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need and was a hungered, he, and they that were with him? How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?” The passage selected by Jonathan to gain access to the enemy’s camp lay through a deep ravine, and between two sharp rocks, one of them named Bozez (meaning “ shining” ), and the other named Seneh (meaning “ thorny” ), and it is through such a passage that we go to life’s great victory. We would be wanting Bozez all the time, hut there must be the SenehB-the thorny rock; for all the way it is sunshine and shadow to the believer. But the Father’s eye and the Father’s arm are with us, and it is blessed to look back upon our pas sage to the place of victory. We doubt whether Jonathan was thinking much about the sunshine or the shadow. He was engrossed with the adventure for Jehovah, filled with faith and holy zeal. The history of the church is resplen dent with deeds of valor springing from a heart of faith (Neh. 6:11). “ And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who Is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life, I will not go in.” (Daniel 3:16-18). ‘Shadrach, Meshach and Obednego, answered and said unto the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom We serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thy hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods,
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