(1 Sam. 17:-18:5.) (Notes of an Address given in Lowry, by A. E. B.)

There is one thing in Jonathan's life I wish to speak about this afternoon, but before doing so I will first notice a few things in this chapter.

Saul and his whole army tremble before Goliath,- for "forty days and forty nights" none could overcome this powerful enemy. Saul may fitly represent the first man (Adam), who with all his race for forty centuries trembled before another enemy, another Goliath, even Satan, the prince of this world. But after that period, during which man had a fair and perfect trial and utterly failed, we then learn of a Second Man, God's "Beloved," who appears upon the scene as David did here. His brethren might reject Him also, as they did David; but as David said, "Is there not a cause?" so, was there not a cause why our David, God's Beloved, came down from heaven and went down to the valley of Elah (death) ? A greater enemy than Goliath was to be met and overcome. David met Goliath single-handed, and with the smooth stone selected from the brook he brings down the giant; and more, with the giant's own sword cuts off his head, and then rises up and carries the head up to the king and puts it down before the throne.

David undertook and finished the whole work; all the people did was to stand by and witness the savior that day do the whole work that brought salvation to them. So with Jesus; in death He overcame him who had the power of death, that is, Satan (Heb. ii). Upon the cross He finished the whole work of atonement, by which all are saved who repent and believe the gospel.

Here is where Jonathan comes in, after this marvelous victory. He beautifully represents the Spirit's work in the young believer; his heart was knit to David's, and he loved him as his own soul. May we not say here is David's first convert ? And a fine example he is to start with. Next, he "stripped himself of the robe that was upon him and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle."David was his savior- had brought salvation to Jonathan that day, and Jonathan rightly felt nothing was too good to lay down at David's feet; he surrenders all to David. Young converts who mourn over the fact that they have to give up so much of the things of the world when they are converted, have not had the plowshare of conviction concerning sin put in very deep, and hence their apprehension of the glory of the Lord Jesus and His claims is very shallow. It was a joy for Jonathan to surrender all to David. He apprehended the true character of David's work.

The cross of Christ is where we get a glimpse of this. It is there we learn what an awful thing sin is; it is there we get a right conception of God's holiness and of God's love. Oh that our hearts took this in more seriously! there would be with us all then a more whole-hearted response to His claims upon us, and we could truthfully sing with the poet,

"I love to own, Lord Jesus,
Thy claims o'er me divine.
Bought with Thy blood most precious,
Whose can I be but thine ? "
This, I believe, Jonathan in those verses fairly illustrates to us.

(1) He loved David (ver. i).

(2) He stripped himself, a proof of his love (ver. 4).

(3) He delighted much in David (chap. 19:2).

(4) He confessed God's salvation through David to Saul, his father (chap. 19:4, 5).

(5) He visited David in the field (chap. 20:ii).

(6) He visited David again, in the wood (chap. xxiii, 16).

Yet the main point now before us is, Jonathan falls short of all we would like to have seen recorded of one who commenced so well; he does not follow David wholly. Saul, his father, now is manifested as an enemy of David; Jonathan knew this; and David flies to the outside place, the place of exile. Jonathan does not share this path with David, as others of David's company did. What a loss for Jonathan! Natural ties and social links, no doubt, were too strong for him to break, and, we doubt not, many a restless and uneasy hour he spent. He pays David two visits while he is away, but he did not enjoy walking and living with David day by day. I think we can scarcely excuse him;-although one is delicate in marking the failure of one otherwise so true and devoted to David-a life that puts some of us to shame when we consider the higher claims of David's Lord upon every one of us. Yet the Holy Spirit has recorded this lesson for us, and we would be the losers if we did not notice it and search ourselves by it. In chapter xxiii, 17, Jonathan says, " Thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee." The first was true, but the second never became so. David, according to God's purpose, ascends the throne, but Jonathan never takes the place by his side to sit next to him. And if any ask, Why ? there is but one answer:He did not step outside and walk with David day by day. How our hearts mourn this part of our lesson-that he ever returned to Saul's house on that last day when he visited David in the wood (chap. xxiii)! David and he met no more. Jonathan, we believe, was saved, and is now in the glory:this we do not doubt; but when the Philistines defeat Israel, Jonathan falls on Mount Gilboa with his father.

What a voice this has for us! and it ought to search us through and through. Is there anything holding us that hinders our following Christ day by day, and enjoying the precious word of God left to guide us through life ? May we learn from Jonathan's failure not to please ourselves, and come short, as he did. When David reached the throne, Jonathan was not there, and well he might lament, "O Jonathan, O Jonathan, I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan; very pleasant hast thou been unto me; thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women."

But who are they who share with David his kingdom ? Those who followed him in the days of his exile, those who walked with him, those who served him; and although that day is now long past, yet their names are recorded and handed down to us with their weighty lessons.

Our day, beloved, of seeing our David crowned by all is near at hand, very near; let nothing hold us back from companionship with Jesus to-day. What great blessing we shall find in it, even present blessing ! Without this, as believers, we must suffer loss -great loss; not here only, but in the glory before us. The lessons learned here are to abide; let us therefore keep the end and the glory in view, and, above all, the Lord Himself, who is coming, our David who shall reign forever.