_Come, and let us go over to the Philistine garrison._ JONATHAN’S EXPLOIT AT MICHMASH It is evident that, Saul had no thought at this time of making an attack on the Philistines. How could he, wish soldiers so poorly armed and so little to encourage them? Samuel does not appear to have been with hi... [ Continue Reading ]
_There was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side._ ROCKS ON BOTH SIDES The cruel army of the Philistines must be taken and scattered. There is just one man, accompanied by his bodyguard, to do that thing Jonathan is the hero of the scene. These two men, Jonathan and his b... [ Continue Reading ]
_There is no restraint to the Lord, to save by many or by few._ JONATHAN’S FAITH 1. This faith of Jonathan was reasonable. Some think faith mere assumption, or the result of ignorance. It is not so. Faith rests on reason. We know we can do nothing of ourselves in an emergency like that which had o... [ Continue Reading ]
_I am with thee._ THE ARMOUR BEARER WHO BACKED JONATHAN Jonathan was a brave and generous leader of men. In the picture we are to study we see Jonathan, tired of inaction, and longing to be against the enemy, suddenly determine to do a little skirmishing on his own account; and yet there was a prof... [ Continue Reading ]
_And they fell before Jonathan, and his armour bearer slew after him._ THE QUALITIES THAT WIN Sir Charles Napier, when in India, encountered an army of thirty-five thousand Belloches with two thousand men, of whom only four hundred were Europeans. He charged them in the centre up a high bank, and... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people._ GREAT ISSUES HANG ON A KING’S RASH WORD One little sentence, spoken in a moment of passion by King Henry the Second, brought a lifetime of remorse and penance and humiliation, and made him responsible for a murder w... [ Continue Reading ]
_And dipped it in an honeycomb and put his hand to his mouth._ THE HONEY OF GOD’S WORD There were three kinds of honey: 1. That which was made by bees. 2. That which was distilled from the trees. 3. That which was made from grape juice, and largely exported. The kind Jonathan ate, was doubtles... [ Continue Reading ]
_I did but taste a little honey._ A LITTLE THORN MAKES A GREAT PAIN When Admiral Blake after driving the enemy from the ocean was on his return voyage to England, he was met at the mouth of the Thames by a storm which hindered his passage and made havoc of his sails, whereupon the Admiral said in a... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the people said unto Saul, shall Jonathan die._ RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE This historical fact was recorded for our instruction; and teaches us that when a people properly remonstrate against the unlawful, unjust, or cruel conduct of their rulers, they may reasonably hope to succeed. I. I am to sh... [ Continue Reading ]