The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-10-05
THE TRIses UNDER DAVID.
Sunday School Lesson Nel
October @, 1889.

LESSON TExr-2 Sam. 5:l-12.
GOLDEN TExr-Beho!d how good and how
pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together
In unity.-Ps. 1881.
CENTRAL TRUTH-Let all the ends thou
aim'st at be thy country's, thy Gods and
truths.
TME-B. c. 1913, seven and half years
after Saups death. David reigned ut
Hebron seven and half years, B. Z. 1856
104S, when he was made King over all
Israel.
PLAcE-u) Hebron, twenty miles south OF
Jerusalem, Davids capital while he reigned
over Judah. (a) Jerusalem, now first
brought fully into possession OF the Israel
ties, and made the capital Of the united ma
ton.
PARALLEL ACCoUNTs-1 Chron. II 10, and
HI,2.
DAvID-In the thirty eighth year Of his
age, having reigned over Judah alone for
seven and half years. He was the son OF
Jesse, born in Bethlehem, strong, brave, Q
soldier, poet, O musician, q statesman.
israel As SAUL LEFT IT-W The country
was divided and on the border Of long
civil war. (2) 1t was largely in subsection
to Philistine enemies. (N The state OF
religion was at low ebb.
DAVID BECOMES KING OF JUDAH-Imme-
diately after Saups death His capital was
at Hebron. The other tribes were led by
Abner, the late Kings commander-in-chief,
to place upon the throne SauPs remaining
| son, Ishbosheth. His capital was at
Mahanaim, in Cad, beyond Jordan. For
five years Abner was reconquering the
country; then Ishbosheth reigned two
years. At length Abner revolted to David,
and Ishb0sheth was murdered.
HELPS ovEa HARD PLACEs-1. AL the
tribes: 389, 900 men and I ,224 chiefs Il Chron.
70 :23.4O), q national assembly with their
chiefs. Saying: they give their reasons.
Thy bone, etc kinship. 2. Thou leddcst out,
ETC.: military capacity. The Lord said;
Divine choice The first and third reasons
accord with Deut. 17;l5. g. Made league bc-
fore the Lord: King and people entered into
q solemn covenant with God, whose sub.
iects both were 6. Jerusalem: Hebron was
too far south for the capital Jerusalem
was the best capital. Q) It was central. ~
It was on the borders Of two tribes, and
chiefly within Benjamin, the smallest tribe,
and therefore least likely to excite jealousy.
(3) 1t was close by David's own tribe,
Judah. az AS q military post it was un.
|
by deep ravines. () 1t was selected under
Divine direction q Kings 1885. The
,Jebusites: one OF the Canaanite tribes. They
held the citadel, while Jews and heather
lived IN the city below. Except thou take
array, ETC.: better, "thou shalt not come
thither; but the blind and lame shall keep
thee or" They felt that their position was
so strong that even blind and lame soldiers
| .S.I Aso J.
the taunt of the Jebusitcs aroused David's
indignation. 10. David 0reU great: ~ He
had united kingdom. ~ He made alli-
ances with some nations (3) He con-
ouered all the rest. ~ The bounds OF the
empire were greatly enlarged. (5) There
was great wealth and prosperity. 6)
There was wonderful revival Of religion
and development Of religious institutions.
LESSON FACTs-A few words Of review
will be necessary. Saul and Jonathan be-
| ing dead, David went to Hebron TO live
there the men of judah anointed him King
over their tribe e Sam. 2:l-O. He reigned
as King over Judah for seven years and
half. During these years Ishbosheth, one
Of Sauls sons, was proclaimed King over
the rest of the tribes, and war ensued be.
tween Judah and Israel. Sauls party, how.
ever, was at last completely defeated, and
Ishbosheth slain. Then the tribes Of Israel
submitted to the inevitable and came to
David to offer him the throne of Israel, az
well as that of Judah. This brings US to
the lesson. Question on the lesson-text, as
usual, bringing out the main facts, as FOL
lows; The offer of the kingdom to David
Tvs. 49,; David's age and length of reign
Tvs. 4, 81; the assault and capture of Jeru-
salem, to be Davd's capital Tvs. 6-0;
Davids occupation of Jerusalem, and his
subsequent advance in power, both at home
and abroad Tvs. CID; and, finally, David's
realization of Gods plans for him and the
real reason why God had exalted his King.
dom q. ~.
| CoMMENTs-Taking as a central thought,
"After darkness, dawn" the teacher may
develop it in a twofold manner. Our lesson
has a twofold illustration Of this truth
first, in David's outer life and circum-
stances, and, second, in his inward exper-
fences. Take first his brighter outward
life. While Saul was living, David lived
the life Of fugitive. In spite Of all the
Kings promises, matters went from bad to
worse, until David could with truth say:
"As the Lord liveth, there is but step be.
tween me and death" During all this time
David's faith in Gods word must have
been severely tried. He might well have
said: "Where is Gods promsea II am to
be King, why does He allow me to DO
hunted about like wild beast by this
wicked Saul, whose life l have spared so
often?" But even as the longest lane has o
turning, so David's years Of trial came to q
close and as the darkest night has dawn
ing, so David's outward gloom was dis
PEELED. The change came gradually. First,
the amounting as real King over Judah.
This brought with it responsibilities and
trials, which David met with great vigor
and wisdom. Then came an extension Of
his sway, for he was received as ruler over
all Israel.
In his inward life, too, David was making
progress. There is always danger that
when man grows great and powerful, he
will arrogate to himself the credit and say !:
sMine own right arm hath gotten me the
victory" In those cases where much ad-
versity has been patiently endured las in
the case of David, there is danger that q
man may even become spiritually pulled up
with a conceit Of his own sanctity; or at
the very least, when4 imam comes out OF
lowly life into one OF great power, prom
inence and luxury, there is great danger
that he may grow selfish. All these dangers
| 20 no x-nidnA ayi1opfiU