News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1889-08-29
THE |. S. s. LESSON.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
SEPTEMBER 1.

oHl L.
Lesson Text: david and Goliath. .
Sam. xvii. 30 -51-GoIden
Text Rom. viii, 81
Commentary.
After the spirit of the Lord came nightly
upon David, as we learned in last weeks les
son, the spirit of the Lord departed from
Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled
him (chap. xvi, IA; and that evil spirit is
mentioned five times in the closing verses of
the chapter, as well as in chaps. xviii, 10;
xix, 9. Saul, having refused to obey God
and follow Him. is simply left by God to the
guidance of the one whom he preferred.
David, after his amounting, returned to the
care of his fathers sheep: Saul having
learned that he was q skilIful player on the
harp sent for him that he might thus quiet
him when troubled with the evil spirit, and
SO he became Saul's armor bearer, but seems
to have at times returned to feed his fathers
sheep at Bethlehem xvii, 15).
30. And David said to Saul, Let no mans
heart fail because of him" The armies of
Israel and of the Philistines were in battle
array upon two mountains facing each other
and between them lay a valley: for forty
days, morning and evening, Goliath, the
giant, the champion of the Philistines. stood
anu u leu IOl lIldll VI lSTd6l TO come ana
fight with him, saying, If he kill me we will
be your servants, and if l kill him you will
be our servants. Thus he defied or reprOached
the armies of Israel, and inasmuch as he was
a man over nine feet high, his coat of mail
weighing over $50 pounds, and the head of
his spear about twenty pounds, no man in
Israel was willing to try battle with him.
David had three brothers in the army but
among all the thousands of Israel there was
no one, from the King down, who had faith
enough in God to contend with this proud, de-
faint and wicked adversary. At this time
David arrives in camp, bringing from home
some food for his brethren and present for
the captain of their thousand, and, seeing
how matters stood, expressed surprise that
the armies of the living God should be detied
by man, and he an uncircumcised Philis-
tine. He is brought before Saul and says to
him the words of this verse.
SO. "And Saul said to David, Thou art
not able" Saul, like all his soldiers, saw only
with his natural eyes, and looking upon
David's youth and apparent inexperience in
matters of war, said: Thou art but a youth,
while this Philistine is man of war from his
youth, and therefore thou art not able to go
against him to fight with him. In SauPs
eyes it was simply a question of man against
man, and SO it seemed to be in the eyes of all
Israel and the God of Israel the Lord God
Of Hosts, was not thought of, much less relied
upon. How could a people whose history
from their very beginning was so full of the
mighty power of God on their behalf ever
forget Him or fail to trust in Him
34-36. HE hath defied the armies of the
Living God" The Living God was to David
a far greater reality than this mass of defiant
and disappearing flesh and blood. If David
was but a youth and unskilled in the art of
war, he knew the Living God and had per-
sonal dealings with Him.
81. '"The Lord that delivered me, s. 4
will deliver me-" This sounds like the great
l..
delivered out of the mouth of the lion; and
the Lord shall deliver me from every evil
work, and will preserve me unto His heavenly
kingdom" II Tim. iv., II, IS. What simple
confidence in God, what grand assurance;
and yet SO many Christians cannot get be
yond II hope it is well with me.' Il trust l
am child of God"
IS, 49, ''And David said, | cannot go with
these; for l have not proved them" When
Saul saw the grand confidence of David in
the Living God, he said, go, and the Lord
be with thee" then he armed David with his
armor and David assayed to 60 but he was
glad to put it off, for he was not accustomed
to rely upon such helps. He had no armor
but the presence of God when he slew the
lion and the bear, and he would go now with
the same.
40 'And he drew near to the Philistine"
Putting off the armor which he had not
proved, he took his staff and with his sling
in his hand, which he had proved, he chose
five smooth stones out of the brook, and put
ting them into his shepherds bag he went
forth. We can only use in the service of
God the truths which we have proved in our
own daily life; what we have not eaten for
our own benefit we cannot we'll give to
others. The Bible brooks are full of stones,
each of which, told forth in the power of the
Spirit is capable of killing any giant of I'M
belief or fear or proud defiance. How many
in your Bible have you already marked
tried and proved.
Ala. ''Vyhen the Philistine looked about
and saw David he disdained him" So the
flesh always despises the Spirit. just as Ish
mael Knocked Isaac, but the flesh shall be con-
quered and the Spirit will prevail.
As. Thou contest with sword, spear and
shield; but 1 come in the name of the Lord
of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel,
whom thou hast defied." Goliath repre-
sented simply himself and his own power
and skill; but David thought nothing of him
self; he represented the Lord OF Hosts, the
God of Israel, and the question was not what
could David do, but what could he do in
whose name David went forth.
49, THAT all the earth may know that
there is a God in Israel" David says what
God will do and that through him as the in
strument5, but the object will be to honor
God and not David. Had there been in
David's heart any desire for his own fame he
could not have gone forward so confidently
AZ. "All this assembly shall know that the
Lord saveth not with sword and spear; for
the battle is the Lords and He will give you
into our hands" See how David is nothing
and God is everything; it is Paufs cry, Not
L, but Christi mot 1, but the Grace of God"
(Gal. H., 20; Cor. XIV, 10.
AZ, 40. David hasted, and ran toward the
army to meet the Philistine." What a
moment of intensest interest it is as David
now runs to meet his enemy, and as he does
so sends with deadly aim, and more than
human power, a stone from his well tried
sling In an instant the giant falls upon his
face to the earth, the stone having sunk into
his forehead. Where is now his strength or
the power of his gods in whose name he had
God of Israel, his tongue is silent in death.
God could have done it easily without
David's help, but He chose thus to honor His
servant who delighted to honor Him.
so so David prevailed over the Philis-
tine with sling and with a stone" The
giants great stature helmet of brass coat of
mail, greaves and spear and sword were in
a moment rendered worthless by the God di-
rected stone from the shepherds sling.
''CurSed be the man that truSteth in man,
and maketh flesh his arm, aud whose heart
departeth from the Lord" 'All flesh is
grass, and all the goodness thereof is as the
flower of the field; but the word of our God
shall stand forever"
81. David ran, and stood upon the Philis-
tire, and took his sword (the giants,
and cut Off his head Herewith" Thus the great
defer of God lost his head by his own sword.
Death seems to be Satan's mightiest weapon,
but our David has through death destroyed
him that had the power of death, that is the
devil Heb H., IA; thus Staying him with his
own weapon; and although he is still roar
ing lion going about seeking whom he may
devour, he is a conquered lion; and the God
of Peace will most effectually and forever
bruise him under our feet shortly. As faithful
followers of the Lord Jesus Christ let us seek
to become skillful in the use of the sword of
the Spirit, which is the Word of God, that
with it we may effectually slay and give no
quarter to the giants of pride, self will love
Of praise, SANDER backbiting, envy, and all
the others who under their leader are con-
stantly attacking us, and whom we too often
allow to overcome us and thus bring reproach
on the name of the only Living and True
God.-LesSon Helper.
SEVEN years ago Bridget Miller, of
Saratoga, obtained divorce from her
She paid Saratoga law
,er $75 for his services in connection
With the case. One day last week she