The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-10-02
ALL UNITED UNDER DAVID

LESSON I, FOURTH QUARTER, IN
TERNATloNAL SERIES, OCT. 6.
Text of the Lesson, II Sam. v, 1-12-Com-
init Verses 1-s-Golden Text. Psalms
cxxxiii, documentary by the Rev. d.
Nj. Stearns.
Compiled from Lesson Helper Quarterly by per
mission of q. S. Hoffman, publisher, PhDadel
phia-l
l. "Then came all the tribes Of Israel to
David unto Hebron" After the death Of
Saul and his sons, as recorded in the last les
son, the way seemed open for David to take
the throne to which be had been anointed
years before, and for which he had so pa
tiently waited; not taking matters into his
own hands and ridding himself of his enemy as
he might have done on several occasions, but
calmly waiting Gods own time and way.
2. when Saul was king over us, thou
vast he that leddeSt out and broughtest in
Israel" They remembered how David, and
not Saul, slew Goliath and delivered them
from the Philistines, and how David after
wards led forth 80 successfully the armies Of
Israel q Sam. XVIII; but the wonder Is that
they did not think Of this sooner.
s'And the Lord said to thee, Thou shalt
feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a
captain over Israel" Why, then, not carry
out the Lords wishes long ere thisi Let the
questions come home. We know that the
s-lx k,.1 I,s~ ~ oil RI 10
Jesus, heir Of all things; that He
shall be king over all the earth;
that to Him all kings shall fall down,
and all nations serve Him (Heb. |, q; Zech.
xiv, 81; we know also that Zion cannot be
rebuilt till the fullness Of the Gentiles be
come in, and the Lord appear in His glory
Rom. ii, 25; Ps. eli, 49,; and we know that
the will Of the Lord is that the Gospel Of the
kingdom shall be preached in all the world
for witness unto all nations, that thus the
end may come (Matt. xiv, ~; knowing
these things, why does not every church, and
every individual believer, rise up and do
something to hasten the time when Jesus shall
be king over all the earth, by striving to
their utmost to preach the Gospel to every
creaturei You answer.
3. "They anointed David king over Israel. "
So the Lord had decreed, and so it finally
came to pass, for every purpose Of the Lord
shall be performed. David does not upbraid
them because of their delay, nor complain Of
their past treatment, but meekly makes a
league with them before the Lord He sees
God, and not men, and Is still
4. David was thirty years old when
he began to reign, and he reigned forty
years" Then all his rejection, humiliation
and sufferings came to him as a young man;
30 it was also with Jesus our Saviour and
coming King. Young men and women are
apt to think it hard to have to suffer and be
humiliated; let them remember David and
Jesus, and that it is written, "It Is good for a
man that he bear the yoke in his youth"
S. "In Hebron = seven years and
six months; and In Jerusalem
thirty-three years" 1t is very profitable in
Bible study to associate places with the events
which occurred there. Hebron, city Of
Judah, some twenty miles south Of Jerusalem,
will ever be delightful place to the Bible
student, not only because Of David's two
anointings and his seven years reign, but also
because Of its earlier associations with Abra-
ham, Isaac and Jacob, Joshua and Caleb;
there lies, still sacredly guarded, the dust Of
the patriarchs, and from the cave Of Mach
pelah shall yet come forth their glorif1ed bod
les. Jerusalem, Of all cities that have ever been
or ever will be, stands first; there our Lord
was crucifed, there His precious blood flowed
FORTH in Pilates hall, in Gethsemane and on
Calvary, there He was buried and there He
rose from the dead; from thence He assembled
H. ;rhf If GoI nd fhithor
shall return in power and glory to rebuild
sequently the capital Of the whole earth.
Ps eli, IL; Jer iii, II, 49,
G "And the king and his men went to Je
rusalem with the Jebusitel" The old name
of Jerusalem was Jebus; it was a great
stronghold, and We read that neither the
children of Judah nor Benjamin could drive
out the inhabitants, but they were allowed
to dwell there with Israel Il Chron xi, 4,
S; Josh. Nv, IS; Judges 1, 21.) This was q
standing disgrace to Israel during all their
history since Joshua led them into the Land
up to this time; and now, when David de-
termines to wipe out this disgrace, he is told
by these defers Of God and His people that
the blind and the lame are able to hold the
fort against him.
TO. "Nevertheless, David took the strong
hold Of Zion; 50 David dwelt In
the fort and called it the City Of David" he
who in the name of the God Of Israel slew
Goliath went forth in the same great name
against these enemies of God and proved the
faithfulness Of Him who had said There shall
no man be able to stand before thee" Oeut.
vii, a. The Jebusites had nevse before had to
contend with one who 80 relied upon the God
of Israel, and therefore they knew not His
power, and treated Him and His professed
people with contempt. There are In our
churches Of today, and in the hearts Of many
who are called Christians, both preachers and
hearers, strong corners which are held by the
enemy, and which ought to be possessed by
the Spirit for the glory Of God; but the en-.
emy has 50 long been permitted to hold un.
disputed possession that he laughs at any
attempt to dislodge him, and 80 believers and
churches are overcome instead Of being over.
comers
TO- "And David went on and grew great,
and the Lord God Of hosts wss with Him.
Going and growing are the two words In the
margin; thus should every believer daily ad-
vance, growing In grace and In the knowl-
edge Of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
U Pet. iii, 49,, our motto being 'stil upward,
still upward, still upwardr" remembering