The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-10-30
SABBATH SCHOOL,
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
NOVEMBER 8. -
Lesson Text: "David's RebeIlious
Son." III Sam. -xv., 1-12-Golden*t - !,
Text: Elk. Xxx. 12-Con-
mentary.

|
David concerning his son and kingdom, as
! recorded in our last lesson in this book (chapy
! vii. J. we read of David's great prosperityy
subduing all his enemies round about and
reigning over all Israel, executing Judgment
i and justice unto all his people (viii., LSl5ls
+! Then, in his prosperity, comes his awful sinx
! by which he gave great occasion to the enc;
followed by the record Of his son Amnon's
sin and his death at the hands Of his
brother Absalom, followed by the fight Of,
Absalom to his maternal grandfather, the
King of Geshur, where he abode three yearS
in Punishment from his father and his
honle CHAPS. Il, xiiD. Il
| 1. "And it came to pass after this, that
! Absalom prepared him chariots and horses
; and fifty men to run before him. The
| words 'after this' seem to refer to the events,
! of the chapter Immediately preceding. IL
| Absaloms chariots and horses and men were
intended in some way to do honor, or show
! gratitude to his father, the King, it would
seem but right and natural; but that they
should be tokens Of rebellion against and in
most Incredible; yet such was the case.
2. And Absalom rose up early, and stood.
beside the way Of the gate.n The gate Of ah
eastern city was place Of public resort anI.
dellberation, and also place for the adminis
tration Of justice, and OF audience for Kings
and rulers and ambassadors. HRose up
early" is an expression signifying great
earnestness; it is about the same as "puttinS
ones shoulder to it;;n it is used ten times in:
jeremiah concerning Gods unwearief
earnestness in urging His people to repent
and burn to Him. In Isa. ", II, it Is used
concerning the earnestness of the wicked, and
in that sense it Is used in this verse of our.
lesson, for here we see Absalom in the gaSe
of the city cordially greeting every one who
came with any matter to the King for judgN
meN1t, telling them that there was no one ar&
pointed by The King tohear them, aad assnfei
ing taem that if he was a judge he would SEE
that every one had justice. -
g. 4. "Absalom said moreover, Oh thaS T.
were made judgein the land.n The title ofs
our lesson is, 'David's rebellious son, and
his name is mentioned thirteen times In our
lesson. Everything seems to go by contrast
in reference to him; his name signifies Father
of Peace" but what father Of lies and dis.
turber Of peace he proved to be; then as to-:
his personal appearance, there was nota finer
looking man in all Israel xiv, 26 but God
who looks on the heart and not on the out33 Z
ward appearance, saw anything but beauty.
there. His hair, which he must have BEEN
very proud of, and which he had cut onlN
once year, weighed when polled about
about nine pennyweightsl xiv, 20; but this;
his pride, was the cause Of his death CHAP.
xviii, 81. Is
s, 6. $50 Absalom stole the hearts Of the
men Of Israel" By fair words to every man
who came to the King for Judgement by
taking them by the hand and kissing them,s
he thus won their hearts to himself. David's
kiss to Absalom was Of the same nature as
the fathers kiss to the prodigal SON fLusxygs
2O; but these kissesof Absalom were moro Of
the nature of the kiss of Judas when he be-
trayed our Lord Jesus Christ, for every one
Of them was stab at his fathers heart
z. "Let me go and pay my VOW, which T.
have vowed unto the Lord, in Hebron Thus
said Absalom to David, the King, probably.
after four years instead Of forty as IN this
verse tsee R. " marginl; but what liar he s
murder in his heart and that against his own
father but he seeks to hide it under pre-,
tense Of paying VOW unto the Lord, while
all his VOWS must have been to the devil
rather than to the Lord; and that he should
select Hebron for his base purpose where lay
buried the bodies of Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob indicates only more fully the extreme
hardness Of his heart. *
8. IF the Lord shall bring me again in
deed to Jerusalem. then will servo the;
Lord" This, he said, was the VOW which he J
had made to the Lord while in his banish-
ment in Syria. Let any father or mother
who have ever rejoiced over the conversion
Of q wayward son say what must have been
David's feelings on hearing these words from
his much loved but heretofore erring Absa-
lon1. Oh, that he had only meant 1t, but
alas that the heart can become 50 hard that
it can put on religion for cloak and think INK
9. Sand the King said unto him, Go in
peace" Believing him to be sincere he gives
him fathers blessing and bids him go in
peace; but there was no peace in that foul
heart, covered by so fair an exterior end
such plausible words, for 'There is no peace
10. "Absalom reigneth in Hebron" No
sooner does he leave his fathers presence
with that fathers last words to him as words
of peace, then he sends spies through all Is
rael who at a given signal are to cry: "Absa-
lom reisneth in Hebron which was virtually
saying: II hereby rebel against my father
and drive him from his Thrones" 50 DAVID
understood it, for he said unto all his SER
wants: "Ariss, and let US fee, for we shall
wants said: "Behold thy servants are ready
to do whatsoever my lord the King shall ap-
point" (verses IA, 15). Contrast the conduct
of the Kings son with this reply OF Day1ds
servants, and the conduct Of Ittai, O stranger
and exile (verses 1921, and does 1t not re-
mind you somewhat of the conduct OF those
of whom it is written: He came unto HIS
OWL anu Ills OWL TGCtlSco ltiiAl hoSf oub
many as received Him, to them gave He.
power to become the sons of God" John l.,
IL, 1877 -
IL. 'They went in their simplicity and
they knew not anything" This is written
of the two hundred men out of Jerusalem
who went with Absalom. If we would fol-.
low Jesus in this spirit, simply trusting, not
knowing nor desiring anything but bis VIII
what blessed people we would be and what
glory He would get through us; but to fol-;
low leader like Absalom thus blindly IS sure
perdition.
10. 1.-THE people increased continually with
Absalom" How thoughtlessly the crowd
will follow a popular leader. How muttl;s..
tudes turn away from the God Of truth ana
His dear Son to listen to an Ingersol. II
railroad company will run its cars to some,
mountain park or seaside resort or the Lords
day, what multitudes will turn away from
the God of the Sabbath and His loving COM.
mandments to do evil. If city will tolerate
Sunday baseball what thoughless crowds WIZ
aock thither: And so in all directions an
creasing multitude is ever following tho Sis
whom Absalom followed, and who would love
to destroy Jesus the King Of Kings, ana all
His folloHers.-Lesson Re2pcr.
AT q dinner not long ago Wukle
Collins related instances proving how
impossible it was to introduce into
novel descriptions of places and things