The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1889-10-31
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON Fon NOVEMBER
"David's Rebel ious SON" n. Sam,
Nv t>t2-Goidcn Tex Tx. xx.,
t2-Comments.

After the everlasting covenant made with
David concerning his son and kingdom, as
recorded in our last lesson in this book CHAP
VIII, we read of Davids great prosperity,
subduing all his enemies round about and
reigning over all Israel, executing judgment
and justice unto all his people viii. I2-15).
Then, in his prosperity, comes his awful sin,
mics Of the Lord 20 blaspheme; which is
! followed by tho record of his son Amnons
sin and his death at tho hands OF his
brother Absalom, followed by the fight of
Absalom 20 his maternal grandfather, the
| King OF Geshur, where lac abode three years
| in banishment from his father and hiss
! home (chnps XII, xiii.
! l. And 10 came 10 pass after this that
| Absnlom prepared him chariots aud horses
and fifty men TO run before him. The
/ words after this seem to refer to the events
! OF tho chapter Immediately preceding IL
/ Absaloms chariots and horses and men were
/ intended in some way to do honor, or show
gratitude 10 his father tho King IL would
seem but right and natural; but that they
should he tokcus uf rebellion against and in
/ gratitude 10 this forgiving father seems al
/ most incredible; yet such was the case.
! 2. And AbsalOm rose up early, and stood
| beside the way Of the gate The gate Of nm
eastern city was place OF public resort and
dcliberation, and also place for the admins
tration of justice and of audience for Kings
and rulers and ambassadors. Rose up
early" is an expression siCnifying great
earnestness; IL is about the same as putting
ones shoulder 10 it, IL is used ten times in
Jeremiah concerning Gods unwenricd
earnestncss in urging His people TO repent
and turn to Him. In lisa. v, II, IL is used
concerning the carncstncss of the wicked, and
in that sense IL is used in this verse of our
lesson, for here we seq Absalom in the gate
OF the city cordially greeting every pne who
came with any matter to the King for iudg
ment, telling them that there was no one ap-
pointed by the King to hear them, and assur-
ing them that " he was judge he would see
that every one had justice
/ 3, L. "Absalom said moreover. oh that |
| were made judge in the landn The title OF
our lesson Is, "David's rebcllious son. and
his name Is mentioned thirteen times in our
lesson. Everything seems 10 go 10y contrast
in reference % him; his name signifies Father
OF Peace" but what father OF lies and dis
turber OF pence he proved 90 be; then as To
his personal appearance, there was not finer
looking man in all Israel xiv, 2jl but God,
who looks on the heart and not ON the out
, ward appearance, saw anything but beauty
there. His hair, which he must have been
very proud Of and which he had cut only
once year, weighed when pollcd about
seven and n half pounds Troy IA shckcl being
about nine pennywelghtsD xiv, 26l but this,
his pride, was the cause of his death CHAP.
xviii, 81.
5, q. $50 Absalom stole the hearts OF the
men Of Israel" BY fair words TO every mau
who came 10 the King for Judgement by
taking them by the hand and kissing them.
he thus won their hearts 10 himself. David's
kiss 20 Absalom was of the same nature as
the fathers kiss to the prodigal son Uu. xv.,
20); but these kiSseso Absaom were more OF
the nature of the kiss of Judas when he be-
trayed our Lord Jesus Christ, for every one
OF them was n stab al his fathers heart.
z. let me go and pay my vow, which
have Vowad unto the Lord. in Hebron" Thus
AMI hgal Il, fnf la, ,Iv
after four years instead of forty aS in this
verse ,see X. V. mnrgn); but what IA liar he
was and how desperately wicked: there was
murder in his heart and that against his own
father, but he seeks TO hide IL under n pre-
tense OF paying n vow unto the Lord, while
all his VOWS must have been 10 tho 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
4. III tho Lord shall bring me again in
deed 10 Jerusalem. then / will serve the
Lord" This, he said, was the vow which he
had made to the Lord while in his banish-
mont in Syria Let any father or mother
who have ever re joiced over the conversion
OF a wayward son say what must have been
David's feelings on hearing these words from
his much loved but heretofore erring AbSa-
lom. oh, that he had only meant il, but
alas that the heart can become 81 hard that
Z
to deceive even God Himself
Q. "And the King said unto him. Go In
peace" Believing him To be sincere he gives
him fathers blessing and bids him 60 in
peace; but there was no peace in that foul
heart, covered by SO fair an exterior and
such plausible words for There is no peace
saith the Lord, 10 the wicked" lisa. lyii., 2D.
10. "Absalom reigneth in Hebron" No
sooner does he leave his fathers presence
with that fathers last words to him as words
OF peace than he sends spies through all Is
rael who at given signal are TO cry: "Absa-
lom regneth in Hebron" which was virtually
saying; II hereby rebel against my father
and drive him from his throne;" so David
understood IL, for he said unto all his SER
wants: "Arise, and let us flee, for we shall
not else escape from Absalom," and the SER
wants said: Behold thy servants are ready
to do whatsoever my lord the King shall APP
point (verses ii, 15l. Contrast tho conduct
Of the Kings son with this reply of David's
servants, and the conduct of Ittai, stranger
and exile (verSes l9-2l), and does IL not ro-
mind you somewhat OF the conduct Of those
of whom IL IL written "lle came unto His
own and His own received Him not, but as
many as received Him, tO them gave Ho
power TO become the sons Of God" John l.,
IL, 19)
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. II we would fol-
low Jesus IN TINS spirit, simply trusting, not
knowing nor desiring anything but His will
what blessed people we would be and what
glory He would get through us; but 10 fol-
low leader like Absalom thus blindly is sure
perdition-
l2. "rhe people increased continually with
Absalom.' How thoughtlessy the crowd
will follow popular leader How multi
tudes turn away from the God Of truth and
His dear Son to listen 10 an Ingersoll. Ii
a railroad company will run its cars TO some
mountain park or seaside resort on the Lords
day, what multitudes will turn away from
the God of the Sabbath and His loving COM
mandments TO do evil. II n city will tolerate
Sunday baseball what thoughless crowds will
dock thither. And so in all directions an in
creasing multitude is ever following the one
whom Absalom followed, and who would love
TO destroy Jesus, the King Of Kings, and all
/ His fallaxyara Il Hslnsr