The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-08-30
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
SEPTEMBER 4.
Lesson Text: David and Goliath p
Sam. xviii, 825f-Goldcn Texts
ltom. will, 31-Commentary
on tho Lesson.

SScn, tue spirit OF the Lord departed from
Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled
him tchap. xvi, 1l; and that evil spirit IL
mentioned five times In tho closing verses OF
the chapter, az well as In chaps xviii, 10:
XIX, - 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 bis amounting, returned TO the
care OF his fathers sheep: Saul having
learned ss that he was a skillful player ON the
hntarp. sent FOR him that he might thus quiet
him when troubled with the evil spirit, and
so he became Saurs armor bearer, but seems
TO have at times returned to feed his fathers
sheep at Bethlehem xvii, 16.
hssr. ~: And A David said to Saul Let no msn's
Israel and of the Philistines were I'm battle
array upon two mountains facing each other,
and between them lay valley; for forty
DAYS, morning and evening, Goliath, the
and cried for some man Of Israel to come and
night with him, saying, II he kill me we viii
oe your servants, and IL kill him You will
be our servants. Thus he defied or reproached
the ormies OF Israel, and inasmuch as he was
man over nine feet high, his coat of mail
weighing over $50 pounds, and tho head of
MS spear about twenty pounds, no man in
israel was willing to try battle with him.
among oil the thousands Of Israel there was
no one from the King down, who had faith
enough in COD to contend with this proud, de-
liant and wicked adversary. AZ this time
LAW" oINcS III Ctup, UTluRl0R ITOfn nOmG
some food for his brethren and a present for
the captain OF their thousand, and, seeing
how matters stood, expressed surprise that
the armies OF the living God should be defied
oy man, and he an uncircumcised Philis-
tine. He is brought before Saul and SAYS to
him The words Of this verse.
80. And Saul said to David, Thou art
not able" Saul, like all his soldiers, saw only
with his natural eyes, and looking upon
Davids youth and apparent inexperience in
mDttCrS of said. Thou tfh Init
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 Saufs
eyes 1t was simply 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
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
far greater reality than this mass Of defiant
was but a youth and unskilled i'm the art OF
war, he knew the Living God aud had per-
sonal dealings with Him.
81. '"rhe Lord that delivered me,
will deliver me-" This sounds like the great
apostle to the Gentiles when he said: II wns
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" III Tim. iv., II, 1s. What simple
confidence in God, what grand assurances:
md yet so many Christians cannot get be,
yond II hope 1t is we'll with me-" II trust
am n child of God"
3s, 3d. And David said, cannot 90 with
these; for have not proved them." When
the Living God, he said, "Go, and the Lord
be with thee;" then he armed David with his
armor and David assayed to 20, but he was
glad to put it off, for he was not accustomed
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 .;e Philistipe
Putting on the 6sFFlii5r which he had not
Prccvea'~ Us took his staff and with his sling
in his hand, which he had proved, he chose
Ave 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 well 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 un-
belief Or fear or proud defancs. How many
In your Bible have you already marked
4l44 "When 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-
QueTeu ana tne SplrlJ VIII prevail.
As. Thou contest with sword, spear and
shield but como 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.
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
1 fhn.A Dc GN~<lf f.> al -t--A
God will do, and that through him as the In
| strument, but the object will be to honor
God and not David. Had there been I'm
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 aud He will give YOU
into our hands," See how David is nothing
and God is everything; it is Paurs cry, "Not
(Gal. it,, 90; Cor. xv., 10Y.
AZ, 40. David hasted, and ran toward tho
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
| 80 sends with deadly aim, and more than
human power, a stone from his we'll tried
sling. In an instant the giant falls upon his
| face to the earth, tho stone having sunk into
his forehead. Where is now his strength or
cursed David9 HIS has ceased to reproach the
God Of Israel, his tongue is silent In death.
| God could have done it as easily without
David's help, but He chose thus to honor His
servant who delighted to honor Him.
80. $50 David prevailed over the Philis-
tine with a 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, and whose heari
| departeth from the Lord" "Al flesh Il
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
| tine, and took his sword Nhe giant's), =
| 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 "a death, that is the
devil Heb. ILL.,, 14); thus Staying him with hi:
own weapon; and although he is still roar.
ing lion going about seeking whom he may
devour, he isa conquered lion; and the God
| OF Peace will most effectually and forever
| bruise him under our feet shortly. As faithful
frII ,ofk IA