Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1895-12-06

rs. And Saul armed David with his ar
NOR " In the intervening verses since last
lesson we sec David refreshing Saul with
his harp, greatly loved by him, having be-
come his armor bearer (chaptcr xvi, 81,
23) He aftcrward returned to feed his ia
theirs sheep AT Bethlehem xvii, 15). The
r. v says that he went to and fro be-
tween Saul and Bethlehem But now the
armies of Israel and of the Philistincs are
face to face and the hosts of Israel are de
fled by the giant, Goliath of Gath. David,
having come from home to see how his
brethren Jared and observing how the God
of Israel was being dishonorcd offered to
fight and conquer the giant Saul, hearing
his story of trust in the Lord oversees "a to
30, accepts his offer and clothes him with
his armor.
80. II cannot go with these, for l have
not proved them" Everything like nat
ural strength or human helps is apt to
prove a hindrancc in the Lords work II
it was to be a test between flesh and flesh
armor and armor, Saul, who was head and
shoulders above the people. should have
gone forth to meet Goliath. David is but
shepherd youth, and if God will work
through him it must be apart from human
devices
40 And he took his staff in his hand
and chose him five smooth stones out of
the brook. " Being a shepherd, he went
forth as such in his true character. Moses
went from Keeping sheep to conquer Pha-
raoh Our Lord Jesus Christ is the good
and great and chief Shepherd who will yer
humble all His foes. The sling and stones
David had proved, and he may have had
skill like the 700 left handed Bcniamitcs
of .Iudg. Xxx, Is But the Lord was surely
with him.
Al, ~ ''Whcn the Philistine looked
about and saw David, he distaincd him.
They drew nigh to each other, the mighty
man of flesh with his armor bearer before
him, and the ruddy youth of fair counte-
nance with no armor and no visible com
panion. The many thousands of Israel
and of the Philstines looked on in wonder
but there were unseen hosts looking on
too, and the Lord Himself was there, but
not with the Philistinc.
10. A 1.-The Philistine cursed David by
his gods. The flesh disdains the spirit
and moclls as when Ishmacl Knocked Isaac
But the carnal mind knows not the Lord
Consider these two upon whom both earth
and heaven were now intcntly gazing
The PhiliStinc 9 feet & inches high, with
armor weighing over 200 pounds. spear
with n staff like u weaver ; beam and "a
head Weighing about 90 pounds, and an at
tendant to bear his shield; David a youth
in a shepherds dress, alone, with but his
staff and sling. The Philistne strong in
his own might and cursing as he came;
David in reliance upon the Lord and with
Il praycrful heart.
10 II come to thee in the name of the
Lord of Hosts, the God of the armies Of
Israel, whom thou hast dcfed" Goliath
represented himself but David represented
God. As truly us Jesus Christ represented
the Father when He WAS here on earth in
il mortal body, and the Father spoke
through Him, and wrought through Him;
so we like. David and Moses and Joshua
and Gideon and the apostles may and
should represent the Lord Jesus and the
Father in our mortal bodies \ whole
hearted yielding to Him, and relying upon
Him, with no aim but to honor Him will
demonstrate (Jcr. xxxiii. 81
46. THAT all the earth may know that
there is IA God in Israel. Seeking nothing
for himself, but only to magnify Jehovah
and lift His numc out of the rcpruach
resting upon it, David went forth with his
heart stayed upon Him who had delivered
HIM from the lion and the bear. Could our
churches get rid of the ambition to mag
Nifty themselves and their denominations,
and live only to magnify the Lord. they
would soon STE His power ON their behalf
I'll Chron. xvi, -.
n. "Thc battle is the Lords" See also
II Chron. XX, -. 1t is not sword or
spear, bur the Lord who shall work Not
by might nor 10y power, but by My spirit.
saith the Lord of Hosts (Icch iv, 81.
Consider the passage through the Red sea,
and the Jordan, rs we'll as the dcliverance
from Egypt. Consider the walls of .Jcr-
icho also, and let us, like Moses and Josh
ua, put off our shoes and keep them off,
lest we hinder the Lord of Hosts by think
ing that the work is ours and by making
suggestions to Him as 10 how things ought
to be done. Oh, to keep our hands off and
stop attempting 10 steady the ark. We
must also studiously avoid all the 'ncw
cart" business
IS, ~. " David haSted and ran toward
the army to meet the Philistine" The
crisis is on; all eyes are upon these two
men, Whatan exciting moment! \ stone
is quickly in David's sling, swiftly it flies
around his head and is on its way with
unerring aim to its destination. 1t strikes
the giant ON the forehead, sinks into his
head, and he falls upon his face to the
earth. David Is Victor-no; the Lord of
Hosts Is the victor, and little David is the
happy vessel used by God, because his aim
was TO magnify Jehovah.
90 so David prevailed over the Philis-
tine with IA sling and with IA stone" God
chooses weak things and things which are
not to bring to naught things which are,
that no flesh may glory in His presence.
When Nehemiah finished the wall with the
aid of the merchants and goldsmiths and
apothecarics and women, it is written that
Ibis enemies perceived that the work was
wrought of God" (Neh. vi, l6). Had the
workmen been well skilled in the art of
building stone walls, then they would
have had the credit Had David been "a
mighty man and warrior he might have
had the credit, but now it is clearly of God,
and Israel is rebuked for her lack of faith
in Him.
IL Slain by the stone from David's
sling. David now takes the giants own
sword and cuts off his head and brings it
in his hand To Saul. The Philistines flee,
Israel pursucs and there is IA great victory,
for the Lord hath done it. Let us become
akillful in using the stones from the
brook, the precious things from the word