Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-12-05
Lesson for Dec. 8.

view Oh the same.
Lesson for Dec. 3.
Golden Text-"The battle is the
Lords s."-1 Sam. II: A.
David and Goliath Is the subject Of this
lesson. Sam. IT. 3S-51.. David girded
for battle. Cheese and bread exchanged
for sword and sling. He came down
with basket of provisions in his hand.
When next we see him he carries a
weapon of warfare and then Goliath's
head. Thus, in swift dramatic moves,
does Providence thrust the man of destiny
TO the front. But it is after all just the
David of the sheep-folds that draws nigh
to the Philstine champion at the last
He puts off Sauls armor; he has not
proven it. At last 1t is but the STRIPPING
David that confronts the giant. David
and God! For there is somewhat that
the shepherd youth has proven. He has
proven God; and with God he goes forth
Goliath disdained David when he saw
him. 1t is not strange. Before V. 10 he
had cried boastingly, Give me man"
And now here they have sent an un-
AIMED youth. Are they making sport of
him? He curses David by the gods.
Goliath's eyesight is poor. He sees only
David; he does not see God. 1t is the
way with Phiistias giants always. A
beam in the eye and after Il while Il
stone in the forehead.
'In the name of the Lord of hosts" so
spoke David. Thou cemest to me with
n sword, and with a spear, and with
shield, but / come to thee in the name of
the Lord of hosts" That name was
enough, match for sword and spear and
shield. Try il. "In Judah is God known;
his name is great in Israel. In Salem al
so is his tabernacle, and his dwelling
place in Zion. There brake he the ar
rows of the bow, the shield, and the sword
and the battle" FPS. 76: 1-3) David
also had his panoply he was tabernacled
with God. "One bearing a shield went
also before him-the angel of the coven-
ant.
Holy boldness characterized David
here, II confidence born of God. There
is n God in Israel" he said and that all
the people might know it he went forth
"For the battle is the Lords. and he will
give you into our hands" Evidently this
was not n spirit of reckless bravado. 1t
was prophecy. David was as much pos
sessed here by the Spirit of God as at the
moments of his highest illumination when
he penned his inspired psalms.
And now he is running toward the
giant; see he is whirling his shepherd
sling round and round; there he has let
fly. And look. see the giant. He has
thrown up his hands, he is tottering, his
knees are bending beneath him. and with
laundering crash of spear and armor he
has lain his length upon the earth. And
there is David, the STRIPPING David, his
foot upon the PROSTATE giant. Just
glance across the valley; Philistia in con-
fusion preparing to flee. Among Israel
a moments awe-struck silence and then
a mighty shout. All, yes, Israel is ready
now, after the event. but where was her
hope and courage before? That fireman
who climbed the dizzy ladder amid breath
less silence and rescued the imperiled life
in the upper window to be greeted with
huzzas as he laid the burden on the
ground, spoke with something of just
rebuke when he said, "Why didn't you
shout while l was up there! Church
of God. looking on while some David,
singled-handed, takes the field in faith,
lift shout; lift it now!
Illustrations.
Eenter David upon the scene! Gods
man to the fore, and new day for Israel.
Often upon our days of impotence there
come by heavens grace, these men Of
might, Gods might. SO came Wesley,
Whitfield, Jabez Swan, Jacob Knapp,
Dwight l.. Moody. The revivals of ITO,
1926, 1859 1875 were like advents from
the skies God sent his David forth to
break the dull, dead apathy of the church.
A brave stand for God is what is want
ed to-day. The courage of our convic-
tons, the intrepidity of faith. We have
IL ~ g. I'll. q
Wales, who stood up one day when dearth
and death seemed to have settled down
upon his loved land, and Satan seemed to
be having it all his own way and cried
before the assembled people, "Let God
arise. his enemies be scattered" Ps.
6S: ID 1t was David meeting Goliath of
Gath, and the Philistines went flying
down the valleys like leaves before the
tempest. A revival followed upon that
heart-cry of faith that swept through the
communities and numbered its trophies
of souls by the thousands. Oh, for an old
fashioned revival of religion! Do you
want it? Do you really and truly, above
everything else, want It? Then step out
in faith. Go out into the arena where the
world seems to be carrying everything be-
fore it, and name one word, the word Of
the Lord. Dismiss everything but re-
lance on God. Not men nor methods,
but God. Let the battle be clean and
clear God against the world. The
might of faith withstanding the boasted
might of man. . to see such battle
joined again! 1t is what heaven is wait
ing for, just one church or just one man,
to halt and face the world, the flesh and
the devil, i'm the name of the Lord Of
hosts.
Next Lesson-"David and Jonathan"
Sop, 90. 0o-1O