Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-07-09

Lesson for July IL.
Golden Text.-"David went on and
grew great and the Lord God Of hosts
was with him. Sam. 8: -.
David, King Over All Israel, Is the sub
ject OF this lesson Sam. 3: 1-12. Short
~ after the amounting of David by the
men of Judah at Hebron, the armies of
Abner and David met in battle at Gideon,
north or Jerusalem, and David won
e.: IT'D. In his flight, Abner in self
defense, killed Asahcl, David's nephew,
who persisted in pursuing him. The two
brothers OF the slain man. Joab, David's
chief general. and Abishai vowed ven
gcnnce on Abner. They postponed their
revenge. however, and returned to Heb
ron q: 1892. A long warfare followed,
in which David steadily geined. Abner,
foreseeing defeat of his plans to make Ish-
boshcth the actual ruler of the land, made
quarrel about woman the occasion OF
breaking off his relation with Ish- bosheth
and Immediately made overtures to David
for transfer of his forces g.: GID.
David accepted the proposition, after hav-
Ing demanded and secured the return Of
'Michal, Sauvs daughter, who had been
his wife, but was now married to another
Is: 1916; see Sam. %: Az. Abncr came
10 Hebron, waJ courteously received, and
promised to bring the armies of Israel to
David's standard; but on his way back to
the north, he was recalled by false
message from the deceitful Joab and
treacherousiy murdered at Hebron. Da-
vid disclaimed all completely in this foul
decd "a: 20-39). The final act in the ira
gedy was the murder of Ish-bosheth by
two of his own chieftains. They paid for
thp crrnp with tbai~ Iivas "a. 1-1N
Suggestions for Study.
1. Review chapters "a, and read the
lesson carefully.
=. Read the parable. account in Chron.
IL: 10, IA: /. 2 Note differences. Also
read the catalogue Of the warriors of Is
rael who came to Hebron in l Chron. II:
$50
3. A study Of the topography of Jeru-
salem and its cnvirons will aid in the I'M
Outstanding of this lesson. Read the arti-
Gle in Smiths Bible Dictionary, the En-
cycloIedia Britannica, or other work of
reference. Study also the history of Jer,s-
salem as indicated in Josh. IS: IS. Jud.
III :; /; u; Josh. 10: CD.
Explanatory.
Then Very shortly after the death
OF lsh-bosheth. His murder left Israel
without even a nominal ruler, Mephibo-
seth. the son OF Jonathan. being but boy.
Abncr's death had left the nation without
defender against the Philistines. Hence
they had two urgent reasons for seeking
the protection OF David.-"All the tribes
of Israeli According to the catalogue
given in / Chr. Il: 23-37, there were up
wards OF 100000 warriors who came from
the Twelve tribes. The large round num-
u. .lxANx .lN1
indicate that it was great popular
movemcnt.--"rhy bone and thy flesh"
See Gen. 30: -; Jud. 81: ..
Note the three reasons assigned for the
election OF Dnvid.-"The Lord said to
thee" By his servant Samuel. Since
David had been king over Judah, knowl-
edge OF the early amounting at the hands
IF Samuel had probably become more
widespread shalt feed my pco-
p.e:" The figure OF shepherd as applied
TO ruler is very ancient; il is found in
the old Babyionan inscriptions, and Is
common also in Homer.
"a league" charter defining the
rights OF king and people; see l Sam.
IL: -.
According to the statement here, the
removal to Jerusalem followed immcdi-
ateH after the amounting.
Compare verses 6-10 with Chr. IL: 40.
-"Jcrusalem:' The city itself lay in the
tribe of Benjamin, just over the northern
border Of judah. 1t had never been fully
conquered by the children Of Israel during
the three centuries since their entrance
into Canaan. The Jebusites still held the
citadel, on the eastern hill where the tenn
p,e was aftcrward built. which is proba-
bly, what is meant by the stronghold of
Zion" Men Of Judah and Benjamin lived
on the lower ground 20 the north. .Icru-
salem was an ancient city, though 1t docs
not come into the history of Israel until
comparatively late. AS Hebron was well
fitted for the capita! OK Judah, so Jcrusa-
lem was admirably suited to be the capital
OF the whole nation. 1t was practically
rhc center OF the land, situated on the
ridge of high ground that runs from north
10 south AS fortress Ii was uncqualed;
deem rayincs surrounded it on the west,
south and east, only the north being open
10 attack except ut immense risk to the
hostile army. On that side 1t was de-
Tended by the Milo. strong fort al.
ready in existence. 1t will be remembered
how long the inhabitants of Jerusalem
held the temple mount against the Roman
army under Titus, iii the first century of
our era, and how it was finally taken by
strategcm. The topography OF Jerusalem
(. is still in some confusion. some holding
that "thc city OF David" was on the west
crn hill, others that it was on the south
ern part OF the eastern. namely, the tenn
PIE mount
Teuchinu Hints.
81 How David reached the throne. 1t
cos. the lives of u great general and
kings son, but David had no hand in their
cruel murder. Wicked men wrought vio-
lent deeds and the Lord ovcrrulcd their
crimes and led his servant safely.
.. .'Thc Lord said unto thec:" All hon
est men respect n man diyincly called X
his life proves the commences of the call;
such men are in demand everywhere as
leaders, in the church and out Of 1t.
3. All barriers fall before the Lords
anointed.
4. Nothing 80 foolish as foolish boast
ing.
Z. The Holy City was n transformed
heather fortress SO the Christian storms
~ the heights of evil, casts out ''the blind
and the lnme." and plants q palace there
y for the King.
6. Verse ~ Enlightened humility the
safeguard of favored men. David per-
ccivcd that the Lord not the army, had
made him l;ing; and that he had done this
FOR the peoples sakc-not for David's
sake. Nob,esse oblige.