The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1896-08-26
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON X, THIRD QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, AUG. 80.

Ds StooTuos
o. "And Absalom rode upon a mule. "
The rebellion of last lesson developed,
David fled from Jerusalem, and crossing
she Jordan came to Mahanaim, where he
was kindly cared for by Barzillai and
others (chapter xvii, 24-29). David's army
went forth to battle In three divisions un-
der Joab and Abishai, his relatives, and
lttai the Gittite. See Ittais devotion to
David In chapter Nv, 81, and now see his
position as leader In David's army. Those
who are now faithful TO Christ In the time
Of His rejection will be surprised at their
appointments In His kingdom by and by.
10. "And q certain man saw it and told
Joab and said, Behold I saw Absalom
hanged In an oak" Evidently the man
was no friend of A bsalom's s, or he would
have released him. Where were all his
friendss Every one failed him, and, as he
was an enemy to God as well as to his
father, he was desperately alone. When
God Is for US, We are never alone and need
never fear though all be against us.
Blessed are those who trust In Him.
IL. Behold, thou savest him, and why
didst thou not smite him there to the
grounds" Thus spake Joab to the man
who brought the tidings. There was no
pity In the heart Of Joab nor any regard
for the entreaty Of David, though 1t may
be that he really believed that the death
Of Absalom was the only way to the peace
Of the kingdom. After David's death Joab
followed Adonijah rather than Solomon
and was slain while holding on to the horns
of the altar Il Kings II, 2S-84.)
IL. lin our hearing the king charged
thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Be-
ware that none touch the young man Alb
SALON." II. then, he would not lay finger
urHn Absalom, not even for great re-
ard, why did he not for David's sake re-
lease Absalom from his perilp Was he
airaid of Joab's wrath as well as Of griev-
lug the king, or did he hope that Joab
would take Absalom prisoner and bring
him unframed to the kingp The fear OF
man bringeth snare, but to do the right
thing, as In the sight of God, requires more
grace than many seem to have.
ID. There Is no matter hid from the
king" Well, whatever David might or
might not know, we are sure that 'all
things are naked and opened unto the eyes
of Him with whom we have to do (Heb.
", 1877. THE Lord searcheth all hearts and
UNDERSTANDABLE all the imaginations of the
thoughts" Il Chron. xviii, %. There Is
not word In my tongue but so, o Lord,
Thou knowest 1t altogether" Cps. cxxxix,
A.. 1t is even written, Il know the things
that come into your mind, every one of
them" Eek. xi, 81.
IA, 15. And ten young men that bare
Joab's armor compassed about and smote
Absalom and slew him" Joab having
thrust three darts into his heart while he
was yet alive in the oak, his young men
finish the work and Absalom is dead The
beautiful but cruel Absalom, who had Ii
in his heart to kill even his own father is
slain. There was nothing brave or noble
in killing a man who could not defend
himself, so Absalom may be said to have
persisted miserably. Truly the way of the
ungodly shall not prosper.
Is. And Joab blew the trumpet and
the people returned from pursuing after
Israel, for Joab held back the people. -
The leader being dead, the back of the re-
bellion was broken and there was no rea-
son for unnecessary slaughter therefore
the people are recalled from pursuing. In
the conflict in which we are engaged we
are for our David, Gods beloved Son, and
He gives armor sufficient to protect us
and sword which will conquer every enc
my (Eph. vi, 1919. Our great enemy will,
however, not be slain by any of US; neither
will he be conquered till Jesus comes.
II. And they took Absalom and cast
him into IA great pit in the wood and laid
very great heap of stones upon him, and
all Israel fled every one to his tent" Thus
they disposed of his body. But where was
hef When Paul was stoned to death and
left for dead at Lystray, he himself was
enjoying glorious things in paradise. Com
pare III Cor. xii, "a with Acts xiv, 10,
and observe the dates. See also Stephen IS
experience as he was being stoned to death
in Acts vii, 55 56, 80. Blessed are the
dead who die In the Lord. To die Is gain.
But concerning such as Absalom, our
Lord Jesus has drawn aside the veil in
Luke xvi, 90. See also Rev. xiv, Gil. And
although these things are fearful to con-
template they are written by a God of
Love, who is not willing that any should
perish John Iii, 16; ii Peter Iii, %. Absa-
lom in his lifetime had built pillar and
called 1t by his own name, but there Is
something better than q name on earth.
Compare Jer. xvii, 13, and Luke K, 90. In
the following verses of our chapter we
have the story of one who ran with tidings
for the king, and also of one who insisted
upon running but who had no tidings,
and who, therefore, although he was the
feetest runner, had to stand aside. 1t Is
folly to run without being sent and hav-
ing no tidings to carry. The message In
the word of God Is plain, THAT he may
run that readeth it, (Hab. ii, y, not as Is
often quoted THAT he that runs may
read" The idea Is, first get your message
and then run and tell 1t. 1t Is the privi-
lege of every believer to be bearer Of It'd
ings, not such as Cushi bore, but glad It'd
ings Of great Joy for all people.
30. And the king said unto Cushi, Is
the young man Absalom safer" The king 8
one thought was for his erring son more
than for the welfare of the kingdom. AS
Joah said, 81 perceive that If Absalom had
lived and all we had died this day, then 1t
had pleased thee we'll" (chapter xix, o..
Does not David's love for this bad son
shadow forth the love of God who loved us
even when we were dead in sins? (Eph. ii,
4, 5.) How great the love that would die
for His enemies Behold what manner
Of love-" Hereby perceive we the love of
God"
33. "Oh, my son Absalom; my son, my
son Absaloml Would God / had died for
thee, o Absalom, my son, my sonp' Five
times he says my son." Here Is abun-