The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1896-08-19

stsarns.
l. And IL came to pass after this that
Absalom prepared him chariots and horses
and so men to run before him." Absalom
was the third son of David born In He
bron, and his mother was Maacah, daugh-
ter of the king of Geshur Oh Sam. Ill, 2,
3D. Absalom signifies father Of peace"
but his life would rather suggest one who
was of his father the devil John viii, A.
Because of the murder of his brother Am
non, Davids firstborn. he fled to the king
OF Geshur and was there three years, but
through the pleading of the wise woman
of Tekoa, employed by Joab he came back
20 Jerusalem and dwelt two years with
out reconciliation to his father, after which,
through Joab's intercession, the king be-
came reconoiled To him, saw him and
kissed him (chapter xiv, %, 33).
3. And Absalom rose up early and
stood beside the way Of the gate. The ex-
preston 'rose up early" signifies great
earnestness and Is used many times In
Jeremiah concerning Gods unwearied
earnestness In urging His people TO repent
and turn TO Him. In lisa. V, IL, 1t is used,
as here concerning the earnestness of the
wicked, for here we see Absalom in the
place of public gatherings, kindly greet
ing the people who came TO the king to
have their wrongs righted and seeking to
turn their hearts from his father TO him
self The self seeking of the natural heart
Is often seen In those who seek to advance
themselves, no matter who Is overthrown,
but when this Is seen in son against his
own father then the devil Is surely doing
special work.
3, 1. "Absalom said, moreover, Oh,
that were made judge in the land" He
speaks of the justice that he would show
IL he were made judge In the land, but 1t
should not require much penetration to see
that a man who would treat his own
father as unjustly as he was now doing
would not be likely TO do Justly by any
one unless 1t might happen TO serve his
own ends. l heard only this week of a sem
ator who said that no politician would
take hold of matter without considering
how it might affect his own political pros
poets. 1t is the worlds way to live unto
oneself; 1t is only by the Spirit of God
that we can deny self and live unto God.
8, 9. $50 Absalom stole the hearts of
the men of Israel" There was not finer
looking man in all Israel (cEapter xiv, 25),
but perhaps not one with blacker heart
'sFavor is deceitful and beauty is vain, +"
but "a meek and quiet spirit is in the
sight of God of great prio- and ii is the
heart, not the outward appearance, that
God looks upon prov. XXI. 30; / Pet iii,
4; / Sam. xvi, ~ When the king kissed
Absalom xiv, 33), 1t WAS the loving kiss
of a heartbroken father welcoming his
erring son, but these kisses of Absalom
were more like the kiss OF Judas when he
betrayed his Master, for every one was a
stab at his father heart. There are those
even in this day, both in the church and
out of it. who by good words and fair
speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
Z. Let me go and pay my VOW which
have vowed unto the Lord in Hebron"
The margin of the r. V. says probably
after years, not 40 years. But what a
liar he was and how desperately wicked;
there was murder in his heart, and that
against his own father, yet he seeks to
hide il under a pretense of paying VOW
unto the Lord, while all his vows must
have been to the devil rather than to the
Lord. Hebron was his birthplace, but it
was also the place where the bodies of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob lay buried, and
that his wicked heart could speak of He
bron which signifies fellowship and car
ries us back TO faithful Caleb, who fol-
lowed the Lord fully, shows how hardened
In sin he had become.
s. IF the Lord shall bring me again in
deed TO Jerusalem, then will serve the
Lord This, he said, was the VOW which
he had made Co the Lord while in his ban
ishment at Geshur. If David believed his
son, as he seems TO have DONE how COM
forted he must have been by this evidence
of his sons repentance. How little he
thought that with such words from his
sons lips the father of lies was In his
heart
8. And the king said unto him, Go In
peace" Believing him TO be sincere he
gives him a fathers blessing, but there
was no peace in that foul heart covered by
SO fair an exterior, for There is no peace,
saith the Lord TO the wicked" Usa lvii,
81. Peace was within his reach, as it Is
within the reach of every one who has ever
heard of the Prince of Peace, but it can
only become the possession of those who
are truly penitent and sincerely submit TO
Him as their Saviour and Lord. 1.-The
work of righteousness shall be peace, and
the effect of righteousness quietness and
assurance forever" lisa. xxi, I'D. so he
arose and went to Hebron"
10. "Absalom reigneth In Hebron"
With profession of devotion to God on his
his ears he goes forth to carry out his
devilish designs against his father. The
proclamation which he caused to be
sounded forth was equal to his saying, IT
hereby rebel against my father and drive
him from his throne" David so under
stood 1t, for he said unto all his servants,
''Arise and let Us flee, for we shall not else
escape from Absalom," and the servants
said, Behold thy servants are ready to do
whatsoever my lord the king shall ap-
point" (verses IL, 15). Contrast the con-
duct Of the kings son with that Of his
servants and of Ittai the Gittite In verses
10 TO 81.
IL. "They went In their simplicity, and
they knew not anything" This Is written
of the 300 men out of Jerusalem who went
with Absalom. II we would follow Jesus
In this spirit, simply trusting, not know
ing nor desiring anything but His will,
what blessed people we would be and what
glory He would get through us. but to fol-