The true northerner., 1896-07-15
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON ~, THIRD QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, JULY 10.
Text OF the Lesson, III Sam. vi. 1-12 Menu
ory Verses. II, ~ = Golden Text. Ps.
lxxxiv. is-Commentary by the Rev. ID. NJ.
Stearns.

stearns.
/. Again David gathered together all
the chosen men OF Israel, 80, ,000." In
Chron. xiii, 5, IL Is written that he gath-
cred all Israel from Egypt to Hemath, and
1t is also written in verse of that chapter
that lao did this after consulting with his
captains and leaders. His habit was to
inquire of the Lord OH Sam. v, 10, 23),
but this looks like reliance upon the wis
dom of man rather than upon God See
Ps. xxxvii 5; Prov iii, B, q, for the right
way In every matter.
2. "To bring up from thence the ark of
God, whose name is called by the name of
the Lord of Hosts that dwelleth between
the cherubim." Baale of Judah Is Kirjath-
jearim (see margin), where the ark had
been In the house of Abinadab In the hill
since the Philistines had sent it home in
the new cart Q sam. vii, u; probably over
80 years, for 1t was there long before Saul
was anointcd king, and he reigned 40
years (Acts xiii, 2D The ark was the
special symbol of the presence of God, and
when 1t was first made He told Moses that
He would commune with him from above
the mercy seat, from between the two
cherubim (Ex. XIV, 22). SO that IL was
the place of meeting and of communion
between God and man. 1t was q wondrous
type OF Christ as the end of the law for
righteousness, and as the atonement for
our sins.
3. And they set the ark of God upon q
new cart" 1t was we'll enough for the
Philistines to do this, for they had no in
structions from God as to His pleasure,
but Israel had commands from God that
tha oh, ha bor H. a
of the Levites set apart for that purpose
(Num. iv, "a, 20; vii, o. David also knew
this we'll U Chron. XIV, %, but leaning
upon human wisdom, he was for the time
turned from the wisdom Of God. We
must lean wholly upon God In all things.
4, 5. "And David and all the house of
Israel played before the Lord" 1t was a
joyful procession, and 1t was seemingly to
the glory Of God, for were they not prais
ing Him and bearing His ark triumphant
ly to place prepared for 1t in the Holy
City? 1t was "a grand display in good
cause, but ii was not according TO God 5
command, and however well thing may
look, and though it may seem to be for
Gods honor yet If contrary TO Gods way
it is simply disobedience and His word
concerning it is, "Who hath required this
at your hand?" lisa. |, 12.) AS one has
said, 1.-THE work of the Lord must be done
in Gods way, else 1t cannot be for His
glory.
8. "Uzzah put forth his hand to the srk
of God and took hold of it, for the oxen
shook it, The margin says that they
stumbled This was the beginning of the
trouble that day, or rather the beginning
of Gods manifest disapproval of this way
of doing things, for the trouble began
with Davids not inquiring of the Lord.
Then came the new cart instead of the
shoulders of the Levites. This new cart of
David is very suggestive of all the worldly
ways adopted by the people of God today
to carry on what they call the Lord S work.
When Israel adopts Philistine methods
rather than Gods ways, trouble Is sure to
follow, so when the church tries to follow
the world in the amusement or entertain
ment business to get the world to go to
church, instead of giving herself to exalt
the Lord Jesus Christ and honor His word,
He will in due time manifestly disown the
whole thing. For every Saul that the peo-
pie of God honor in their attempts to be
like the world the world will produce a
Goliath and thus keep ahead till some
David comes in the name of the Lord and
overcomes the defers of God.
died against Uzzah, and God smote him
there for his error, and there he died by
the ark of God" One would think that If
there was place of safety on the face of
the earth it would be by the ark Of God,
and yet there Uzzah died. There is no life
but in the way of Gods commandments.
3, 9. And David was dspleased, And
David was afraid" Displeased with the
Lord and afraid of the Lord. How unlike
David How unlike the man who, in the
name of the Lord, had slain Goliath How
great the contrast between one walking
humbly with God and one with some per-
son or plan between them and God
David's great thought that day was TO get
the ark of the Lord to himself at Jerusa-
| lem, as appears from this ninth verse.
His thought was not SO much Gods glory
and Gods way as David's glory and Da-
vid's way Thus the intimacy between
| them was for the time broken, and David
lost fellowship with God.
10. $50 David would not remove the ark
| Of the Lord unto him into the city Of
| David" 1t was neither the first nor the
| last occasion of sore hearts and misunder-
standings, not easily healed, because of at
tempts by the people OF God to adopt
| worldly ways. / know of one church In
which their last falr or festival was held
about Ia years ago, and in that church
there are to this day breaches unhealed be-
cause of jealousies or MISUNDERSTANDING
st that time. / do with my whole heart
believe that festivals and suppers, amateur
theatricals, special music by unsaved peo-
| ple-in fact, the whole entertainment busi-
ness-in the house of God must go along
with such teaching as the fallibility Of
Scripture, the larger hope, no hell, Jesus
Christ our example only and not our sub
stitute, as being samples Of the work of
the wicked one and not of the spirit Of
| God
IL. And the Lord blessed Obed .edom
and all his household. This Is the record
concerning the home where the ark rested
for three months. When the Lord Jesus
Ia honestly and simply received into the
heart, such a one becomes child of God
John 1, l2) and is blessed with all spiritual
blessings in Christ (Eph. l. 81, made a
partaker of the Divine nature, and also of
the glory to be revealed (I Pet. v, /; II
Pet. 1, ~. Apart from God there is no
blessing, but Blessed Is the man that
| trusteth In Him -