Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-07-08
for the Aotl1e Gittle.
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON ~, THIRD QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, JULY 10.

LESSON ~, THIRD QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES, JULY 10.
Text OF the Lesson. III Sam. vi, 1-1s-Mem-
ory Verses, IL, 12 Golden Text, Ps.
l111iv, Commentary by the Rev. d. M.
Stearns.
1. Again David gathered together all
tho chosen men of Israel, 80, OOO." In
Chron. Kill, 5, 1t Is written that he gath
cred all Israel from Egypt to Hemath, and
1t Is also written in verse Of that chapter
that no did this after consulting with his
captains and leaders. His habit was to
inquire Of the Lord III Sam. v, 10, 28),
but this looks like reliance upon the wis
dom of man rather than upon God. See
Ps. x1xvii, 8; Prov. Ill, s, 6, for the right
way In every matter.
3. "To bring up from thence the ark OF
God, whose name Is called by the name Of
the Lord of Hosts that dwelletb 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 tho Philistines had sent 1t home In
the now cart Il Sam. vii, u; probably over
30 years, for it was there long before Saul
was anointed king. and he reigned 40
years (Acts Kill, 21). Tho 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
oherubim (Ex. XIV, 22). So that 1t was
the place Of meeting and Of communion
between God and man. 1t was a wondrous
type Of Christ as tho end Of tho law for
righteousness, and as the atonement for
our sins.
8. "And they set the ark of God upon a
new cart" 1t was woll 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
tho ark should be borne upon the shoulders
of the Levites set apart for that purpose
(Num. iv, "a, 25; vii, %. David also knew
this we'll Il Chron. Nv, %, but, leaning
upon human wisdom, he was for the time
turned from tho 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
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
Cityp 1t was q grand display In good
cause, but 1t was not according to Gods
command, and however we'll thing may
look, and though it may seem to BIZ for
Gods honor, yet IL contrary to Gods way
1t Is simply disobedience, and His word
concerning it is, "Who hath required this
at your hand9" Elsa. !, 1877 AS one has
sold, "The work Of the Lord must be done
In God 8 way, else 1t cannot bo for His
glory"
&. "Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark
of God and took hold of 1t, 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 God 8 manifest disapproval Of this way
of doing things, for the trouble began
with David's not inquiring Of the Lord.
Then came the new cart instead of the
shoulders Of tho 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 Lords work.
Whom Israel adopts Philistine methods
rather than Gods ways, trouble Is sure to
follow, 30 whom the church tries to follow
the world in the amusement or entertain
ment business to got the world to go to
church, instead of giving herself to exalt
the Lord Jesus Christ and honor His word,
He will in due timo 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
Goliath and thus keep ahead till some
David comes in the name of the Lord and
oyercomes the deflers Of God.
z. "And the anger Of the Lord was kin.
died against Uzzah, and God smote him
the ark of God" One would think that II
there was place of safety on the face Of
the earth it would be by tho ark Of God,
and yct there Uzzah died. There Is no life
but in tho way Of Gods commandments.
6, "And David was displeased," "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 betweon them and God
David's greet thought that day was to got
tho 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 tho Lord unto him into tho 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 fair 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
at that timo. I do with my whole heart
believe that festivals and suppers, amateur
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 tho work of
the wicked one and not Of the spirit Of
God.
II. "And the Lord blessed Obededom
and all his household. This Is the record
concerning the home where tho ark rested
for three months. When the Lord Jesus
is honestly and simply received into the
heart, such ono becomes child OF God
John i, 12) and Is blessed with all spiritual
blessings in Christ (Eph. 1, 81, made q
partaker of tho Divine nature, and also of
the glory to be revealed Il Pet. V, 1; II
Pot. /, A.. Apart from God there is no
blessing, but blessed Is the man that
trusteth In Him."