Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1896-08-13
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
international Lesson for August IS. 800
AbsaIom's Rebellion - Samuel u.s.

rArranced FROM Pelouhet.s Noe.

GOLDEN TEXT.-Honor thy father and
thy mother; that thy days may be long
upon the land which the Lord thy God
giveth thee-Exodus 20:12
THE SECTION includes Chaps. Is TO l6.
He who would understand the story of
Absalom's rebellion, says Lyman Abbott.
must read 1t with Psalms AZ and 43. Psalm
and Psalm 8. Let him read them in that
order. They tell the whole story of David's
battle and his victory. Also Psalms SO.
a. IS and g.
/ TIME.-Absalom's rebellion occurred B.
C. 1922 and 1923, II or y years after our last
lesson. The calculation is made thus.
Amnon's crime, probably within a year or
two after David's sin: Amnon slain two
years after his crime e Sam. 1929; Alb
salon in exile for three years after Staying
Amnon Q3:3S), and two years in Jerusalem
before he saw his father Q4:2s), and four
years in plotting his rebellion (see under
LESSON NOTES.
l. The Steps Which Led Absalom to
Rebellion.-The first step was his own
crime. Not long after David's sin be-
came known, perhaps before his bitter
! repentance had been made public, his
eldest son, Amnon, possibly influenced
by his fathers example, committed
most dastardly crime towards his half
sister, lamar. David was angry, but
took no steps to punish his son and heir.
How could he, remembering his own
recent experience? Then Absalom, Ia
mars own brother, after waiting two
years, made himself the avenger of
blood, and at feast he gave to the
kings sons slew Amnon. Absalom's
revenge may have been encouraged by
the hope that if Amnon was out of the
way he himself might become David's
successor. Another step was a certain
sense of injustice and antagonism. AS
an exile for three years in the heather
country of his grandfather, and out of
favor for two more in Jerusalem. he
would naturally come into state of
antagonism with his father. He felt
the injustice of his position, for he had
done only what he felt that his father
had wrongfully neglected to do in
avenging his sisters wrong. More than
probably. too, he was in antagonism to
mis- fathers religion, being himself half
heathenish and wholly worldly. The
life of his father, who, as whole, was
a wise, devoted, unselfish, religious man,
one who trusted and obeyed God. was
a direct reproof of Absalom in all re-
CARDS. Another step was his growing
envy of the young Solomon. AbsaIom
would regard himself as the rightful
heir to his fathers throne, being the
oldest son living. He saw that the i'm
fuence of Bathsheba was paramount,
and that Solomon was the favorite son.
These were at least two conditions
which would seem to make the success
of a rebellion possible. First, there
was growing dissatisfaction with the
king. The business of the low courts,
over which the king himself presided.
had become too vast to be attended TO
by one man. Appeals from inferior
judges and cases brought directly be-
fore the king could not all receive fair
hearing. Unquestionably, the loose adj
ministration of justice, the weakest part
OF David's government, formed a real
grievance. Geike and others think that
the numbering of the people and the
consequent plague took place during
this period. It was political blunder.
The enrolment was for either stricter
military service or to raise extra take )
| demanded by the growing expenses of
the monarchy. even while David had i'm
mense treasures laid up for religious
purposes.
III. The Plot.-Vs. 1-6. After the APP
parent reconciliation of Absalom to his
father, he set up carriage and horses,
ard so men were runners before him.
! This was to attract the attention of the
people by adisplay of princely pomp.such
as the orientals are very fond of. And he
placed himself at an early hour near the
gate where the king was accustomed to
sit and hear the complaints of the peo-
pie. As the men of Israel came with
their suits, Absalom artfully fattered
each by pronouncing favorable decis-
ion on his case. If the man lost his
cause, after this flattering opinion de-
liyered by Absalom. of course he would
i set it down rs gross injustice, and be
incensed against David accordingly.
The Rebeilion.-Vs. 7-12. Four years
this passed away. The forty" in
verse seven is thought to be a tran
scriber's error for four, a mistake easily
made when numbers were designated
by letters often very similar. Then
Absalcm went to Hebron, avowedly TO
offer sacrifice. Before the secret en-
issaries had been sent out, before he
went to Hebron, to prepare all the
dlsaffected ones for revolt. Glorious
believes Absalom arranged a success
sion of trumpeters at proper stations
from north to south, so that it could
be proclaimed by a telegraph of sound.
on the same day through all the land:
''Absalom reigneth in Hebron" The
first news the people would have of
the rebellion would be that it was al
ready an accomplished success. This
impression would aid the success in
the highest degree.
Two hundred prominent men of
Jerusalem were invited to the sacri-
fetal feast, and though these knew
nothing of the plot, they would natur-
| ally be regarded IS accomplices in the
conspiracy. Absalom hoped that many
4 II II -.