The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1896-07-09
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
rnternationsi Lesson for Juiy ~. ioeo-
David King Over All nsrsel-s sAsA
RsH.1A. ...aI.

fnternstional Lesson for July ~. 1885,
David King Over All tsrseI--s sAas
St1-19.
rArranged from Peloubet's Notes.l
GOLDEN Tnxr.-David went on and grew
great, and the Lord God OF Hosts was with
TIE SECTION includes a the steps BY
which David became king OF all Israel
(q) his inauguration. CO his new capital. and
(D the development Of his kingdom and its
s IN Tss pa5si,slR R Yin
death and Dsvids s becoming king Of Judah.
PLAcn.-Hebron first. and then Jerusa-
lem.
l, Steps to the Larger Kingdom
The man David was now prepared for
the great work of his life. While
David's power was increasing the
house of Saul waxed weaker and
weaker. The new king made no ad-
vances to a permanent and powerful
organiza ton. The country was still
largely subject to the Philistine in
vaders. 1t was plain that some change
must soon be made.
Ish-bosheth complained Of Abner,
his chief captain and malnstay, for
marrying his father Sau's secondary
wife. Rizpah. This act was regarded
in the east as d step towards the throne.
This view was favored by the fact that
Abner was cousin of Saul. Whether
Abner had any designs upon the throne
is unknown, but he now Immediately
turned against Ish-bosheth and made
overtures to David.
David first insisted on the restora-
tion to himself of his first wife, Michal,
Sauls daughter, who had been taken
from him by Saul. This tested Abner's
sincerity and power, and gave David
a hold upon the northern people as an
heir of Saul.
Both Abner and Ish-bosheth were
foully murdered. David had not
wished for or connived at any such
deed; but it nevertheless opened the
way to his becoming king of all Israel.
for there was now only one heir to
Saul, boy lame in both feet, who
could not well perform the kingly du-
ties of that time.
II. David Chosen King of All Israeli
Verses 1-5.-''Then came all the tribes
of Israel to David" He did not
seek them, but they had sought him.
He had proved himeslf worthy of
the position. He had been Divinely
appointed. He had the right ideas con-
cerning the duties of king.
He was to be a constitutional king,
for we are told he made league with
the people. The Israelite monarchy
was an absolute and irresponsible des-
potism. Then occurred his public cor
onation, with great feast lasting three
days.
III. The New Capital.-verses 60.
Hebron was too far south to be the
capital of the united kingdom, there
fore "the king and his men went to
Jerusalem" then called Jebus. Polit-
ical. civil and military considerations
pointed to Jerusalem as the most suit
able capital for the united kingdom. It
stood on a rocky plateau surrounded on
three sides by deep ravines, forming q
natural fortress of almost impregnable
strength. The Jebusites even made
the boast (according to the reading in
the margin of the revised version, verse
81: "Thou shalt not come in hither, but
away" But David had quietly noticed
that there was one way of reaching the
citadel where few defenders would be
watching, since no one expected an at
tack In that direction, and that was by
the way of the gutter" OF water
course. By this means Joab with q few
msn captured the fortress. After that
It became a proverb that "the blind and
lame shall not come into the house" I"
meaning that those so very confident Of
their position that they believe 1t 70 be
a. impregnable as the Jebusites
thought Zion to be may well look out,
for some one will find way Of con-
quering them. $50 David dwelt in the
fort and called IL the city Of David"
~. The Development Of the King
dom.-Vs. 1912. "And David went
ON, and grew great, and the Lord God Of
Hosts was with him." The kingdom
bursts upon the world in q splendid de-
velopment Of material prosperity and
religious progress. There was an out
ward development In territory; in the
compass Of a single reign the bound
aries Of Israel were extended twenty
fold. This was, however, one Of the
least important Of the lines of develop.
ment.
There was great progress in the re-
ligious culture of the people. The arl,
was taken to Zion. Religious worship
was organized with choirs and orches-
tras. Psalms were written and sung
David recognized that all he had was
from God. This kept him humble. and
enabled him to steer clear of the rocks
of self-conceit, on which so many have
been wrecked.
David inaugurated commerce with
the seaboard people. Hiram was king
of Tyre, on the Mediterranean coast,
the capital Of the commercial and en-
terprising Phoenicians.s Tyre depend
ed upon Palestine for its supplies o,
wheat and oil, and would like marle.
for its manufactures. To open up thil
friendly commerce Hiram built David