The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1896-08-20
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
International Lesson for August -, 1885,
Absalom's Rebellion - Samuel 16s

International Lesson for August -, 1890
Abealom's Rebellion "a Samuel 18s
las.
rArranged from Peloubet's Notes.l
GOLDEN TExT.-F1onor thy father and
thy mother; that thy days may be long
upon the land which the Lord thy God
giveth thee-Exodus 2o12.
THE SECTION includes Chaps. Is to 1a
He who would understand the story Of
,Absalom's rebellion, says Lyman Abbott,
must read It with Psalms ~ and -, Psalm
4 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.
Il, 65 and SO.
TIME.-Absalom's rebellion occurred B.
G. 1922 and 1929 II or R years after our last
lesson. The calculation is made thus:
Amnon's crime, probably within q year or
two after Davids sin; Amnon slain two
years after his crime e Sam. 1929; ABB
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.
I. 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 q
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 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 a 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
his fathers religion, being himself half
heathenish and wholly worldly. The
life of his father, who, as whole, was
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. Absalom
would regard himself as the rightful
heir to his fathers throne, being the
al 1.,s,, 10 hn& ,v,-
fuence of Bathsheba was paramount,
and that Solomon was the favorite son.
There 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 ad-
| 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 taxes
demanded by the growing expenses OF
the monarchy, even while David had i'm
mense treasures laid up for religious
purposes.
II. The Plot.-Vs. 1-6. After the ap-
parent reconciliation of Absalom to his
father, he set up carriage and horses
and so men were runners before him
This was to attract the attention of the
people by u display 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 aattering opinion de.
livered by .Absalom, of course he would
set it down as gross injustice, and be
incensed against David accordingly
The Rebellion.-Vs. 7-12. Four year,
this passed away. The "forty" II
verse seven is thought to be a tran
scriber's error for four, mistake easily
made when numbers were designated
by letters often very similar. Ther
Absalom went to Hebron, avowedly te
otter sacrifice. Before the secret EN-
issaries had been sent out, before h<
went to Hebron, to prepare all thu
dlsaffected ones for revolt, Clericul
believes Absalom arranged q success
sion of trumpeters at proper stations
from north to south, SO that it coult
be proclaimed by telegraph Of sound
on the same day through all the land
"Absalom reigneth in Hebron" Th'
first news the people would have o
the rebellion would be that 1t was al
/ .aaAu IN aooor,plishad a..oooea H,hi