The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1896-09-23

LESSON XIII. THIRD QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES. SEPT. 27.

Lessons Golden Text. Prov. xviii. 10.
Commentary By the Rev. ID. M. stearns.
LESSON david. King of Judah Oh
Sam. Il, lily. Golden Text. Ps. xcvii 1,
"The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice"
The Golden Text points onward TO the
time when the kingdom shall come and
the Lord shall reign, as stated more fully
In DAN vii, 13, IA, 81; Rev. xi, Is. The
death of Saul and David's being anointsd
king over Judah were foreshadowing Of
the beginning of the reign OF Christ. The
reign of Ishbosheth, David's enemy, over
Israel for a time Is suggestive OF the enc
mics who shall continue even after the
beast, or antichrist, shall have gone TO
the lake OF fire.
LESSON u.-David, King Over All Israel
QI Sam. V, 1-l2). Golden Text, III Sam.
v, 10, David went on and grew great and
the Lord God of Hosts was with him."
The Son of David, the Lord Jesus Christ,
will surely, in due time, reign over all Is
rael (Ezek. xxxvii, 21-24), and they will be
a righteous nation lisa. TX, 2D. He will
also be King of Kings and Lord OF Lords
(Rev. xix, 16) on the whole earth. He is
patiently waiting His time. Let us meekly
and cheerfully wait with Him and daily
keep "Going and Growing" (verse 10,
margin).
LESSON III.-The Ark Brought to Jeru-
salem (II Sam. vi, 1-12). Golden Text,
Ps. lxxxiv, l2, 20 Lord of Hosts, blessed
is the man that trusteth In Theep 1t
was David's way to inquire of the Lord in
all matters, but he, like us, sometimes
failed to do so and leaned upon his own
understanding, or did as others. In this
case he initiated the Philistines and got
into serious trouble.
LESSON Woods Promises to David
QI Sam. vii, 4-16). Golden Text, Ps.
Xxi, 1, "In Thee, o Lord, do 1 put my
trust" When David was quiet In his
Kingdom and dwelling peacefully In his
own house Of cedar, 1t troubled him that
the ark of God should be In tent, and he
thought to build house for the ark.
God, however, had other thoughts, for He
SAYS, my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, saith the
Lord" lisa. ", 81. His are as far above
ours as heaven above earth, and He sur
prised David by the plans He had for him.
LESSON V.-David's Kindness OH Sam.
*, 1-l8) Golden Text, Rom. XII, 10,
BE kindly affectioned one To another with
brotherly love-" David continued to pros
per, reigning over all Israel, executing
Judgment and justice, and he was preserv-
ed wherever he went (chapter viii, IA, l5).
He has nothing but forgiveness In his
heart for his enemies and, for Jonathan's
sake, seeks to find any of the house OF Sasa
that he may show them the kindness Of
God. May we, like Mephibosheth, dwell
In Jerusalem (city of peaoe) and eat con-
tinually at the Kings table.
LESSON VI.-David's Victories UI Sam.
<, 8-19). Golden Text, Ps. xvii, 1. 1.-THE
Lord Is my light and my salvation; whom
shall fear" This Is the record of one Of
the Lords victories for David, In which
40, 700 Syrians were slain. When Israel
walked with God, there was no king or
people who could stand against them, for
the Lord fought for them, but when they
failed to walk with Him He allowed their
enemies to prosper and overcome them.
We would have more victories over our
enemies, the world, the flesh and the devil,
If we relied upon the Lord TO fight for us,
remembering Chime is the power. ="
LESSON VII.-David's Confession and
Forgiveness Cps. xxi, LID. Golden
Text, Ps II, 10, Create In me clean
heart, o God, and renew right spirit
within mel" There is nothing more dan
gerous than ease and idleness, for then the
devil is very busy. David In time of war
was at home at ease when he was led into
this great sin, and there was no peace TO
him till it was confessed and forgiven.
One has said that confession Is the lance
which relieves the fostering wound. II
we confess our sins, He Is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins and To cleanse
Us from all unrighteousness, but whose
covereth his sins shall not prosper q John
1, $40; Prov. xviii 49,.
LESSON villa bsalom's Rebellion Oh
Sam. XIV, 1-12). Golden Text, Elk. Xxx,
IL, Honor thy father and thy mother,
that thy days may be long upon the land
which the Lord thy God giveth thee" 1t
does not seem possible that a son could
treat his father as A bsalom treated David,
and yet it is but sample of our treatment
of God. He says, 81 have nourished and
brought up children, and they have re-.
belled against me" lisa. 1, p. And long
afterward he had TO say, IF, then, be
father where is mine honor" (Mal. !, 81.
AS to our Lord Jesus, we know that His
own to whom He came, instead OF receiv-
ing Him, they killed Him.
LESSON IX.-Absalom' Defeat and
Death Oh Sam. xviii, 9-17 32, 33). Golden
leXb, rs. L., %, lH6 l<OTu huOWcOH bno way
of the righteous but the way OF the ungodly
shall perish" Who can tell what it means
to perishY 1t Is not the death of the body,
for we are told not TO fear that, but it
is the destruction of body and soul In
hell, where the worm dieth not and the
fire is not quenched. Math. K, %; Nal. TX,
A. David would gladly have died for his
son, for he was ready to meet God, but
Absalom was not. See how in due time
the transgressor is sure to come to his end.
LESSON X.-David's Love For Gods
House Il Chron. xii, $40. Golden Text,
Ps. lxxxlv, 4: Blessed are they that dwell
in Thy house. They will be still praising
Thee" The Lord Jesus Is the true Solo
mon, Prince of Peace and Jedidiah, be-
loved of the Lord Verse and III Sam. xii,
25), for where He reigns there shall be peace
and quietness unto Israel The pros
perity of Solomon's reign Is very sugges-
tive of the glorious millennial days that
are coming, while the time of David is
rather suggestive of the beginning of those
days.
LESSON XI.-David's Gratitude to God
I'll Sam. xii, 40-51) Golden Text, III
Sam. xxi, g. 1.-The Lord Is my rock and
my fortress and my deliverer." Whether
IL was the words that David wrote as the
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