Palestine daily herald. [volume] (Palestine, Tex.) 1902-1949, 1903-12-28
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON XIII, DEC. 27-SEVIEW
AND CHRISTMAS LESSON.
Read Psalm 1903 and Matthew 2:1-12-
The Kingdom of oavid-The Reign
of SsuI-A New Era in Israelitish
History.

This review can be made a very
effective and interesting Christmas
lesson. For the kingdom of David was
the antitype of the kingdom of Christ.
Jesus was the son of David, and con-
tinued his line and renewed his king
dom. The promises to David were
completely fulfilled only in Jesus. The
wise men from the East sought from
afar the newborn King. as the queen
OF the South sought the kingdom of
David as completed by David's son
Solomon.
The preparation by Saul and his
reign is comparable 20 the Jewish ma
ton Just before the time Of Christ.
Saul and his new era prepared the
way for the splendid DEVELOPMENT I'm
der David. The Jews, by their dis
persion. by their synagogue services,
'heir careful preserving and teaching
OF the Scriptures, their subsection to
the Romans. their rebuilding of the
temple, were part of the preparation
Cor Christ.
Youth and Training.-David's youth
and training was a foregleam of the
earthly childhood of Jesus. David's
early training was exactly the best
tor the work he was to do in Iife-in
country home. religious g1d intelli.
gent, with sufficient temptation. but
not overwhelming till he was fully
grown. amid daily duties that deveI-
oped him physically as we'll as men,
tally, amid the influences of nature.
Oh music, of mediation. He had phys
zeal strength. beauty and attractive
ness He had natural abilities of a
high order and great variety. He was
business man. statesman, warrior, mu-
STEFAN and poet. There was" says
kltto, a rare combination in him of |
all that was gentle, tender and mild, |
with the most exalted enthusiasm, the |
most noble aspirations, the most gen. |
erous sentiments. the most manly de- |
pertinent, the most heroic daring. and |
the most invincible prowess, Joined
to invariable consideration for others.
open-heartedness, humbleness, and /
entire absence of all pretension." He
had the conditions of power over men.
He had wonderfully rich, lovable
character. He moved many men with
that irresistible fascination which only
the greatest exercise" David learned
many lessons in the court of Saul. and
in his exile which fitted him for his
klnSly duties. He learned the char
acter and needs of his people by living
among them. suffering their trials, ex-
periencing their grievances and priva-
tons and sorrows
So Jesus became man and passed
through childhood and youth in order
shat being touched with the feeling
OF our infrmities," "in all points
tempted like as We are, yet without
sin" he might be "able to succor them
<hat are tempted" Heb. 2:1S; 4:15).
King of the Jews.-Jesus was the
king of the Jews whom the Magi
sought. He was the descendant of Da-
vid and inheritor of the promises to
David, and of the everlasting throne of
David, and the worldwide kingdom
which grew out of David's kingdom.
All the riches and splendors of Da-
Fid's kingdom as developed by Solo 1
mon we're poor and dim beside the I
blessings of the kingdom of Jesus,
spiritual riches beyond measure, COM
orts, joys, peace, education, character, !;
owe, and all outward blessings that
low from them. ,
The Seekers.-As the queen of She {
"a came from afar to hear the wisdom !
md see the glories of the kingdom of
he Jews, the story of which had
cached her ears, so the wise men ..
rom the East came to find the new
'orn king at Bethlehem. Z
The queen had a large kingdom, y
old and spices, but there was some t
hing more she wanted. The wise y
len had wisdom and knowledge, but
hey had heard of diviner wisdom and 7,
igher knowledge for which their T
ouls longed.
The Finding.-Both found the OBJ
ect of their search, and to both mot tc
alf had been told" 81
Royal Gifts.-The queen brought
1yal gifts to Solomon. and the wise
len brought gifts to the infant Jesus sc
-"myrrh to a mortal, gold to a king, al
to God" And both re- nj
eived more than they gave as
ossibilities.-There was no limit to
lie blessings which David's kingdom j.
light inherit for itself and for the -
orld. if only the rulers and the peo- -
e would be filed with the right
brit, obey God from their hearts and
sep all his commandments. Where nc
ey failed the failure was due to re- ~ ~
sing the necessary conditions. The l..
'velopment was slow, there were
any failures and some disasters. but
ere was gradual progress and a nk
W movement and assured Success
rough great David's greater Son.
In something the same way and for La
e same reasons the kingdom of
lrist has not yet realized it's possi- )
Iities. but the progress is becoming It
pre- rapid, and soon:
Jesus shall reign where'er the sun.
10th his successful journeys rum ,