The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1903-10-02
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON !, FOURTH QUARTER, INTER-
NATIONAL SERIES. OCT. 4.


by Rev. ID. VI. stearns.
Copyright, 1908, by American Press Association
The story of David, the king, carries
our thoughts onward To the time when
Jesus Christ, the son OF David, the root
and offspring of David. shall have the
throne of his father, David, and reign
over the house Of Jacob forever in a
kingdom that shall never end Matt. |,
1: Rev. Xxli 16; Luke |, 80. 33). He
shall reign and prosper and execute
judgment and Justice In the earth He
shall reign in righteousness, and the
work of righteousness shall be peace,
and the effect Of righteousness quiet
ness and assurance forever DER. xiii,
3. 6: Isa xxi. 1-17). The president of
the United States will not need to be
called on then nor The Hague tribunal
appealed 10, for there shall be a right
eous nation on earth and all difficulties
shall be settled at Jerusalem. Qsa. TX,
81; ,Jer. iii, II, 1S).
We have seen in a previous lesson
that after long years of waiting the
young man whom Samuel anointed
king at Bethlehem was in due time
anointed king of Judah and then king
Of all Israel, established by the Lord,
going on and growing great, for the
Lord God of Hosts was with him Il
Sam. xvi, 10; III Sam. Ii, 4; V, 3, TO- 12).
1t was his custom to inquire of the
Lord about everything and not TO lean
upon his own understanding Q Sam.
XXX, S: III Sam. V, 10. %; Prov. iii, 3, g.,
but in the lesson today he failed to do
this. and consequently there was much
trouble. as there always is when we
fail TO be obedient to the Lord and
trust I'm our own wisdom or follow the
wisdom of this world.
When Samuel was judge the ark Of
the covenant was returned TO Israel by
the PhilStines, into whose hands 1t had
fallen. on q new cart drawn by two
milk COWS q Sam. VI, 7-12), and IL found
a resting place for twenty years in the
house of Abinadab at Kirjath-j earim
G Sam vii. /. %. David, being now es-
tablished king, determined TO have the
ark brought TO Jerusalem. and so pitch
ed q tabernacle for il there Verse 10
and proceeded 10 bring it to its resting
place in the Holy City. Now David
knew that none ought to carry the ark
of the Lord but the Levites, whom the
Lord had chosen TO carry it and to min
lister unto Him Q Chron. XIV, y. yet he
and the people adopted the Philistine
method and set it on new cart and
thus started with it from the house of
Abinadab. They started with great JOY,
praising the Lord with harps, psalteries,
timbrels, etc, and all seemed TO 90 we'll
till they reached the thrashing floor of
Nachon. when the oxen stumbled. u
Zah took hold of the ark TO steady ii,
and God smote him and he died there
by the ark of God. David was dis
pleased and afraid and would not at
tempt 10 take the ark farther, SO had ii
placed in the house of Obed-edom, the
Gittite. where ii remained for three
months. bringing much blessing TO the
man and To all that pertained TO him.
After this David had ii brought in due
order, according to the law. TO the tent
he had prepared for it. The ark was
the one vessel i'm the tabernacle which
specially symbolized the presence of
Jehovah. for from above the mercy
seat. from between the two cherubim.
the Lord had said that He would COM
mune with Moses eek. XIV, %. Da-
vid's love for the presence Of God and
for communion with Him Is seen in
such soul utteranCeS as Ps. xvii, 4;
lxXXiv, /. >, 10, and he knew that fell
lowShip with God depended upon ODE
dience to Him. yet he had no one but
himself 10 blame for all this trouble
If the work we arc engaged in Is the
Lord work the Lord must have all the
say i'm it. as when He instructed Noah
concerning the ark, Moses concerning
the tabernacle and David concerning
the temple. He must be the dOer of il
all. The churches and many mission
airy societies today seem TO be full OF
new carts. having adopted the worlds
ways SO as TO please the world-like
David carrying the ark of God after
the manner OF the Philistines. Every
thing i'm the line of fairs. festivals, lee
lures and entertainments to help carry
on the Lords work is the same in prin-
ciple as David's new cart: so also are
surpliced choirs, hired singers who
know not God and all that is mere out
ward show in the house of God. wAo
says that all who worship Him must
worship in spirit and in truth.
From beginning to end of the Bible
He has taught lbs that His work is ac-
complished by His Spirit and His word
in the name of His faithful servant
Qsa. xiii, u, the Messiah Of Israel. the
Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and ia
cob, the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour,
for Of Him and through Him are all
things. and by Him and to Him all
things consist (Rom. II. 90; Col. 1, ID.
The cause OF the death of Uzzah is seen
in connection with Mum. iv. 10, or Eek.
xix. 10. 13. The ark of God needs no
steadying. the word of God needs no
defense. the work of God needs no help
nor advice from the people of this
world. If we would please God and be
OF some use to Him in fastening His