Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-09-12
THE SABBATH SCHOOL
Lesson Comments for
September 10.
Subject: David Eeecmes King. Sam. H., ITO
Golden Text: Pisa. 1851 Memory
Verses, i.3-Commentary
on the Days Lesson.

|. David auontcd bins at Hebron Tvs:
LII. Il After this Nf:ar the death OF
Saul aud his cons Inquired q. The Lord
By means OF, Ahiathar il'c p:.e~j who w.s
with David Daring his i"4itivr lie. At
that decisive turning point in his life.
David wished to know ne will OF the Lord.
He saw that the rruui.r oi In" kingdom
was now to be fulfilled t. him. ~ he could
no longer remain in the land OF the Phlis
tines bat must return t. ms own country,
and a. the northern part the land was
held by the rh..t~'i" The return to the
territory OF his trhr WAS most nat
ura,: for there. where he had long time
found refuge II sam. 33:5l he might count
ont large following. and frm support and
protection against the remains OF Saul's
army under AbHcr. Cities OF judah
1t would be u>e,cs: 10 think OF undertake
ing 10 assume control OF the country in the
northern part of the kingdom. as tAat was
in the hands of the Philstire>. and David
was in no position to drive them ont.
Co, up Going ~ meant assuming
rova authority. God aaSwe" was iume.
liato aud Gear Dayid's decision. guided
I ~ COD. was 10 establish h'',-",f as the
king at once. Into Hebron" One OF the
most ancient cities ri ;hc world The
central position of Hebron IN the tribe OF
Judah. its mountainous and defensih.e
situation. its importance ~ 4 prlcSt!y set
Element and an s1cient royal city. the
pat-iarchal associations connected with IT,
combined 10 render it the most suitable
capital for the new Kingdom. In its nci Oh
horhood moreover. David Rad spent con-
siderable part OF his fugitive lie and
~ained any supporters. See l Sam. 81,
81
p $50 David went rn." II may be well
to note :ome of tn" leading Clements which
we discern in David's HE and character rs
he enters ,.3on his new life HE had l.
y vivid sense OF Gods presence. ,, Per
sonal proves. 3. Promptitude in all his
movements 4. a patience that was Su5-
lime. 5. An affectionatc heart. 6. y cool
head and a steady nerve. :. Wide expert
ence s. a hear; loyal TO God. This 10y.
atty wan so intense that his cause and
Gods canse became identical. and he could
not readily distinguish between Gods enc
mics an his own: and in spite OF all his
sirS and plumbers. this mast impress every
imnartia' reader as the leading character
istic of Iing David. "Thither" We are
to think OF this Journey as march OF an
army. or, rather. the migration OF a large
comrany OF Cuerii'as. There were few
household effects and few women and
children in the company: it was made mp
OF hron: ID youths inured to hardship.
among whom rank and fame were secured
by carinE deeds rather than by anything
comraral lc to modern military skill.
3. :. His men. The sly hundred men
Of his che SCI hand. with his household
There was to I've no more roaming in exile,
hut each one was to settle down to the
duties OF nco"eiul and quiet life Cities
OF Hchr'I;", The snail towns WHICH . ;mr-
rounded Hebron. Men OF JUDAH The
elders OF Judah. the official representatives.
OF the tribe. "Anointed.' He had hcen
rrivatcl, anointed by Samuel by which
ne acquired rirht to the kingdom. The
other parts OF the kingdom were, as yet,
attached 20 the family of Saul.
IN. 4
Eavid's first act as king. and it vas worth?
o him, He had been informed OF the
manner in which the Phistines had car
red ava. the bodies OF Saul and his sons
after ths battle. He had also been tod
that the inhabitants OF ,Iabcsh-gi.ead had
sent forth party by night and had taken
the bodies from the wall and carried them
safe.y TO their own town and buried them.
Blessed be We David respected Saul as
his once legitimate sovereign: he loved
Jonathan As his most Intimate friend.
Saul had greatly injured David. but that
Cid no. ''ancel his respect for him rs the
anointea Il God. and as the king of Israel.
No mean spirit OF revenge found pace in
his breast He showed also that he had
no wish or intention 10 punish Sau,s adj
heren;s, but was kindly disposed toward
them.
6. = "Will rcoute YOU" VIII show
you this kindness: that is. the attention
ard honor shown in the blessings | give
you through these messengers. BE We
valiant BE OF good courage; be strong
and show Yourselves brave men. saul
Is dead" And therefore We are without
King unless We acknowledge me, as the
hose Of Judah has doEe.
III. 1sh-hos.i eth king over Israel Tvs. S-l0l.
s. ''l>h-bo,hcth." Saul's fourth and only
surviving 60. He was a mere tool in the
hands OF Abncr. A5ner was great gen.
eral. and il IshboSheth. who was weak
man. could be made king. Abner would be
almost supreme. "Mahanaim" Abner
chose this town because il was on the
eastern side OF the .IorDar. and so beyond
the range OF the Phili>trcs. who never
seemed to have crossed the river.
o. Made him king Here was the
establishment Of rival kingdom which
probably would have had no existence
but for .Abner. He was coucln TO Saul.
Loyalty to the hoasc OF his late master
was mixed UP with opposition TO David,
and views OF personal ambition in his
originating this iactious movement. He.
too. was alive to the Importance OF sccur-
M the eastern tribes. ''ci.ead.' The land
beyond Jordan. "Ashurites" The tribe
Of .lshur in the extreme north. "Jczroc!."
The extensive valley bordering on the cen;
trial tribes. 'Ephraim Eenjamin.'
These tribes. which had not yet been cor
tuered 10y the Philistincs. ho'dinc no doubt
10 the house ci Saul. Over all Israel"
The majority g Israel. no; of judah.
10. "Reigned two years Five years
and more had passed since the death Of
SAM. ard Abaer now proclaimed Ish-
hoshc,h king OF Israel and thought him
sell powerful enough 10 reduce Judah to
obedience. David seems 10 have been
amounted vcry soon after Saui's death hut
il r,v,t have taken Abncr some time to
gather MP the scattered army and recover
from me G"ioat and losses Of Gllhoa: where
SAM and his three soaS died. sufficiently
a attend \ the inauguration of Ish-