The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1908-10-31
Sabbath School
NOTES BY r. S. HOLMES.
Lesson V. November I, 1905
ABsALOM'S REBELLION
AGAINST DAVID.
q Samuel $50


Time: Toward the close OF the
eleventh century before Christ.
The Scene OF the Conspiracy: The
capital OF the kingdom.
The Conspirator Absalom a son
OF the king.
The king was getting on in years. A
young party was growing up that no
doubt wished a younger and more stir
ring king Ambition always acts in the
same way The majority OF the dis
turbanccs in the world by which wars
have been caused has come directly
from personal ambitions. Absalom
wanted to be king. Filia affection
passed for nothing. He had been very
headstrong. and there had been long
alienation between him and his father.
When reconciliation had been effected
by Joab, the young man presumed
upon his establishment in Jerusa-
lem to plot for the kings overthrow.
He used the common arts OF such
schemers. and appealed to all the baser
elements oi the heart. That he SO
nearly achieved success shows how
able he was. and how easily the people
could be moved by display and flattery.
The story is one OF the wickcdest in
the history OF Judah,
Golden Tcxt:-"tIonor thy father
and thy mother that thy days may be
long upon the land which the Lord
thy God givcih thee" Exodus 20: IL.
Were the Fourth Commandment less
often broken there would be fewer
broken hearts,
Absalom was reputed to be the
handSomest man in the kingdom.
Beauty in man or woman is thing
to be dreaded, II was the chief cause
OF Absalom's downfall
A pampered, INDUCED child, Absa-
iom became a rcbellious. unfilial son.
The kings officers ought to have
known what Absaom was doing in the
city. His acts were open enough to
have aroused any one He must have
been very able, very plausible, very
crafty in all h;s ways There was
Greek, in centuries after, very like him.
His name was Alcibiadcs.
VERSE STUDY.
vs.. l. This is picture OF display
which is easily understood. We even
now in America like the spectacular,
4 band draws crowd. a handsome
carriage and horses are attractive. y
gilded automobile would attract a
whole city Absalom bought carriages
and handsome horses, and had them
caparisoned richly. His body guard
OF fifty men superbly uniformed made
splendid sight Every one would
stop to look as he drove though the
city. Who is that; strangers would
ask he elegant display carried peo-
pie of their feet.
vs.. ,, AbSalom knew people would
become used to his fine display after
little, SO he planned a better way to
impress all classes with his real super
iority.
In the Orient the gate through the
city wall is the place oi Justice, or II
was long ago. \ relic OF the custom
remains in the name OF the court OF
Turkey II is called the Porte that
is the Gate" TO this hearing place
the people came to state their com
plants 1t is not said, but is no doubt
true. that justice was delayed. People
grew restless and dissatisfied. Absa
lom became aware OF all this, and in
stead oi helping his father increased
the feeling against him. This verse ?
shows how he began His first move
was To notice the man with a com
plant, and make him feel he was some
body That flattcrcd the common man
VS.. g. His next step was 10 get the
man to tell his story, Then Ahsalom
would say. Nuu have good case.
You ought to be heard But the king
negcctS you lie appoints no one To
hear you lie does not care That
increased the dissatisfaction. There
could be un more insidious treachery.
See what he did next
VS.. l. This verse shows how crafty
he was He did not say, II wish !
were king But. II wish | were
Judge" His promise was what men
wanted to hear They began to talk
about the prince. Men in the villages
said to- each other. I'VE want young
king. David is old He was good
once but he Is no good now Nbsa.
lom is Our man
VS.. :. Men who heard the prince
say these things thanked him In the
Orient men still do obeisaucc They
even now krccl many times before
great man tn show how they honor
him, They knclt and put their fore
heads on the ground to honor Absa-
lom Then he raised them Up and
kissed them That made every last
man OF them NIL his friend But how
mean and wicked it was
VS.. d So Absalom went on day
after day 1t is wonder David did
not know oi it, and arrest him. The
old king knew how to be severe Per
haps men told him, and he said, "Oh.
it is no matter Absalom does not
mean anything. He is my best loved
son. He will not harm me"
But he did He stole the hearts OF
the men OF Israel TO steal heart is
about the wickedest thing in the
world AbSalom cared nothing for
them. They were utterly deceived.
They iorsook the king and gave their
fealty to the prince. That same sort
of treachery still goes on. Men bctray
each other Our cities are full of