Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1908-10-28
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
Lesson v.-Fourth Quarter, For
Nov. |, 1903.
the INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text Of the Lesson, u Sam. XIV, 1-12.
Memory Verses, 8, 6-GoIden Text,
Elk. TX, 1e-commentary Prepared by
Rev. D. M. Stearns.

Rev. D. M. stearns.
copyright, 1905, by American Press Association.
1t was rare thing that the Lor,
was able to write of abraham, II know
him, that he will command his chill
dren and his household after him, an(
they shall keep the way Of the Lord
(Gen. xviii, 19). 1t Is written of 81
good man as Eli that his sons were
sons Of Belial. They made themselves
vile, and he restrained them not, and
the Lord looked upon that as honoring
his sons above God He did reason
with his sons, but he did not command
or restrain them Il Sam. II, II, "a, 20;
Iii, 49,. David had one son, fine look
ing fellow, whom he never even dis
pleased by asking him, Why hast thou
done so2 Il Kings 1, 5, g. But he turn
ed out very badly. He had a beautiful
name, Adonijah, which means Jehovah
Is my Lord, but q beautiful name or
form or features count for nothing If
the heart is not right with God. Absa-
Ions name signifies father of peace"
and there was not a more beautiful
man in all Israel Oh Sam. xiv, %, 26),
but we see him in todays lesson ready
to dethrone and kill his own father.
AbsalOm, having slain his brother
Amnon, fed to Talmai, king Of Geshur,
his mothers father, and was there
three years QI Sam. xiii, 81, 38; Ill, 81,
but David longed to see him. Joab,
perceiving David's longing for Absa-
Ion, brought 1t about through a wise
woman of Tekoa Chapter xiv, so Alb
salon retusned to Jerusalem, and yet
he was there two full years without
seeing his fathers ace xiv, 2S).
h due time Absalom and his father
met. The king kissed him (verse 33).
Then follows the lesson of today,
wherein we see Absalom stealing the
hearts Of the men Of Israel and under
the pretense of keeping a VOW to the
Lord at Hebron caused himself to be
proclaimed king, saying, "Absalom
reigneth in Hebron" Verse 10). He sent |
for his fathers counselor, Ahithophel, |
and took with him 200 men from Jeru- |
salem, who went in their simplicity |
and knew not anything, and so the
people increased continually Absa-
lom, and the conspiracy against David
was strong oversees IL, 12).
God calls Israel His son, His first
born, and said Of him, "Thy beauty
was perfect through my comelness,
which l had put upon thee" and call
I'd Kim the dearly beloved Of His soul
and yet had to say, 81 have nourished
md brought up children, and they
nave rebelled. against Me-" although
nothing could possibly be done for
hem that He had not done See in
confirmation of these statements Ex.
V, 2, %; Eek. xvi, IA; Jer. xii, Z; lisa.
, 2; V, 4. Then when Jesus came in
humiliation as their Messiah they de-
pised Eim and rejected Him and
Tiled HIM, and the night before they
rucified Him He went forth with His
title band over the same KidrOn and
o the same Oliyet oversees IS. 30), for
he people had said. 1--WE have no king
tut Caesar" In due time AbsaIom
vas slain, and David returned to his
hrOne and kingdom. So in due time
be great adversary shall perish and
esus shah reign Rev. Xxx, 1-3, 10; xi,
81. David did not return until the
len of judah as one man sent him
his word, Return thou and all thy
ervants" xix, ~, and we cannot
ut wonder what might take place if
1 response to our Lords threefold
Surely come quickly" of Rev. xxi
ne church should as one person cry.
Amen! Even so come Lord Jesusw
With all her divisions and OH the part
the majority no expectation Of His ,,
eturn we cannot think that the church
yer will be Of one accord on this
oint, but we rejoice to believe that in
lie fullness of time, the church being !
)mpleted, He will come to the air to q
elcome her to Himself and then re-
i'm with her in His glory for this
lme IsraePs benefit and to subdue :
! things unto Himself
During the time of His rejection may
e be found like the servants of verse
J, the 600 Of verse IS and those Of II
rise 81. 1t is surely a small thing -
+ us to say as His redeemed, and y
It something We ought to say, "Be- Il
Id thy servants are ready to do g
hatsOever my Lord the King shall o
,point" and hold ourselves for any
amer Of service wholly at His COM
andment q Chron. xviii, 2D. The
0 recall the whole Adullam story of y"
e faithful followers and their reward ~
hen he came to the throne. Ittai and VI
8 memorable words, Gas the Lord w
eth and as my Lord the King liveth, '.
rely in what place my Lord the King u.
all be, whether In death or life, even VI
ere also will thy servant be-" remind 81
of the devotion of Ruth, another ei
ntile, and point US on to the time Oe
len all gentle nations shall mani -,
IT a similar devotion to Israel be- ~
use Of the Lord who shall reign in -, 20
eir midst. Davids submission to
ID is seen In his sending back the ~
< Of the covenant to Jerusalem. say w.
:, "If / shall find favor In the eyes
the Lsrd He will bring me again, "a
behold, here am l. Let him do =,
me as seemeth good unto Him" -
,rses 24-26). He was filed with sor- n1
Y, yet his mind was stayed upon ~
hovah. Our blessed Lord in the ~ ~
DIST of His great sorrow gave the th n'
ciples His peace and prayed that -
y might have His JOY, a peace and IT.
: independent of circumstances be- ~ ~
Use it cometh from God. 'e