The log cabin Democrat. [volume] (Conway, Ark.) 1901-1982, 1908-09-10
DAVID MADE KING
OVER ISRAEL
AND JUDAH
Sunday School Lesson for Sept. Is, 1908
Specially Arranged for This Paper

| grew great. and the Lord God of Hosts
| was with him Sam $40
THE COUNTRY.-The cleavage which
became permanent after solomon had
| long existed in tendency. Apparently
! united under Saul the tribes showed their
| divergence in the early years OF David
Il northern and q southern Kingdom
| PLACE.-David's first capital was at
| Hebron. Later lie made Jerusalem nus
| capital as more central and more eas!-
| ~ defended
| TIME.-Dayid was king over Judah
| seven and one-half years. b. c. l059-lofS
| U-ssher): or as revised by the Assyrian
Eponym Canon, about 40 years later.
Comment and Suggestive Thought
David had fitted himself for the
kingship. He had almost ideal duat-
tiles. But he needed training by less
er and easier tasks for the great, en-
during, glorious kingdom he was to
create and rule. Hence, for seven
years he was faithful over few
| things in order that he might rule
well over many things.
| David was now 80 years old. He
| had had a checkered life for the last
ten years; but every hour of it was
q part of his preparation.
| 1t takes a great variety of expert
|
ences to make us complete and fitted
to do the greatest good David's life
was filled with the strangest vicissi-
tudes swinging trough an arc that EN-
| braced much If not all OF human eX-
perience Edward Irving finely says
Of him, Every angel of JOY and OF
sorrow swept, as he passed. over the
chords of Dayid's harp, and the hearts
| of a hundred men strove and struggled
together within the narrow continent
of his single heart '--Professor
| Moorehead.
| Hebron, the Capital. was one of the
most ancient cities in the world sit
uated in a high. mountainous region,
300 feet above the sea. 1t cas- east
" defended. 1t was far enough from
the Philistines and from the northern
tribes to be safe. IT. was i'll region
familiar TO David in his exile, and
where he himself was well known.
Hebron had been the home of his an.
cestor Abraham. In the side OF
| ueighhOring "ravine was the cave or
| Machpelah. where the fathers OF the
nation slept in Cod. Isaac and Re
| bekah had lived here. Near by was
| the the brook Eschol where grew the
luxuriant viEt from which the SPIES,
more than foHr centuries before, had
cut down the famous clusters Says
Professor Bfaikie. TO live in Heb,on,
and not fetE faith Quickened to new
life. would have indicated soul dead
to every impulse OF patriotism and
piety.'
V. 4. The men of Judah
anointed David king" This was the
public ceremony of coronation. The
| kingdom came TO him, not only by
divine appointment, but by choice OF
the people themselves (v. IL Chron.
lI:1-3) The two conceded.
! David Reigned at Hebron seven and
one-half years G. Sam. $50. in quiet
md peaceful manner, growing In ia
! yor with God and man. and laying the
! foundations for his great work of con-
! solidatixg and reconstructing the ma
| ton.
| David Became King in the Best Pos
| STOLE Way Cd He did not seek the
| office. bnt the Office sought him. v.
| /. Then came all the tribes OF L.
| Gael to David" They came by their
1 elders ". 81, representing, according
to ! Chron. IL: 23-40, 339,6o0 warriors.
| They gave good reasons.
! t2) lie was Saul't natural successor
| t,eing his son-in-law; and TO make this
| rspre evident, be insisted that his wife
1 Michal who hal been taken away from
| him by Saul. should be returned 10
1 him. T'heE said We are thy bone
| ard thy flesh" both by race and bg
1 alliance with their royal house.
90 He had proved himself a strong
| and worthy leader. both as warrior
| and statesman. They recalled his
| splendid feats of arms when all tive
| tribes were one king l. Y. :. Thou
vast he that leddea. out" etc. All
| through his past life. since the con
| dict with Goliath. David had shosn
| gencralship, wisdom. skill. forbeSr-
ance, courage, knowledge of men. 'ard
trust in God.
| GD He was G{vinely appointed. the
one whom God saw to be the best cne
ia he their Sing-"the Lord said 80
thee" The man whom God chooses
for an office is the man the people
need.
90 He had the right ideas concern
ing the duties OF king. Thou shalt
| feed" Literally, Thou shalt sh"p'
| herd" natural metaphor to express
| the rulers care for his people. Il is
used by Greek poets, G. g. Homer,
| whose regular title for Agamemnon is
Shepherd OF the peoples. Cam
bridge Bible. The true king, ever true
ruler. seeks not to obtain all he tan
from the people, but to do AL he can
for them: not to plumber the sh.ep.
but to shepherd them. David ~ell
knew what was meant.
C David's was constitutional sson
rnhN NOT q deSnOtiSm.