Mexico Missouri message., 1908-11-05
David GrieVeS
for AbSalom
Sunday School Lessen fee Nov. 9, 1908
Specially Arranged for This Paper

| grief 10 his father"-Prov. l7:A
TlME.-Three months after our last
| lesson.
PLACE.-Jerusaiem and Mahanairn, q
fortified town east OF the Jordan. near
the Jabbok, memorable for Jacobs
wrestling In prayer. Half way between
| the Dead sea and the Sea OF GRiilee The
| battlefield was in the Wood Of Ephraim
IN Gilead. east OF the Jordan. within one
day OF Mahanaim.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
The day that David left saw Absa-
lom taking possession OF the throne.
Rejecting the shrewd advice of
Ahithophel. he waited till he could
gather a great army with which to at
tack and overcome his father
This was fatal. David and his two
generals. the greatest in all Israel,
planned and organized their forces for
defense only. so far as David was
concerned.
Absalom reigned three months, and
during that time not one good thing
10 recorded concerning him.
He was as great failure as a king
as he was as a man; and for the same
reason-he was selfish. He wanted to
|
no kingly aims or ideals.
Apparently self-conceit was the rea.
son why he followed Hushai's advice,
for that willy enemy OF his put before
him a picture OF himself at the head
OF an immense army. like a world.con.
queror. and all the nations, as 1t were,
singing Hail to the Chief"
Among many other significant de.
vices, some beyond the seas have .
picture of man, with a full.blown
bladder on his shoulders, another
standing by and pricking the bladder
with pin; the motto: How sudden.
ly!' limiting thereby the sudden down.
fall Of all worldly greatness. -
| Spencer.
A man selfish in his Utmost soul can
never attain true success. Selhshness
ruins health, ruins conscience, ruins
| judgment
Amidst the scattered fight Absalom
was separated from his men, and as he
fed from party OF the enemy, the
mule on which he rode carried him
beneath the low branches OF a spread.
Ing terebinth and left him hanging by
the head, probably in a forked bough.
Perhaps, also, his long, thick hair got
entangled, but there is nothing to sup.
port the common idea that he was sus-
pended merely by the hair" Josephus
says distinctly that Absalom's hair
was entangled. The first soldier who
came up spared his life because Of the
kings command, and went TO tell Joab.
The interruptions chief hurried to the
spot and thrust thrae javelins into
Absalom's heart. There was prob
ably n true regard for the king and
Kingdom in this act OF Joab. He knew
that Absalom could not with safety
be suffered TO live and that IL would
be difhcult TO rid the state OF so
foul member at any other time than
now, when just right to STAY him
had been earned in open battle
k!tto. Absalom's body was cast into
great pit. and a great heap OF
stones was cast upon him, either in
detestauon OF his memory or as mon.
ument TO distinguish the place.
V. 80. Went Up to the chamber"
To be alone in his sorrow. The deep.
est sorrow "treads the wine-press
alone" And wept" Tears are the
safety-valves Of the heart" 20 my son
Absalom!" There is not In the
whole OF the Old Testament a pas.
sage OF deeper pathos than this. The
simple beauty OF the narrative is ex.
quisite; we are irresistibly reminded
OF him who, while he beheld the rebel.
lious city OF Jerusalem and Thought
OF the destruction It was bringing upon
ITSELF wept over II luke l9:4D."-
Cook. Would God had died for thee"
so Moses lex. $3.50. and SO ST.
Paul rom. $3.50. would have sacri.
hced themselves, had It been possible
TO save others. His wish TO die in
Absalom's stead was no mere extray,.
gance OF grief"
Absalom and His SIn.-He was
young; he sinned with his whole ma.
ture; he kept on SHINING TO the end
with no hint Of repentance, with no al.
deviation Of character. He did not re-
pent even as much as Esau. who re.
GREETED the consequences OF his action
with strong crying and tears.
DAVIES sin was an incident-a very
terrible incident-in a very great and
useful life. Il was dangerous eddy.
like the whirlpool below the Niagara
falls; but 1t was brief. Il wac not the
main current of his life. He repenied
and all his after life showed sinners
the way Of repentance. the possiblu.
ties OF repentance and restoration. II
has been sermon for almost 5000
years on the tender mercies and fo,.
giving love Of our Father in heaven.
Absalom from out the far-on past "a
still pointing our modern youth to
certain great lessons his career
teaches us:
% THE way OF transgressors IA
hard"
go The success OF the wicked IA
ahnRf nd tho. h. 4. RHn