The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1908-11-05
INTERNATIONAL LESSON ram.
MENTs FOR NOVEMBER s.
Subject: David Grieves For Ahsalom
Samuel Is Golden Text.
Prov. 17:25-Commit Verse %
Commentarv.
Commentary.


2 Samuel Is Golden Text
Prov. 17:25-C Commit Verse %
Commentary.
-, TIME.-1O22 B. c. PLACE.
5. EXPOSITION. Tidinps Of Vic.
tory, 24-S1. II will not do in teach !
ing this lesson to confne oneself to
the verses assigned. Absalom had
laid his plans with great shrewdness
ana Skill But he had left God out in
al MS calculations (ch. 17:14. r
Vi. That omission was fatal. It
was In answer to David's prayer that
God had ordained to defeat the good
counsel Of Ahithophel" (cf. 2 Sam.
1913 Hushais had appealed sue
sessfully TO the vanity of Absalom In
his attempt to overthrow AhithopheFs
counsel 6ch. 17:11). In this time OF
seeming general detection from David
mere were really many who stood by
lin still (ch. 15s19-21, S2-37: 1T:1Y.
1920, 27:29; 1879. At last a for
nidable army had rallied to his sun
port 1ch. 1871, q. David's chief
concern was about Absalom, and his 1
parting word to his generals was to
Zeal gently with him Nv. 81. The
overwhelming victory which was the
result of the battle is a type of the
overwhelming final victory that shall
md our Dayid's conflicts with His
loes (Rev. 19:11-21; q Thess. 1881.
More people Of David's enemies were
destroyed by the hand of God in this
battle than by the hand OF David's
soldiers (y.. = OF. Judges 0,@21).
Absalom had longed to meet the SER
rants of David, but when he met them
n RI &c ~
Absalom was not now riding in
chariot with horse and fifty men to
.un before him (cf. Oh. 15:1), but on
mule with his men running away
from him. 1t was an approximate end
Tor Absalom that he should be hanged
1De. 21:2S; CT. De. 27:16, 20). We
I'll deserve to be hanged, as for that
matter teal. 3:10). The only thing
that saves us from it is that an
other was hanged in our place (Gal.
S:13). The destiny of all who treat
their parents as Absalom treated his
FATHER will be like to AbsaIom's
(Prov. 1920. r. W. Absalom was
| deserted by all at the last, even 1.-The
mule that was under him went away"
Absalom paid dearly for the injury
that he had done Joab at an earlier
day (ch. 1929, 800. Joab was
VengefuI man, and had been waiting
all these years to get even. All our
| mean treatment of others is likely to
come back some day upon our own
heads with compound interest. How
| the heart of David trembled when he
was told that man was coming rum
ming. He knew that he had tidings,
but what kind of tidings? Then when
another appeared in the distance the
heart of David beat faster than ever.
Then when he was told that it was
Ahimaaz, and he was sure that it was
, good tfdings that he brought, fear
| Tor Absalom filed his heart. Poor
David! Sin is awful costly! The first
/ word of Ahfmaaz to David was
Peace" OR. ". Marg. v. 28). That
Is the message that the gospel brings
to every contrite sinner (Ro. 1919.
Ahfmaaz bowling himself before the
king with his face to the earth ". %.
! r. W.. It was not only in honor to
the king, but also in worship of God,
whom he Immediately proceeds to
bless. But before our David every
knee shall bow, and every tongue con-
Tess (Phil. 2:10, III. Ahimaaz as
cribed all the glory for the victory to
Him to whom it belonged Ccf. Gen.
1920; Ps. 1851; 144:1, 2; Rev.
! 19:1-3). 1t was Jehovah, and Jeho-
yah alone, who had delivered up
David's enemies And it is He, and
He alone, who delivers up ours. But
David had but one thought, us the
young man Absalom safer" All,
David, you should have thought of
that years ago, when you took that
/ awful step that plunged Absalom into
eternal ruin. Most fathers think OF
the safety of their sons too late.
Ahimaaz avoided the question, but his
/ answer was ominous. David felt that.
The Cushite, too, aScribed all the vic
+ tory to God So did David himself
! (ch. 22:48, 49, Ps. 1912, 81. Ven
! geance belongeth to God, and He had
avenged David on all those that rose
up against him (cf- De. 1885, So;
Ps. 94:T; Ro. 12:19.
! III. David's Overwhelming Grief
! Over Absalon, 80, S3. This is one or
! the saddest scenes in all history, and
one of the most instructive. David
/ first question of the Cushite, as or
| Ahimaaz, was, els the young man
| Absalom safer" The Cushite'S an
/ swer was not direct, but it was none
/ the less unmistakeable. In an instant
David knows that Absalom is dead,
and he knows that the ultimate re-
sponsibility for the ruin of the son OF
his love rests upon himself. Who can
measure the agony of the father who
looks upon the temporal and eternal
! ruin of his son, and knows that he IS
himself to blame for it all? That is
an agony that every father who. wan
ders into sin may expect to face. The
enemies of our David will ultimately
all be as that young man was. David .
sin was no sufficient excuse for Absa-
lom. He had brought ruin upon. MS
i r1,y, hoad Our David too sorrows
i over the ruin of His bitterest foes
i (Lu. 1874, 42). David said of Absa-
i ION. would God / had died for
/ thee Christ did die for His enemies:
! David seems to have never recovered
i from this sorrow. All over these
chapters is written in large letters.
seWHATSOEVER A MAN SOWEIH'
THAT SHALL HE ALSO REAP.