The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-10-27
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,,
Lesson V.-Fourth Quarter, For
Nov. !, 1908.
The INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

Text Of the Lesson, II Sam. XIV, 1i.12.
Memory Verses, s, 6-GolSen Text,
Ex. XXX, t2-commentary Prepared by
Rs9. o. M. Stearns.
,espyright. 1908. by American Press Association
u was a rare thing that the Lord
was able to write of Abraham, II know
!hsE, that he will command his chill
sa5en and his household after him, and
ahey shall keep the way Of the Lord"
{Gan. Xviii. 19,. 1t Is written Of SO
guad a man as ELI that his sons were
sans Of Bellal. They made themselves
We, and he. restrained them not, and
tae Lord looked upon that as honoring
his sons above God. He did reason
with his sons, but he did not command
or restrain them q Sam. il, II, "a, %;
81, 13l.. David had one son, fine. look
lag fellow, whom he never even dis
pleased by asking him, Why hast thou
zone so3 q Kings l. 5. 6.) But he turn
ed out very badly. he had a beautiful
name, Adonijah. which means Jehovah
is my Lord, but beautiful name or
form or features count for nothing If
the heart is not right with God. Absa-
Iorn's name signifies father Of peace,
and there was not more beautiful
man in all Israel QI Sam. xiv, %, 26),
but we see him in today's 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 OH Sam. Kill. 81, 3S; Iii. -,
but David longed to see him. Joao,
nercefvfng David's longing for Absa-
lom, brought it about through wise
woman Of Tekoa Chapter XIV, so Ab-
SALON. returned to Jerusalem, and yet
he was there two full years without
seeing his fathers face xiv, 2Sl.
In 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 Ghe men Of Israel and under
the pretense Of keeping Vow to the
Lord at Hebron caused himself to be
proclaimed king. saying, "Absalom
yeigneth 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 with Absa-
pom, and the conspiracy against David
was strong oversees II. 12l.
God calls Israel His son, His first
born, and said OF him. Thy beauty
was perfect through my comeliness'
which had put upon thee" and call
ed him the dearly beloved Of His soul
and yet had to say. II have nourished
snd brought up children. and they
have rebelled against Me-" although
nothing could possibly be done for
them that He had not done. See In
confirmation of these statements Ex
", 2, %; Eek. xvi. II: Jer. XII. Z; lisa.
!. 2: v, 4. Then when Jesus came In
humiliation as their Messiah they de-
spised Him and rejected Hin and
killed Him, and the night before they
<.rucified Him He went forth with His
little band over the same kidron and
to the same Olivet (verses 2S. ..30,. for
the people had said. I'VE have no king
but Caesar" In due time Absalom
was slain, and David returned to his
throne and kingdom. So in due time
the great adversary shall perish and
Jesus shall reign (Rev. Xxx, l-3. 10; u,
100. David did not return until the
raen OF Judah as one man sent him
N1his word, Return thou and all thy
servants" {xix; ~. and we cannot
but wonder what might take place If
IN response to our Lords threefoid
Surely come quickly" Of Rev. XXI
the church should as one person cry:
Amen! Even so come. Lord Jesus"
With all her divisions and on the part
Of the majority no expectation OF His
return we cannot think that the church
ever will be Of one accord on this
point, but we rejoice to believe that In
the fullness of time. the church being
completed, He will come to the air to
welcome her to Himself and then re-
turn with her in His glory for this
came Israel's benefit and to subdue
all things unto Himself.
During the time Of His rejection may
we be found like the servants Of verse
Is, the 600 Of verse IS and those of
verse Fl. 1t is surely small thing
for Us to say as His redeemed. and
yet something we ought to say, BE
hold. thy servants are ready to do
whatsoever my Lord the King shall
appoint and hold ourselves for any
manner of service wholly at His COM
mandment q Chron. xviii. 2l. The
500 recall the whole Adullam story OF
the faithful followers and their reward
when he came to the throne. lttai AMI
his memorable words, "AS the Lord
liveth aud as my Lord the King liveth,
surely in what place my Lord the King
shall be. whether in death or life. even
there also will thy servant be-" remind
us of the devotion Of Ruth. another
gentle. and point US on to the time
when all gentle nations shall mani
fest q similar devotion to Israel be-
cause Of the Lord who shall reign III
their midst. Dav;d's submission to
God is seen In his sending back the
ark of the covenant I" Jerusalem. say
Inc "Ir shall find favor la the eyes
Of the Lord lie vii! bring me again.