Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1908-08-05
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson W.-Third Quarter, For
Aug. 9, 1908.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES

Text Of the Lesson, Sam. xvii, 38-4s
Memory Verses, 4e, 4e-GoIden Text
Pc. XII, documentary Prepared b,
Rev. D. M. Stearns.
Copyright, 1908, by American Press Association.
We saw in last weeks lesson that
after David had been anointed in the
midst of his brethren with oil by Sam.
uel and with the Holy Spirit by God
he returned to his f1ocks. Saul, being
troubled by an evil spirit by Gods
permission, for If the truth is rejected
God allows delusion to take us Oh
Thess. il, 10, IL, was recommended by
his servants to employ one who could
| play skillfully on the harp to quiet
and soothe him. David, the son Of
Jesse, was mentioned as q suitable
] man. He was sent for and came and
| Saul loved him greatly, and he became
his armor bearer, and God gave him
success in driving away the evil spirit
again to feed his fathers sheep at
Bethlehem xvii. 15), and doubtless he
cared for the sheep just as cheerfully
as he waited on Saul, perhaps more so,
for there would not be as much Of
God in the atmosphere Of Sauls home
as out In the fields with the sheep, but
this spirit Of being just as willing to
keep sheep as to serve a king, or vice
versa, is the great thing, "For any
manner Of service wholly at Thy COM
mandment" q Chron. xviii, 2D. While
David is thus employed in the quiet
home life, being fitted by communion
with God for greater things, like Moses
at INDIAN, or Paul in Arabia, or John
the Baptist in the wilderness, or Jesus
at Nazareth, the Philistines gather |
their armies against Israel, and the |
two armies are face to face in battle |
array with a valley between them. |
Day by day their champion comes
forth In his strength, crying: 81 defy /
the armies of Israel this day. Give me
q man that we may fight together"
And so it continued morning and even
ing for forty days (verses 10, 16).
Although Saul was head and Shout
ders taller than an ordinary man, Go
Hath lowered away above him, and, as
it was man against man and God was
left out, both Saul and all Israel were
dismayed and greatly afraid, and when
the men of Israel saw the man they
fed from him oversees II, pa. The
three eldest Of David's brethren were
in SauPs army, and while this state of
things continued Jesse one day sent
David to carry some home food to his
brethren and to see how they Jared.
AS he talked with his brethren and
asked them of their welfare Goliath
came forth and in his customary style
defied the armies of Israel, and David
heard him and saw Israel flee before
him. All his soul is stirred as he hears
this blasphemer defy the armies of
The living God, and as he sees the re-
Oroach resting on Israel because of
him he asks, what shall be done TO
he man that killeth this Philistine
Ind taketh away the reproach from
Israelp' His eldest brother heard him
Ind was angry with him and accused
him of pride and haughtiness Of heart
Ind Of leaving his sheep to come down
o see the battle. 1
1t is more gratifying to the flesh to [
ak back, but a soft answer is Gods
way. Saul Is told of David and his ,
words, and so he sent for him. To Y
'aurs great amaZement, David offers Q
o go out and fight Goliath and tells
ow God enabled him to kill both a e
on and bear as he kept his fathers
heep, and he was sure that the same e
ord would give him victory over this
hilistine. in a very fippant way, as b
understand it, Saul said, GO, and Il
ne Lord be with thee" Verse 80. 1t b
)unds somewhat like some of the
God bless you's" that we hear T
1ords from the heart carry blessing, p
ut mere lip words are idle. What a y
ght David must have been with
aul'S armor on, but he was soon rid t.
it, for as he said, he had not proved W
We can only use in the service of Il
II Lord and in our conflict with the
evil that which we have proved In C
II own personal experience, and the hi
owing in private is often qualifica ca
on for a more public experience.
18th his staff and his sling and five M
nooth stones in his scrip, he went V,
nth to meet the great God defying
lversary, but conscious that he was al
DDS man and seeking only the honor
Jehovah he could say, as he did say, m
come in the name of the Lord of Tn
'sts, the God of the armies of Israel,
HON thou hast defed," that all the
nth may know that there is a God Sc
Israel and all this assembly shall no
low that the Lord saveth not with he
yord and spear, for the battle is the in
'rd's" oversees 45-4O.
What zeal for God! What splendid he
nfdence in Him. What forgetfulness or,
self and Of peoplel Gazed upon in fat
,nder by the many thousands of Is
Ell and with scorn and derision by wi
3 giant and the vast multitude who wi
led upon him as their champion, he vo
mt forth calmly and fearlessly, with fb,
thought but that God might be "
,rifed. Goliath cursed him and said n
1T he would give his flesh to the tbe
DIS and to the beasts, but David VIII
Stoned and ran to meet him, and, din
ling a stone from his bag he slung II T
th unerring aim In the name and in elo
, power of Jehovah, and it sank