Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1908-09-02
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,.
Lesson x Third Quarter, For
Sept. 6, 1908.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text of the Lesson, Sam. XXI.
Memory Verse, g. Golden Text,
Amos iv, 12-Commentary Prepared
by Rev. D. M. Stearns.

by Kew. ~. NJ. StearnS.
copyright, 1908, by American Press Assoclatlon J
Notwithstanding Sauls assurance in
last weeks lesson that he would not
any more attempt to harm David, Da-
vid felt it to be wise to get out of bis
reach, so he and his 600 went into the
land of the Philistines, to Achish, king
Of Gath. who gave him Ziklag as his
own town, and he dwelt there a year
and four months. When Saul heard
that he had gone to Gath he sought no
more again for him (XXvii, 10. Da-
vid's strange conduct before Achish in
chapter xxi, 1915 his now seeking ref
uge with him and yet lying to him, all
show us at least this-that God finds
the best of man but very poor mate
rial and has great occasion to exer-
else continual forgiveness. There is
but one perfect man in all the Bible
story, and we must learn to see Jesus
only In chapter xviii we have an in
stance of consulting spirits and what
came of it. We know that this sort of
thing is all Of the devil and is an
abomination unto the Lord Oeut. xviii,
1912, but in this case the woman got
more than she expected, and Samuel
was allowed to appear with message
to Saul which he had not expected and
which certainly had no comfort for
him in it. There is no use in saying
that the work of mediums and so
called spiritualists is all humbug and
sleight of hand. No doubt much of 1t
work of the devil, and we have no rec
ord of God ever interfering as He did
in the case of Samuel.
The Philistines gathered their ar
mics against Israel, and David and his
GOO went out with them, but the
princes of the Philistines insisted that
they return, and David yielded to the
entreaty of Achish and returned, only
to find that the Amalekites had invad
ed the south and had burned Ziklag
and had taken captive all those who
had been left in it, Then David and
his 600 wept till they had no more
power to weep; but, worst of all, Da
vid's men turned against him and
spake of stoning him. In this time of
great darkness it is written that "Da-
vid encouraged himself in the Lord his
God" Xxx, O.. Compare II Elm. ",
1918. The story of David's inquiring
of the Lord, of his finding the young
man of Egypt one of the band Of the
Amalekites, and how he pursued them
and smote them and recovered all is
told in the rest of the chapter Fail
not to notice in verse "a the law that
those who larry by the stuff are to
share equally with those who 90 out to
the battle, and let the home ones find
comfort and encouragement
Our special lesson chapter is the rec.
ord of the defeat Of Israel by the Phil
istines and is summed up in verse |
in these words: $50 Saul died, and his |
three sons. and his armor bearer, and |
all his men that same day together"
The Philistines' treatment of the bod |
les of Saul and his sons when they |
found them among the slain on the |
battlefield the next day is indeed |
sad story concerning those who might |
have been the hOnOred of the Lord. So
also is the record of the burning of |
the bodies and the burial of the bones
under a tree at Jabesh What God |
would have done for Israel had they
relied on Him is seen in the words of
Deut xxi, 80, How should one
chase a thousand and two put ten
thousand to fight"
1t was illustrated in David's victory
over Goliath. and also the day that
Jonathan and his armor bearer saw
the power of God on their behalf
Chapter xiv, and In every case where
Israel walked with God and relied upon
Him. We cannot wonder at anything
that might overtake Saul, but to see
Jonathan among the slain and his body
so i'll treated does seem sad indeed,
and we can heartily join in David's
in II Sam. i. %, 26 Some
might not be able to join so heartily
in his kind words concerning Saul, but
we all know that we are apt to think
and speak as well as possible of people
after they are gone, however much
they may have wronged us while they
lived. 1t is wonderful how much good
may be seen at such a time even in
ones enemies. Would it not be well to
see as much good as possible even in
the worst people ut all times and.
while hating sin, love the sinner even
as our Lord has taught us? While we
know that all are by nature children
Of wrath and that in us-that is, in
our fieSh-Gwelleth no good thing, in
the sight of God (Eph. ii. ., 3; Rom.
vii, 49, there is much in all, compared
with others, that might be commend
ed, and thus by kind words they might
be drawn to Him who is altogether
lovely, who said, Neither do | con-
denim thee" What a most glorious
gospel it is, this gospel of the grace Of
God, which makes known to us q love
as far exceeding that Of David and
Jonathan as heaven is higher than the
earth! AS to the condition Of those
who go out from us, the Lord Him
self has drawn aside the veil in Luke
xvi. AS for the righteous. those who
can say. I'm the Lord have l right
eousness and strength" Qsa. xiv, "a.
we know that "to die is gain" phil.
/, q. 23). We know also that no real
evil can ever befall those who are
truly the Lords. for nothing can pass
through the hedge or the wall of fire
without His permission, and He is
love. and such love is always kind.