The Winchester news. [volume] (Winchester, Ky.) 1908-19??, 1908-10-30
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
Lesson v.-Fourth Quarter, For
Nov. !, 1903.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

Text of the Lesson, II Sam. XIV, 1-12.
Memory Verses, 5, Golden Text,
Elk. Xxx, 12-commentary Prepared by
Rev. D. M. Stearns.
copyright. 1908, by American Press Association.
1t was a rare thing that the Lord
was able to write Of Abraham, 81 know
him, that he will command his chill
dren and his household after him. and
they shall keep the, way of the Lord
Gen. xviii. 49,. 1t is written of so
good man as ELI that his sons were
sons Of Belial. They made themselves
vile, and he restrained them not, and
bis sons above God. He did reason
with his sons, but he did not comman,
or restrain them q Sam. II, II, "a, %;
ill, 13. David had one son, fine look
ing fellow, whom he never even dis
pleased by asking him, Why hast thou
done so? q Kings /, 5, g. But he turn
ed out very badly. He had 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-
Ions name signifies father of peace"
and there was not a more beautiful
man in all Israel Oh Sam. xiv, %, 26l,
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 Gil Sam. xiii, 81, 80; iii, -,
but David longed to see him. Joab.
perceiving David's longing for Absa-
lom, brought Ii about through wise
woman Of Tekoa Chapter xiv, so Alb
salon returned to Jerusalem, and yet
he was there two full years without
seeing his fathers face xiv, 2S).
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 the men of Israel and under
Lord at Hebron caused himself to be
proclaimed king, saying. "Absalom
reigneth in Hebron" (verse 1O). 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-
lom, and the conspiracy against David
was strong oversees II, 12).
God calls Israel His son, His first
born, and said of him, Thy beauty
was perfect through my comeliness,
which l had put upon thee" and call
ed him the dearly beloved of His soul
and yet had to say, Il have nourished
and brought up children, and they
have rebelled against Me-" although
nothing could possibly be done TO-
them that He had not done. See il
confirmation of these statements Elk.
iv, 2, %; Eek. xvi Ia; Jer. xii. Z; Isa
1, 2; v, 4. Then when Jesus came in
humiliation as their Messiah they de
spised Him and rejected Him and
killed Him, and the night before they
crucified Him He went forth with His
little band over the same Kidron and
to the same Olivet oversees 23, 3O), 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, 1-3. 10; xi,
49,. David did not return until the |
men of Judah as one man sent him |
this word, Return thou and all thy |
servants, xix, 14), dnd we cannot |
but wonder what might take place if !
In response to our Lords threefold |
surely L come quickly" of Rev. xxi |
the church should as one person cry: |
"Amen! Even so come, Lord Jesusr'
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
same 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
10, the 600 of verse is and those Of
verse 81. 1t is surely a 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 ceryice wholly at His COM
mandment q Chron. xviii, 2D. The |
900 recall the whole Adullam story Of
the faithful followers and their reward
when he came to the throne. Ittai and
his memorable words, "As the Lord
nveth and as my Lord the King liyeth,
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 similar devotion to Israel be-
cause of the Lord who shall reign in
their midst David's submission to
God is seen In bis sending back the |
ark Of the covenant to Jerusalem, say
ing, eff l shall find favor in the eyes
Of the Lord He will bring me again,
= = - ~s~ Il