The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1908-09-10
DAVID MADE KING
OVER ISRAEL
AND JUDAH
Sunday School Lesson for Sept. ID, 1908
Specially Arranged for This Paper

i
THE COUNTRY.-The cleavage which
became permanent after Solomon had
| long existed I'm tendency. Apparently
united under Saul, the tribes showed their
divergence in the early years OF David
northern and a southern kingdom
PLACE.-Dayid's first capital was at
Hebron. Later he made Jerusalem his
capital as more central and more easi-
| ly defended
TIME.-David was king over Judah
seven and one-half years, y. G. 1055-1048
| tUssher); or as revised by the Assyrian
Eponym Canon, about 40 years later.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
David had fitted himself for the
kingship. He had almost ideal quail
tiles. But he needed training by less
er and easier tasks for the great, en-
during, glorious kingdom he was to
create and rule. Hence, for seven
years he was faithful over a few
things In order that he might rule
well over many things.
David was now 30 years old. He
had had a checkered life for the last
ten years; but every hour of it was
part of his preparation.
II takes a great variety of expert.
ences to make us complete and fitted
to do the greatest good David's life
was filled with the strangest vicissi-
tudes swinging trough an arc that EN-.
braced much If not all of human ex.
perience. Edward Irving finely says
of him, Every angel of Joy and Of
sorrow swept, as he passed, over the
chords of David's harp, and the hearts
of hundred men strove and struggled
together within the narrow continent
of his single heart .'"-Professo
Moorehead.
Hebron, the Capital, was one Of the
most ancient cities in the world, sit
uated in a high, mountainous region.
1900 feet above the sea. II was easi-
ly defended. II was far enough from
the Philistines and from the northern
tribes to be safe. II was in a region
familiar to David in his exile, and
where he himself was we'll known.
Hebron had been the home of his an
cestor Abraham. In the side of
neighboring "ravine was the cave OF
Machpelah, where the fathers of the
nation slept in God" Isaac and Re
the the brook Eschol where grew the
| luxuriant vine from which the spies,
more than four centuries before, had
cut down the famous clusters. Says
Professor Blaikie, ITO live in Hebron,
and not feel faith quickened to new
life, would have indicated a soul dead
to every impulse of patriotism and
piety."
" 4. The men OF Judah
anointed David king" This was the
public ceremony of coronation. The
kingdom came to him, not only by
divine appointment, but by choice of
the people themselves ". IL Chron.
11;1-3O The two coincided.
David Reigned at Hebron seven and
one.half years e Sam. 5:5), in a quiet
and peaceful manner, growing in ia
vor with God and man, and laying the
foundations for his great work of con.
soidating and reconstructing the ma
tion.
David Became King in the Best Pos
sible Way G) He did not seek the
office, but the office sought him. V.
1. "Then came all the tribes of Is.
rael to David" They came by their
elders ". 81, representing, according
to Chron. 12:23-40, 339 900 warriors
They gave good reasons.
(2) He was Saurt natural successor,
being his son-in-law; and to make this
more evident, he insisted that his wife
Michal who hal been taken away from
him by Saul should be returned to
him They said I'VE are thy bone
and thy flesh" both by race and by
alliance with their royal house.
(3) He had proved himself a strong
and worthy leader, both as warrior
and statesman. They recalled his
splendid feats of arms when all the
tribes were one kingdom. V. 2. Thou
vast he that leddest out" etc. All
through his past life, since the con,
lict with Goliath, David mad shown
generalship, wisdom, skill, forbear-
ance, courage, knowledge of men. and
trust in God.
az He was divinely appointed, the
one whom God saw to be the best one
to be their king-"the Lord said to
thee" The man whom God chooses
for an Office is the man the people
need.
(5) He had the right ideas concern.
Ing the duties of king. Thou shalt
feed Literally, Thou shalt shep-
herd" a natural metaphor to express
the rulers care for his people. II is
used by Greek poets, g, g., Homer,
whose regular title for Agamemnon is
Shepherd of the peoples. Cam
bridge Bible. The true king. ever true
ruler, seeks not to obtain all he can
from the people, but to do all he can
for them; not to plunder the sheep,
but to shepherd them. David well
knew what was meant
(6 Davids was a constitutional mon.
archy, not a despotism.
Practical Points.
David was fine example of Christ's
parallels of the talents and the pounds.