Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1908-09-09
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson M.-Third Quarter, Fol
Sept. 10, 1908.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text Of the Lesson, u Sam. II, ~; v,
1-s-Msmory Verses W 4, 5--Golden
Text, II Sam. v, 2o-Commentary
Prepsred BY Rev. p. M. Stearns.

| Prepared by Rev. D. M. Stearns.
downright, Isos. by American Press Association.
When Samuel called Jesse and hi
sons to meet him, and David also wal
sent for, Samuel anointed David kinl
that day, but long years interviewed be
fore David came to the throne, during
which Saul continued as king and per
secuted David continually, seeking
again and again to take his life. To
days lesson, however, tells Of his be
coming king first over judah for sever
years and six months and then over al
Israel for thirty-three years I'll, IL
v, D. Gods time had come, and In
His own way His purpose concerning
David was accomplished, and David
retrained from lifting bis hand in any
way to be rid Of his prosecutor, leav'
ing him wholly to God, saying, 1.-THE
Lord shall smite him, or his day shall
come to die, or he shall descend into
battle and perish" Il Sam. xvi, 10,
The Lord Jesus Christ, the Lords
anointed, has long waited patiently
for the time when He shall reign over
all Israel and over all nations In
righteousness, but the great adversary,
the devil, Is still permitted TO continue
as the prince and god Of this world
John xiv, 80; II Cor. iv, A. But as
truly as David In the fullness Of Gods
time came to the throne appointed for
him, so, though nations rage and peo-
pie imagine vain things, God shall yet
set His king upon His holy hill Of
Zion, and the time shall come, fore
seen by Daniel, when the saints Of the
Most High shall take the kingdom and
possess the kingdom forever, even for
ever and ever Cps. u; Dan. VII, Is, 22).
See also lisa. tx. 9. Z; xxi, /, 2, IT;
Jer. xxi1, s, 6; Eek. xxxvii, 21-25;
Euke i, So-S8; Rev. ri. Is; II, 1-6).
Whoever does not think 1t worth
while to look up these and many other
similar sayings does not deserve to
know the purpose Of God, for they evil
IDENTITY have no desire to know. The
kingdom could not be David's while
Saul had control, and the kingdom
cannot be the Lords while the devil Is
the prince Of this world, but when he
shall be cast into the bottomless pit for
thousand years then shall be the be-
ginning Of the kingdom, and when he
shall be cast into the lake Of fire for
ever then shall be the kingdom In its
fullness. Let us not cast away our
confidence which hath great recon-
pense of reward. but, having patience
as David had, remember that yet a
little while and He that shall come
will come and will not tarry" (Heb.
Z, $3.50. While He tarries and we
run on with patience let us, as David
did, make 1t our habit to inquire OF
the Lord about everything: "Shall go
upY' "Whither shall / go up?" (verse
Il. At least seven times it is written
that David acted thus q Sam. xiii,
2, 4, 10; Xxx, s; II Sam. II, 1; v. 10, 23).
How full of helpful thoughts is the
name Hebron! There Abraham lived
In fellowship with God while Lot
dwelt In Sodom, and from thence he
and his servants set forth to rescue
Lot. There he bought the cave OF
Machphelah to. bury Sarah in, and
there lies buried his own body, with
those of Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and
Leah, awaiting the resurrection of the
Just. There Caleb. at the age Of eighty
FIVE, conquered the giants, and 1t be-
came his inheritance and afterward q
city of refuge. Now David is anoint-
ed there the second time. and it be-
comes the place Of his throne for sew
en- years and half. There also he
was anointed the third time and be-
came king over ali Israel Chapter W.
David's kind words to the men OF
Jabesh- Gilead because Of their kind
ness to the bodies of Saul and his sons
remind us Of many similar words, such
as II Chron. XIV, 7; Ruth Ii, IL, and
also of the rewards In the coming
kingdom, when not even a cup OF water
given In His name shall lose Its re-
ward Matt. <, AZ. Consider Luke
xiv, IA; II John 8; Rev. xii, II, and all
the texts which refer to the crowns as
rewards for service. Salvation is
wholly of grace, through the finished
work of Christ, without any works of
ours whatever. but our rewards In the
kingdom will depend upon our works
as His redeemed ones. After David
was anointed king Of Judah son OF
Saul continued for few years to reign
over the other tribes, and there was
long war between the houses Of Saul
and David, but the former waxed
weaker and weaker, while David
waxed stronger until, as in chapter v,
David became king over the whole
nation, and then we read that David
went on and grew great, and the Lord
God Of Hosts was with him (verses
10, 12). He was just thirty years old
when anointed king over Judah at
Hebron, and he reigned forty years
(verss ~.
It 10 interesting to note that Saul
and David and Solomon each reigned
forty years. Some day we may see
something of great significance In 1t,
for there is nothing in the Scriptures
that has not it's own peculiar signiH-
canoe In reference to the kingdom.
Our lesson chapter tells us that soon
after David was anointed king over
all Israel he took Jerusalem from the
Jebusites and that city became the
capital Of his kingdom. The throne Is
called ''the throne of the Lord" and
In the coming kingdom Jerusalem
shall be called the throne Of the Lord
q Chros. xxx, %; Jsr. Ill. ~. No
other city or throne on earth WIS ever
DO designated.