The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-09-11
The SUNDAY SCHOOL,
Lesson Xl.-Third Quarter, For
Sept. IS, 1908.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text of the Lesson, II Sam. ii, 1-7i v,
1-5-sienacry Verses v, 4, 5Golden
Text. u Sam. W 2o-commentary
Prepared by Rev. D. M. Stearns.

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Prepared by Rev. D. M. Stearns.
,copyrisht. 1908. by American Press Association
When Samuel called Jesse and his
IONS to meet him. and David also was
sent for. Samuel anointed David king
that day. but long years intervened 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
DAVIS lesson, however. tells Of his be-
coming king first over Judah for seven
years and six months and then over all
Israel for thlrty-three years iii. H.;
v, d. Gods time had come, and In
His own way His purpose concerning
David was accomplished. and David
RETAINED from lifting his hand in any
way to be rid Of his prosecutor, leav-
ing him wholly to God, saying. Thc
Lord shall smite him, or his day shall
come to die, or he shall descend into
battle and perish q Sam. XVI, !O).
The Lord Jesus Christ the LORDS
aneinted, 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. so; ii Cor. iv,SN. 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
get 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 anu
possess the kingdom forever, even for
ever and ever (Ps. ii; Dan. vii. is. 22).
See also lisa. tx. 6. &; xxXii. l. 2, II;
Jer. xiii. S. 6: Eek. xxxvii. 21-25;
Luke /. 3O-33: Rev. xxi. Is; Xxx. l-6,.
Whoever does not think it worth
while to look up these and many other
similar sayings does not deserve to
know the purpose OF God. for they evil
IDENTIFY have no desire to know. The
kingdom could not be Darid: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 pitfor
a thousand years then shall be the be-
ginning, Of the Kingdom. and when ne
shall he cast into the lake Of fire for
ever then shall be the kingdom in its
fuNpess. Let us not cast away our
confidence which hath great recon-
pehsc Of reward. bat. having patience
as David had. remember that yet a
little while and He that shall come
will come and will not tarry" (Heb.
Y. 35.3{). While He tarrics and we
run on with patience let us. as David
did, make; 1t, oar habit to inquire or
the Lord about everything: "Shall go
upE. .sWhithcr shall so up?' (rerse
H., at least seven times it is written
that David acted thus Il Sam. XIII,
2, i. 10; xxx. S; II Sam. Ii, 1;v. IL, 23,:
How full OF helpful thoughts is the
name Hebron! There Abraham lived
in fellowship with God while Lot
dwe1t in Sodom. and from thence he
and his servants set forth to rescue
Lot. There he bought the cave OF
MachDhelah to bury Sarah Ill, anu
there lies buried his own body, with
those OF Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and
Leah, awaiting the resurrection OF the
lust There Caleb. at tile age of eighty
five. conquered the giants. and it De-
came his inheritance and afterwar0
city Of refuge. Now David is anolnt-
ed there the second time. and 1T be-
comes the place of his throne for sew
en- wears and Il half. There also he
WINS anointcd the third time and be-
came king over ail Israel Chapter w..
Dayids Find words to the men or
.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, 1: Ruth il, j., anu
also OF the rewards in the coming
kingdom, when not even cup OIL water
given in His name shall lose its re-
ward Matt. Y. 42). Consider Luxe
xiv, "a; II John S: Rev. Nxii j.. ana all
the texts which refer 10 the crowns rs
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 auointed king Of Judah son OF
Saul continued for few years to reign
over the other tribes. and there was
long war between the houses cf Saul
and David. but the former waXed
weaker and weaker, Willie DaVld
waxed stronger until, as in chapter Y.
David became king over the Whole
nation. and then we read that David
went on and grew great, and the i>oEd
God Of Hosts was with him trerses
40. 12,. He was just thirty years old
when anointed king over Judah at
Hebron, and he reigncd forty years
Inverse n.
It is interesting 10 note that Ssnl
rand David aud Solomon each reigned
forty years. Some day we may see
something Of great significance IN IT.
for there Is nothing in the Scriptures
that has not its own peculiar signi1'
cance i'm reference to the Kingdom
Our lesson chapter tells us that soon
after David was anointed king over
all Israel he took Jerusalem from the
tJcbusites and that city became fhe
capital Of his Kingdom. The throne Is