The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-05-26
SUNDAY SCHOOL,
Lesson lX.-Second Quarter, For
May 80, 1915. .
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

Ps. xx;v-Memory Verses, Ps. xiv,
7-1o-GoIden Text, Ps. exxii, Com
mentary Prepared by Rev. q. M.
Stearns.
David having been established as
king over all Israel began at once to
think Of a place for the ark Of the
Lord, the symbol Of the presence Of
the Lord in the midst Of His people.
The last record Of the ark was when
the Philistines returned 1t in a new
cart with an Offering; the men of Beth
shemesh transgressed by looking into
it, and 10000 persisted; they We're glad
to send it on to Kirjath-jearim. where
it found a resting place for many years
in the house Of Abinadab in the hill q
Sam. vii, u. I think that there IS no men,
ton of it during the reign Of Saul. ~
our lesson chapter and In chapter vii. 2,
it is mentioned sixteen times, and In
the parallel record In / Chron. Kill, XIV
and xvi 1t is mentioned twenty-five
times. 1t always suggests righteous
ness which God requires, but also that
Righteousness provided in Christ, who
is the end Of the law for righteousness
to every one that believeth. The blood
on the mercy seat speaks Of the sacrt-
fee on Calvary, and the cherubim beat
ell out Of the same piece Of gold as
the mercy seat tell Of the oneness OF
Christ with His redeemed.
The Lord Of hosts dwelling be-
tween the cherubim (verse 2; I Chron.
xiii, 6; l Sam. iv, 4; Ps. Xxx, y
tells Of the mercy Of God in Christ and
of His provision for communion with
us (Ex. XIV. 81. 22), for 1t is u privi-
lege to say Truly u fellowship Is
with the Father and with His Son
Jesus Christ" Il John l. 81. Although
David's desire to provide a place
for the ark in Jerusalem was COM
m%endable. he was certainly out of
fellowship with God In the way he
took to accomplish it and in his adopt
ing the method Of the Philistines. when
he really knew better, as we shall see.
David's folly in the matter Of a new
cart to bear the ark instead Of the
shoulders Of the priests chapter vii. 81;
I Chron. Kill. I: XIV. 2. 12-15) brought
about the death Of Uzzah. terror In the
heart of David and the ark resting for
three months in the house Of Obed-
edom. When the Lord instructs US as
to how He desires His work to be done
there Is nothing for US to do but obey
and avoid all methods but His own.
One Of the most grievous things in
80 called church work Of our day IS the
worldly methods which seem to have
been adopted on all sides instead OF
prayer and fasting and looking to the
Lord alone to carry on His work In
Els way by His Holy Spirit. AS truly
as the Lord gave Moses that plan Of
the tabernacle and David the plan Of
the temple (Ex. XIV. 9. 40; l Chron.
xviii. IL. 19). leaving no room for sug-
gestions or improvements or modiica-
lions Of any kind from them. so has He
as plainly told us His plan for subdu-
ing this world to Himself and making
it a new earth wherein dwelleth right
eousness. We are not permitted to be
conformed to this present evil world
in any way, nor are We to think OF
making this world. which lieth In the
wicked one. a righteous world. for it
cannot be done while the devil Is Its
god. ruling as he does in politics and
In commerce and in social life and also
in much that Is called religions. lSee
my tract entitled The Secret Of Mis-
sionary Interest" l.. & K. box PIG.
Harrisburg. Pal
When the ark finally reached its
place In the tent that David had pitch
ed for it there was great rejoicing be-
fore the Lord, and David blessed the
people in the name Of the Lord Of
hosts verses 1919. There is always
blessing associated with obedience to
the Lord. Chapter vii Is n Of the
most important records In the whole
story Of David. for it tells Of Gods un-
conditional covenant with David con-
corning the everlasting kingdom yet to
be set I'D on the earth, with Israel as
its center and an immortal man upon
the throne of David at Jerusalem will
1924. That David knew that the
promised son was not Solomon, but the
Messiah, Is plainly stated in Acts IL.
80, and Messiah risen from the dead.
an immortal man, for no mortal man
could reign forever. The same person
is spoken of in the same way In lsa-
tx, 6, 7, and also by Gabriel to Mary
in Luke /. 50. SO, and the kingdom thus
foretold will surely and literally come.
That the church Is the Kingdom.
that the kingdom is here now. that It
is only a so called spiritual kingdom
and within US, is wholly without foun-
dation in the word Of God. The much
misunderstood saying In Luke XVII, II.
would not be so misunderstood II peo-
pie noticed that the words were spoken
to disappearing hypocrites. The mar
ginal reading is the correct one. Da-
vid's thought at this time was to build
a temple for the Lord, and even Ma
-.-lL o-oo,,ro god him hT1t