The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-06-02
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson X.-Second Quarter, For
June 6, 1915.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text of the Lesson, u Sam. XII, % to xii,
7a-Memory Verses, N. S. g., "a.
Golden Text, Ps. Ii, 10-Commentary

Instead of assigning us a helpful les
son, such as chapter viii, which we
briefly touched upon in our last, or the
beautiful story of David's kindness to
the son Of Jonathan Chapter ix), the
committee has given us in this lesson
one Of the worst phases Of the Human
heart, which is always and only de-
ceitful above all things and desperately
wicked (Jer. xvii, 8, 1O. He who alone
knows and can search the heart has
caused this and all similar records to
be written that we might see more
clearly hat all are sinners and that
there is none r~ighteous-no, not one
but that Jesus Christ came into the
world to save sinners and that the
greatest sinner may be saved and the
greatest backslider forgiven and re-
stored. To find such a development Of
our sinful human nature in such a
man as David after all that the Lord
had done for him Is truly humiliating
and should lead us all to say, "Woe is
mer' for who is there to whom the
prophet might not say concerning this
or some other phase Of our sinful ma
ture. Thou art the man" xii, y.
When we remember that 1.-The thought
Of foolishness is sin" and that a sinful
look is in the sight of God equal to a
sinful act prov. xiv, g.; Matt v, 30
and that. as C.. H.. Spurgeon said,
whatever the Lord Jesus Christ
would not think or say or do is SIM 1t
leads one to cry out, "God be merciful
to me, q sinner" and to say, IF thou.
Lord, shouldest mark iniquites, y
Lord, who shall stand?' duke xviii.
10; Ps. cxxx, 3. A. But the comfort Is
that He car make the vilest whittier
than SNOW (Ps. Ii, y. 1t is interesting
to note that, while the child yet lived,
David tasted and wept and lay all
night upon the earth, for he said,
"Who can tell whether God will be
gracious to me, that the child may
live?" But when the child died m
the will of God was known then he
said: wherefore should I fast? Can
I bring him back again? I shall go
to him, but he shall not return to me-
oversees 1928. When those dear to US
are sick and we cannot tell what the
will Of God is for them and US it be-
comes US to wait earnestly upon Him
for their health, but always in sub
mission to His will. When He has
made plain His will. whatever it may
be, it becomes us to say, Even so, Fa-
Their" for we know that las for God.
His way is perfect" (Matt. ri, 26; Ps.
xviii, 3W. In verses "a, rs, we have
the two names of Bathsheba's next
child, Solomon and Jedidiah. The lat
ter. as in the margin, signifies "be-
loved of the Lord" for the Lord loved
him and sent by the hand Of Nathan
to name him. The Lord called him
Solomon before he was born, saying
to David, Behold. a sol shall be born
to thee who shall be a man of
rest, = = and l will give peace and
quietness unto Israel in his days u
Chron. xii. o.. He said. His name
shall be Solomon" which, according
to the margin, lean "peaceable.'
There are just seven men in the Bible
story who were named before they
were born-fve in the Old Testament
and two in the New Testament. Find
the others and consider them. Let US
give the rest of our time to the very
suggestive story Of Mephibosheth in
chapter tx.
When David came to the kingdom he
made inquiry for any who might be
living of the house Of Saul that he
might show them kindness for Jona-
than's sake. He found that there was
n son of Jonathan who was lame on
both feet, his nurse having let him
fall when he was five years old as she
took him up to flee with him at the
time of his fathers death Oh Sam. ",
n. His being lame because Of the
fault Of another reminds us that the
whole race is lame on both feet be-
cause Adam let us all fall. He was at
this time at Lo-debar. which signifies
no pasture, and that is where all SIN
ners are. His nam also signifies the
condition of every sinner. David sent
to where he was and brought him into
his presence. and Mephibosheth fell OH
his face and did reverence. So the
sinner when brought face to face with
the Saviour (that is by faith) feels like
saving. as Peter did when overwhelm-
ed with loving kindness, II am a SIN
full man, o Lord duke V, 8. lDavlds
restoring to him all that he had for
feited because of Saul reminds us that
all we lost in Adam and more is given
back to us in Christ and all In grace
for His names sake.
How beautiful to see Mephiboshcth
dwelling in Jerusalem and eating con-
tinually at the kings table, even
though he continued lame on both his
feet Dix, 49,. Every saved sinner IS
privileged to dwell by faith in Jeru-
salem, City of Peace, and to feast upon
the good things provided by the king
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