The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-06-30
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson Third Quarter, For
July a, 1915
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

Text Of the Lesson, n Sam. xviii, 1-1o.
Memory Verso, 5-GoIden Text, Eph.
vi, documentary Prepared by Rev.
D. M. Stearns.
Our lesson title Is "Absalom's Fail
ure." but "Absalom's sin and over
throw" might perhaps have been bet
ter. There Is not so much Of profit In
the lesson verses as there IS In what
precedes and follows. and as this Is our
last lesson in this book we must gath
er all we can in the space at our dis
posal. Our last lesson was In chapter
xii. and because OF David's great sin
he WAS told that the sword should new
er depart from his house and that the
Lord would raise up evil against him
out Of bis own house xii. ID, H.
There is always Il reaping from all
sowing. either good or bad (Gal. vi. 1:
Hos. viii. u. Chapter kin tells of the
beginning Of his household troubles
and Of the flight Of Absalom and his
s~ojourn three years III Geshur. Chap
ter xiv tells OF the plei Of the wise
woman Of Tekoa and Of Absalom's re-
turn TO Jerusalem and reconciliation
with his father after dwelling W
years there without seeing his face
xiv. $3.50. Absalom's remarkable
beauty Is described In verses Is. III
The utter helplessness Of the sinner
and the great mercy Of God are most
suggestively mentioned by the wise
woman In verse IA.
Chapter XIV describes Absalom's re-
bellion and the plight Of the king. and
would have been u much more sugges-
tive and helpful chapter than the one
assigned us. David'S crossing the
Kidron and going up by Olivet (verses
%. 30l IL so suggestive Of our Lords
doing the same thing because Of the
rebellion Of His sOn Israel (John Xviii.
u. The notable words Of devotion on
the part Of David's servants and OF
Ittai the Gittite oversees Is. 21) should
be our continual heart words to our
Lord Jesus. See also the devotion OF
Hushai. David's friend. in verses 32-37.
and David's submission to the will OF.
God in verses %. &c. Chapter xvi tells
Of Shimei's cursing and how David
left him wholly to God. Chapter xviii
describes the suicide Of Ahithophal be-
cause the counsel Of Hushai was pre-
ferred to his. 1t also tells of Davfd's
friends who so kindly cared for him
at Mahanaim. Our lesson. chapter
xviii. tells of the battle between Absa.
lom's army and that Of David and OF
the defeat Of the former and the death
of Absalom. 1t ia truly pathetic to
listen to David's instructions to the
leaders Of his hosts. Deal gently for
my sake with the young man. even
with Absal0m" (verse 81. and then to
hear his heartbroken cry when be
learned that Absnlom had been slain:
20 my son Absalom. my son. my son
Absnlom! Would God ! had died for
thee. o Absalom. my son. my son"
(verse 49, See also xix. 4. Does 1t
not help to make more real the love OF
God in giving up His only begotten
Son to die for us? John Ill. 16: 1John
iii. 16: ". 8. 10: Rom. viii. 30.
The folly Of seeking to make a name
for oneself IL seer in verse IS. A grand
illustration Of the significance OF the
command II Hab. ii. 9. IS seen In les
son verses 1892. The words are. Write
the vision. and make it plain upon Ia.
bles, that he may run that readeth It"
but they are generally m~isquoted. that
/ he that runs may read" as II M
could take it in as they do the adver-
tisements by the roadside when trav-
cling sixty miles an hour by train.
The true meaning evidently Is. get the
message correctly and then run and
tell it. In our lesson Cushi had the
message. for be had e what be was
: to tell. Although insistent. Ahimaaz was
the heetest messenger. he knew moth
ing. and his running was IN vain
. oversees 81, %. 30). and he had to stand
, aside. And there are many running
! today whom God never sent. They
know nothing. but the worst OF 1t 1s
that they take pride in not knowing
and yet insist that they have been
sent. 1t is blessed to be able to say,
THAT which we have seen and heard
declare we unto you" I'VE cannot
but speak the things which We have
seen and heard" Il John !. 8; ACES
iv, 20l.
After Absalom was dead all Israel
longed for David, and said one to a n
other, why speak ye not a word OF
bringing back the king" David him
self sent to the priests and elders OF
judah, saying, why are ye the last
to bring the king back to his houseE'
Then as u man they sent the mes
sage, Return thou and all thy serV-
ants" So the king returned XIX
9-15l. Shimei. who had cursed him,
was one Of the first to meet him m
confess his sin and seek forgiveness
xix, 1929. Mephiboshath had mourn
ed for him all the time that he was
oona and was so clad TO see him back