The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1915-07-02
LESSON FOR JULY 4
AssALoM's

LESSON TExT-u Samuel 1s:1-15.
GOLDEN TExTLChildren obey your
parents In the Lord: for this Is right
81.
His connivance with Joab, IN the
death Of Uriah, was q costly bargain
for David, and the development of SIN
In his family with its long train Of
consequences teaches us that
sin respects not person nor position.
The dark story Of chapter Is involves
Absalom's flight and Joab's strategy In
getting him back to Jerusalem (ch.
14). All is not as well, however, as II
outwardly appears, for Absslom the
beautiful (14:25) SOC stole the heart
Of the ten tribes. Israel (ch. l5). from
his indulgent and Indifferent parent.
Then follows the story of that fathers
fight and Of the sons entry into the
capital city.
This entire story is one of the most
wonderful dramas recorded In secular
or sacred history. 1t may be divided
roughly as follows: Act i. Absalom
Stays his brother. Act II. David fails
to become fully reconciled. Act III. Alb
salom's rebellion. Act Nv. David's
grief. The lesson for today has to do
with Acts III. and Nv.
Act III. Scene I. David's Flight
and Finesse, chapters Is. Is and IL.
IA foolish son is a grief to his father,
and bitterness to her that bare HIM
prov. 17:25). On the other hand an
indulgent and an Indifferent father
brings grief to his son.
Scene 2. The Battle Of Mount
Ephraim (chapter 19). David at the
Gate, v. Is. The place where David
numbered" ". u his followers was
Aahanaim U7:27), where Jacob saw
the two hosts" of angels (Gen. S2:l,
q. What David saw was quite diff
ferent. AS he waited he had time to
contemplate that other time that he
| remained behind when he ought to
| have gone forth to battle and which
| resulted in the sin for which he was
| even now suffering (ch. HID. Ab-
| salon was shrewd as men count
shrewdness, but he made n fatal
| omission in planning his campaign.
he left God out of his reckoning tch.
17:14 r. w. David's use of Hushai
was fully justified by the situation
into which this reckless son was pre-
cipitated, still it is probable that David
listened to the advice of his followers
(v. 81 more willingly because OF his
reluctance to fight against his w
son. 1t is, indeed, a sad. sad spectacle
to see David stand watching his army
go out to battle, perhaps to slay his
son. and his exhortation ". 81 to his
three captains falls Upon dull ears in
the case of Joab. David's chief on
Germ was for Absalom. not for himself
nor for his army. but the time when
his anxiety would avail had passed.
Every man pays dearly, sooner or la
ter, for his sin; the longer he waits
the greater the reckoning.
Scene 8. Absalom's Defeat, w. g.
10. The battle was SO planned tina
the advantage of the forest was on Da'
vid's side and more of the enemies Of
David we're smitten by the hand Of
God ". 81 than were slain by the
servants of David. These men
brought judgment upon themselves
through their disloyalty to GODS
chosen king Judges $500, I'D and IL
this we see a type of that final victory
which shall end our David's engage
ment with his foes (Rev. 79:11-2l;
II Thess. 2:S). Men who today art
, disloyal or d~isobedient to Gods
chosen King can only expect "a Ger
tain fearful looking for of judgment AM
, fiery Indignation which shall devou
t the a~dversaries'' (Heb. 10:2O. At tn
end of the battle proud Absalom is no
found in his chariot. but helplessly eI
tangled in the crow OF his pride.
Scene 4. Absalom's Death, w. ll-ls
t "Absalom CHANGED to meet" ". . Il
, w; there is no chance in the prov
Z dences of God. His desire to NEE
David's servants is granted, yet tina
meeting brought Absalom dismay. d.
4 feat and ruin.
!. Joab now takes matters into hi
: own hands. He held David in hi
: power and had a debt to pay AbsaloI
(ch. IA: 29). Most dearly did Absalol
= pay the penalty to this vengeful, TIM
!. abiding soldier. Joab was not confer
q to slay this proud youth. but, to sho'
. his contempt, he cast the dead bod
into a pit and raised over 1t a gre;
n heap of stones ". I'D. So Absalom
It proud monument ~. 49, failed of II
intended purpose. David's victor
was completes; even so will be the Z
innate victory of u greater Davit
(Phil. 2:10. ID.
Act w. David's Grief, v. 1913
n Scene I. The Messengers. Again Of
! attention is centered upon the grie
stricken father. His anxiety Is 81
cere and heart-breaking. but 1t
tardy. The first messenger, Ahimaa
is a good man, but brings not go
n news. Is our message n OF life
Of death? The second messeng
35 gives a diplomatic but a blunt answ
at to David's anxious inquiry. VIII
r. cared David for his enemies. his arm
he nay for himself. if only he YOU
10 man" were safe.
Application. rs the young m
10 safer" Indsstrially. socially. physic
q ly. morally. spiritually, his safety {
dends upon the guidance of the hon
= the father and the church. Only
parents hear and obey the Maste
words, Bring thy o hither" CLu
9:41) is the young man safe. Davi'