Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1915-06-03
LESSON FOR JUNE 6
NATHAN REBUkEs DAVID.

neaft - God.-PSalin ALTO.
This Is a lesson that demands great
care In its presentation and treatment
which will differ widely according to
age. For the younger the briefest sort
Of statement that David fell in love
with Uriah's wife and to obtain her
had her husband killed will be suffi.
cient. With such. throw the emphasis
upon the danger OF harboring evil
thoughts and the need OF heart purity
(see Golden Text.
With adults, however, some time
may be devoted to the social evil
which is such a menace to every ma
ton, care being taken lest the discus.
sion become morbid, or that we neglect
to emphasize the fact that the cure
Is not in regulation or reformation but
in the regeneration of the human
heart.
l. Davld's Many Good Deeds, II
Samuel. 7 and 9. AS a background
for his most repulsive sin David had a
long list OF excellent deeds. His de-
sire for a better abiding place for the
ark was not according to Gods will
for two reasons first, that an ornate
house might easily corrupt, through
idolatry, the spirituality of the Hebrew
religion: second. David was a man Of
war and therefore not qualified for
temple building. Though denied, David
did not despair. but at once provided
that his successor carry out his desire.
u. Davld's One Great Sin, II Sam.
uei, 1876. David's victories over his
enemies are dismissed in a few
verses, yet his sin Is set forth In de.
tail-another evidence Of the divine
origin and inspiration of the Bible.
David had followed the example of
neighboring kings and taken to him
self many wives, evidently regarding
his fancy as supreme and himself as
above the law. David was off guard"
in the matter of temptation, a danger.
GUS position for all. both soldier and
civilian. David had had too long and
too great a period Of success and pros
perity after his long period OF priya.
ton, and this led to carelessness and
pride, David was on duty" indulg-
ing in ease while Joab did his fighting.
AS a result he became an adulterer
and a murderer, and the record In no
way seeks to palliate his guilt. From
all this the record brings to US many
important lessons. Outwardly pros
porous and his army successful, Da-
vid must have felt in his heart the
spiritual blight in tine words, but the
thing was evil In the eyes Of the
Lord" ". 81 r, W; no psalm writ
ing then.
III. Nathan's Parable, II. Samuel,
12:1-7. 1t is an evidence of Gods
grace that he sent his servant to re-
Duke and restore this man after his
W heart" Such is his mercy, for
he does not will that any should per-
ish but that all might come to the
knowledge Of forgiveness Ezekiel
33.11; Matthew 23:37). No parable
ever had its desired effect more quick
~ tidh lilo oiiC IL loubht SohNietioii
and repentance ". 13) and led to the
writing Of the fifty.first psalm. 1t a
a delicate task set before Nathan thus
to rebuke the king, yet 1t reveals the
essential n%obleness Of David in that
he did not become angry. Nathan's
task and his wisdom are revealed in
his approach and in the way he led
David to condemn, unwittingly, his
W course of action. This was bet
ter than to begin by upbraiding and
denunciation. Verse two suggests, In
ferentially, Gods great goodness to
David, which made the offense one Of
gross ingratitude.
~. Thou Art the MAN,. Ia. Thus
far the story is one all too common,
then and now, Of the strong crushing
the weak and glorying in their selfish
ness. What follows is the evidence
Of Gods response to mans repentance,
the parallel to which has nowhere else
been found In the ancient world. The
glory of 1t is that David heard and
needed Gods messenger. The whole
sordid story with its resultant action
on David's part brings us many price
less lessons. "a That man who had
lived q life Of faith and communion
fell most miserably when he neglected
his duty and took his eyes off God.
There Is a grave danger ahead Of the
man who begins to trifie with sin Il
Cor. 1919. (2) Though a man fall
(the godly NAM yet he is not utterly
cast down. There 10 pardon for the
vllest sinner and the most abJect
backslider. David's murderous hands
and Sustained soul found pardon
FPS. 80 and '[1). (3) A mans sins,
though he may find pardon, will cloud
all of his future.
David felt 1t In his own life and fam
lily; both daughter and sons felt its
blight (see chapter 13), and 1t brought
forth David's immortal lament over
Absalom.
David's trusted friend Joined the
sons rebellion and caused David great
sorrow (see 1913; 1894; 1921 and
Ps. 55:12-1D.
A human book would cover up, omit
seek to p~alliate such al act by one
of the create I the earth (cf. the
story Of Napoleon and Jo%sephine), yet
the Bible tells all the facts to serve
as a warning and to reveal Gods
anatnhlaua ana narnu