The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1915-05-22

| R.V.
Saul ceased from pursuing David
q Samuel 27:4) when he fed into the
land Of the Philistines for he feared
them greatly q Sam. 1875. 81. David
fought with Saul's enemies but never
theless was not wanted (29:6-1D. His
wives being taken captive, he, with
400 men destroyed Ziklag, sending the
spoil to his friends in Judah q Sam
3O. Following the death of Saul and
Jonathan Gil Sam. chapter u we read
David's wonderful lament (ch. p.
!. David, King Of Judah. ~
David's Kingdom, ch. 2:13. 1t is now
seven or eight years since Samuel
anointed the young shepherd to be
king in Saul's place David was prob,
ably Twenty-Five years of age. He
had now fourfold assurance of his
throne (a) Gods decree q Sam. 16:
11-13; (b) The death Of Saul (ch. L:
~; (c) Gods command " -, and
(dD The choice Of the people ". A.
His every step seems to have been
led Of God, therefore he had made no
| false moves Games 1:5-7, see also Ps
1913, 14. How God by means of the
stones In the priests breastplate made
known his will we are not told and II
is idle to speculate We have a bet.
ter way, the inspired word and the
living spirit through which we may
receive guidance. Such guidance is
conditioned upon obedience q Sam.
1856; Acts 5:32). God directed David,
after Saul's death to go up" to Heb,
ron, which means fellowship" 1t
was here that Abraham, the man of
faith, had lived. David thus began
his conquest Of the land in fellowship
with God. David implicitly obeyed
Gods decree ". %, took his family
with him and also brought his men
with their households This is a sug-
gestion relative to household fellow
ship with God. They left nothing be-
hind to lure them back as Lot was
lured when he left Sodom. These
men had been David's partners in his
adversely and are now to share in his
glory duke 1928, 90; II Tim. 2:12;
Rom. SIT, 49,. All types are Of ne
cessity imperfect, and we cannot but
condemn David's plurality Of wives,
remembering. however. the lack of a
full revelation of God at this time.
David was seeking to know and to
serve God with his whole heart (com-
pare. Gen. 2:24 and Matt 19:4-9)
David is nevertheless type Of Christ,
and his wives illustrate the church
which. having shared in his rejection
will also share in his glorious reign
(Rev. 1869. Those who accom-
panied David were a strange company
q Sam. 1922 r. w. Those who to-
day rally about Christ who will here
after enter into glory with him (see
John 1873; I Thess. 4:17). Now a
part Of the inheritance is about to
fall into David's hands. His amounting
at the hands of the men of judah is
but the acknowledgment of Gods
previous selection, q Sam. 16:1-13).
(2) David's Diplomacy, 1857. It
was good politics for David to honor
these men of Jabesh, yet he was hon.
est and sincere for he honored Saul
as his rightful and God-anointed SOW
ereign Il Sam. 24:4-S; 26:7-11). These
men had shown kindness to Saul and
now Jehovah would show kindness to
them ". 81. AS we SOW we reap
Matt ST: 6:14, Is; II Tim. 1:16-1S).
David took pains to inform them that
he had been chosen king but assures
them that he would strengthen them.
AS they had been faithful to Saul, let
them support the one who had been
anointed in his stead. To have adopt
ed any other policy would have alien
ated their support.
(3) ish-bosheth's Kingdom, asst.
AS contrasted with this God-directed
kingdom of David's was the man-direct-
ed kingdom of Ish-bosheth. His name
means, name of shame" He was
about forty years of age, Saul's oldest
son, but not his intended successor.
Ish-bosheth was: (a) selected by man
". 81; (b) ruled by man ". 81 and
(c) made war upon Gods elect (x II.
oh. 3:D. He only reigned two years
and his kingdom in the northern part
Of the land was separated from that
of David by that portion in the center
controlled by the Philistines. Abner's
untimely death at the hand of Joab
(ch. 81 deprived Ish-bosheth Of a
leader. He was slain by his own serv-
ants and his kingdom became a part
of David's.
%. David, King Of Israel, Sis.
David passed through seven and one
half years of delay in his progress
towards the throne. II was not long
after Ish-bosheth's death that a great
assembly met at Hebron. It was a
truly national gathering Every tribe
sent soldiers-2s0.000 in all-and the
elders of the people were the spokes-
men. They proclaimed David bone
of their bone" ". u and that even
while Saul was king, David had been
their real shepherd w. 12) But better
still. they recognized David as Gods
chosen successor to Saul and pro-
claimed to all men that they had 10y
ally accepted his choice. This seems
to have been some sort of limited
monarchy q Sam. 10:25) for later we
read that the people demanded some
limitations of the rights of the king q
Kings 1870. The Israel Of today is
rejecting her chief Shepherd" but
time will come when they will recog-