The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1915-06-03
INTERNATIONAL.
tSUNl4YS(Il()((L,
LESSON
LESSON FOR JUNE 6
NATHAN REBUKEs DAVID.
(By E. O. SELLERS. Acting Director OF
Sunday School Course of Moody Bible
Institute, Chicago.)

MA THAN HEbOkES DAVID.
LESSON TExT-II Samuel 11:22-R:7a.
GOLDEN TExT-Create in me a clean
| heart o God.-Psalm 51:10
This Is a lesson that demands great |
care In it's 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 suffl- |
Client. 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 menace to every ma.
tion, 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 tho regeneration OF the human
heart
!. Davd's Many Good Deeds, II |
Samuel, 7 and 9. AS background
for his most repulsive sin David had
long list Of excellent deeds. His de-
sire for 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.
II. Davids One Great Sin, II Sam
uel, 1875. 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
t 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.
L Gus position for all, both soldier and
civilian David had had too long and
too great period Of success and pros
perity after his long period Of priva-
ton, and this led to carelessness and
pride. David was "off duty" indulg.
ing in ease while Joab did his fighting.
v AS result he became an adulterer
IS and 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 the words, "but the
q thing was evil in the eyes Of the
NJ Lord" ". 27 R. W; no psalm writ
: ing then.
!, III. Nathan's Parable, II. Samuel
e 12:1-7 1t is an evidence Of Gods
L grace that he sent his servant to re-
; buke and restore this man after his
= own 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
I 33.11; Matthew $3.50. No parable
5 ever had It's desired effect more quick.
ly than this one. 1t brought conviction
s and repentance ". 13) and led to the
2 writing Of the fifty-first psalm. 1t was
, q delicate task set before Nathan thus
to rebuke the king, yet it reveals the
essential nobleness Of David in that
: he did not become angry. Nathans g
q task and his wisdom are revealed in
I |
+ David to condemn, unwittingly, his
- own course Of action. This was bet.
ter than to begin by upbraiding and
denunciation. Verse two suggests, in.
ferentially, Gods great goodness to
4 David, which made the offense one of
gross ingratitude.
". Thou Art the MAN,. "a. Thus
far the story Is one all too common
then and now, Of the strong crushing
I the weak and glorying in their selfish
e ness. What follows Is the evidence
: Of Gods response to mans repentance
q the parallel to which has nowhere else
D been found in the ancient world. The
1 glory Of 1t Is that David heard and
needed Gods messenger. The whole
sordid story with it's resultant action
: on David's part brings us many price
less lessons. % That man who had
lived life Of faith and communion
! fell most miserably when he neglected
his duty and took his eyes off God
There is grave danger ahead Of the
man who begins to trifle with sin (I
Q Cor. 10:12) (2) Though a man fall
1 (the godly MANI yet he is not utterly
!, cast down There Is pardon for the
L vilest sinner and the most abject
backslider. David's murderous hands
and sin-stained soul found pardon
s Cps. 80 and 5D. (3) A mans sins,
: though he may find pardon, will cloud
| all Of his future.
& David felt it in his own life and fam
9 lily; both daughter and sons felt It's
blight (see chapter 13), and 1t brought
, forth David's immortal lament over
Absalom
\ Dayid's trusted friend Joined the
sons rebellion and caused David great
9 sorrow (see 11:3; 1884; 1921 and
7 Ps. 55:12-14).
5 A human book would cover up, omit
3 or seek to palliate such an act by one
Of the great Of the earth (cf. the
story OF Napoleon and Josephine), yet
the Bible tolls all the facts to serve
as n warning and to reveal Gods
matchless grace and mercy.