The Dolores star., 1920-08-13

YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Elements of Weaknsss in David's Char
acter
!. David's Sins G2 %, 10).
/. Adultery ". 8; CT. IL I'D. David
instead OF going forth at the head of
the army as was the duty Of the king
Q1:D, sent JOab and his servants,
and he himself lounged around at
home in idleness. 1t was while In
idleness that he fell victim to his
lust and committed adultery with
BathSbeba. An idle brain Is the
DEVILS workshop" The crimes OF the
world are committed for the most part
by idle men and women.
=. Murder U2:9: CT. Ii :15-2D.
Having committed adultery with
Uriah's wife. David tried TO cover up
his sin by killing Uriah. He ordered
Joab to place Uriah at the forefront
of the battle where he would surely
be killed. When men sin they en-
deavor to cover up their sin by COM
mitting other sins, and usually it re
quires the doing of greater wickedness
10 cover up wrong that has been done.
II OdSlO'S SOTFo~ 10 .l-oD).
|. The battle between Absalom and
David wv. 1-1S). Following Absalom's
revolt, David fled from Jerusalem.
After counsel sIth Ahthophel and
Hushai, Absalom with his men went
in pursuit. Absalom planned well, but
made one great mistake-he left God
out of the question.
Rainp ljsSnuIpI hy th. rxshrlta
David foregues his purpose of going
forth with the army. He sent the
army forth under three commanders.
His one special request as they went
to battle was that they deal gently
with AbSalom. The victory of DavidS
army was overwhelming. The inter
ference of Providence is marked in
that more died in the entaEglement Of
the woods than by the sword. In the
flight, AbSalom was caught in the
bough of tree by the head, and was
left hanging as the mule went forth
from under him. Perhaps his long
hair which had been his pride was
the instrument of his destruction.
While thus hanging. Joab thrust him
through the heart with three darts
This awful end was deservedly met
Deut. ~ 10 20; p :23). They dis
gracefully disposed Of his body wv. II.
1S). They cast 1t into pit and piled
stones upon 1t as a fitting monument
of his vllainy. How different from
what he planned ". IS). His one am
bition was to be remembered. A
heap of stones piled upon him in con
tempt is quite different from a tomb
in the kings vale.
=. The victorious tidingS announced
to David wv. 1892. He was anxious
ly waiting for news from the battle
field. So anxious was he that he sta
toned a watchman upon the walls to
look for some messenger to appear.
| His first question to the messenger
| shows what was uppermost in his
heart. II was the welfare of his boy.
3. DAVID nNurns for Absalom ".
| 33). He received the news Of his re-
| bellous sons death with much regret
| The good news Of the victory was en-
| tirely lost sight of through excessive
must have been awful. Perhaps it is
tHlpUSSlDIe 10 allalS2e MS SORROW, Dut
most likely the following clements
| We're present:
% The loss Of Il son. The ties of
| nature bind together the hearts of
parents and children in such way
that separation by death is very try
ing; (2) the death of son in re-
| bellion against his father and God
Could he but have had the assurance
| that this course was regretted or
could he have heard Il cry of forgive
ness. his grief, no doubt, would have
been greatly lessened; (3) he knew
that his rebellious son had now gone
| to answer to God for his crimes-he
knew their parting was forever; "a
he knew that this was but the bitter
| fruit OF his own sin. In sense he was
the destroyer of his own child. May this
example deeply impress all parents as
| TO their responsibility Away from
this dark picture We turn to contem-
plate the depths of fathers love.
Death eTaces all faults; all wrongs
are forgotten and only the memory of
happy days is kept. The father il
willing to die, even for rt.bellious
son. This illustrates Gods love to us
in Christ which made him willing to
die for his children.