The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1920-08-12
. pavld's Sins az o, 1O).


!. David's Sins (12:e, 10).
l. Adultery ". o; Ct. IL I'D. David
instead Of going forth at the head Of
the army as was the ddty OF the king
I'll ~, sent Joab and his servants,
and he himself lounged around at
home In idleness. 1t was while in
ldleness that he fell q victim to his
lust and committed adultery with
Bathsheba. "An idle brain is tile
DEVILS Workshop" The. crimes " the
world are committed for the most part
by idle men and women.
2. Murder CAS- CT. 11:15-21).
Having committed adultery with
Uriah's wife, David tried 10 cover up
his sin by killing Uriah. He ordered
JOab to place Uriah at the forefront
Of the hattie where he would surely
be killed. When men sin they en-
deavor to cover up their sin by COM
hitting other Sins, and usually II re-
quires the doing Of greater wickedness
to cover up wrong that has been done.
u. DavId's Sorrow (1S:1-33).
l. The battle between Absalom and
David wv. 1-1S). Following Absalom's
revolt, David fed from Jerusalem.
After counsel with Ahlthophel and
Hushai. AbsaIom with his men went
In pursuit. Absalom planned well, but
made one great mistake-he left God
out Of the question.
Being dissuaded by the people,
David foregoes 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 Dayld's
army was overwhelming. The inter-
ference Of Providence Is marked In
that more died In die ENHANCEMENT Of
| the woods than by the sword. In the
flight, AbSalom was caught In the
bough of a 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. q :16, 20; Fl :23). They dis
gracefully disposed of his body wv. II,
lS). They cast II into pit and piled
stones upon IL as a fitting monument
OF his vIllainy. How different from
what he planned ". 49,. 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.
2 The victorious tidings announced
to David wv. 1882. He was anxious
ly waiting for news from the battle
field. So anxious was he that he sta.
toned a Waterman upon the walls to
look for some messenger to appear,
His first question to the messengeE
shows what was uppermost In bis
heart 1t was the welfare Of his boy.
3. David mourns for Absalom "
33). He received the news of his re
belli0us sons death with much regret
The good news OF the victory was en-
tirely lost sight OF through excessive
grief. The sobs Of his poor hear
must have been awful. Perhaps II Il
impossible to analyze his sorrow, bu
most likely the following elementl
were present:
~ The loss of a son. The ties q
nature bind together the hearts o.
parents and children in such a wa,
that separation by death Is very try
ing; (2) the death OF a son in re
bellion against his father and God
Could he but have had the assurance
that this course was regretted, o
could he have heard a cry Of forgive
ness. his grief. no doubt, would hav,
been greatly lessened; (S) he knew
that his rebelllous son had now gon,
to answer TO God for his crimes-hi
knew their parting was forever; a
he knew that this was but the bite
fruit of his own sin. In a sense he wa
the destroyer OF his own child. May thi
example deeply impress all parents a
to their responsibility Away froE
this dark picture we turn to conten
plate the depths Of q fathers Low.
Death effaeea all faults; all wrong
: Ars forgotten and only the memory q
happy days Il kept The father
willing to die, even for q rebellion
!. son. This illustrates Gods love to U
IN Christ which made him willing I
ale for his children.