Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-07-24
BY REV. HUGH T. STEVENSON.

as hunted outlaw. This week the
lesson presents him as king. first
over Judah, and then over Israel 1t
will pay all students of the life of
! David to read the intervening chap
ters which record some of the incl
tdents that made possible the mar
Vicious transformation. For some time
he and his followers were vaSsals of
the Philistines, but providentially
they had not been called upon to en-
ter into battle with their own nation.
They were located at Ziklag, a south
ern frontier town. fighting the Be
douins when Saurs tragic death
opened UP the way to the throne for
David.
king and his sons reached David he
revealed his sorrow by song of la
mentatlon instead of one of triumph.
He proved his loyalty to Saul and
jonathan in their death by his mag
nificent tribute to their character. He
passed over in silence the fatal mill
tary mismanagement of Saul, who al
low ed his insane hatred of David to
uiFioe MS efforts, so that instead of
concentrating all his efforts upon
i blotting out the Philistines he kept
giving them chances to recover from
any defeat that they met at his hands
because Saul was constantly turning
aside from following up his victories
to seek David. His moral decay
brought his overthrow. for Saul died
Tor his transgreSSions against Jeho-
van; He reaped the results of what
ne had sown when he took his own
Ire and died a suicide like heather
because he had rejected Gods warn
tlns and had no power in himself to
change his downward career
SauTs death drove David to seek di-
vine guidance. He had waited pa
tlently for Jehovah to bring him to
the throne SO that he turned and
sought His direction. He had refused
70 hasten events when, he had Saul in
ms own control. so with implicit
1alth he inquired concerning going
up into one of the cities of Judah.
he dld not feel like staying longer
with the Philistines. who were oppos-
ing israel. now that Saul had died
his heart was with his people His
opportunity was not lost, because he
iasked Gods guidance. Greater prog
ress would be made in life if ali men
presented their problems to the Lord.
| fatlence, prayer and perception that
was developed in the school of prayer
were some of the elements of David
power. He had quick. insight as to
| what ought to be done, because he
walked and talked with God. He fol-
lowed his decisions by decisive ac-
ions. so that he lost no time in GO
ing up. to Hebron. when he was Ger
tam of Gods will. 1t was the Oldest
city of his tribe. 1t had been hall
| lowed by the associations with the
life of Abraham. Even in it's modern
name of E1-Kuhlil-the Friend-it
contains a reference to him who was
known as the Friend of God. He had
sent some Of the -spoils which he had
| captured from the Amalekites there.
1t had been a city of refuge and the
home of Levites. 1t had been given
! to Caleb. By his marriage with Abb
gail he had become definitely asso-
ciated with the Calebites, one of
Judah's leading clans. Hebron was
| located in central and strategic po-
sition, SO that he was assured of a
! welcome from the tribe.
When he reached Hebron with his
two wives the men of Judah rallied to
his standard and they made him their
king. He was established in power
by the voice of the people. While
there was friction between Ishbo-
sheth's forces and those of David. the
latter commenced by his diplomatic
| message to the men of Jabesh -Gilead,
| expressing his appreciation of their
herolsm in securing the bodies of
Saul and his sons and giving them
proper burial and informing them
that he had been chosen King of
Judah. to pave the way for the recon
| Citation of both the northern and
southern sections Or the nation in a
kingdom that would be free from any
4
to plague the future. His nobleness
| of soul is revealed in consideration
he gave to Abner, who. as Saurs lead
ing general and minister of war for
his son, Ishbosheth, had sought to
Stay him, and, who, in his battles to
unite the northern tribes under Saufs
son, had kept up a constant feeling
of antagonism between the two ma
! tions. He welcomed him and made a
feast for him. after he had first
nf fa ~ o1
whom Saul had taken from him.
The only ones. Dean Stanley points
out he made unwelcome at Hebron
were those with the proud heart, the
high look. the secret slanderer, the
deceitful worker. the teller of lies
! these he would not allow to tarry in
his sight.
After he had served Judah for a
period of seven years and six months
David was Amounted the third time
as king. This time he became by the
action of the leaders of Israel the
constitutional monarch of the whole
nation. Ishbosheth alienated Abner,
whose skill had made him a king
over the northern tribes, most. of
whom had been lost in the battle of
lGilboa, when Saul died and his three
sons This general commenced to
plan to hand. over Israel to David.
When Abner' deserted Ishbosheth
some of the latter's subjects entered
his home and assassinated him.
!Jcah. David's trusty captain. was
angry at Davfd's magnanimity to
Abner because the latter had killed
!Joab. David's trusty captain. was
and deliberately murdered him. David
condemned the ASSASSINATION OF poth
men, although he became as result
of their death practically the undis-
iputed master of the united kingdom.
He did not try to. exercise dominion
lin the north until the elders of Israel
came to Hebron and anointed him as
their king.
| In making him the ruler over all
IIsrael and Judah they gave three rea-
sons for proclaiming David as king.
They acknowledged that he was
lkinsman Moses had stipulated that
| they could, not select a stranger.
| David's life as an exile and his ac-
tivity with the Philistines had been
raised against him. but they recog-
nized him as a brother who was
qualified to rule over them. They
recalled how he had successfully led
| the armies of the nation against their
enemies in battle in the past. This
Twas sufficient basis for them to trust
that he would be able to save them
out of the hands of their enc
mics. The third reason recog-
nized that David had been chosen
of God to be their shepherd
and captain. They had selected Saul
without thinking of God, but when
thew came to make David their king
it. was because Jehovah had previous
jly selected him to rule the nation.
| David entered into a covenant with
| the nation. He stipulated that they
were to serve him faithfully and
| loyalty as king, giving him all the
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