Middletown transcript., 1920-08-14

INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
-Absalom's Selfish Life and How It
Ended.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
acter.
I. 0avid's Sins (12:9, 1O).
1. Adultery ". o; ct. IL :1-4). David
instead Of going forth at the head of
the army as was the duty Of the king
(1l:1, sent Joab and his servants,
and he himself lounged around at
home in idleness. It was while in
idleness that he fell a victim to his
lust and committed adultery with
Bathsheba. IAN idle brain is the
DEVILS workshop" The crimes of the
world are committed for the most part
by idle men and women.
2. Murder (12:9; Ct. II 1921.
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
to cover up wrong that has been done.
u. David's Sorrow (18:1-33).
1. The battle between Absalom and
David wv. 1-1S). Following Absalom's
revolt, David fed from Jerusalem.
After counsel with Ahithophel and
Hushai, Absalom 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 David's
army was overwhelming. The inter.
ference Of Providence Is marked in
that more died in the entanglement Of
the woods than by the sword. In the
fight, 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. 27:16, 20; q :23). They dis.
gracefully disposed of his body wv. II,
18). They cast it into q pit and piled
stones upon it as fitting monument
of his villainy. How different from
what he planned ". 18). 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 shameful end
Of this unfortunate man should be q
warning to the many rebellious sons
and daughters growing up over our
land.
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 watchman upon the walls to
look for some messenger to appear.
His first question to the messenger
shows what was uppermost in his
heart. It was the welfare of his boy.
3. David mourns for Absal0m ".
33). He received the news Of his re.
bellious 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 heart
must have been awful. Perhaps it is
to analyze his sorrow, but
most likely the following elements
were present:
(D The loss Of son. The ties of |
nature bind together the hearts Of
parents and children in such q 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 a 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; (4) |
he knew that this was but the bitter |
fruit Of his own sin. In sense he was |
he destroyer Of his own child. May this
example deeply impress all parents as
% their responsibility Away from
his dark picture we turn to contem.
plate the depths Of a fathers love.
Death effaces all fanlts; all wrongs
Ire forgotten and only the memory Of
happy days is kept. The father is
willing to die, even for a rebellious