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a heathen woman. He must reap what he had sown. His own son, Absalom, plays false and attem p ts to steal the h earts of the people. The battle went against Absalom and he was slain by Joab, in revenge. David’s lam ent over Absalom is th e cry of a broken h eart, “O, Absalom, my son, my son! Would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son !” There are some wonderful lessons which come to us from th è life of David : He was a m an of fa ith (1 Sam. 17:36, 37 ). He believed God. He never swerved from his belief in God’s purposes. He was a m an of courage. He went alone to fight Goliath. He went alone into th e camp of Saul. He was an humble man. He called him self a “ flea,” a “p artridg e.” (1 Sam. 24 :14 ). He was a generous man. He could tre a t a foe w ith forbearance. He was a p atien t man. ' He waited God’s tim e and tru sted God’s Word. He was a dependent man. He sought guidance from th e Lord.
gleet. It had been placed by Joshua in Shiloh. It was still th e re a t th e close of th e period of th e Judges (1 Sam. 1 :3 ). E li’s sons carried it into b attle against th e Philistines hoping for God’s help, but God refused to rew ard th e ir wickedness in th a t way (1 Sam. 4:3, 5) and the ark was cap tu red (1 Sam. 4 :1 1 ). It was finally restored to Israel (1 Sam. 6:1, 11, 19; 7 :2 ). David’s desire to resto re th e ark to Jerusalem was all righ t, b u t his method was wrong. He ignored God’s way and took the way of th e flesh. He fol lowed th e Philistines’ plan (1 Sam. 6 :7-12). When because of th e rough ness of th e way Uz?ah pu t fo rth his hand to stay th e ark, and God’s judg m ent fell, David was displeased and disappointed, and th e a rk was left in th e house of Obed-edom. God blessed th e house of Ohed-edom because of th e ark , and when David heard of th is he brought th e ark , in God’s way, to the “ city of David w ith gladness” (2 Sam. 6 :1 2 ). There are th ree Psalms which owe th e ir b irth to th is event, th e 15th, having reference to th e death of Uzzah; th e 68th, a pro cessional; and the 24th, sung a t the entering in at th e gate. (6) DAVID’S COMPASSION. A fter David had become established in th e kingdom, memory stirred in his soul and he thought of Jo n ath an and th e ir covenant together and sought to find if any of Jo n a th an ’s kindred were yet alive. He learned th a t Mephibo- sheth, now th irty years of age and lame in both his feet, was still living in Lo- debar. David sent and fetched him and showed him kindness— not for his own sake, bu t for Jo n a th an ’s sake. (2 Sam. 9). (7 ) DAVID’S CONFLICT. Here we have God’s law of recom pense. David himself had sinned. He had been an ad u lterer and a m u rderer and had violated God’s law in m arrying
He was a successful leader. He was a good shepherd and a valiant captain. He was a w onderful type of our David (Jesus C h rist), and many ex periences of his life are like those of our Lord. QUESTIONS ( 1 ) When God chooses a man, does He get a t th e h eart of things? (1 Sam. 16 :7 ). (2) Is the path of th e believer be set w ith many dangers? (John 16 :33 ). (3) If Christ is our David, should we forsake all and follow Him? (Heb. 13 :13 ). (4) Is it usual to find g ratitud e th a t survives th e ru in and death of a benefactor? (2 Sam. 2 1 :7 ). (5) Will our David reward His DEFINITE RESULTS IN EVERY ONE OF
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