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T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
June, 1935
for when Saul finally died by his own hand, the writer of 1 Chronicles de clares that God “ slew him” (10:14). A c cording to the Bible writers, there is no event outside the providential control o f God. 5. The last five verses of the lesson (2 Sam. 1 :23-27) are part of a song which David composed in memory o f Saul and Jonathan. It is a fine example o f Hebrew poetry, as may be seen by reading the passage from the American Revision. It was called “ the song of the bom" (v. 18, R .V .). It was this “song of the bow” that David commanded to be taught to the children o f Judah; not the “ use o f the bow,” as suggested by the Authorized Version. Golden Text Illustration An example o f Christian deference for other believers was given in an address in Los Angeles by Dr. Will H. Houghton. A number o f young women students who were’ obliged to find part-time employment in order to continue their training at the Moody Bible Institute had placed their names among those of other applicants for positions in a large business house in Chicago. One day, the head of this firm communicated with the Institute, saying that there was an opening for one young woman at nine dollars a week. The In stitute employment manager called the student whose name was first on the list, and advised her to make the change in positions immediately, since it would mean an increase of three dollars a week in her salary. “ But,” the girl replied, “is not Miss Brown’s name on the list of applicants for this work?” “Yes, it is next to yours. But you have first consideration.” “ If I make the change, can Miss Brown do the Work here that I will be leaving?” “No, she is not able to do this kind of work.” “Then,” concluded the student, “if you don’t mind, I’ll stay right here at six dollars, and let Miss Brown have the nine- dollar-a-week job.”— S elected . David and the Sleeping King 1 S amuel - 26:5-12 Memory Verse: “ Be ye kind one to an other, tenderhearted, forgiving one an other” (Eph. 4:32). Approach: You know the man that today’s story is about, too. He was a shepherd boy who tended sheep on the
This man, who was King Saul, should have been David’s friend, for it Vas to help King Saul that David had killed the giant Goliath. At first, King Saul had been very fond of David. He had invited him to the palace and had treated him as a son. But soon he became jealous o f him. He heard the people in the streets praising David more than they praised him, King Saul. David and- the king’s son, Jonathan, were chums, and this made King Saul jealous, too. Be sides this, he knew that the prophet Samuel had anointed the next king over Israel. This made him angry, too. He became so angry that he tried to kill David. Five times he tried to kill him. Finally David ha,d to hide with some friends out in a desert land. Even then Saul came with his army to hunt him. David found out where Saul was. He was not afraid. He knew that he had God’s protection. One night he took his nephew and went down the hillside to the very camp where Saul was. Every one in camp was asleep. David and his nephew walked right over to the place where Saul was lying. David’s nephew wanted to kill King Saul, but David said not to do it David said that because God had set Saul as king over Israel, it. would not be right to harm him. So they left him sleeping. Objects: A large magnet, a tin heart, a rubber heart cut from an automobile tire tube, and several nails o f different sizes. (Tie the rubber heart on one prong o f the magnet. The tin heart will stick to the other.) Lesson: This is a strange-looking mag net, isn’t it? Its two hearts represent two kinds o f people. Most people are very selfish. Notice how this bright tin heart Lesson T ext: Amos 7 :7-17. Golden■ T ext: “But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream” (Amos 5 :24). Outline and Exposition I. T he .R evelation to A mos (7-9). , U sing the figure of a plumb line, the Lord revealed to Amos the unan swerable inconsistency, hard-heart edness, and rebellion o f his people, Israel (vs. 7, 8). This revelation showed the actual condition of Israel, as truly as a plumb line determines the condition o f a wall against which it is laid. Hence no charge of injustice could be brought when, at last, the Lord would allow the threat- BLACKBOARD LESSON Object Lesson S elf or O thers
grabs everything it can. (Hold it near the nails.) The other heart is entirely different. It has the drawing power of the magnet back of it, but it does not use the strength of the magnet to take that which does not belong to this heart. The nails are not grabbed by this heart. As I look at it, it reminds me of David. He had been anointed king of Israel, but he would not take the kingdom until God was ready for him to have it. Davidt could have killed Saul, and the kingdom would have been his, but he would not allow himself to be controlled by selfishness. This is one o f the great differences be tween Saul and David. Saul on many occasions tried to kill David. He was afraid David would take his throne. When David had an opportunity to kill Saul, he was not selfish enough to do it. He would never have been called a man after God’s oWn heart (1 Sam. 13:14) if he had been selfish like Saul. The person who is unselfish and who waits for God’s time for special blessing, will-never be disappointed. Abraham al lowed Lot to have first choice o f the pasture lands, and then God told Abraham to walk through the land and it should be his. David received the throne when God was ready for him to have it. And to receive it from God was far better than to try to get it by selfish means. In former threatenings, the prophet had prayed that the judgment might be avert ed, and God had harkened to the prayer and had stayed His hand (cf. Amos 7 :l-6). But now the nation had gone so far in its departure from God that to lengthen the probation period was useless; therefore the Lord said: “ I will not again pass by them any njore” (v. 8). The Lord is “long-suffering, and o f great mercy,” but there is a time when, with individuals as well as with nations, the forbearance of the Lord comes to. an end. The Lord waits, in infinite patience—as He did in the case of Pharaoh—until the heart becomes as adamant, beyond hope of turning; then judgment falls, but not until then. Time after time, Israel, in rebellion, had turned to idols, and time after time, the Lord had withheld judgment. But now the die was cast, and there was no averting the pun ishment that was merited. According to the prophecy, the high places would be made desolate, and the sanctuaries o f Israel would be laid waste —high places and sanctuaries which de nied the presence o f the Lord and which were dedicated to false gods. The teacher should consider carefully the history of ened punishment to fall upon Israel. This punishment would take the form o f con quest by an enemy nation—in this case, Assyria.
JULY 28, 1935 AMOS (Prophet of Social Justice) A mos , C hapters 4 and 7
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hills near that same little town of Beth lehem . H e liv e d t he r e a b o u t two hund r e d and fifty years l ater than Ruth and Naomi did. I think you have heard a b o u t how the prophet Samuel came and found this shepherd b o y and
anointed him to be king o f Israel. And I am sure you have heard the story of how this boy took his sling shot and five smooth stones and killed the giant who was frightening the people. Now you have guessed that it is David. Lesson Story: David was a great war rior and a great king. There are many, many stories in the Bible about his life. Todaywe are going to hear about a kind deed which he did to a man who was his worst enemy.
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