THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NE S S
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The aim of Christianity is to make men Christlike. The disposition, temper and spirit of Christ must be reproduced in every Christian. SUNDAY, July 18. Bom. 12:9-21. Vengeance Is Mine. Peter knew that vengeance is sweet and did not like to have all possibility of retaliation taken from him. One day when the Lord was talking about of fenses, Peter said, “ Master, how many times must my brother offend against me and I forgive him, until seven times?” The rabbis had decided that three times were quite enough. Jesus answered, “ Forgive your brother seven ty times seven.” It is as if He had said, “ Peter, quit your counting for love never counts. So long as you count, you are not in the realm of love. There must never be any malice or desire for revenge in your heart. You must every where and always have the spirit of love.” Must a Christian be a door mat, a football or a cuspidor uncom plaining and unresisting? By no means. We are to do our enemy good. In order to do him good, it may be necessary to rebuke him and resist him. This is quite a different thing from re taliation and revenge. It springs from love and is essentially unselfish. MONDAY, July 19. 1 Sam. 31:1-6. Death of Saul. When the Philistines were engaged in battle with the Israelites at Gilboa, Saul, Jonathan and two other sons lost their lives. Saul, mortally wounded, and fearing lest he should be captured and' dishonored by the Philistines, be sought the armor-bearer to give him the fatal thrust. With natural affection for his master, he refused obedience and Saul fell upon his own sword. Where upon his servant, following his example, also committed suicide. A wandering Amalekite found the dead body of the king and taking the crown and bracelet for identification, brought them to David. Thinking to win favor with David, he claimed to have slain Saul himself. He little knew with whom he had to do. David’s reverence for the Lord’s anointed could not entertain the thought that he should be slain by a wicked Amalekite. Holding him guilty therefore by his own confession, he put him to death. TUESDAY, July 20. 2 Sam. 1:17-27. David’s Lamentation. When David heard of the fate of
Saul and Jonathan, he gathered his men about him, and taking his harp, sang that noble elegy known to his country men as the Story of the Bow but which we might call the Dead March in Saul. It was a testimony of David’s life-long attachment to Jonathan and his refer ence to Saul shows that death had erased all bitter memories for he men tions only the good and great qualities of his former foe. All men have recog nized and paid tribute to the literary beauty and lyric grandeur of .this noble poem. Jonathan was famed for his skill in the use of the bow. The tribe of Benjamin to which he belonged was famous for its archers.. Jonathan won , his first victory at Michmash by the use of the bow and among the most prized and cherished possessions of David must have been that bow which after his slaughter of Goliath, Jonathan had given him in token of affection. WEDNESDAY, July 21. 2 Sam. 2:1-7. David Made King of Judah. The city of Hebron where David by Divine direction established himself was one of the most ancient and renowned in history. There Abraham lived dur ing the greater part of his sojourn in Canaan. Nearby was the oak of Mamre and the cave of Machpelah. It had been a city of the Levites and a place of refuge in the time of Joshua. It had been enriched by the spoils which David had taken from the Amalekites and therefore was a place of peculiar inter est and sanctity to every Israelite. It was a fitting place for David’s capital. Here he served his apprenticeship over the little kingdom of Judah and grad uated in due time to sit upon the throne .of all Israel in Jerusalem. In connec tion with his anointing at Hebron, he may have composed the 101st Psalm, known as the Inauguration Psalm. It sternly inveighs against not doctrinal error or political rebellion, but against the proud heart, the high look, the secret slanderer, the deceitful worker, the teller of lies. These are the outlaws from David’s'court whom he would not allow to dwell in his house or tarry in his sight. THURSDAY, July 22. 2 Sam. 5:1-10. David Crowned King of All Israel. After David had reigned seven, years in Hebron, the kingdom of Saul had waxed weaker and weaker until it
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