T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S July 1924 ________________________________________________ ! ----------------------------------------------——------------------- L The Who le Bible Sunday School Lesson Course § --------------------------- Recommended by World s Fundamental Association 3 EXPOSITION and PERTINENT QUESTIONS - - - - T. C. Horton i COMMENTS FROM THE COMMENTARIES - 1 - - - - V. V. Morgan ] ELEMENTARY - - - - - - - - - Mrs. S. W. Barrett -Ln KKKKSss[> K
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Among these were some mighty men,— first, four hun dred and afterward, six hundred (1 Sam. 22:4, 23:13). The prowess of these men is recorded in 1 Chron. 11:10- 47. Saul’s character is faithfully portrayed in this chapter, — his heartless slaughter of the priests and David’s heart sorrow by reason of his relation to sin. The insignificant company of men who followed David seemed a hopeless army to cope with Saul. Has it not al ways been so? Look at the little gathering of the friends of Jesus after His resurrection! What could 120 men and women who tarried for the outpouring of the Spirit, do? They laid the foundation for all of the privileges and pleasures we, as Christians, have today. What is the need of the church today? Men like the 600. (2) SAUL SEEKS DAVID’S LIFE, Ch. 23 "And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life.” v. 15. David had a call to serve as a protector and deliverer for some of the children of Israel. Keilah, a town of Judah, was not many miles distant from Adullam. The Philistines, on the border, were robbing the threshing floors. This meant peril to the lives of the people who were dependent upon the grain for food, and David prayed, asking God for advice as to whether he should go and smite the Philistines or not. God said, “ go.” Some of David’s men questioned the desirability of an tagonizing the Philistines and adding to their own peril so David enquired of God again and had for his answer, “ Go.” Here is a lesson for all of us: Prayer plays a wonderful part in the life of a Christian. God is always accessible to His children if they are living in fellowship with Him (and pity those who are out of fellowship, for there can be no peace or satisfaction in a life of separation from God for either a saint or sinner). God has a “ Go” for every believer and sometimes it is “ Arise and go,” “ Get up and go” ! Yes, go to all the people! God has never changed His command and He never will while the church remains on earth. But there are other things about which we should seek earnestly and constantly to know His will. Do we not need this for our daily life? The seat of failure in human life is found here. God’s will is God’s law. Violation of law is always attended with loss. Obedience to God’s law is al ways attended with profit. This is a great lesson— yes, the greatest single lesson in human life. Have you learned it? And do you follow it? (Psa. 56:11). Knowing that he is in God’s will, David is ready to wait and sacrifice, or go to war and suffer. David is in the making process. He does not know it, hut God is preparing him by these fiery furnace experiences. David delivered Keilah from the hands of the Philistines. Saul thought he saw an opportunity to take David, knowing that the people would deliver him. But David sought again
JULY 13, 1924 No. 41 DAVID’S EXILE 1 Samuel, Chapters 22-24
Golden Text: “ For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth,- to shew himself strong in be half of them whose heart is perfect toward him.” 2 Chron. 16:9, f, c. Outline: (1) David Seeks Refuge, Ch. 22.
(2) Saul Seeks David’s Life, Ch. 23. (3) David Spares Saul’s Life, Ch. 24. Introduction:
The theme of these three chapters might well he “ Outline of the Life of David.” David might, in present day par lance, be called “ David, the Cave-man” for we find him in the cave of Adullam, situated near a city of the same name. The valley in which the cave was LESSON located was lined with rows of caves cap- EXPOSITION able of accommodating the four hundred T. C. Horton followers of David ,—i one cave being suf ficiently large to house one family, which is supposed to have been used by David. Here the members of his father’s house and his brethren, through fear of Saul, joined him, among them— Joab, Ahishai, and Asahel. Ahishai was one of the three mighty men who broke through the guard of Philistines to bring David a drink of water (2 Sam. 23:14-18). (1) DAVID SEEKS REFUGE IN THE CAVE, Ch. 22. “ David, therefore **** escaped to the cave of Adul lam,” v. 1. Israel desired a king and they were given Saul—the kind of king they had desired, but he was a soldier and not a statesman. He was by nature, jealous and arbitrary. He was all right as a general on a battle-field, but all wrong as a governor in affairs of state. He was, in short, man’s choice and not God’s choice. Saul had manifested his displeasure toward David, when the people sang David’s praises. Saul had many enemies and they naturally rallied to David who was a born leader. These men were a mixed multitude, as were those who joined our Saviour, but under the leadership of David, some of them became valiant soldiers. (1 Chron. 11) These men are described as those who were (1) In Distress. His own parents and relatives and others who rallied to him. The times were out of joint. There was no just administration; no security of life. Then, as now and always, politics played a large part in the na tional life. (2) In Debt. Those debtors, unable to pay, who had tried many means but had failed, and were subject to the iron hand of those who demanded unjust usury. (3 ) The Discontented. Those who had sought in every way to be satisfied with conditions, hut who found no rest or peace, and had no hope of better things.
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