-July 1924
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
443
while he slept. And King Saul confessed his sin to David, “ Behold, I have played the fool. I have sinned. Return, my son, David, for I will no more do thee harm, for my soul was precious in thine eyes this day.” David called to the king to send one of his young men for the spear, but David, still fearing to trust this great enemy, decided to go to live in the land of the Philistines. Saul returned to his home, in Gibeah, and when he heard that David had left the country he did not pursue him again. David’s spirit of forgiveness was great, but it points us to a more beautiful love and a greater forgiveness— that of the Lord Jesus, who when his enemies were nailing him to the cross prayed, “ Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Let us all repeat our memory verse, and remember it when we think of this story of David, “ And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Wz JULY 20, 1924 No. 42 THE SIN AND SENTENCE OF SAUL 1 Samuel, Chapter 26 to End of Book Golden Text: “ So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of a familiar spirit, to enquire of it; and enquired not of the Lord.” 1 Chron. 10:13, 14. Outline: (1) David Seeks the Camp of Saul, 26:5-7. (2) David Spares Saul’s Life, vs. 8-12. (3) David Scoffs at Abner, vs. 13-16. Introduction: In this lesson we are covering the closing seven chapters of 1 Samuel. The death of Samuel is recorded in 25:1. “And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered to gether, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah.” ■He lived a long and useful life. He was LESSON a God-chosen man— a man of strong char- EXPOSITION acter, selected and used of God in a crisis T. C. Horton in the history of His chosen people. In the Bible we are constantly con fronted with the outstanding fact of God’s choice of leaders. He must have leaders. He has His own way. We see their failures and the limitations. None are perfect. One verse records the death of Samuel. The Bible is not given to memorials of its saints. Abraham, Moses and Isaiah depart without econiums. The story of their lives is briefly told. The best possible monument for men to build is through their touch with other lives. If we seek a monu ment that will outlast those built by the hands of men, let us build them in human lives that will perpetuate our own. Such a monument will be immortal. In chapter 30 David rescues his wives from the camp of the enemy. The key to this chapter is found in v. 8 “ David enquired of the Lord” and he had God’s promise. Be sure you are in the will of God and then go into the fight with assurance of victory. In chapter 31 is related the defeat and death of Saul. Judgment must come. “ Be sure your sin will find you out.” Can there be anything more significant than these words, “ Therefore Saul took a sword and fell upon it” ?—Saul, the suicide! For our special lesson we have chosen 26:5-21 “ David Spares Saul the Second Time,” with the outline given above.
(1) DAVID SEEKS THE CAMP OF SAUL, vs. 5-7 “ David beheld the place where Saul lay” v. 5. Saul with three thousand men was seeking David (v. 2). David sent out spies to find Saul (v. 4). When found, Saul was in the midst of the wagons. David had called for vol unteers, “Who will go with me to Saul?” (v. 6). It was a perilous undertaking. “ Who will go with me” is the call of Christ today (Isa. 6 :8). “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me#” Someone must go, if anything is to be done. The attitude of every believer should be, “ Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do.” Our Lord never sends alone. He always- goes with His chosen, (Matt. 28:19, 20). “Go ye therefore, and teaeh all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever 1 have com manded yon; and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” The man to respond to the call was one of the three mighty men of David, Abishai (father of gifts). He was a devoted champion of David. He was ready to go; ready to strike; ready to resent insults. (2 Sam. 16:9) “Then said Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, unto the king; Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over, 1 pray thee, and take off his head.” He was in command of one third of David’s army when he battled with Absalom and rescued David from the hand of Ishbosheth. (2 Sam. 21:15-17). He also broke through the army of the Philistines to get a drink of water for David. (2 Sam. 23:14-17). He at one time withstood three hundred men and slew them with his spear (2 Sa. 23:18): “And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah,' was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear- against three hundred and slew them, and he had the name among three.” He was a valiant man. How God needs such men today! David and Abishai went down by moonlight and came to the camp and found Saul asleep and Abner, his general, asleep also. Contrast David, alive and awake, and Saul asleep. Our David (Jesus Christ) never sleeps. (2) DAVID SPARES SAUL, vs. 8-12 “ David said, Destroy him not.” v. 9. The two men had penetrated to the very heart of the camp, and Saul lay an easy victim. It seemed so provi dential. Self-preservation demanded that the enemy should be put to death. “ God hath delivered him into thine hand” says Abishai. Yes, He had. There he lies, an easy prey. What more natural than to slay him? How easy to read providences when they are in harmony with our wishes. Jonah was sure he could, see the hand of God in favoring circumstances when he was running away from Nineveh. Here was a great temptation. “ An enemy, seeking your life; an enemy once spared; David, the anointed king. Now is the time! Let me smite him! Once will be enough!” The old law was “ an eye for an eye” but David was not vindictive against Saul. His attitude suggests some prac tical truths: He recognized Saul as God’s anointed. (1 Chron. 16:22; Psa. 105:15). “ Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.” Saul was Israel’s king. God had given him to Israel. Now God must remove him. David refused to take the mat ter into his own hands. “ The Lord shall smite him” was the answer. David was not a New Testament saint, but he was a splen did illustration of what a saint should be and do under similar circumstances. Human life is sacred, and the law concerning the taking of it is clear. Because life is sacred, a man should defend himself. Our homes are sacred, and
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