THE KING’S BUSINESS David King Over Judah and Israel
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MAY 23, 1915. LESSON VIII. 2 Sam. 2:1-7; 5:1-5. (Commit 2 Sam. 5:2, 3). G olden T e x t : “Jehovah is my strength and my shield; my heart hath trusted in Him, and I am helped.—Ps. 28:7.
DAILY BIBLE READINGS Mon,, May 17—1 Cor. 12:1-13. (The Lesson).
Tues., May 18—Acts 2:1-12. The descent of the Spirit. Wed., May 19—Eph. 1:ll-23. Sealed by the Spirit. • Thurs., May 20—1 Cor. 2:1-15. *The Spirit’s power in preaching. Fri., May 21—Rom. 8:1-10. The freedom of the Spirit. Sat., May 22—Rom. 8:11-18. The witnessing Spirit. Sun., May 23—Eph. 4:1-13. The gifts of the Spirit.
EXPOSITION AND PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS.
28:6; Acts 5:32). As David did not take one step without the Lord, he avoided Saul’s fatal mistake of running before God. “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the Lord said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron.” Note that David first asked whether he should go up into any city of Judah, and when the Lord had indicated that he should, he asked specifically and definitely “Whither” or “to what city?” In .other words, he sought guidance a step at a time. The name of the city to which God bade him go Up is significant; for Hebron means “fellowship” or “joining,” and David thus began his con quest of the land in joining with God or fellowship with God. That is where we must all go if we wish to enter upon a life of constant victory, to Hebron (fellow ship) : first, fellowship with God, then suc cessful battle for God. Many of us are not conquerors as David was simply because we have never gone up to Hebron. vs. 2, 3. “So David went up thither, and his two wives also.. ........... ... and his men that were with him did David bring up." David was not' content to go alone into the place of blessing, he took his family with him, and not only his family but his com panions, and hot his companions, but “every man with his household.” And they made
v. 1. “And it came to pass after this, that David inquired of Jehovah." At this period in his life, David seems to have taken every step in simple dependence upon the guidance of the Lord (cf. ch. 5:19-23; 1 Sam. 23: 2, 4, 9, 12; 30:7, 8), and thus he was kept from making any false steps. He obtained God’s guidance by simply ask ing for it, and in that way if we are sur rendered to, the will of' God we may have His guidance (Jas. 1:5-7). He trusted in the Lord with all his heart and leaned not to his own understanding; in all his ways, he acknowledged the Lord and He directed his" paths, just as He promises He will do (Prov. 3 :5, 6). In all probability he learned the mind of the Lord by consulting the Urim (cf. Num. 37:31; Ex. 28:30 R. V. marg.; 1 Sam. 23:2, 4, 9-12). No one knows now just how the stones in the breastplate of the High Priest made known the mind of God (and it is useless for us to speculate about it; for we have in these days a far better way of finding the mind of God, namely, by the written Word and by the guidance of His living Spirit) (Is. 8: 20; Ps. 119:105, 130; Acts 8:29; 16:6, 7). The Urim of the olden days was but “a shadow of these _better things to come” and which we now have. Guidance by the Urim, just as guidance by the Holy Spirit, was conditioned upon obedience (1 Sam.
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