_And the victory of that day was turned into mourning unto all the people._ VICTORY TURNED INTO MOURNING The victory spoken of is a victory that was longed for, and yet when it came it was as intolerable as the sting of an adder. How is it that we are always wanting things, and often when we get th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then the king arose and sat in the gate._ THE RESTORATION OF DAVID David, in his extreme and protracted sorrow for the death of Absalom, forgot to do justice to the attachment, sacrifices, and victorious valour of his friends. At news of this great and inopportune grief--no song of victory! no cle... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back?_ BRINGING THE KING BACK I. Many have lost the comfortable presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. Some have long dwelt in the cold shade of suspended fellowship, and must be anxiously pining after its restoration. Now to such as these, wh... [ Continue Reading ]
_There went over a ferry boat to carry over the king’s household._ THE FERRY-BOAT OF THE JORDAN This river Jordan, in all ages and among all Christian people, has been the symbol of the boundary line between earth and heaven. I want to show you to-day that there is a way over Jordan as well as thr... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king._ CHARACTERISTIC FORGIVENESS One man will forgive a grievous wrong while another will not overlook a wry word. King John had most villainously treated his brother Richard in his absence. Was it likely that when he of the lion’s heart came home h... [ Continue Reading ]
_For do not I know that I am this day king over Israel._ CONSCIOUS KINGSHIP What wonderful applications this doctrine admits ell It touches life at every point; it is full of lessons to men in all stages of life and in all degrees of influence. I. Know the great man by his goodness. Know real pow... [ Continue Reading ]
_Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king._ MEPHIBOSHETH AN ENIGMA OF MOTIVE And Mephibosheth, also, the son of Saul, came down to meet the king. Our too otiose English is unjust to Mephibosheth; or else it has taken Mephibosheth’s infirmity in his feet much too seriously. Mephiboshe... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim, and went over Jordan with the king._ BARZILLAI THE GREAT MAN IN SOCIETY 1. One feature in the Bible is that it represents members of every class of society, as not only belonging to, but actually working in God’s Church. The great gathering of t... [ Continue Reading ]
_How long have I to live, that I should go up with the King unto Jerusalem?_ BARZILLAI’S REFUSAL OF DAVID’S INVITATION TO JERUSALEM CONSIDERED I. A serious consideration of approaching death is peculiarly proper for aged persons. Barzillai, in his reply to David, seems to have the near approach of... [ Continue Reading ]
_Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city._ DYING AT HOME In our last great trial, in our conflict with the king of terrors, what a consolation to feel that our friends are about us, that we are at home. 1. How much earthly friends may help us in the hour of... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel._ CONTROVERSY Here is the beginning of a long controversy which ended in the dismemberment of God’s people, and in the permanent alienation of those who by tradition, by hopes, and by privileges, were common childr... [ Continue Reading ]