LECTURE 516.

Our gain by being subject unto Christ our King.

In this chapter we have an account of various successes, gained by David, over the nations which dwelt round about the Israelites, and which prevented them from enjoying full possession of the promised land. He smote the Philistines; and took from them an important place, called Metheg-ammah. And he smote the Moabites, and reduced them under subjection; putting to death two out of every three, not probably of the whole nation, but of those whom he defeated in the battle. And in this proportion it is expressly mentioned, that the "line to keep alive" was a "full line;" as if to shew, that even in executing judgment he still inclined to mercy. He also defeated the king of Zobah, and his allies the Syrians of Damascus, with a very great slaughter. And whereas he took from the king of Zobah many chariots, and horsemen, as well as footmen, he complied with the directions of the Law, not to multiply horses to himself; see Deut. 17. 16; he acted upon the commands given to Joshua, probably in respect of both the points commanded: "thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire." Josh. 11. 6. The Syrians he also made to pay tribute, like the Moabites. And from the king of Hamath, who had been at war with the king of Zobah, he received presents of great value; which he dedicated to the service of the Lord; as he did also with all the gold and silver spoils of all the nations which he subdued. And the true account of his safety and success, in all his undertakings, was this: "the Lord preserved David whithersoever he went."

Whilst his arms were thus successful abroad, he was no less diligent in executing judgment and justice unto all his people at home. These two have usually been considered the chief advantages of kingly government, vigour in the conduct of war, and vigour in the administration of justice. In order to gain these ends, men cheerfully submit to the authority of them that are set over them; even thousands and millions of mankind are in glad subjection to a single fellow creature. Such is their dread of unjust usage from each other! Such is their fear of their neighbours invading them; such their desire to invade, and conquer their neighbours! Oh that our apprehension of strife within the soul, between our passions and our principles, would incline us to submit cheerfully to the reign of Jesus in our hearts! Oh that we could feel with thankfulness, how able and willing He is, and He alone, to protect us from the snares of the world and of the devil, yea to give us the victory over both! Then instead of saying with the wicked citizens in the parable, "We will not have this man to reign over us;" Luke 19. 14; we shall join in the song of Moses, and the song of the Lamb, "Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints." Rev. 15. 3.

David seeketh for Mephibosheth, and kindly intreateth him.

1 And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan's sake?

2 And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he.

3 And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet.

4 And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar.

5 Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar.

6 Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant!

7 And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore

thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.

8 And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?

9 Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said unto him, I have given unto thy master's son all that pertained to Saul and to all his house.

10 Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master's son may have food to eat : but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.

11 Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king's sons.

12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micha. And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth.

13 So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king's table; and was lame on both his feet.

LECTURE 517.

The loving kindness of Christ in redeeming the helpless. The last chapter described David as executing judgment both at home and abroad. It contained a summary of many wars and many victories, and of sufferings, who shall say how manifold and severe, inflicted by the hand of David, on thousands of mankind. How refreshing is it to hear him asking, after the performance of

these stern duties, "Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan's sake?" The hardy actions of a great warrior, and the inexorable sentence of an upright judge, are not inconsistent with the tender feelings of a faithful friend. In the case of David both easily were reconciled, because both were alike prompted by a devout sense of duty to God. In his victories over the enemies of Israel he was well aware that he was wielding the sword of the Lord, no less surely, than in executing the sentence of the Law upon those amongst the Israelites who transgressed it. And in his search after some surviving member of Saul's family, he was actuated not only by private feelings of regard to Jonathan, but by a desire to "shew the kindness of God unto him," the kindness which he stood pledged to God to shew.

In Mephibosheth, the casualty of lameness was added to the sad reverses of his family; and made him doubly an object of compassionate concern to his father's friend. And no doubt it was for this reason that David committed to Ziba the charge of all the land of Saul; Mephibosheth being unable to look after it himself. Here is comfort for them that halt in their spiritual pilgrimage, who feel that in respect of Christian progress they are lame, and who know how to apply to their own encouragement the marvellous healing of their Saviour, who made the lame to walk. They remember that this oft repeated miracle of Christ is plainly foretold by Isaiah, saying, "Then shall the lame man leap as an hart." Is. 35. 6. And they gladly see in David, who was in many things a type of Christ, actions which they can readily interpret, of Christ restoring to the ruined soul blessings lost by sin, of Christ providing for the helpless sinner a righteousness not his own, of Christ preparing a place for the justified saints, to sit and eat at his table on earth, and to partake of his glory in heaven, "as one of the king's sons." This, they feel in their own hearts, is "the kindness of God" to them. For this they delight to take every opportunity of expressing their heartfelt thanks. What is thy servant, they say to Him who loved them, and gave Himself for them, what is thy servant, that Thou shouldest look upon one so vile, so unworthy of the least of all thy mercies? How infinite is thy goodness in seeking and saving that which was lost; and in supplying the wants of the poor and needy out of the riches of thy abundance! How happy are we to be invited to sit at thy table! How infinitely happy to have a place prepared for us, in Jerusalem which is above, our home in heaven! Oh help us to feel duly the exalted dignity of our heavenly calling! Oh suffer us not to do any thing unworthy of them that are sons of God! As Thou hast made atonement for our sins, heal also, we beseech Thee, our infirmities! As Thou hast prepared for us a place in heaven, prepare us, we beseech Thee, for enjoying it!

David chastiseth Hanun for cruel usage of his messengers.

1 And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.

2 Then said David, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father shewed kindness unto me. And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father. And David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.

3 And the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? hath not David rather sent his servants unto thee, to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?

4 Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.

5 When they told it unto David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed: and the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.

6 And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank before David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and of king Maacah a thousand men, and of Ish-tob twelve thousand men.

7 And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of

the mighty men.

8 And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entering in of the gate: and the Syrians of Zoba, and of Rehob, and Ish-tob, and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.

9 When Joab saw that the front of the battle was against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians :

10 And the rest of the people he delivered into the hand of Abishai his brother, that he might put them in array against the children of Ammon.

11 And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee.

12 Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the LORD do that which seemeth him good.

13 And Joab drew nigh, and the people that were with him, unto the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him. 14 And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, then fled they also before Abishai, and entered into the city. So Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.

15 And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel, they gathered themselves together.

16 And Hadarezer sent, and

brought out the Syrians that were beyond the river: and they came to Helam; and Shobach the captain of the host of Hadarezer went before them.

17 And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together, and passed over Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with

him.

18 And the Syrians fled before

Israel; and David slew the men of seven hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their host, who died there.

19 And when all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were smitten before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.

LECTURE 518.

Of God's goodness, and of his severity.

We see in David on this occasion both kindness and severity. And since we may believe that he was acting in both instances as the Lord prompted him, we may here take occasion to remark upon "the goodness and severity of God." Rom. 11. 22. God sends to man a message of comfort. Man construes it as meant not for his good but for his harm; and dares to put affront upon God's messengers. God thereupon withdraws his kindness, and sends forth his armies to destroy his enemies. Such is the true account of all the misery which has been in the world, for so many ages, through sin. Cold and hunger, disease, death, and the pangs of mutual unkindness more sore than the pains of dying, these are God's avenging armies, sent forth against the family of fallen man, as guilty of transgressing God's will, and of taking in ill part that original commandment which He revealed for man's good. David leading on the Israelites to victory, was but an instrument executing one of God's sore judgments against this inbred sin of man, the wilful rejection of kindness from the Lord. The Israelites themselves, in after times, became yet more signal monuments of God's wrath, when they were guilty of the same sin of our common nature, in rejecting the most signal instance of God's mercy, his own Son manifest in the flesh, for the redemption of mankind. That mercy is still proclaimed aloud to us. Let us watch that we receive with thanks the gracious message. Let us beware lest we provoke the wrath of Him, who kindly sends it for our endless comfort, by suspecting his messengers of being ene mies to our peace. No; the Gospel is glad tidings of great joy. And it is our own fault if we find not that it is so. It is the revelation of the goodness of God. And it can be only by reason of our own unwillingness to receive it with faith and thankfulness of heart, that it can ever sound to us as the voice of God's severity.