DFO11601962

"ABSALOM'S REBELLION! & THE DEATH OF KING DAVID!"

THIS IS CHAPTER 22 OF OUR BIBLE STORY IN PICTURES. WE ARE GOING TO RESUME THE STORY OF DAVID. Now there is a rebellion led by his favourite son, Absalom!

1. THE BROOK KIDRON FLOWS THROUGH THE VALLEY OF JEHOSHAPHAT, which is the Valley of Jezreel, which is the Valley of Megiddo—where Armageddon will be fought. David had been informed of his son's conspiracy or rebellion. He sensed the danger & left Jerusalem with his family & only 600 men. He saw that Absalom had turned most of the people against him.

GOD IS BRINGING JUDGEMENT UPON DAVID FOR HIS SIN! God said the kingdom would be taken away from him‚ the sword would never depart from his house, & the child would die. Child after child died after that! This is the way it happened!: Some of David's house suffered the sword from that time on!

YET LATER ON THE LORD DID CALL HIM A MAN AFTER HIS OWN HEART—because though he had sinned greatly‚ he did what? He repented greatly! So he received a great forgiveness! He had 600 men, his family & a few faithful friends, that had accompanied him from Ziklag. Remember‚ Ziklag had been his city for awhile.

2. HERE'S A BEAUTIFUL VIEW OF JERUSALEM, looking across the city to the Mount of Olives. In the distance, that tall monument you see is the Dome of the Rock—the big domed building there. After crossing the Kidron, they went from the city here down the valley.

BETWEEN THE MOSQUE OF OMAR & THE DISTANT HILL, THERE'S A DEEP VALLEY, WHERE THE BROOK KIDRON IS. They went down the valley & ascended the Mount of Olives, via one of these roads. Who else trod up that way, many years later? Jesus went up that way too!

DAVID WAS A TYPE OF JESUS!: HE WAS BETRAYED BY HIS FRIENDS, like Jesus was too! In this case by his own son! Somewhere on that hillside, Zadok & Abiathar, the priests who had brought the Ark‚ were sent back & they remained with it. They secretly gathered all the news.

THEY STAYED BACK IN THE TEMPLE & KEPT DAVID INFORMED as to what was going on in the city. David had to leave the city & go into hiding; but Zadok & Abiathar, the priests, remained in the city as his spies.

3. THE TOP OF THE MOUNT OF OLIVES. David now reached the top of Olivet. He was barefooted & his head was uncovered as he was in mourning! As he looked back upon the Holy City, he wept bitterly—just as we are told Jesus did, from nearly the same spot 1000 years later.

HERE NEWS REACHED HIM THAT AHITHOPHEL HAD TURNED TO ABSALOM. His own prime minister‚ his personal advisor, had gone against him & gone over to Absalom—evidently thinking that Absalom had the best chance to become king. He was another typical politician! He's going to ride with the winners!

4. THIS IS THE TOWER OF THE CHURCH OF THE ASCENSION, on top of the mount of Olives. This church commemorates the ascension of Jesus, from the top of the Mount of Olives. Of course He had not ascended yet, because He hadn't even been born yet; but we're looking at it as it is today! In spite of David's hurry to flee from Absalom, he tarried on the top of the Mount of Olives long enough to worship.

FROM HERE HUSHAI WAS SENT BACK TO ACT AS A SPY. We have another friend of David's sent back to act as a spy. Hushai thoroughly deceived Absalom, & was more than a match for Ahithophel!

ONE OF DAVID'S COUNSELLORS WENT BACK & PRETENDED TO TURN TO ABSALOM! But he continually advised Absalom against the counsel of Ahithophel! The plan was that Hushai deliver the news to Zadok & Abiathar, the priests. Then they communicate with Jonathan & Ahimaaz, the priests' sons, little boys who were hiding not far from the Tabernacle. Then the priests' sons would carry the news to David.

5. HERE WE HAVE THE JOPPA GATE OF JERUSALEM—the one that faces toward Joppa & the Joppa Road. Hushai got into the city, it seems, just a little before Absalom arrived. Remember, Absalom was not in the city of Jerusalem at this time. He was coming up from Hebron.

DAVID WAS LEAVING THE CITY—SURRENDERING IT TO HIS ENEMIES, LED BY HIS OWN SON! The forces of Absalom were on their way to Jerusalem. Hushai dashed back to Jerusalem just in time to beat Absalom there—so he would be there as though he were loyal to Absalom.

UPON OFFERING HIS SERVICES TO PRINCE ABSALOM, HE WAS ACCEPTED; but not without an insulting sneer! His nearness to Absalom was equal to Ahithophel, & it gave Hushai an opportunity to obtain the news that he desired!

6. HERE'S THE APOSTLES' FOUNTAIN‚ AT THE EDGE OF THE WILDERNESS. When David & his party had reached the edge of the wilderness, Ziba overtook him with refreshments. He informed him that Mephibosheth was waiting in the city with hope of profiting by this change of administration!

GOD'S SHOWING HOW EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE GOOD TO SOME PEOPLE, THEY STILL CAN'T SEEM TO BE LOYAL! Maybe Mephibosheth even had ideas of becoming king himself; remember, he was Saul's grandson. He didn't go with David; he stayed behind in the city. He possibly figured he might somehow work his way into the kingdom!

7. NOW THE CURSE OF SHIMEI. A little further east into the Judaean Wilderness stood the village of Bahurim. From here Michal‚ David's wife, Saul's daughter, had left her husband Phaltiel & come back to David. A fellow by the name of Shimei, who had some connection with Phaltiel's family, met David's party here, cursed the king with bitterest oaths & threw stones at him!

DAVID, HOWEVER‚ TOOK IT VERY CALMLY & wouldn't permit the arrest of this foulmouth‚ Shimei! He showed kindness in return for cursing! David goes on like a type of Christ—he doesn't return the railing!

8. HERE WE SEE SOME NATIVE JERUSALEM JEWS. Absalom now calls upon his advisors‚ Ahithophel & Hushai, to recommend what course he should pursue. Ahithophel urged him to make an immediate attack upon David: "Kill the king right away & settle it‚ & the people will all return!"

9. REMEMBER HOW DAVID HAD TAUNTED SAUL ACROSS THAT GORGE? Well, Hushai was hoping to give David time to get across the Jordan. David was fleeing now into the same wilderness he fled to before, in which he had taunted Saul.

HUSHAI SAID, "WAIT, ABSALOM!"—HE WAS TRYING TO DELAY HIM WITH STALLING TACTICS!—"Wait until you get a big enough army to make sure you can win! Then lead it yourself against the king—so you can have greater glory!"

HE WARNED ABSALOM OF HIS FATHER'S ABILITY AT WAR, he said, "He's a great fighter, a great warrior! You'd better not tackle him unless you've got plenty of men. You'll have to lead them yourself! Thou knowest thy father & his men, that they be mighty men!" (2Sam.17:8.)

DAVID'S GOING BACK INTO THE WILDERNESS WITH HOW MANY MEN? 600! Don't you suppose they're probably the same 600 Mighty Men that he came with to begin with?—His best friends! Hushai says to Absalom,

"THEY BE MIGHTY MEN, they be chafed in their minds as a bear robbed of her whelps!" (2 Sam.17:8.) He says they're as mad as an old mother bear who's lost her cubs! They're not only mighty men but they're angry!

HE ALSO ARGUED, "YOU CAN'T FIND YOUR FATHER TO KILL HIM. He'll not lodge with his men—remember how he played with Saul, like a cat with the mice. You'd better wait until you get a big army & you can comb the whole wilderness & locate him." All the time Hushai was just trying to give him a chance to get as far as he could!

10. HERE'S A PHOTO OF EN-ROGEL. HUSHAI'S ARGUMENT WON! Absalom accepted his advice, & unwittingly placed himself in the hands of a spy! Here's real intrigue—this is a real spy thriller story!

WHEREUPON AHITHOPHEL WENT HOME & COMMITTED SUICIDE! The traitorous advisor had deserted David & gone over to Absalom, thinking he was going to become the new prime minister. When he saw his advice was not accepted‚ he went home & committed harikari—suicide!

HE SAW THE TRAP THAT ABSALOM HAD STEPPED INTO! Jonathan & Ahimaaz, the 2 little boys of the priests‚ are now hidden in a house here in En-Rogel, waiting for news obtained by Hushai.

11. HERE WE SEE JOAB'S WELL. In the meantime, the 2 waiting messengers, these boys, had been discovered by a little boy who came & told Absalom. They were at once searched for! They only escaped arrest by hiding themselves in a well—believed to be this very well, still called Joab's Well, that you see here in the foreground of the photo.

12. THIS IS A PHOTO OF THE JORDAN VALLEY. David seems to have been in the Jordan valley by this time. Remember he's coming down from Jerusalem, in the tops of the mountains, to the Jordan. He's going to cross over into the wilderness.

THE MESSENGERS ARRIVE IN THE EARLY MORNING WITH THE NEWS THAT HUSHAI HAS WON ABSALOM BY HIS ELOQUENCE. Who do you suppose was with Hushai? God was with him!—That's why he won! The king would have time to escape, gather his followers & organise a new army!

13. HERE WE HAVE A PHOTO OF THE JORDAN RIVER. David now has to cross the Jordan. David was advised to lose no time, so he & all his people crossed the Jordan that same morning! We're not told how they got across. Some times of the year it's very shallow, because of the little rain in that country. Other times it's very full.

THEY MAY HAVE WADED ACROSS, or they may have gone across on rafts or boats, or swam across. Remember, the Lord did dry it up for the Israelites once when they went across; but not this time!

14. THE MAP. WHEN DAVID GOT TO MAHANAIM, HE WAS AMONG FRIENDS! Can you find Mahanaim? It's clear over there on the east side of Jordan‚ the other side of Jordan. Whenever the Bible says the other side of Jordan, what side does it mean? It means the other side from Jerusalem, where the Scriptural account was being written.

GREAT CONTRIBUTIONS OF EVERY KIND WERE MADE TO HIS CAUSE. He was especially favoured by the aged Barzillai.—A man of great wealth & influence in Gilead, of whom David seemed very fond, a good friend of his.

15. BUT ABSALOM PURSUES HIS FATHER! He made Amasa commander-in-chief. In due time he crosses the Jordan with 20,000 men. Whew! More than David's 600! The fight was of brief duration. Joab‚ David's commander-in-chief, was still a seasoned soldier, & proved to be more than a match for his cousin Amasa!

AMASA'S ARMY WAS NEARLY ANNIHILATED IN THESE HILLS OF GILEAD! This was a Civil War amongst the Israelites! David, very likely, had a good-size army by this time also.

16. SO ABSALOM'S ARMY FOUGHT DAVID'S ARMY. Absalom was endowed with a wealth of beautiful long hair, that he was very proud of! As he was carried with great speed by the mule upon which he was riding, his hair became entangled in an overhanging branch of an oak. The mule didn't know, so it kept right on running & ran out from under him!

THE PRINCE WAS SUSPENDED IN MID AIR! You see how God works!: The very thing that he was so proud of became the thing that trapped him!

17. THE KING HAD GIVEN STRICT ORDERS NOT TO HARM THE UNWORTHY SON—his favourite! The servant, who discovered his helpless condition‚ refused to slay him—because he remembered the king's orders. One of Joab's soldiers refused to slay Absalom!

JOAB HAD PLACED A PRICE ON ABSALOM'S HEAD—because Joab realised that the best thing to do was to kill him, so he would not challenge David again! He realised David was so softhearted toward Absalom, he might just let him go, & he'd raise up another army to come back again! Joab wasn't going to take any chances on this!

SOMETIMES THE GENERALS OF AN ARMY ARE A LITTLE SMARTER THAN THE KINGS THEMSELVES! Joab once again, in a way, knew best—even as in the case of Saul's general! Joab figured the best & safest way was to get all the enemies out of the way—put them out of their misery & kill them! That's the figuring of a military chief—whether exactly right or not, we don't know!

WHEN JOAB GOT THE NEWS THAT ABSALOM WAS HANGING FROM THE TREE, HE TOOK 3 DARTS & thrust them through the heart of the unfortunate prince, hanging helplessly by his hair! He killed him! Absalom's dream of sitting on the throne of David came to an end!

18. THIS PECULIAR CONICAL-SHAPED TOMB IS ABSALOM'S PILLAR. This looks almost like an ice cream cone upside down or a funnel. That is Absalom's tomb called Absalom's Pillar. His dead body was covered with a pile of stones‚ which marked his grave in Gilead.

HE HAD ERECTED THIS PILLAR, POSSIBLY FOR A TOMB, in his lifetime; but never got to be buried there. It's located in the King's Dale, outside the walls of Jerusalem. It has withstood the ravages of time‚ as it was cut out of solid stone hillside. They carved that pillar out of an outcropping of stone that stuck up out of the hill. That's why it's stood there for so many many centuries!

18A. HERE'S ANOTHER PHOTO OF ABSALOM'S PILLAR. Jews, when passing this pillar, usually throw stones at it, to express their derision for one so unfaithful a son as Absalom! There's quite a pile of stones around it! The Jews think a great deal of David! That big hole you see in the side has been gradually chipped away by the stones being thrown at the monument.

19. THE NEWS OF ABSALOM'S DEATH IS NOW BROUGHT TO DAVID AT MAHANAIM, where he is anxiously waiting. He was so affected, he wept bitterly & loudly & wished that he might have died in his son's stead!

IT WAS NOT UNTIL JOAB THREATENED HIM, SAYING, HE WAS GOING TO LOSE EVERYTHING if he didn't brace up & keep a stiff upper lip & quit his crying‚ that he finally quit bawling! You can understand, however, that he was very deeply grieved over his favourite son.

HE ROSE & EXPRESSED HIS GRATITUDE TO THE PEOPLE THAT HAD BEEN SO LOYAL TO HIM. Joab warned him that if he didn't quit crying, the people were going to get disgusted with him & leave him.

20. THIS IS THE JORDAN VALLEY AGAIN. The people felt sorry for David. Judah, who had been foremost in the revolt, David's own tribe, was the first to go into Gilgal to escort him back over the Jordan.

SOME ARE LIKE SHEEP: They follow the first shepherd that comes along! They're willing to follow almost anybody that comes along! Back & forth—it means nothing to them to drop one king & pick up another one!

THE PEOPLE OF JERUSALEM, NOW THAT THEY'D LOST ABSALOM, DECIDED TO COME & ESCORT HIM BACK! The very people that had rebelled against him came & showed their repentance, & showed their grief, by coming & telling him they were sorry!

AMASA WAS PARDONED & PLACED AT THE HEAD OF DAVID'S ARMY—think of that! Even Shimei, the fellow that cursed David, was forgiven! Mephibosheth was, at least, partly vindicated. Ziba‚ the faithful servant of Jonathan, was given half of Mephibosheth's property. So‚ Mephibosheth did lose something by this whole deal—because he had been disloyal!

21. HERE'S A PHOTO OF SOME ISRAELI SOLDIERS, NEAR THE TOWER OF DAVID, AT JERUSALEM. The aged Barzillai from Mahanaim, the friend he had found in the wilderness, followed the king to the Jordan. Israel & Judah were waiting on the other side to greet him.

AS DAVID KISSED BARZILLAI GOOD-BYE, he promised a great future to the old man's son, Chimham, who accompanied the king the balance of his days. Chimham was chosen by David to become one of his right-hand men. That's the way he rewarded his friend: By taking his son & making him one of his generals!

22. HERE'S DAVID'S RECEPTION. DAVID, THOUGH HEARTBROKEN, WAS HAILED BY A JOYOUS PEOPLE! He swept through the gates of Jerusalem, with all the appearance of a victor, & was restored to the throne! Though he was heavy–hearted at the death of Absalom, he succeeded in hiding it from the people.

23. IN THE FEW DAYS OF ABSALOM'S REIGN‚ the people had, no doubt, been convinced of their mistake in leaving David. The king was more welcome to Zion than he'd ever been before! Now they appreciated him! Sometimes you don't appreciate your blessings till they're gone!

NOW THEY REALISED THEY HAD HAD THE BEST KING THEY COULD EVER POSSIBLY HAVE, & they welcomed him back once again! David realised also that they did appreciate him & love him. His attitude toward them was now one of the most kindly nature!

24. HERE'S A PHOTO OF GIBEON. One Sheba, a Benjamite of Saul's tribe, tried to stir up another rebellion; but his effort to enlist the Northern Tribes, apparently, did not succeed to any consider- able extent. Later on it did succeed, by the way! Amasa was sent after him, but he was so slow that Joab assumed command!

JOAB & AMASA MET AT GIBEON, & HE SLEW HIS RIVAL GENERAL! There was rivalry here! Remember Amasa's been put in Joab's stead, but Amasa was not as good a general. Why was David mad at Joab? Because he had killed Absalom! He demoted him & put Absalom's own general in his place! Joab was smart enough to get rid of Amasa. Joab was more loyal to the king than Amasa—more loyal, perhaps‚ than David even realised! Joab killed Amasa here at Gibeon.

25. NOW THE BATTLE OF BETHLEHEM. THE PHILISTINES WERE STILL HOSTILE! They came into control of Bethlehem, just 5 miles south of Jerusalem. The sons of Goliath of Gath were the leaders of this army of Philistines that came up & captured Bethlehem.—Goliath of Gath whom David had slain in a duel, remember‚ years before! They waged war against David, but they were decisively defeated!

26. DAVID HAS A NARROW ESCAPE: Ishi-benob‚ one of the giant's sons, singled David out & attacked him personally‚ while the battle was at its height. The king's life was only saved by the prompt & the skilled hand of Abishai, who slew the giant in the merest nick of time.

27. DAVID IS VERY GRATEFUL FOR HIS ESCAPE, HE SPEAKS UNTO THE LORD IN SONGS. He recites the occasions of God's care throughout his entire life. He praises the Lord & thanks Him for many benefits & closes by saying, "The Lord is the Tower of Salvation to His king: And showest mercy to His anointed, unto David & to his seed for evermore." (2Sam.22:51.) Amen? Praise the Lord!

28. DAVID HAD BEEN A VERY GREAT SINGER, A SWEET PSALMIST OF ISRAEL! He had soothed the savage breast of Saul in his younger days, & had thrilled Israel with his compositions—many of which have been preserved to us, until this day, in the Book of Psalms.

DAVID WAS NOT ONLY A PSALMIST & a king, but what else? He was the greatest Messianic prophet outside of Isaiah! He prophesied more about the coming Kingdom of Christ than any other prophet aside from Isaiah.

29. THE 23rd CHAPTER OF 2SAMUEL RECORDS HIS LAST PSALM. His fingers had become sluggish, his voice has become a little weak & shaky, & his brain is no doubt weary. Nevertheless, he does not fail to allude to God as the Rock, the Morning Sun & the Fence of Iron.

30. HERE WE HAVE A PHOTO OF A WELL BY THE GATE. David in his later life became very whimsical. During the time of the occupancy of Bethlehem by the Philistines, he cried for a drink of water from his father's old well in Bethlehem. At that time it was in the hands of the Philistines. 3 men, wishing to please him, broke through the lines of the enemy & got water from the well.

31. IT WAS A FAVOURITE WELL OF HIS MANY YEARS AGO. When it was brought to the king, he refused to drink it; instead he poured it on the ground. He said, "Far be it from me, O Lord‚ that I should do this: Is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives?" (2Sam.23:17.)

AS MUCH AS HE WANTED THAT DRINK OF WATER‚ HE LOVED HIS MEN MORE! He wanted to show them how much he loved them!—Though the water was very dear to his soul, their blood was more precious! He was sorry that he'd endangered their lives, in order just to get him a drink of water from that well!

32. THEN THEY HAD A TERRIBLE PLAGUE, BECAUSE DAVID MADE A VERY GREAT MISTAKE. He did something the Lord didn't tell him to do! He ran ahead of the Lord! He caused a census to be taken—evidently, to sort of pride in the fact that Israel had become so populous! This displeased the Lord & angered the people; & as a result, a plague was visited upon Israel! 70,000 died in only 3 days!

33. AS THE ANGEL OF DEATH WAS HOVERING OVER JERUSALEM‚ at the threshing place of Araunah the Jebusite, on Mount Moriah, the Lord said to the angel: "It is enough: Stay now thy hand!" (2Sam.24:16.) The plague ceased! God's Word tells us about 70,000 people had been killed. The story is in 2 Samuel‚ 24th Chapter.

DAVID SAID, "LORD, SURELY I HAVE SINNED AGAINST THEE; BUT WHAT ABOUT THESE SHEEP?" (vs.17.) He meant the poor innocent people—it wasn't their fault! So he said, "Lord, don't punish them for it!" So, the Lord stopped the plague!

34. HERE WE HAVE MOUNT MORIAH AGAIN, a good view of the Temple area, where the Mosque of Omar now stands. The prophet Gad directed David now to buy this threshing floor from Araunah & erect an altar where the plague was stayed. He did, over the protest of the owner, who wished to donate it for this purpose.

DAVID WANTED TO PURCHASE THE LAND; but the owner said, "No‚ you can have it! I'll give it to you as a gift." David said‚ "Far be it from me to give unto the Lord of that which hath cost me nothing!" (2Sam.24:24.) I think that's a very good thing for us to remember!

HE SAYS, "I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE THE LORD SOMETHING THAT DIDN'T COST ME ANYTHING! That wouldn't be a sacrifice! It wouldn't be a service to the Lord! I want it to cost me something!" So he paid for it! This Araunah is believed to have been the deposed king of Jerusalem—the Jebusite from whom Joab had taken the city a few years before.

LATER SOLOMON'S TEMPLE WAS BUILT ON THIS VERY SPOT, at the top of Mount Moriah, where the rock was that Abraham started to sacrifice Isaac on, & where the angel stopped the plague. It is a very hallowed, sacred spot to both the Jews & the Arabs!

36. HERE'S THE ROCK ZOHELETH. David is now a very feeble old man. The people became anxious regarding his successor. It's‚ at least, been partly promised to Solomon‚ the son of Bathsheba. Although he was way down the line in succession, that was evidently God's choice!

ADONIJAH IS NOW THE OLDEST OF THE KING'S LIVING SONS. Remember, 2 of them had been killed! Absalom had killed one & then Absalom himself was killed. Now Adonijah's the eldest son. Adonijah aspired to the successorship of his father, & drew Joab & Abiathar over onto his side.

JOAB & ABIATHAR WERE READY TO PROCLAIM HIM KING! They made a great feast at the Stone Zoheleth, at this very rock that you see in the photograph. They made a great feast here, in the Valley of Jehoshaphat, just outside the walls of the city, down at the brook—kind of like a picnic. It was their purpose to announce Adonijah as the next king.

37. BUT NATHAN, ZADOK, BENAIAH & OTHERS OF THE MIGHTY MEN OF DAVID WERE FAVOURABLE TO SOLOMON, David's own choice. Solomon happened to be God's choice too! Together with Bathsheba, they informed the king of the plot of Adonijah & Joab to overthrow Solomon. David said, "Take Solomon to Gihon"—now called the Virgin's Fountain.

"ANOINT HIM KING: AND BLOW THE TRUMPET & SAY, GOD SAVE KING SOLOMON!" (1Kings 1:34.) They did that: They had a great feast, & they anointed Solomon & crowned him king.

38. HERE YOU SEE AGAIN EN-ROGEL. A short distance below, in this same valley, at En-Rogel, Adonijah's party was broken up. They'd heard the announcement of Solomon's elevation to the kingdom. In a few moments messengers came & verified their suspicions‚ that Solomon was indeed king. That kind of ruined their party & threw a wet blanket on their king–making!

39. SO ADONIJAH RAN TO THE TABERNACLE & CAUGHT HOLD OF THE HORNS OF THE ALTAR, where he remained until Solomon swore that he would not put him to the sword. This was the custom in those days: It was a form, like of prayer, to grasp hold of the horns of the altar. We still use that as an expression to this very day:

IF SOMEONE WRESTLES WITH THE LORD IN PRAYER, WE SAY, HE'S GRASPING HOLD OF THE HORNS OF THE ALTAR. That was symbolic: Flying to the refuge of the Tabernacle. In other words, to seek the refuge of the Lord, the protection of God! Solomon agreed that he wouldn't kill him; his brother would be saved as long as he showed himself to be a worthy man.

40. THIS IS A VIEW OF ZION FROM THE SOUTH. What is Zion? City of David. Where is it? The part of Jerusalem that David built. Remember that Jerusalem was originally built by what people? The Canaanites.

THERE ON MOUNT ZION, DAVID HAD OCCUPIED THE THRONE FOR 33 YEARS. Now he is 70 years old. He calls Solomon, his son‚ into him & delivers his last charge. The burden of it, like that of Moses, was: "Be true to God‚ my son, & you will prosper!" Solomon found this true just to the extent that he followed his own divine King, God Himself!

41. THIS IS THE ZION GATE—a gate to the part of the city built by David. Zion was David's great love. We're told in God's Word that's where Jesus will reign some day—in the Hill Zion.

"THE WORD OF THE LORD SHALL GO FORTH FROM ZION." "The nations shall flow into it," & "the Lord ruleth & reigneth in Zion,” God's Word tells us. (Isaiah 2:2-3; 24:23.) David felt that God had given Zion to him & he dreamed of beautifying it.

HIS PSALMS ARE FULL OF PROFOUND EXPRESSIONS ABOUT IT‚ & also many prophetic expressions about the coming Kingdom of Christ regarding it. David was one of the greatest Messianic prophets—predicting the coming of the Messiah. Now his body is laid to rest on the spot that he loved.

42. HERE'S DAVID'S TOMB IN JERUSALEM. His tomb is guarded by the Moslems, & revered by Jews, Christians & Moslems alike. Jerusalem is the centre of the world's 3 greatest religions. It's visited by multitudes‚ many of whom look upon it with veneration not unlike the heathen looks upon his idols! Sad to say, instead of worshipping just the Lord‚ they almost worship a tomb!

43. HERE WE SEE THE CENOTAPH, COMMON IN THE TOMBS OF MOSLEM SAINTS. Inside the tomb‚ or this Mosque, in the cenotaph representing the casket of David. On it is inscribed in Arabic: "O David, whom God has made vicar, rule mankind in truth." This is literally prophetic of Jesus Himself! It is believed that David is buried in a cavern, far below the surface upon which we now stand.

44. THE GEOGRAPHY OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL HAS MUCH CHANGED SINCE SAUL WAS KING: From the Euphrates to the River of Egypt, & from the Mediterranean to the Gulf of Aqaba, except the coast of Tyre, is the territory over which Solomon finds himself ruler,

45. OLD KING DAVID. DAVID OF NECESSITY WAS A MAN OF WAR. His campaigns had cleaned up Israel. They had tried to do this since the days of Joshua, a period of over 400 years. We may expect that Solomon will reign in tranquillity.

IT TOOK DAVID TO ESTABLISH THAT PEACE, THROUGH WAR, sad to say, & to enlarge the borders of Israel, & to become one of its greatest kings—if not its greatest king. Jesus is spoken of more often as being the seed of David‚ rather than the seed of Solomon‚ & He is spoken of as being the King in David's place! Amen! What a great King!

Review Questions for Chapter 22.

1. What did David do when he sensed the conspiracy?

2. How many followers went with him?

3. What did he do on the Mount of Olives?

4. Who was sent back as a spy & when did he arrive at Jerusalem?

5. Did Absalom accept his services & what was his position?

6. Who overtook David in the Wilderness of Judea?

7. What did Ziba say about Mephibosheth?

8. Who was Mephibosheth?

9. Was he the sole heir of Saul?

10. Who met David at Bahurim & what did he do to David?

11. What course did Ahithophel advise Absalom to take?

12. What was Hushai's advice?

13. Whose advice did Absalom follow?

14. What did Ahithophel then do?

15. Who communicated the news to David?

16. Where was David at this time?

17. What river did he immediately cross?

18. Did David have a friend at Mahanaim?

19. How did they encourage David?

20. Who was Absalom's commander?

21. How many men did he enlist against David?

22. What was peculiar in Absalom's death & who slew him?

23. Where was Absalom buried?

24. Where had he built a monument for himself?

25. How did Absalom's death affect David?

26. How did David treat his former rebellious subjects?

27. How was David received in Jerusalem?

28. What was David's attitude toward them?

29. Who started another rebellion against David?

30. Who was sent to conquer Sheba?

31. What part did Joab take?

32. Was God pleased when David took a census?

33. What happened as a result?

34. What hill did David buy & why did he buy it?

35. Who was the mother of Solomon?

36. Was he the oldest living son of David?

37. Who was the oldest son?

38. Which was David's choice as his successor?

39. Did Adonijah take this kindly?

40. Where was Solomon proclaimed king?

41. What was Adonijah doing at this same moment?

42. Where did Adonijah flee for protection?

43. What did Solomon promise him?

44. How old was David & how long did he reign in Jerusalem?

45. Where was he buried?