2 Samuel 19:18

THE KING’S FERRY BOAT

‘There went over a ferry boat to carry over the king’s household.’

2 Samuel 19:18

I. According to old heathen mythology, there was a fabled river called Acheron, which the souls of the dead must cross.—Its waters were muddy and bitter, and old Charon, who ferried them over, obliged each one to pay a sum of money for the passage. In this fable there is a remnant of sound belief in the existence of the soul, after it has left the body, in another state of being. The very river which the dead are represented as crossing has its counterpart in the language which Christians often use. Our notions of a ferry embrace convenient landing-places, boats for the conveyance of passengers, the payment of tolls, etc. It would not require much imagination to conjure up some of these in connection with the text.

II. There will come a moment in the life of each one of us when work, pleasure, folly, and wickedness will all be done with, and when we shall find ourselves on the shores of the river of death, with its dark, cold waters separating us from the better land.—The golden city is on the other side, but the river must first be crossed. How are we to cross? The text will help us to understand. ‘There went over a ferry boat to carry over the king’s household.’ The ark of Christ’s Church is only a safe ‘ferry boat’ because it is preserved and guided by our Divine Lord. As long as we remain in His holy keeping no shipwreck is possible. We shall reach the ‘desired haven.’

Illustration

‘Thou Framer of the light and dark,

Steer through the tempest Thine own ark:

Amidst the howling, wintry sea,

We are in port if we have Thee!’