The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-07-05
INTERNArIoNAH Lx
JULY z.
lesson, Text: samuel Called ofGod,'
4 Sam. iii, 1-14-GOlden Text:
sam. iii, 1O-Comncntary OH
Lesson.

Having spent six months upon tho life OF
our Lori Jesus rs recorded i'm the Gospel by
Mark we now return to the study Of tho
book which Jesus loved and from which Ho
always preached, ''cxpounding unto them i'm
oil tho Scriptures the things concerning Him.
1. Sand the child Samuel ministerod unto
tho Lord before Eli" Our last Old Tcsta-
ment studies were In the book OF Judges and
closed with tho incidents of tho book of
Ruth. We arc now about to study tho life
or tho lost of tho judges, who was also q
prophet, rs it is written in Acts xiii, 90:
'Ho gave unto them judges about the space
OF four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel
the prophet"
3 3. 'srhe temple Of the Lord, where tho
Ark Of God was" The tcmplo here mentioned ,
is tho tabernacle which Moses had built in tho
wfldei moss, and which had now bcen for SO
long time ut Shiloh, in the inner room Of
which, or Holy of Holes, was the Ark OF tho
Covenant of tho Lord Of oil the earth Josh.
ILL.,, 11), and in tho outer room or Holy Place
was the table of shcwbread, tho golden altar
OF incense, md the golden soven branched
candlestick or lamp stand, tho lamps of which
were lighted every evening and dressed overy
4. 'Tho Lord called Samuel and he m
swered, Here am l." Samuel Is supposed by
Josephus to hayo been at this timo about
twelve years of age; on this particular morn
Ing no is awakened by hearing his namo
called and Immediately replios "Hcre am
l." That God should be so near us and yct SO
seldom speak to us in audible voice may
sSeei strange; but is it not more strange that
He should speak to us as He does i'm His word
and in the evonts Of every day, and we be so
slow to hear or heed His voice?
g.. And lio ran unto Eli, and said, Hero
anl i, for thou calletlst mo-" Thinking thnt
Eli had called him, no roso up quickly and
ran to him with these words, but Eli not
having called him and not seoing that it was
the voice of tho Lord bids him 20 lilo down
u, .r,lS lNINn Al.
boy responded to what he supposed was tho
call of Eli; what promptncss what lenial to
self Of the qualification of little moro slum-
Der; n great lesson for all.
6. And the Lord called yet again Sam
uel." How patiently and porseverinsly tho
Lord continues to call those whom the Father
has given to Him out Of this sinful world;
for God speakcth once, yea, twice. yot man
z. "Now Samuel did not yet know tho
Lord neither was the word OF the Lord yet
revealed unto him" He know tho Lord
through tho words of Moses and Joshua and
ministered unto Him as thus revealed, but up
to this time the Lord had not spoken directly
to Samuel. This was the first of many com-
munications directly from tho Lord to the
people through Samuel
g. "And the Lord called Samuel again tho
third time" And again he arose and went to
Eli with tho same words Hero am l; for
thou didst call mo-" What parents heart
would not be made glad by such son; what
unwcaried though apparently fruitless obc-
dience; but it shall be rewarded. Eli at last
perceives that it is the voice of God and that
the Lord has actually called the child; the
only recorded instance in which the Lord
spoke In vision i'll an audible voice to Il Iittlo
boy; but let oil tho children know and believo
that when they read the Bible or hear it read
God Is as really speaking to them in His word
rs when He spoke to Samuel.
D. Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth."
Eli now instructs tho child that he is to lilo
down again, and il again he is called, he is to
make this reply, for 1t is God and not man
that is calling him. with such a prayer as
this in our hearts let us go about our work
overy day and we shall often hear His voice
In the ordinary events of every day life; but
fering up freom the heart cither this prayer or
the one in Bs cxix, 1S: "Open Thou mine
eyes that may behold wondrous things out
of Thy law"
TO- t'And the Lord came, and stood, and
called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel.
Then Samuel answered, Speak, for Thy ser
want hearcth." The Lord know thet Samuel
did not know His voice, and so He camo
until Samuel through Eli, had been taught
that it was the voice of God, and then with
entire surrender of soul the boy yields him
self to tho word and will of God.
IL. "And the Lord said to Samuel Behold,
will do thing in Israel ut whichtboth tho
ears Of every one that heareth it shall tinglo"
He announces that n Judgment is about to
o come IN a. Israel @ ro and that people shall be
tingling" is only found twice elsewhere in tho
Bible QI XII. XXI 1a; Jer. xix, - and is in
each case in connection with coming judg-
ments.
10. SIN that day I will perform against
Eli, oil things which have spoken concerning
his house; when begin will also make an
end." Having made tho general statement
that Ho would do mighty work of Judgment
in Israel, it might be asked, whero fordP In
what tribe, or shall il reach the whole nation9
He Immediately indicates where it shall
strike even upon tho very head Of the nation,
Eli and his house, and He indicates that it
shall be short and complete. Eli being Gods
representative as judge of tho people, should
have boon in oil respects faithful represen-
ative and the guilt of any acts of omission or
F:sas m Amos ill.,, gives some
light upon it: You only have known of all
the families of tho carth therefore I will
punish you for all your iniquities"
l3: For havc told him that will iudgo
his house forever for the iniquity which lie
knoweth; because his SONS made themselves
Viio. and he restrained them not" God never
exercises judgment without mercy He is
long suffering and always gives abundant
warning, II perchance there may be repent
ance, and thus the judgment be averted Ho
bad warned Eli CHAP. H., 1880 years bcforo
this but the warning had been lInhecded and
now the time OF mercy had passed and the
time OF Judgment had come. Eli knew tho
lniquity or his sons and although ne rebuked
them and warned them, lie did not restrain
them
il. And therefore have sworn unto tho
house OF Eli, that the inquity of Ellis house
shall not be purgcd with sacrifice nor Offering
forevor," not because there is not atonement
suihcicnt to reach and remove the sin of Els
house, but because of the lack of repentance
on their part. Jesus Himself said that all
manner of sin and blasphcmy shall bo for
gwen unto men; but lie also said that the
biaspheny against tho Holy Spirit shall NOT
be forgiven unto men Matt xii, 3D: which
II l understand it signifies the persistent and
continued resistance of tho Spirit until death.
or until He withdraws and leaves to himself
the person thus resisting Him; and when n
person is thus loft by the Spirit it will bo
round Impossible to approach them upon the
matter Of their souls welfare.
MARKETS.