The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-08-23
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
AUGUST 20.
Lesson Text; "Tho Amounting OF
David" Sam. xviii, 1-i3-
Golden Text: Sam. xvi,
documentary.

s-SOAhiucutsry.
]. And the Lord said unto Samuel: How
long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing have
s,selected ,e9l MIN from reigning over Israel" So
less Of our own thoughts or feelings or prefer
ences, thai even the great and good Samuel
mere seen clingfng in his heart for he went
qoS "ra near sa him, Chap xv, S@ to Saul after the
that the Lord did not reject Saul until Saul
had Persistently rejected and disobeyed the
LORD lChaps. kill, 13, IA; xv., 28, so that Saul
mad no one to blame but himself for the loss
2. "Aow can gos If Saul hear 1t he will
Kill me-" This does not sound like the utter
ance OF a faithful, fearless follower of the
Aofd I0d 0i uosts. It might Do said to SAM
uei: who art thou that thou shouldst be
iorgettest the Lord thy Makerf' Qsa., H., 12,
i8o Had Samuel been I'm full sympathy with
the Lord, In the case Of Saul he might not
have talked thus; Tut whenever we are in the
least degree out of the fellowship with God
we are apt to say and do many foolish aud
sinful things. The fear Of tho Lord and conf
dence In the perfect love Of God, is an effect
ual cure for all other fear. "And the Lord
satd take an heifer with thee and say, am
come to sacrifice to the Lord" Sinful man
can do nothing in the WY Of serving God
aport from sacrifice and atonement; our
holiest actions, our very best service, cannot
Of our Lord Jesus Christ, but the weakest
cry or the feeblest service is made acceptable
through Him.
8. II will show thec what thou shalt do;
name unto thee" Tho servant Of the Lord
has only to move forward calmly and in per-
fect confidence in his captain and he Is al
ways promised sure guidance.
4, And Samuel did that which the Lord
spake" This is now as It should be, the
word OF the Lord prevails, and the servant is
klmply obedient and comes to Bethlehem
leaving God to carry out His own plans and
manage His own affairs In His own wise way.
When we are thus passive and also obedicnt
In His hands, all will be we'll and His pur-
pose unhindered. 1.-THE elders of tho town
trembled." Here is another indication of lack
Of fellowship with God, for II their hearts
were right and their conduct right there
bling ut q visit from the Lords servant: but
bedient king.
8. 'T am come to sacrifice unto tho Lord"
He uses the very words which he was told to
| use ". p, and that Is always tho right thing
| to do. Jesus Himself said only what the
Father told Him John xii, 49, ; jeremiah and
Ezekiel were to speak only the Lords words
when we rs messengers Of the Lord conflne
ourselves to the Lords message, rather than
| give our thoughts about it, surely we shall be
most pleasing to Him.
9, z. 1.-THE Lord looketh on the heart" AS
| the first Of Jesse's sons stood before Samuel
there was something about him which caused
Samuel to think that he was the Lords an
nointed; but how solemn the word Of tho
Lord: II have refused him." Let us again
repeat that In the niattor Of salvation the
this is a matter of special service, and it is
not stature nor a fair countenance He seeks,
but heart right with Himself, "a man after
his own heart" CHAP, xiii 1A.
| $40. Jesse made seven Of his sons to pass
before Samuel; and Samuel said unto Jesse,
the Lord hath not chosen these" Here, then,
| Is an apparent failure; the Lord had said to
Samuel that He had provided q king from
among Jesse's sons, and yet here are all the
sons whom Jesse had thc.:ght 1t necessary to
bring; and for this special service this place
Of honor, all arc set aside, the right man has
not appeared. Gods thoughts and ways are
as much higher than ours as heaven is higher
| thoughts or understand His countenance.
lisa. w., g, 8; Mic. w., 12); but let men be
blind as they may, there Is no failure with
God. He has chosen His servant, and will
yet set the man Of His choice on the throne
Of Israel and Of the whole world WAIT upon
Him and be patient.
IL. ''Send and fetch him, for we will not
cit down till he comes hither" So every
thing has to stand sti!l till tho slightcd con
is brought In reply to Samuels question as
to whether these seven were alf his sons
Jesse replied that the youngest was at home
keeping the sheep. and it was for him that
they were now sending and waiting.
IL. "And he sent, and brought him i'm, = -
and the Lord said: Arise, anoint him; for this
is he" As we arc thus for the first timo per-
sonally introduced to David, the son Of Jesse,
the history of whose kindom, past and future,
fills so much Of Scripture, and with whom we
expect to be somewhat intimately associated
when Jesus the son Of David, who is also the
church's Bridegroom shall sit on David's
throne, we can only stand and gaze upon this
rudy, good-looking young man and wonder
at the grace of God In choosing mortal man
| for such a glorious immortal future; and
then turning to our own souls we would say:
| ., my soul, see that thou dost never cease
to adore. and cry aloud the praises of Him,
whose grace has called You, passing by SO
many Others to be a king-priest unto God,
washing you In His own precious blood.
| 13. "Then Samuel took the horn of oil and
anointed him In the midst of his brethren" I"
He was afterward, at Hebron, anointed
king over the house of Judah, and some
what later, at the same place, anointed king
over oil Israel. QI Sam. H., 4; ", 1-5.) Al.
ter Samuel anointed him that day there were
long years Of waiting and rejection and per.
secution ere he came to the throne so now
although Jesus. the Son of David, is Gods
chosen and anointed King Of Israel and OF
all nations, we are still living in the time
when He is rejected and prosecuted. 'The
spirit of the Lord came nightly upon David
from that day forward" (See II. w Here
is the power BY which alone we can suffer OF
serve or wait or In any way glorify God
From beginning to end Of Scripture the power
| Of the Spirit OF God is the only power re
vealed for effectual service, and whether 1t Il
playing upon the harp or writing psalms, sub
DUNG enemies or reigning over Israel, what
ever David did that was acceptable to God
was by the Holy Spirit.
80 Samuel rose up and went to Ramah N
| For the second time he has anointed a Cap
tain over the Lords inheritance and now he
retires to his own home no doubt to con.
tinue in prayer for the Lords people and for
+ His anointed Helper.