Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-08-02
SAUL CHOSEN KING.
LESSON V, THIRD QUARTER, INTEI
NATIONAL SERIES, AUG. q.

Text of the Lesson, I Sam. TX, 15-sT-Con
nit to Memory Verses 1910 Gold,
Text, Prov. viii, 15-Commentary by Il
Rev. ID. NJ. stearns.
Compiled from Lesson Helper Quarterly by pc
| mission of II. S. Hoffman, publisher, Philad,
| phia-
| After the continued and persistent demar
of the people for king, that they might
| like other nations, notwithstanding the
scription of the way their king would tred
them, Samuel rehearsed In the ears of IL
Lord all the words of the people, and Il
Lord said, "Hearken unto their voice al
make them a king" viii, 81, ~. 1t won
then seem that Samuel, having sent ever
one to his city, waited upon the Lord to kno
what next to do and how to find the king.
Is. "Now, the Lord had told Samuel in bl
ear a day before Saul came saying III
revised version says, 1.-THE Lord had revealtI
unto Samuel"
16. Tomorrow, about this time, wi
send thee man." Samuel was therefore ell
pecting confidently to meet the man whoiI
God had selected; just where he should me.
him and how he would know him he left d
God, whom he served, but in confidence mac
preparation for him. Thou shalt anon
him to be captain prince, R. W ovd
my people Israel" Sec in this verl
and the next one the name ''my peoplel
repeated four times; think of their treatmei
of Him and yet hear Him say so tenderlI
''my people" and speak of hearing their crI
and saving them. Years afterwards al
says, "How shall give thee up, Ephraim 4
while at the same time He declares that the
are bent to backsliding from Him. Hos x
Z, ST. 1t is the same Lord who after His res
direction sent special message of love d
Peter, who had denied Him. o, believer, b.
your God, and draw nearer to Him and behol
more faithful
II. THE Lord said unto him, Behold tn
mani" How beautiful to see Samuel Twin
so near to God that God can talk so freely t
him and make known to him His will s
easily; we have the mind of God fully re
vealed to us in His word and may constantl
talk to Him in prayer and hear Him talk +
us in that word if we really desire to. A
Samuel looked upon Saul he saw before hir
choice and goodly young man, from hi
shoulders and upward higher than any of tn
people ". q; but remember that was hi
outward appearance; the state of his hear
before God was of more Importance. Al
prophets, priests and kings in Israel were a
to their office mot their character types O
the greatest prophet and true Priest-Kine
Jesus of Nazareth; and as we read of thi
first king chosen to reign over Israel and hea
the words behold the man." we are at ono
carried forward to day when the God O
Samuel and of Israel stood in human form
before the>people for their acceptance or re
lection, and the Roman governor said, "Be
the mani Behold your King" John xix
s, 14) and although then and still rejected H
shall yet sit on the throne of David and reigl
over the house Of Jacob forever and the pee
pie shall be all righteous luke i, 80, SO
1sa- TX, 81
Is. "Tell me pray thee where the seer
house is" A prophet was before time calle.
seer ". 81; that is, one who sees what ma
tural eyes cannot see. Saul and his servan
had given up seeking the asses and were nov
seeking the man of God if perchance he nigh
tell them Of the lost animals.
10. II am the seer" How like this is +
the reply of Jesus to the woman at the well
and to the blind man, 81 that speak unto the
am He," ut is He that talketh with thee.
John iv, 26; tx, 81 "Ye shall eat with m
today" How surprised he must have been
as much so, perhaps, as Zaccheus, who onl
wanted to see Jesus, but was called dow
from the tree TO receive Him into his house.
20. "Set not thy mind on them; for the
are found" If we would consult Him VIII
is perfect in knowledge and is always with u
Job. xxxvi, A. we would more readily fin
our lost things There is nothing too smal
or tri1ing to tell Him about, for He is inter
ested in all that concerns us, and we are CON
manded to be careful or anxious about moth
ing, but in everything to make our request
known to God with thanksgiving that thu
we may enjoy the peace of God Phil iv, {
.. ION whom is all the desire of Israell
In saying that the desire Of all Israel was t
Him and His Fathers house, He said wha
was true as God saw it, for Israel as yet kne,
not who would be king.
81. IA Benjamite, smallest of til
tribes, my family the least of all tn
families" Benjamin, since the slaughter c
Judg. Xxx, 464S, was literally the smallest G
the tribes in point of numbers, and it ma
have been in the same respect that Saul
family was also the least, for his father
said in verse to have been mighty man G
power or substance.
that day" What day of surprises &c
Odull otiilluei eAloCte NH, SPEAKS 10 MIN
high place in Israel, invites him to
feast, gives him the chief place at the feas
and the chief portion of the feast, porto
specially reserved for him, while all that Sal
had in view when he came to Samuel We
that he might recover the lost asses of his fl
Their. How many people are today inter
upon earthly things, thinking of nothin
higher, while there is feast and a kingdol
and great honor awaiting them, of whic
they are utterly ignorant The difference
that their enjoyment of this feast and homo
depends upon their being invited and aceep
ing the invitation
Is. Samuel communed with Saul upon I'll
top of the house" This was after the fea.
when they were come down from the hig
place into the city, and Saul and Samu
were alone. We are not left in ignorance
to the subject Of their conversation, for chal
ter K, l6, implies that the communion WI
concerning the Kingdom. When the rel
King came, Of whom all good kings were {
to their office, type, He was always speal
ing Of the Kingdom, and during the fort
days after His resurrection, when He al
peared many times to his disciples, He WI
speaking of the things pertaining to IL
Kingdom cf God (Acts 1, 81. When tbs
Kingdom comes, Israel shall be the cente
Jerusalem the throne Of Jehovah, and all nj