The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1889-07-25
SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON FOR suND ny, JULY as.
Israel Asking for a King, ]. Sam
Will, a-20-Goiden Text: !. sam
tO-Notcs.

istines recorded in tho last lesson, they trou-
bled Israel no more all the days of Samuel,
for the hand of the Lord was against them;
there was peace also between Israel aud thu
Amorites CHAP. vii, l3, ~, so that their re-
pontanco and reliance upon the Lord
brought them victory over their enemies,
and peace and prosperity because the Lord
was with them. Samuel was tho Lords rep
rescntativc in their midst and sought their
true welfare in the sight of God. AS their
judge he went in circuit from year to year
to Bcthel, Gilgal and Mizpeh, and
had his homo Mt Ramah, or Ramathaim
Zophim, in Mount Ephraim, whero
also his father and mother had lived,
and where he in due time died and was buried
Il sam. l., |; XIV, y after having anointcd
to their office the first two Kings over all
Isrncl, Saul and David Samucl's house and
altar unto the Lord at Ramah Cchap. vii. ! u
remind us of Abrahan's tent and altar Gen
xii, 8; xiii, lsl; rs pilgrims hcrc we should
bc well content with any place of soiourn that
the Lord may give us but be sure TO have in
the hone an altar unto the Lord, n whole
hearted reliance upon the merits of His sac
rifice, and constant communion with Him.
o. MAKE us a King 10 Judge US Ike all tho
nations God had chosen Israel that they
might be unto Him n peculiar treasure abovo
oil people-a kingdom of priests, an holy ma
ton tEN. xix, 8, o.. or, rs Balaam said:
"Tho people shall dwell alone and shall not
bo reckoncd among the nations Mum.
xxiii, ~. God had made thcm higher than
all nations lie Himself wns their King; His
power wns their strength, His presence their
glory, and this request was like saying:
I'VE do not caro- to be 30 different from
other nations: let us have King that we can
see and let us be like othcr people"
o. "1he thing disploascd Samuel.
Samuel prayed unto the Lord Samuel was
one with God; from child he had ministcrcd
to the Lord, and in this request he saw their
sin and downfall, and was gricvCd for them
and jealous FOR the glory of God
Z. And the Lord said unto Samuel =
they have not rejected thee bnt they havo
rejected Me that | could not reign over
them" Their conduct was not surprise to
God; He had foressen il ALL and knew from
the beginning their evil hearts and how they
would treat Him de. xvii, ~, yet lie loved
them, many time lie forgavc them, heard
them and delivered them when they cried
unto Him, sent them prophet after prophet Ia
win them back to Him, and finally sent His
own Son rs their Messiah, but even Him they
rejected aud cruciilcd. saving: I'VE have no
King hut Ca'snr" The time will vet como
when they shall receive the Lord jesus rs
thor King aud rejoice IN Him and lie IN
them before all the nations OF the earth DER.
xiii, 5-s; Lu. l., W, 30.
=. "Thcy have forsaken Me- aud served
other gods; 80 they do also unto thee SAM
uel seems to have felt that they were turning
against him, and that il was poor treatment
of him oven if he was told to ask for King
to take his placc; this was natural feeling
and we are all apt 10 give way 10 IT, but tho
servant of the Lord must remember that when
he is sdcspiscd or rejected or prosecuted for tho
truths sake, that IL is tho Lord who is thus
treated and not the servant merely, and tho
Lord will see TO IL luke X, 16; Acts iN., 4,
y. So the Lord encourages Samuel by tell
ing him that this conduct of Israel Is nothing
new, that II is just tho way they have acted
ever since they left Egypt and that in his
being thus treated he is enjoying fellowship
with the Lord whose servant he is
o. "Hearkcn unto their voice, vet
protest solomnly." God wants cheerful, will.
ing service, the lovo of Christ CunStraining;
he does not love that which is done Erudg-
mgly. "The Lord loycth n cheerful givci,'
In spiritual rs well as in temporal things
but when He sees His people bent ON having
their own way, lIc sometimes gives them
their request though it brings lcanness into
their souls. (Ps cvi., ~
10. Samuel told all the words of the Lord
unto the people" just as when, as IA child,
he told ELI every whit Of the Lords message
CHAP ill.,, ls), even though il was message
Of Judgment, SO now he declares faithfully
oil the words Of the Lord. llo is no man
pleaser, he will speak the Lords message
faithfully Gal l., ~; Jcr. xxiii., 2sl, leaving
results 10 God
II. This will be the manner of the King
that shall reign over YOU 4 God of love
VIII not let His people rush into ruin blindly.
Many year did Noah tell the people plainly
of the judgments that would surely como If
thoy continued in their sins. Even Pharaoh,
who boastod that hc knew not jehovah, was
not overtbrown without many a warning.
II Israel will havCa King in place of God they
must know beforehand how he will treat
them and what they may expect from him.
. 4. -
verses are these three words repeated; IL is
the number of n perfect opprcssor as GGG is
the number Of the last great opprcSsor
of the people of God ere the kingdom comes
USev. xiii, 49,. Contrast the seven II wills
Of God in Ex. vi, G-s; Lev XVI, BIB, aud
notice how God is always giving while this
King is said 10 he always taking, and not
ence is he spoken Of ~ giving Not only will
he bc nm oppressor of tho people, but he will
bo n robbcr of God, for IL Is twice said iv'.
Is, ~ that he will take the tenth. viii"
Gods special portion isce Lev. xvii, 30, 39),
aud appropriate il 10 himself. II 1t should
be asked: "Will n man rob GodY SEQ the
question and answer in Nal. ill.,, 3, and ask
your own heart If you arc in any way ap.
propriating 10 your own use, either of tims
or money, that which belongs 10 God
lS. And yc shall cry out in that day, be-
cause OF your King, which ye shall have
chosen you: and the Lord will not hear YOU
IN that day" God fills His people with such
blessings that they cry out and shout for ioy
lisa xii, O., but this will be cry because OF
oppression, and inasmuch as they voluntarily
accept tho oppressor instead Of the deliverer,
they are told that IL will be vain for them 70
cry unto Tile ford. Crrov. l., 25-os; Tsa. L.
10; Mic. ill.,, A.. As we SOW We must reap
gal. vi, z; Hos. viii, y.
10. Nay, but we will have a King over
u.s." Thus, though fully forewamod, they
persist in their mad career, determined 20
have their own way regardless of consa-
luonces. Faithful Samuel is 10 them man
Of a past ago. ne Is behind the times, good old
man, but in their estimation now in his dot
age; so like the people in tho days Of Jero-
minh they seem 10 say: "As for the word
that thou hast spoken unto MS in the name of
the Lord, we will not hearkcn unto thee, but
we will certainly do whatsoever thing gOeth
forth out of our own month
20. THAT we may be like all tho nations"
Thus our lesson begins and ends. They want
a man rather than God, q visible King 10 ruo
over them, go before thom, and fight their
battles In Deut. !, 30, il Is written, "Tho
Lord your God, which goeth before you, Ho
nkall fight for YOU" 50 also in ;sx xiv, ID;
Josh. xiii, TO- But they take these very
words and ask for man who shall do this
Tor them Instead OF God, deliberately reject
ing the Almighty who redeemed them and
asking for an arm of flesh 10 lean on; and
they were the people OF God, exalted above
all the nations by His wonderful works on