The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-11-13
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON For
NOVEMBER Il.
Lesson Text: "Saul Rejected" D."
Samuel XIV, 1923 - Golden
Text: Samuel xv., %
Commentary.


10. II. sit repenteth Me that have set uI
! Saul to be king, for he is turned back from
| following Me and hath not performed My
commandments. When the kingdom was
given TO Saul. both he and the people were
reminded by Samuel that if they would only
| obey the Lord and serve Him in truth all
| might ba we'll (chapter xii, II, 24). But
| Saul had only reigned two years when he
proved disohedient and was told that the
| kingdom would be given to another. even Il
man after Gods own heart (chapter xiii, /,
IS. IA. In the chapter for to-day another
| act of disobedience is recorded. which brings
! matters to crisis. AS to the Lords repent
| ings 50 often referred to. we must remember
| that He never changes His mind, nor is sorry
| for ANYTHING Ha does (verss 90; Nun. xiii.
| 19). but when He comes to point where He
seems to us to make new departure, which
from eternity He knew that He would just
ut that point, He is said to repent. See Acts
xv.. IS.
- He set him up place" Or. as in II
Sam. xviii, 18, pi1 lar after his own oame.
1t was not. as in chapter xiv, 35, an altar
unto the Lord. but something to magnify
himself. Jesus never magniled Himself but
always His Father (John xviii, d. Paul de-
termined that Christ should be magnifed in
his body either by life or death (phl. j.. 20)
! 13. "Elessed be Thou the Lord; have per-
formed the commandment OF the Lord" y"
When we compare verses AMI OF this
chapter, we wonder how Saul could say that
he had performed the commandment Either
he misunderstood the command. or pervert-
ed it, or deliberately lied. There is a gen.
Grafton that are pure in their own eyes. but
who's covereth his sins shall not pros
per prov. xxx. II; xviii, 13). Unless we
have 4 heart right with God and honestly
seek only His pleasure the devil will make us
believe that black is white II Thess. H.. 10.
1D.
H.. "What meaneth then this bleating OF
the sheep In mine ears and the lowing OF the
oxen which hear?" It Is an old word, but
true as God Himself, "Be sure your sin will
find you out" (Num. xxxii.. 23). The word
was TO smite Amalek and utterly destroy all
that they had (verse 81. Dead sheep and
oxen tell no tales. but these were telling that
Saul had not obeyed God.
Is. '"The people spared the best OF the
sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice unto the
Lord thy God" Under the plea of "for a
good object" Saul seeks to justify the thing
done. That his heart is wrong, and he knows
it, is seen in his saying that the people did
it, and it is also seen in his saying, "the
Lord thy God" instead Of ''the Lord our
God" God wants nothing from the enemy
either for sacrifice or service.
16. S'Then Samuel said to Saul, Stay and
will tell thee what the Lord hath said to
me this night. And he said unto him, Say
on" We look back to the morning when
Samuel said to Saul. "Stand thou still
awhile that may shew thee the word Of
God" (chapter ix., 27, but what con-
trast! Then it was message OF grace, but
now one of judgment. Observe that as in
Samuel's childhood, so now in his advanced
years God still talks with him in the night
season.
II. "When thou vast little in thine own
sight the Lord anointed thee king over Is
rael." See chapter tx, 81, aud compare
Judges vi, Is. 1t is good to be and to con-
tinue little in our own estimation. 1t is
better to say with Paul, II know that in me
that is, in my fesh-dwelleth no good
thing" (Rom. vii, 1s). We read that King
Uzziah was marvelously helped till he was
strong. but when he was strong his heart
was lifted up to his destruction (II Chron.
xvi, Is, 16). My highest place is lying
low at my Redeemer's feet.
ls. "The Lord sent thee on a journey,
and said, Go. and utterly destroy the sim
ners the Amaekites." The reason Of this
command is seen in Ex xvii. SIG. and
the Lords determination is in verse IA.
But He is long suffering, not willing that
any should perish, and so He suffered them
to continue for over 400 years-surely al
abundant time for repentance, but they
continued sinners before God.
10. Wherefore then didst thou not obey
the voice of the Lord?" Being redeemed
TO God by the precious blood Of Christ. the
great word for all the rest of our life is
"willing and obedient" lisa l., IS, 19). See
Ex. xix, 5, 6. 1t is not ours to question or
reason or to put our construction upon His
commands. but simply and cheerfully to
obey. Consider the obedience of the Levites
in Ex. xxxii.. 1928, and see the commenda-
tion in Nal. H., 49,
90. "Yea. have ,obeyed the voice of the
Lord, and have gone the way which the
king OF Amalek." Here he confesses to
have saved the king, who was certainly in
cluded in the destruction, and yet insists
that he had obeyed the Lord. 1t is the old
story so common to-day Of perverting the
word OF the Lord (Jer. xiii. S6) and OF
thinking that He does not mean just what
He says. but His language is generally fig-
urative or has some other meaning.
81. ''But the people took Of the spoil to
puts some blame upon the people, but now
acknowledges that the sheep and oxen
should have been utterly destroyed. An
opinion OF our own as to how the Lord
wants things done is very dangerous. His
commands are very plainly stated (Deut.
xvii, s; Hab. H., ., and our part is prompt.
implicit and unquestioning obedience. His
thoughts and ways are as far above and
better than ours as heaven than earth. Why,
then. question them?
20. "Behold, to obey is better than sacri-
fee and to hearken than the fat of rams"
Mercy and the knowledge of God are more
desirable than sacrifice or burnt Offering
(Hos. vi, g.. See the Saviour's indorse-
ment of this in Math. tx, 49, xii, 7. ALI
sacrifice and burnt Offering pointed to Him,
and He was the perfection Of obedience and
submission to His Father. wholly yielded to
Him that He might do all the works and
speak all the words. The command to obey
the voice OF God preceded any reference
whatever to burnt offering and sacrifice
Ger. VIII, %, 23).
%. Because thou hast rejected the word
of rhe Lord He hath also rejected thee from
being king" Sec also verse 26. Truth is
the characteristic Of Father, Son and Holy
Spirit, but whoever rejects the word OF God
makes Him liar G John V, 10) and thus
cuts himself off from all fellowship with
God. Saul IL. confesses his sin and
acknowledges that he sought to please the
people rather than God (verse 24). That he
was not, however, truly humbled man is
seen in that he desired Samuel to honor him
before the people (verse 3U). See Gal. l.,
10; Thess H., 4--Lesson Helper.