The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1895-11-14
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
NOVEMBER IL.
Lesson Text: "SauI Rejected -
Samuel xv., 1923 - Golden
Text; ISamuei XIV, 81
Commentary.

| 1O. IL. 1T repenteth Me that have set un
Saul to be king. for he is turned back from
following Ne and hath not performed NV
| commandments" When the kingdom was
| given to Saul. both he and the people were
reminded by Samuel that II they would only
obey the Lord and serve Him in truth all
might be well (chapter xiii, IL. 2i). But
| Saul had only reigned two years when no
| proved disobedient and was told that the
kingdom would be given to another even n
man after Gods own heart (chapter xiii, 1,
| ID. if). In the chapter for to-day another
act OF disobedience is recorded. which brings
matters to crisis. As to the Lords repent
ings so often referred to. we must remember
that He never changes His mind nor is sorry
| for anything He does (verse 30; Mum. xxli,
| 19), but when He comes to n point where Ho
seems to US to make a new departure. which
/ from eternity He knew that He would lust
| at that point, Ho Is said to repent. Sec Acts
xv.. is.
~. "Hc set him up n place" Or, as in RI
Sam. xviii, IL, pillar after his own name.
IL was not. as In chapter xiv, IS, an altar
| unto tho Lord. but something TO magnify
himself. Jesus never magntned Himself, but
always His Father (JohD xviii, ~. Paul de-
termined that Christ should be magnifled I'm
his body either by life or death (Phil. t.. 2O)
13. blessed be Thou the Lord; have per.
formed the commandment Of the Lord"
| When we compare verses 3 and OF this
| chapter, we wonder how Saul could say that
| he had performed the commandment. Either
| he misunderstood the command or peryert-
ed II. or deliberately lied. There is a gem
eration that are pure In their own eyes. out
who's covereth his sins shall not pros
per prov. XXX. Ia xviii. i3). Unless we
have heart right with God and honestly
/ seek only Hts pleasure the devil will make IA
believe that black is white I'll Thcss. H., 10,
| iD.
IA. "what meaneth then this bleating %
4 the sheep in mine ears and the lowing of tho
oxen which hear?" 1t Is an old word, but
true "a 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 3) Dead sheep and
oxen tell no tales hut these were telling that
| Saul had not obeye1 God.
10. "The people spared the best Of tho
/ sheep and OF the oxen to sacrifice unto the
| Lord thy God" Under the plea Of "for a
| good object Saul seeks 60 justify the thing
| done. That his heart is wrong, and he knows
] Il, Is seen in his saying that the people aid
| It, and II IS also seen in his saying, 'thc
| Lord thy God instead Of "the Lord our
| God God wants nothing from the enemy
/ either for sacrifice or service.
ic. "Then Samuel said TO Saul. Stay aud
| will tell thee what the Lord hath said to
/ mo this night. And hs said unto him. Say
on" We look back 90 the morning when
| Samuel said TO Saul. "Stand thou still
awhile that may shew theo the word OF
God Chapter ix., 27), but what con-
|
now one of judgment. Observe that as in
| Samuels 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 anointcd thee king over Is
rael." See chapter tx, 81, and compare
Judges vi, l5. II is good to be and 20 con-
| tinue little In our own estimation. IL Is
better TO say with Paul, 81 know that In me
that Is. In my fiesh-dwelleth no good
thing" (Rom. viii, 49,. We read that King
| Uzziah was marvelously helped till he was
tstrong but when he was strong his heart
T ,..; Mo- ap. is,5!S destructic. IT chrpn,
XVI, Is, ICY. Ny highest place IL living
low at my Redeemer's feet.
a 18. 'The Lord sent thee on n Journey
and said, Go. and utterly destroy the sin
ners the Amalekites." The reason OF this
command is seen in Ex. xviii. s-16 and
| the Lords determination is in verse IL.
| But He IL long suffering, not willing that
any should perish. and so He suffered them
10 continue for over 400 years-surely an
! abundant time for repentance, but they
/ continued sinners before God.
10. "Wherefre then didst thou not obcv
| the voice Of The Lordyn Being redeemed
| To God by tho precious blood Of Christ, the
great word fore all the rest OF our life IL
willing and obedient" lisa t., 1s, 49, Sec
! Ex. XIX, 8, 9. II Is not ours to question or
reason or 80 put our construction upon His
! commands. but simply and cheeriully 10
obey. Consider the obedience Of the LGyites
In Ex. x1xii., 26-2s, and see the commenda.
| tion in Nal. H., 4G.
20. "Yea have oheyel the voice Of the
Lord, and have gone the way which the
Lord sent me, and have brought Agag. the
| king OF Am.lek." Hore he confesses 10
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 a vi
thinking that Ho does not mean just what
| He says. but His language IL generally liz.
urative or has some other meaning.
Il. "But the people took Of tho spoil to
sacrifice unto tho Lord thy God" He still
! puts some blame upon the people, but now
acknowledges that the sheep and oxen
/ should have been utterly destroyed An
| opinion OF our own rs to how tho Lord
wants things done is very dangerous. His
| commands are verv plainly stated (Deut.
xvii, 3; Hab. H., p, and our part Is prompt.
Implicit and unquesttonng obedience. His
thoughts and ways are as far above and
| better than ours as heaven than earth. Why,
then, question themP
22. "Behold, 10 obey Is better than sacri-
fee and to hearken than the fat OF rams"
Mercy aud the knowledge OF God are more
desirable than sacrifice or burnt Offering
(Hos. vi, 81. See the Sayiour's indo-;e-
ment OF this in Math. iX.. 10; Kill, 7. All
sacrifice and burnt Offering pointed 10 Him,
and He was the perfection of obedience and
submission to His Father, wholly yielded 10
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 10 burnt Offering and sacrifice
DER. vii., %, 23).
~. because thou hast rejected the word
OF the Lord He hath also rejected thee from
being king" See also verse 20. Truth is
the characteristic OF Father, Son and Holy
spirit. but whoever rejects the word OF God
makes Him liar Il John ", 100 and thus
cuts himself Off from all fellowship with
God. Saul now confesses his sin and
acknowledges that he sought TO please the
people rather than God (verse 2i). That he
was not, however, "a truly humbled man Is
seen In that he desired Samuel to honor him
before the people (verse 3U). See Gal. L.,
ioi Thess. H.. Lesson Helper.