The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1895-11-15

Org Verses. 10. 11--Golden Text, L Sam.
Nv. ee-Commentary by the Rev. ID. M.
stearns.
TO- go 1T repenteth Me that have set
up saul 60 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 IL they
would only obey the Lord and serve Him
I'm truth all might be well (chapter xii, IA,
24). But Saul had only reigned two years
when he proved disobedient and was told
that the kingdom would be given to an
other. even man after Gods own heart
(chapter xiii, l, ID, 14). In the chapter for
today another act of disobedience Is record
ed, which brings matters to crisis. As
TO the Lords repentings so often referred
to, we must remember that He never
changes His mind, nor is sorry for any
thing He does (verse 90; Mum. 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 at that point, He Is said to re-
pent. See Acts XVII
IL. "He set him up place" Or, rs in
III Sam. xviii, Is, pillar after his own
name It was not, as in chapter xiv, 35, an
altar unto the Lord, but something to
magnify himself. Jesus never magnified
Himself, but always His Father John
xvii, ~. Paul determined that Christ
should be magnifled in his body either by
life or death phil /, 20).
IS. Blessed be Thou the Lord; I have
performed the commandment of tho Lord. "
When we compare verses. 3 and o of this
chapter, we wonder how Saul could say
that he had performed the commandment
Either he misunderstood the command, or
perverted 1t. or deliberately lied. There is
generation that arc pure in their o~n
eyes, but whose covereth his sins shall
not prosper prov. Xxx, ~; xviii, 13(.
Unless we have heart right with God
and honestly seek only His pleasure the
devil will make us believe that black is
white Oh Thess. ii, 10, III
IA. what meaneth then this bleating
Of the sheep in mine ears and the lowing
of the oxen which hear?" 1t is an old
word, but true as God Himself, BE sure
your sin will find you out" (Num. xxi,
23). The word was to snite Amalek and
utterly destroy all that they had (verse 81.
Dead sheep and oxen tell notales, but these
were telling that Saul had not obeycd God.
To- 1.-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 to- justify the
thing done. That his heart Ii wrong, and
he knows Ii, is seen in his saying that the
people did Ii, and Ii Is also, seen in his
saying 1.-The Lord thy Cod instead of
1.-THE Lord our God" God wants nothing
from tho enemy either for sacrifice or serv-
ice.
16 ''Then Samuel said to, Saul, Stay
and will tell thee what the Lord hath
said to me- this night. And ms said unto
him, Say on" We look back tor the morn
ing when Samuel said to Saul, "Stand
thou still awhile that 1 may shew thee the
word of God" (chapter TX, 27g but what
contrast Then 1t was a message of
grace, but now one of judgments. Observe
that as in Samuel's childhood. SO now In
his advanced years God still talks with
him i'm the night season.
IL. 'Whcn thou vast little In thine own
sight, the Lord anointed thee king over Is
rael" See chapter TX, 81, and compare
Judg. vi, Is. 1t is good tor be and to
continue little in our own estimation. 1t
is better to say with Paul, II know that in
me-that is, in my flesh-dwelleth no good
thing (Rom. vii, 49,. 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 QI
Chron. XVI, 10, 16). My highest place Is
lying low Mt my Redeemcr's feet.
Is. THE Lord sent thee'o On n journey,
and said, Co. and utterly destroy the sim
ners the Amalekites The reason of this
command Is seen in Elk. xvii, $40, 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 over 400 years-surely an
abundant time for repentance, but they
continued sinners before God.
10. Wherefore then didst thou not obey
the voice of the Lord2' Being redeemed
to God by the precious, blood of Christ, the
great word for all the rest of our life Is
willing and obcdient" lisa. 1, Is, 19).
See Elk. xix, 5, g.. 1t is not ours to ques-
ton or reason or to put our construction
upon His commands, but simply and
cheerfully to obey. Consider the obedience
of the Levites in Elk. xxi, 1928, and see
the commentator in Nal. ii, 46.
90. YEA. have Obeyed the voice OF the
Lord, and have gone the way which the
Lord sent me, and have brought Agag, 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 today of perverting the
word of the Lord (Jer. xiii, 36) 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
sacrifice unto the 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 as to how the Lord
wants things done Is very dangerous His
commands are very plainly stated Deut.
xvii, 8; Hab. ii, %, and our part Is
prompt, implicit and unquestioning obedi-
ence His thoughts and ways are as far
above and better than ours as heaven than
earth. Why, then, question themp
%. Behold, to obey Is better than sac
rifce and to hearken than the fat of rams. +"
Mercy and the knowledge of God are more
desirable than sacrifice or burnt Offering
(Hos. vi, 81. Sec the Saviour's indorse-
ment of this in Math. tx, 10; xii, z. All
sacrifice and burnt Offering pointed to
Him, and He was the perfection of obedi-
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