The Afro-American., 1895-10-26

az INTERNATIONAL LESSON ron
OCrOBER VI.
Lesson Text: ''The Child Samuel, j,
! SamueI ILL.,, lib Golden,
Tex ] Samuel H., -
Commentary

III
the blessings Of submission and obedfenc
ana Inc opposite. Hannah. in the bitterness
OF her soul, looke1 unto this Lord and n
neard her an gave her this child. There
Iofo she called his name Samuel whjc
Ineans ASK OF God (chapteri j., so, margin,
Hn9a she had weanel him, she returne
MN 70 the Lord (chapter j., rs, margin
1neh she praised God in the beautiful word
OF chapter H., lilo. In this song we hay,
| Ihe Ilrst use Of the word Messiah - trans
ialed His auointe" (v8rse 10: see also
verse a99. We have also in chapter j.. 3 II
| Inc title OF Lord OF Hosts" for tba Arst
| Time Both Of these titles suggest many
Ihanss concerning the kingdom, and in this
| 0ookt sometimes called ''the firsf hoolr ~
Kings, we have the story OF the f1rst five
kings; one o man after the peoples heart
the otner man after the Lords heart
Z, o. Ere fh9 lamp of God went out in the
Tempe OF the Lord. where the ark of God
was Eli was now old and was not walking
p3-ore God in the matter of his sons. and
very early lnthe morning the Lord came to
tdlk win TINS child. Samuel of whom If ia
written that he ministered unto tbe Lord
grew before the Lord, the Lord was with him
aud revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh nv
me word OF the Lord (chapters ii. II ~ Of
70; lii, 10, 2l). See how even a child NAV
minister unto the Lord and have place in ths
1'orq mouse and receive messages from tha
lhings are still hidden from the wise and
prudentand revealed unto babes (Mafb. xi.
zo( The thing that greatly pleases God ia
10 1--WE before Him and ''untO Him. " seek
ing in all things His glorv.''
4. " 1he Lord called Samuel, and he an
SW9fed, Here am l. q" 1t is evident from
verse IL that He called him by name. This
makes us think Of that beautiful verse in
lsa. xiii, 1: 'Fea~ not for Ihave redeemed
tnee. 1 nave called thee by thy name; thou
art Mine. And also of Jsa. vi. s. vhnre
the Lord says, "WhOm shall [ send. and
who will so for u.s." And the propbef an
sWers, Here an I; send me- >" How beauti-
Iut 10 be ready for His every cali, an ear all /
ways open to Him!
5. 'And he ran unto Eli and said Here
am /, Tor thou caledst me-" But Eli did
nos recognize that it was the Lord calling
nun and 50 told him to lie down AGAIN
hi had not the ear for God which he should
have had, and God saw it, and that He
could communicate with him only through !
eanuej- II was rare thing to get a word |
from the Lord in those DAYS. and visions |
such as those granted to Abram and Jacob |
Moses and Joshua we're unknown. See verso |
|, r. v, margin.
t.. And the Lord called yet again. Sam
lei. Behold the patience of fhe Lori
'amueIs readiness and ELS continued duU-
less How difficult it often is for the Lord
y go OtL 0t'L anu make known to us His |
V!u! what contrast to ''Watching to see
Vhat He will say unto US, - or watching
LaiIy at His gates (Hab. H., l; Prov. viii
A. '--'''
T. Nov, Samuel did not vet know the
lord, neither was the word of the Lord vet
eVeaied unto him" He must have known
he Lord through Moses and Joshua. but NOT
ct ny ulfect communication. Known means
perceive, understand, acknowledge SO !
acre may easily be many degrees in knowl-
ige: When Paul said, "That I may know
nm PM. ILL.,, 10y, he certainly knew Him
Saviour and Lord, His wisdom and His
ghteousness, but he longed to know Him
8tter.
g. "And the Lord called Samuel again
g thtrd tiIqa And Eli perceived that the
ord had called the child - The third time.
q samuel rise aud promptly 70 to Eli, be-
ewing that he caleb him. What un.qs. ',sad
oedtence! What blessed son! When Ia
ould tell bis mother of his experience and
DIV ne haq acted, how glad she would be-
tilinh tnls Is the only instance OF God
eaklng directly to 4 little boy, but all
'un8 and old, may hear His voice in His
ritten word John vi, 63)
>. iii He call thee, say, Speak, Lord. for
ny servant heareth" Eli is by this lime
de awake and also wide awake to the fact
at the Lord has something to say. but not
rectly 70 MN. 1t is probable that he re- ;
"tAAe~A q FF'FFA@ iii lAC uCdIu Luo E1QID29 and
en- he would be more awake than ever. 5
wake, thou that sleepesF, " is & good word 2
: many of us. 1t would be wise also to z
Y. Speak, Lord, for Thyservant heareth."
leneyer we open our Bibles. and it would 8
10 be appropriate to add the prayer in Ps.
tx, 10. S
To- "And the Lord came and stood and
led as at other times, Samuel. Samuelr' ?
IS is the fourth time that He came and {
leo, suggesting the question, How often s
) He called us? And have we as vet SUBJ S
ssiYely said, Speak, for Thy servant )
areth? The attitude of q servant is we'll 2
crlbed i'll these words: Ready to do E
my lord, the king, shall APP :
mt. For any manner Of service, wholly | ;
Thy commandment" or Sam. xv., Is; Z
'hrOn xviii. 21). {
l, IA. ''And the Lord SAID to Samuel. Bee (
d, | will do q thing in Israel at which s.
b the ears of every one that heareth it =
IL tlngle. And then follows the thing "a
he viii dO-a Judgment upon the house Il
iii, us told to Eli by a man of God some IL
e before and fully recorded in chapterii.,
6: Mercy always precedes Judgment. for VI
IS slow to anger and plenteous in mercy, he
had given Eli fair warning, but Eli had Go
ored his sons above God Ci., 29) The | ito
was very severe, but very plain concern FRI
sons (Deut. xxi, IS 21). and II
ruler who refused to see the law carried pcs
sons certainly thought more OF his sons Ami
OF God. Only those can truly servet the anc
| who serve Him in sincerity and in truth rea
hua xiv, 14), or, as our Lord Jesus AZ
HE that loyeth father or mother, son Ba-'
aughter. more than Me is not worthy of
(Math' x, 3D. In the morning Eli
ID Samuel and begged him to hide moth 49,
from him that the Lord had said. so -
lel told him every whit and hid moth
Eli certainly answered in the right
t, for he said, 1T is the Lord; let Him
hat seemeth Him good (verse 49, He
as us think Of Job, who under his great pso
ton said: 1.-THE Lord gave and the WILL
hath taken away. Blessed be the name AA0
Q Lord. - 1t may be that the faithful
OF Samuel in this har1 matter to Eli was
p on the way to his being established AZ III
phet (verse 20), See in chapter w., II. A.
le judgment fallen.-Lesson Helper ~.
HE pTYpHT AnS nnnrrm-~ WrO