The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1895-10-24
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
OCTOBER %.
Lesson Text; "The Child samuel,o
samuel ILL.,, lib - Golden,
Text; Samuel ILL.,, -
Commentary.

T. "And the child Samuel ministered unto
,he Lord" We have set forth in this book
the blessings OF submission and obedience
and the opposite. Hannah. in the bitterness
oi her soul, looked unto tho Lord. and He
heard her and gave her this child There
fore she called his name Samuel, which
means TASK OF God" Chapter l., 80, margin).
When she had weaned him, she returned
him TO the Lord (chapter l., 2s, margin).
Then she praised God in the beautiful words
Of chapter H., lilo. In this song we have
the first use Of the word Messiah" trans
lated "His anolnted' (verse 10; see also
verse 3j). We have also In chapter l., 3, II,
the title of "Lord OF Hosts" for the first
fine. Both Of these titles suggest many
things concerning the kingdom. and in this
book. sometimes called 'the first book OF
kings" we have the story OF the first two
kings, one man after the peoples heart,
the other man after the Lords heart.
.. g. Ere the lamp Of God went out In the
,emple OF the Lord. where the ark OF God
vas" Eli was now old aud was not walking
before God in the matter OF his sons. and
very early In the morning the Lord came 10
talk with this child. Samuel, OF whom It is
written that he ministered unto the Lord.
grew before the Lord. the Lord was with him
and revealed Himself TO Samuel In Shiloh by
the word OF the Lord (chapters H., II, 18, 2i,
s. ILL.,, 10, 2D. See how even child may
minister unto the Lord and have place in the
Lords house and receive messages from tho
Lord while older ones are passed by. Many
things are still hidden from the wise and
prident and revealed unto babes (Math. xi.,
s). The thing that greatly pleases God Is
10 live "before Him" and unto Him." seek
iag in all things "Hls glory"
l. THE Lord called Samuel, and he an.
sgered Here am l." II IL evident from
verse 10 that He called him by name. THIS
makes us think OF that beautiful verse in
fagt flr 4 I..,.. ..l.,.. a
thee. have called thee by thy name; thou
art Mine" And also OF lisa. vi, 8. where
the Lord says, "Whom shall / send and
who will go for usI' And tho prophet an
swers, Here am /; send me-" How beaut-
mi 10 be ready for His every call, an eur al
ways open to Him!
s. And he ran unto Eli and said. Here
an I. for thou calledst me-" But Eli did
not recognize that il WIS tho Lord calling
him and so told him 20 lie down again.
Eli had not the ear for God which he should
have had. and God saw II, and that He
could communicate with him only through
samuel II was a rare thing to get n word
from the Lord in those days. and visions
such ~ those granted 10 Abram and Jacob,
Moses and Joshua were unknown. See verse
l. Il. ", margin.
G. "And the Lord called yet again, Sam
uel' Behold the patience OF the Lord.
SamuCls readiness and ELS continued dull
ness. How difficult IL often is for the Lord
10 get our ear and make known to us His
will What a contrast to watching to see
what He will say unto u.s." or "watching
daily at His gates (Hab. H., /; Prov. Will,
SD.
Z. "Nov, Samuel did not vet know the
Lord. neither was the word of the Lord yet
revealed unto him." He must have known
the Lord through Moses and Joshua, but not
yet by direct communication. Known means
to perceive, understand, acknowledge, so
there may easily be many degrees in knowl-
| edge. When Paul said, "That may know
. Him" phil. ill.,, 10), he certainly knew Him
| as Saviour and Lord, His wisdom and His
| righteousness, but he longed to know Him
better.
T. lind the LGreasG.lef"Tampsl agar
| .hs third time. And Ell perceived that the
Lord had called the child" The third time
| did Samuel rise and promptly 90 to Eli, be-
leyine that he calledhim. What unweared
obedience! What blessed SOM When he
would tell his mother Of his experience and
how he had acted, how glad she would be!
think this is the only instance OF God
| speaking directly TO little boy, but all.
/ young and old, may hear His voice in His
. written word (John vi, 63)
.. III He call thee. say. Speak, Lord. for
| Thy servant heareth." Eli Is by this time
/ wide awake and also wide awake to the fact
| tnat the Lord has something to say, but not
| directly to him. II is probable that he re-
manned awake till he heard the tidings, and
then ne would be more awake than ever.
"Aw'ke, thou that sleepest," is good word
| for uany Of us. 1t would be wise also to
saw. "Speak. Lord, for Thyservant heareth. ;"
whenever we open our Bibles. and il would
also be appropriate to add the prayer ia Ps.
/ CyiN, Is.
10. And the Lord came and stood and
called us ut other times, Samuel, Samuell''
This is the fourth time that He came and
called, suggesting the question, How often
ha' lie called us! And have we as yet sub
m,ssiyely said, "Speak. for Thy servant
ieareth;' The attitude OF a servant is well
described in these words: 'Ready to do
whatsoever my lord, the king, shall ap-
POINT "For any manner Of service, wholly
At Thy commandment" II Sam. XIV, Is;
Chron xviii. ,2D.
II, IT, And the Lord said TO Samuel. Be-
hoId, | will do n thing in Israel at which
n2th the ears of every one that heareth il
snall tngle.' And then follows the thing
tlat lie will do-a judgment upon the house
o' ILL., as told TO Eli by u man OF God some
,ihr before and fully recorded in chapter ii. ,
9'5t Mercy always precedes judgment, for
8oi Is slow to anger and plenteous in mercy.
Ne mai given Eli fair warning, but Eli had
hohored his sons above God Gi., 29). The
isW was very severe, but very plain concern
lns reoellious sons (Deut. xxi, 1S.2l). and
'hr ruler who refused to see the law carried
Ylt because the transgressors happened to bs
hs sons certainly thought more OF his sons
,uah oI God. Only those can truly serve the
L9ri VINO serve Him in sincerity and In truth
isnua NXiv., l4), or, as our Lord Jesus
'Ml, he that loveth father or mother, son
Sr laughter more than Me Is not worthy OF
nV lNath. X, 37). In the morning Eli
,a.lel samuel and begged him to hide moth
ns from him that the Lord had said, so
samuel told him every whit and hid moth
ilg. I'll certainly answered in the right
'P'tlt' Tor he said. 1T is tho Lord; let Him
w. WhM seemeth Him good" (verse 1s). He
IsNNtS US think Of job, who under his great
In.iG'lon said; "The Lord gave and the
-, nyrl hath taken away. Blessed be the name
we Lord 1t may be that the faithful
s OF samuel in this hard matter to Eli was
sep on the way to his being established as
IsPi9phet (verse 20). See IN chapter iv., II,
~ tue Judgment fallen. Lesson Helper.
REACH INTO OTHER LIVES.
b,r' ones real life consists In his reach
NNufF lives. Wnpnu.Ar IL a., lao