Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1895-11-07
NUMBER 13
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON VI, FOURTH QUARTER, IN
TERNATlONAL SERIES, NOV. 10.

Text Of the Lesson, / sam. 4, 17-27-sIen-
ory Verses, "A. e. Golden Text, Ps. ncvii,
1-- Commentary BY the Rev. ID. M.
stearns.
II "And Samuel called the people to-
gether unto the Lord to Mizpeh Israel
was chosen 70 be a special people unto God
above All people On the earth; separated
from all others unto the Lord that He
might shew through them who and what
He was, that thus all nations might know
Him for their good (Ex. xix, 5, s; Deut
vii, g. II sum. vii, 23). When therefore
they desired 10 be like other nations Il
sam. viii, 3, 20), they went right contrary
To the will Of the Lord for them. Samuel
told them just how the king they desired
would treat them (viii. 1I-Ig), but they
insisted on having their own way The
steps by which the Lord brought Saul to
Samuel are fully recorded in chapter tx,
and the first part of this chapter K, and
form one Of the most interesting, instruc-
tive and practical Of all Bible stories. IA
precious nugget which enjoy and love tn
pass on is found In X, 7, DO as occasion
serve thee for God is with thee"
IS. "Thus saith the Lord God Of Israel,
l brought UP Israel out Of Egypt" TIE
suggestiveness Of Mizpeh was seen In our
last lesson, and here the people saw the
power of the Lol.4 on their behalf Now
they are again before the Lord, but turn
ing their backs upon Him deliberately in
order to be like other nations He reasons
with them concerning their conduct, re-
minding them of His love to them VIXEN
they were slaves in Egypt and how He de-
livered them from all their oppressors.
They should therefore consider that they
We're His property, a people for His own
possession Titus ii, IA. r. VI and that
He and not they should have the right Of
deciding in all things concerning their well
fare
49, "Ye have this day rejected your God
who Himself saved YOU out Of all your
adversities and your trIbulatiOns" Sam
uel at first felt that they had rejected Him,
but the Lord said, ''They have not rejected
thee, but they have rejected Me and He
added that in doing as they had done they
were only treating Samuel a. they had al
ways treated Him Chapter viii, Z, 3D.
When Israel murmured, it was not against
Moses and Aaron, but against the Lord
lex. xvi, 81. See the application to US in
Luke K, 10, and let Us consider well that
all that touches the Lords people touches
the Lord Himself tZech ii, s; Acts tx. 4,
81, and AIN rebellion or complaining on the
part Of Hi people l. against Him.
20, 2l. HWhen they sought him, he could
not be found. All Israel presented them
selves before the Lord by their tribes, and
the lot was cast for the tribe, and FOR the
family, and for the man, and the result
was that Saul, the son of Kish, Of the tribe
Of Benjamin wa taken, but he could not
be found. God knew the man whom they
would ike and had chosen such one for
Them and now He guided the lot to bring
him before them, for The lot is cast into
the lap, but the whole disposing thereof is
Of the Lord prov. xvi, 33)-
22- THE Lord answered Behold he hath
hid himself among the stuff The word
translated ''stuff' has nine different mean
ings given to it in this book alone II il
translated furniture, armor, carriage, ar
tillery, weapons, vessels, things, etc. Some
where and somehow, and for some reason.
Saul hid himself He knew through sam
uel that God had selected him (ehaptsr x.
ID, and knowing this it was q becoming
thing not to put himself forward. but let
all see that he had no hand in the election
1t did not cost him penny for votes; the
place sought him, not he the place. What
a contrast to many elections in our dayl
%. when be stood among the people,
he was higher than amy Ut THE people, from
bis shoulders and upward In addition
to this statement we find i'll chapter tx, 2,
that he was a choice young man, and that
there was not goodlier person in all Is
rael. Size is not everything, however, else
Goliath and other giants might be envied,
neither j. outward appearances, a. Samuel
afterward learned when lie appointed q
man after Gods heart instead Of one to
please the people (chapter xvi, 8, ~. Con-
trast the youth and probable slight figure
Of David (xyii, 33); also what is written
Of Saul Of Tarsus Oh Cor. K, 10).
"a See We him whom the Lord hath
chosen, that there l. none like him among
all the people? And all the people shouted
and said, God save the king. As we said
in a previous verse, saul was the Lords
choice that He might please the people and
for the time being satisfy them. and so
in due time humble them. AS on another
OCCASION He gave them their request, but
sent leanness into their SOUL (Ps cvi.
l5) The people have now visible king,
choice man and q noble looking one; they
are like other nations in the matter Of a
king, but the invisible one, their Redeem
er, Is rejected and they prefer to walk by
sight.
25 "Then Samuel told the people tile
manner of the kingdom and wrote it in
book and laid it up before the Lord All
this state Of affairs had been foreseen by
the Lord and fully written about in Deut.
xvii, 1920 This it was, probably, with
perhaps additions, that samuel wrote in
the book Now if The king would consider
himself the Lord ~ representative, and act
for the Lord toward the people. in all
things consulting Him and obeying Him
and honoring Him, all might yet be well,
but TO please self or the people or to rely
on human wisdom or strength will spoil
all
PSI "And saul also went home To Gil
beah, and there went with him q band nf
men, whose hearts God had touched. Y
God would help him by giving him helpers
and friends. He does everything to make
it easy for US to do right If we are only
willing to serve Him in sincerity and
truth. He H. the same God who saw that
ii was not good for Adam to be alone
(Gen. ii, 1S); who also sent the disciples
ont by twos (Luke K, ID, and He always,
in due time provides helpers for such as
are willing to dwell with Him for His
work.
27 "But the children Of Belial said
How shall this man save usg And they de-
spised him and brought him no prSents
But he held his peace. saul was in the
place of Gods representative and as such
had his friends and his enemies. 1t has
been and viii be ever so. Soc John xv lS
As king Of Israel be in sense typifed
Christ, the true King III Israel (JOhn !, 4q)
and before his enemies held bis peace, or
a. in the margin, was As though be had
been deaf. See also Ps. xxxviii, 13. The
wise men from the east brought Jesus gold
and frankincense and myrrh, but many
who bear His Name today bring Him no
presents. See Rom xii, /, 2.
The bones of Judas Iscariot are said to
be preserved among the relics in the cathe-
dral at Milan