The Tupelo journal., 1902-12-19
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson in the International SerieA
for December Fl, 10O2-Samuel
the Judge.
H LESSON TEXT.
CO. TO 30

abode In Kirjathjearim. that the time was
long; for it was twenty years; and all the
house Of Israel lamented after the Lord
3. And Samuel spake unto all the house
of Israel saying. If you do return unto the
Lord with all your hearts, then put away
the strange gods and Ashtaroth from
among you, and prepare your hearts unto
the Lord, and serve Him only; and He will
deliver you out of the hand of the Philis-
tines.
4. Then the children of Israel did put
away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served
the Lord only.
S. And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to
Mizpeh, and / will pray for you unto the
Lord.
6. And they gathered together to Mizpeh,
and drew water, and poured 1t out before
the Lord, and tasted on that day, and said
there, We have sinned against the Lord.
And Samuel judged the children of Israel
in Mizpeh.
Z. And,when the hills tin es, hear6ltha the
children of Israel were gathered together
to Mizpeh, the lords Of the Philistines went
up against Israel. And when the children
OF Israel heard it, they were afraid of the
Philistines.
s. And the children of Israel said to Sam
uel, Cease not to cry unto the Lord our God
for us, that he will save us out Of the hand
of the Philistines.
8. And Samuel took a sucking lamb. and
offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto
the Lord; and Samuel cried unto the Lord
tor Israel; and the Lord heard him.
10. And as Samuel was Offering up the
burnt offering, the Philistines drew near
to battle against Israel; but the Lord thun-
dered with a great thunder on that day
upon the Philistines, and discounted them.
and they were smitten before Israel.
II. And the men of Israel went out Of Miz-
peh, and pursued the Philistines, ard smote
them, until they came under Bethcar.
Il. Then Samuel took a stone, and set it
between Mizpeh and Shen. and called the
name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath
the Lord helped us.
13. So the Philistines were subdued, and
they came no more into the coast of Israeli;
and the hand of the Lord was against the
Phllfstines all the days of Samuel.
Tent. Prepare your
hearts unto the Lord, and serve Him
only Sam. 7:3.
OUTLINE OF SCRIPTURE SECTION.
The ark captured Sam. 4.
Inc captorS afflicted. ........,1 Sam. 3.
The ark recovered ...............1 Sam. 6.
The Philistines defeated ..........1 Sam. Z.
TIME-B. c. 1l4l and 1140.
PLACE-Ebenzer. Ashdod, Gait, Ekron,
Beth-shemesh and Mizpeh.
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
In their first encounter with the
Philistines, the Israelites tool the ark
of God into battle, thinking thereby
to make victory sure. In doing this
they showed that they believed in the
ark more than in the Lord. BY their
defeatthey learned that a false faith is
no protection. When they again faced
their foes, the Israelites besought
Samuel to pray for them. What God
can do for His people in emergencies
is shown by His answer to Samuel's
prayer.
There was constant war between
the Philistines and Israel, and the
Philistines seem to have been the
more powerful, or at least the better
organized. ~Israel's attempt to devel-
OPP a strong, independent national life
without a king was a failure.
The taking of the ark to the battle
field shows that it had come to be re-
garded superstitiously by the people.
They thought the ark would in some
magic way insure victory. Images and
charms of all sorts have often been
carried into battle in this way. Peo-
pie who depend on "good-luck"
charms, or anything besides their own
best efforts and the blessing of God,
are doomed to failure as surely as
were the Hebrews. Ellis tragic end
shows us that moral weakness is as
terrible in it's consequences as more
willful and aggressive wickedness. Eli
was criminally weak.
The Philistines, too, regarded the
ark with a suspicious dread. Strange
things happened when they put it in
a terrible disease broke out in the city.
What could explain it but the enmity
of the God of the ark? No one want
ed it, and so they sent it from one
place, toy another. Disease seemed to
follow it everywhere.
In the house of Aminadab, who was
probably a Levite, the ark was rev.
erently kept for 20 years. There
were no sacrifices or other religious
services, SO far as we know. The sane
tuary at Shiloh had lost prestige with
the removal of the ark and the death
of the priests, and it never regained it.
What Samuel was doing during these
years we do not know. In verses 3, 4,
we find him leading a movement for
reform. The Philistines seemed to
have feared trouble from the gather
ing of Israel at Mizpeh, and went up to
dispense them; but through Samuel
Israel called upon Jehovah. and He
sent a terrific thunderstorm upon the
enemy. which so demoralized them
4Io4 T.-o ,Dr n ~ u ~ rsoforx, VTaw-o
10 must be taken in connection with
9:15. Is; 1873, 10, which modify the in
depreciation Of it. There were three
| Philistine invasions of the land after
this time, and all during the life of
Samuel.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
"The supplication of a righteous
man availeth much in its working."-
Jas. SIG.
"More things are wrought by prayer
than this worlo dreams of."-Tenny-
son.
"Prayer moves the Hand that moves
| the world."-John Altman Wallace.
little faith will get very great
mercies. but great faith still greater"
-ReV. CnaTleS
In n Nutshell.
Love is the evidence of Gods life
in us.
Gods work must be done in Gods
way.
The poor in goods are often rich
in grace.
The most glorious task is made up