The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-07-15
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR JULY i9. .,..r5 ,s,:.

FOR JULY ie. ....rs,.ls
Subject: sanuel's Farewell Address, =
Sam. Kill, 13-26-Golden Text, Sam.
Xii, 24-Memory Verses, 23.35-Coms.
mentsry on the Days Lesson. ~
Connecting Links. The attempt OF the
Ammonites to avenge themselves on ac.3
count of the defeat they had suffered at
the hand of Jephthah (Jud. ll:53) gave
to Saul an opportunity to secure Tor NM
self recognition. The army, flushed WITH
the glory of their splendid triumph, hign'y
extolled their king and actually proposed
to put to death any who refused to recoS
nize his authority. Samuel, who was Wild.
the army ". y, deemed this, q most OPP
ernment and secure for him national recog'
milton. Accordingly he called the people
together to Gilgal, and, with Impressive
ceremonies, ratified the election at sMiz
peh and formally inaugurated Saul lntc
his regal Office. It is quite probable thar
Saul was publicly anointed at this time! s,
l. Samuers integrity Tvs. 1,5). Samuel
though he was still to retain his innuenee
and authority as prophet, now decides that,
the time has come for the pubhe surrender
of his Office as Judge, or ruler. There must
when he uttered this valedictory, to the
people whose interests had been the bur.
den of his heart and prayers for 30 many
years. The nation had now, reached q ,
new era in its development, and its future
veal or woe depended on the peoEies
obedience to the commandments Of God
This impressive truth the venerable
prophet seeks, throughout his entire I'd
dress, to fasten indelibly upon their minds.
He begins by challenging them to impeach
his official purity and is answered by fne
1t is not unlikely that a shadow had fallen
over Samueps career because of the per.
verse course his sons had taken, and this
naturally suggests the reason way the
aged seer at this time SO urgently calis
upon them for q complete vindication OF
his private as we'll as his official life. 80
II. Israeps ingratitude Tvs. 6.l2) In;
these verses Samuel recalls Jehovah'ss
past mercies and upbraida them with un-,
belief and ingratitude for demanding q
king" He shows them how impious 1t was
to establish a kingdom like the heathenI
nations around them. Jehovah had never
failed them when they obeyed His word
and cried unto Him; why: then, should
they desire a human king?" After refer
ring to the manner in which God had de-
livered them from Egyptian bondage, SAM
uel calls attention to the "three chief OPP
pressors of Israel during the period OF the
Judges: l.. The Canaanites who were led
by Sisera, the general of tie army of King
Jabin (Jud. 4:5). 2. The Philistines lJud.s
3:3l; l0:O. 8. The Moabites under Egion
(Jud. 8: 12-30l. He then mentions fouIs
deliverers of the nation: I. Jerubbaal, or
Gideon (Jud. chaps. 6,S(. 2. Bedan-prop-.
ably Barak is meant Uud. 4:8). Jeph,
thah, the Gileadite (Jud. ll). 4. Samuel. z:
III, Samuel's words confirmed Tvs. l3t
1915. eye have chosen" Though God
chose Saul, yet the people are said tc
choose him, either because they chose that
form of government, or because they con.
firrned Gods choice. eff ye will fear
With whom or against whom is the hand
of the Lord? The answer to this question
depends on whether one has gwen nlm.5
self to be the Lords with his whole heat
and has submitted fully to the divine VIII,
There was no necessary evil in their hay-.
ing a king, and if both king and subjects
reverence God, the nation shall be as.
prosperous and happy as ever. Some other
form of government might have been bet
ter, but if the king and people will meet
the true conditions of national permanencep.
the monarchy siall be blessed and honored-
A failure to recognize and observe the
commandments of God will sooner or later
ruin any nation, no matter what it's form
1918. wheat harvest" That season
in Palestine occurs at the end of june or
the beginning of July, when it seldom or
never rains and the sky is cloudless. There
could not, therefore, have been a stronger
or more appropriate proof of SamueFs
divine mission than the phenomenon or
rain and thunder happening. without any
sign of its approach, upon the mere pre-
diction Of the prophet: MAY perceive
Samuel was led to do this in order to I'M
press upon them the truthfulness OF MS
utterances and arouse them to conscious,
the Lord" The people regarded this as, as g
miraculous display Of divine power The
elements are exclusively under the con.
troll of the Creator, and He alone can cay
what shall be in relation to the clouds;
vet for special ends-generally moral ends
they have occasionally been placed for
season at the service of men,. This In,
stance is a parallel to that which occurred
". Israel comforted Tvs: 1925. 1921:
"Pray-that we die MOI" They felt tnat
Samuel's thoughts and feelings and rth9se
of Jehovah were the same. Jehoyahs
true representative "es SioAe Isf.-.S
"Fear not" Do not be despondent as
though there was no hone. ''Turn ye mot
aside" Samuel warns them against turn
inc aside to idols, as they had often done
before, and as they often did afterwards
"Vain things" An idol is mere nothing,
having no influence or power:
@. "For His great names sake. de-
hovah is jealous Of His glory: and all II 1ts
sublime manifestations in defense OF G ns
people He could not well forget. Cod
forbid that l." The conduct of SAMUEL IN
this whole affair of the kings appolntmens
shows him to have been great snd gooe
man who sank all private and personal
considerations, in disinterested zeal ior. his
nublic we're to warn the people and their
o6edienee oeS ~ ' to God. 40 pray" Though
rejected by this ungrateful people, the
prophet considers that it would be sin
to cease praying for them. What excel
lencv of character and heart is revealed 10
This declaration! 'I will teach you:
Samuel does not withdraw from. public
life: he rather promises the continuance
of his intercession and prophetic labors IN
respect to the whole people. 1t IS Wen
to notice that in some sense ne also con,
tinued as Judge. for in chap: 7:!5 we, READ
that he Judged Israel all the days OF ms
life" and we know that repeatedly ne found
it necessary to interfere with, SauTs gov
ernment. "Shall be consumed, By dis
obedience and sin even the Lords anoint-
ed. as well as the chosen people, shall most
certainly perish. With this most impress
sive warning the prophet closed his last
public address to the assembled nation.
~ A, hA n SthArta.