Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-07-25
THE SAD..-
International Lesson
July z
Subject: Saul Rejected as King, Sam. xv..
1923 Golden Text. Sam. xv.. 22-Mem.
cry Verses. 2O-z,-eommen:ary on
the Days Lessen.
For

Connecting Links. After Samuel had
made MS farewell address 10 the people
at Gilgal. saul quietly assumed the work
ol king OF lsrae,. His reign seems To have
been one o: almost constant warfare
Chapters 1915 oil / samuel coItaia de.
tailed record OF three great errors 81 inns
first king oi Israel: !. his di>ohedience IN
failing 10 wa.t ~ Gilga for the coming
al Samuel to o.ier bur:;. offerings: and
there where he had been confirmed III the
Kingdom. il was >o.cmn.N declared Il
him t!at his kingdom wou.d not nc ier,
petuated IN hiS o"n S.eiliy Il Sam
1913 ll1. ,. His rash aud foolish vow
which he MAS uuanie 10 fulfil. hI, which
hrough, great suffering 10 the peoQ.c arc
wcll-nich cost the life oi jonathan hi> >o:i
Il sam. I4:34-iil. >. HIS failure IL execute
the divine Judgment or inc Ama.eilsieS n
jehovah commanded. Tie "details OF wnicn
are gwen in this fifteenth chapter. NJ
the subsequent mi..ort.ncs OF Saul and
his insane pursuit u David werr traits OF
judicial blindness. tic ren@! consequences
o. these three iata. er.c.s.
I. Ssa.'s ac- Of d.>oaed.e~cc -. 20 ~.
Tie command WAS - utter destroy The
>.ri.c,.i,es and Their Yossessi2a~: bat t!.e
s.ea; r,..th "h.ch they possessed "aS il
s;,aia ,vu.r .atioa 10 seal atd l:!S allaE,
and tie tpn!eand 20 dpIht appea!s ua-
reasonable 10 the:n. inen il v.ss NAT the%
welded II the temptation To appropriate
l. ;,e,.~ selves JEe rene. OF their ca:
uucGcl :2c. ana v.th >au. consent tie
=, op'e brough. hone the n.-. Of the hoe..s
ard herd, a..Ve Tor inct iarm>. dc>-!cf, y
oa,y tha roar and worthless. iA!s re.
vca,cd tnciy covetodSnc>s aud tholr Gi.pp.
si;.sn TO satisfy Themselves rather than
oney Gods u.ain command
IS. H. samuel came" The Lori il.
fo-med Samuel OF Saui's d;>ohedience. and
>amuc! Was grieved and spent the whole
I. 4
stirred 10 its proiolndc,t depths. J. lie
was disappointed II Saul. ). He saw the
ev.l eiiect Scu.s act would nave on the
lnora,s ot the people. 3. He >aw that this
rejection OF SAIL would result IN great
Ca,amity to the new government and &c
the prosperity OF the country. He prayed,
no doubt. that the king might be forgiven
ard the threatened calamity averted. "SGu:
said" Saul was either blinded by 4 partial
and delusive self-.ove, or he was in his
declaration TO Samuel acting the part o.
a bold and artiul hypocrite. Perhaps Saul
tried to persuade himsei; 10 believe that
because he had gained 4 victory he would
not be brought to 4 strict account Tor his
actions: but success will not take the
place OF obedience: neither will a partla.
obedience answer. Samuel said Samuel
had Il very unpleasant duty to perform.
but after PRAYING all night he was .u.ly
prepared for It. Saul is convicted OF ia'se'
hood by the voices oS the animals which
he has spared contrary to God command
His eageInesS II declare his obedience was
evidently an effort TO quiet his conscience
and cover his sin.
IT, Saul's vain excuses Tvs. 15-2n. -
"Saul said After distinctly stating thai
he had performed the comma ldmo9t OF the
Lord e now proceeds 70 make three eN'
.cc>es for not having performed Il: ]. The
peop.e were - blame. >. oaiv the be-:
lad been spared. =. They diSobeycd for
tnr Lords sake. The people spared.
'rhis Wa i shameful excuse for Stron:
king ike >aul. Had his peop'e overraled
him ard spared these animals. then he
would have rad cause % plead his sorrow
10 Samuel wnen they met. To sacrifice.
Nhct goodness coa.d dizzy cain hy such
- ac;! God apDonted these rnma,s to
~ sacrificed 10 Him in the field. and there
fore VIII give no thanks 10 those who bring
them 20 ne sacrificed al Ills altar. y good
intention will not justify a bad action.
God hates robbery Tor Durat offerings.
iC-;S. Stay S;on these shallow and
fa.>e rrctenSes ''N'iil tel thee Here
fo..ows IN Grace oi proDhecy u direct,
tea...e,S and powerful as ANY in the Bia'c
Lord hath said" Samuel oare:ly avoids
further reasoning. until he should let saul
hea. Gods message ahou; the matter He
his own opinions. A'. only offered Gods
word Vast htt.e.' Il wo3ld hep saul
to look back 10 the time when Samuel had
rrointed him. and when the pcop.e had
chosen him for their king. and To rcmem'
ncr his moGe>ty aud humility ~ that time.
He woud more quickly see the contrast.
"Ol 4 Journey" The work which Cod
had assigned 10 Saul would have been
more ike a prosperous journey than
war. had lac gone III the strength OF the
Lord God would have - abundant'v
supplied his needs. that there woa'd have
spoi,. The sinners Here we see the
real reason why the Ama.e.,i;es were 10
1921. But did.t fly" With great
rreedncss. as hungry bird q; beas, upon
its prey. Dds evil" Di>ohedience Is
the great sin in Gods sight. Such dis.
position Will include al forms OF sin. Il
have oneyed." Saul still contends ior his
uprirhtne<s. He had gone against the
Amalcki.es. and 80 far he ohcyed. and he
will not accept the charge offered against
him. ''i3ave brought .Agag' God babe
him Kill all. and vet he puts in among the
instances o; his diso5cdience. that he had
brought Agag alive. which he thought Was
as good as ii he had killed him. He in.
s,ts that he had utterly DESTROYED the
Ama,ekites themselves. which WAS the
main thing intended Agag was probably
an official title like pharaoh among the
Ecvntians and like president amoaE Us.
" men should nave been. here saul
admits his knowledge OF Gods command.
menr in telling what should have been
destroyed.
III. Saul condemned and rejected Tvs
c2-3n
-. ".iS great delight" Nothing can
take the place of obedience. Greater zeal.
obeying outward ordinances. many prayers.
greater generoSity-nonc OF these things
will answer. Outward forms are nothing
ii the heart is not moved: God wants our
love. our trust. our life To obey is bet
ter For because OF disobedience is the
very reason why sacrifices are required.
1t is much better not to take poison and
then he obliged to call the physician and
take his remedies.
-. Northumberland Tho mean
ing is that Sau,'s ,cbe,lious and stubborn
opposition to God was as bad as witch
craft and ido,atry. \ witch was liable TO
he put 10 death according to Law FIX.
22:lS; Lev. 1926, 81: Deut. 1910. Ter
aphim.' These were small household
gods. Hath also rejected" a man dis
ohedient to God is unfit to govern his
people. Bv diSobcdience. Saul turned him
self out Of Office. God would not subject
His peoplc 70 the rule of man who re-
icc;ed. Gods rule over him.
Son.e.hing More Than Hint.