The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-07-24
THE INTERNATIONAL
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
FOR JULY rs. 1909
STUDIES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.
SUBJECT: Saul rejected as king-I Sam XIV, 1923
By Secretary
IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

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coNTEXT...The retirement OF Samuel
which we studied last week. Saul had
Importance of his position and to exer-
Csc his high prerogatiyes in an independ.
sn acts on vas 81 his aon
standing army. thus fulfilling samuers
predictions. ooh. xii:2). In his next en-
gagement he exceeded his authority, as
for witch be was rebuked (ch. xiii:s-s).
Soon after, Jonathan his son, came into
public notice as warrior. Later the
the Amalekites. och. vc:s). but he was
disobedient, awakening the Divine dis
pleasure. That the sequel to this, event.
ter appreciated we shall begin the. com
ments with verse TO- three verses In adj
vance of the Scripture assigned by the
committee.
REPENTANC Our lesson opens with
an address to Samuel. made by Jehovah.
after the campaign against the Amale.
ke , 1T rns rel M a hat na hs a Sc.
sertion has perplexed some readers. At
flrmed elsewhere in the Scripture Gen;
vl:0 It is denied in one place t that God
OF foreknowledge. and DR.. L. D. Nc
Cabe, of Ohio Wesleyan University, en-
DiOyS lT6 text WIN OLESEB llhc A. " SoG
port his doctrine Of the Divine nsscience
OF contingent events. Ger. xvli:9. Sew
eral explanations have been made, some
affirm that primarily repentance signifies
1Psalm ex:5). Others say, that the Ian.
Euage is. anthropomorphis-an attempt
being made to explain Divine emotions ny
thoughts were combined. we should doubt
less be near the truth. The reason for
Gods repentance is clearly stated-saul
servant ..si and became disloyal Samuel wa
deeply affected on hearing Ms inteli-
gence. Although he had predicted such
n ~ ne re epsa az hn se eeison
Ger. xii:1O.
GREETING. = Mex. morning Samuel
for, II to meet saul drb the hsTe
done to report to the prophet and give
thanks for victory. turned aside to the
little town OF Carmel. in the mountains
him place. erected a triumphal mon
ument. In this he was moved by fear.
consequent .uron sin. Gen. iii:1o) anxious
ambition being elated by success. Thence
he passed on to Gngal. Samuel, inform
ed Of these movements, followed on. he
BLESSED be thou Of the Lord, I have per.
formed the commandant Of the Lord.
Here is strange compound of fear; false,
hood and hypocrisy He knew that he had
the long-delayed Judgment of God. And
yet he assumed a sanity bearing, using
sneech often EN- ployed by good men, Gen.
b'ned. (Judges xvi:2). In this way, even
without reason. he may have hoped TO
conciliate Samuel. whose presence at that
time. must have been the source of dis
REBUKE-samnel was not won by nat
tering words neither deceived by vain
professions. He had been too long in the
sarvica IF God n hacita % IN the 6ischarpa
OF duty. His all-night prayer, with no
answer changing the message. left no
doubt Of the Divine purpose. The old fire
kinded in early, childhood still glowed In
his heart. awakening fresh enthusiasts m
for Righteousness. He felt no fear, the
king. whom he had anointed, and whom
Shie he camp he
had obtained knowledge of the ill-gotten
spoil. While Saul was speaking Samuel
heard sounds that gaze az the lie to his
rebuke. What meaneth the bleating Of
the sheep in mine ears. and the lowing of
the oxen which hear?" The dumb beasts
wrong-doing had risen up to plague the
transgressor (Gal.. 81: y. There is no spot
in all the whole universe OF God where a
sinner may hide and be secure against
Samuel. but he could not fee from sin.
EScUsE-1t is probable that Samuel
hoped to humble Saul and bring him to
repentance, thereby restoring him to Di-
down when their faults are exposed. This
fact was the basis OF the prophetic SER
vice Qsa., lyiii: y. But those men who
lack moral courage will attempt TO eS-
tenuate their offenses whenever favor
able construction can be put on damag-
ing facts. In doing this they may tell
the truth, or part Of It Gen. III: 12). That
their weakness. 1t viii be an effort TO
excuse conduct by relating pallatlng cir
cumstances.. 1t originates In all desires
to escape the full charge of evil, TO di,
awaken a measure Of sympathy. Saul
therefore explained to Samuel that the
people had spared the best Of the sheep
and oxen for the sacrnoiai Pnrpose he
matter, laying upon others the blame.
but endeavored to justify the act by the
motive which prompted it. His statement
may have been true,l or parity true, or
wholly false.
ease his cons science and terminate the
Interview BY such pleading, 1t would
have been vastly worse Tor him and the
nation had he succeeded In doing so. Con-
cealed sin terminates and grows prov.
xxviii:1s). Like Nathan QI Sam. Wis.
samuel determined to probe the kings
heart and lay open its secrets: The at
more necessary. Stay" he said, as Saul
was about to retire. and will tel thee
what the Lord hath SAID. remission era
III F' rHems'nded Saul that when he was nit
tie in his own eyes, God had anolnted
were two thoughts-saul had been made
king by Divine favGr when ee had nosh
referred to the instructions to utterly
destroy the Aggaalekltes,," Here MAS Sc,
received commands from God, His obli-
CATION to God was, therefore, paramount.
He had no liberty of choice outside the
Divine will, why then, have you not
obeyed?' was the searching question, the
faithful gentleness of which IS admirable
and even wonderful, under the peculiar
circumstances
DEFENsE-samuel's words failed of
their Intended purpose, Esd Saul en-
deavored to defend his action, IN part.
he repeated what he had said making.
however a 81 ght change. Still claim
ing that the people had pr Gmittsd n th9
they should have been destroyed, no long
er attempting, as before. to shield the