Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1908-07-30
DAVID AMOUNTED
AT BETHLEHEM
Sunday School Lesson ior Rag. 2. 1905
Specially Prepared for This Paper

utwar appearance. but the Lord look
eth on the heart."-l Sam. 1911
TIME -I0S Is. G. tUssherJ Others place
Il later.
PLACE -snmucl's home was AT Ra-
NAH. near Jerusalem. David's at E"thle.
hem six miles south Of Jerusalem. David
~ or ~ years old.
PERSONS. Samuel, Saul. David. Jesse
and his family.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
Samuel's Relation TO Saul.-ln the
last verse OF ! Samuel Is 1t IL said that
Samuel came no more to see Saul
until the day OF his DEATH That IL.
he war no longer his ad wiser, no lon.
ger brought Gods word TO him. liz
let him go ON In his own way; for
advice and warning would accomplish
no good, and only hinder his religious
work among the people. by leading
Saul In his anger at rcproof to inter.
fcre. There Is thus not the least dis
crcpancy between this statement and
the statement that once after this
Saul sought to see Samuel ut his
home. and %prophcsicd In his presence
Il Sam. l9:2224D. But Samuel
mourned deeply for Saul.
'DhbI iiVhl ~ h' WIN - NV
For the act Of amounting another king
would be regarded as littls less than
high treason. Samuel was prudent
AZ well AZ wise. He was needed AZ a
religious power in the kingdom. Take
an hcii"r with thee. and ray. ] am
come to sacrifice" Samuel was ac.
cnBtOmrd to go on a circuit to Judge.
and It IL probable that on such &C.
caHionS he held religious services.
taught the people. and offered sacri-
fees.
He told the exact truth. He was
going to sacrifice. II was "A part Of his
work. He simply said nothing about
what else he was to do, for II was
none OF the nrighbors' business.
Va. And the elders IL the town rem.
bled ut his coming" One Of the teach.
ings Of the sacrifices was the cleans.
Ing from sin. Samuel was n prophet
r"former. and doubtless was known Az
rcprOving and rebuking sin. The 81.
dcrs were conscious Of imperfcctiOnn
and guilt. though they might be un.
able to recall any special sin. But 80
mncx pcctcd an event al the visit Of the
venerable prophet naturally awakened
their conscience even AZ now Il sudden
catastrophe or special manifestation OF
Gods prcScncc-rarthquakc, tempest,
or fire-awakenH the consciousness Of
guilt, and causes men to listen to the
still, small voice. OF God. In addition
TO this they may have feared that
some Of their people had committed
a crime unknown to them; or the
breach bet wccn Samuel and Saul may
have made the elders afraid Of In.
curing the royal displcasure by we.
coming him, Just as Samuel himself
had feared Saul's anger.
V. 3. "Tn sacrifice unto the Lord" Sac.
rificcS were modes Of Worship express
Ing repentance and thanksgiving and
devotion TO God. Parts Of the sacri.
flee were burnt or given TO Gods
priests. The rest was used In a feast.
Note that II was not merely a new
king that was needed. but Il new
dynasty, one that would he fitted to be
the ancestors Of the Messiah and work
toward the purpose for which the
Jews were chosen as Gods people.
Nb'e, Jfhbt VIA lHe fIhIiuSoH VI
BOaZ and Ruth.
God chOs" David az the best person
FOR this purpose. He knew David's
heart and character and talents and
possibilities.
David had already been tested IN
lesser things. 10 that he proved by be.
Ing faithful over IL few things" he
could safely be made ruler over
many things" tMatt. 25:2l); and az
expressed In the parable Of the pounds.
"Itccansc thou hast been faithful In a
very little. have thou authority over
ten cities"
God guided Samuel to the setting
apart Of the right.
The Right Man Set Apart for His
W0rk.-V. ~. And anOinted him In the
midst Of his brethren" That Is, In
their presence. The later history
shows that they did not understand
the real meaning Of Samuers act. and
possibly they only thought that David
was set apart to learn from Samuel
in one Of the schools Of the prophets,
where, indeed, he did Afterwards take
refuge Il Sam. l3;lS2s). II IL not
told US that even David or Jesse com.
pretended what Samuel was doing.
However, AK Geikie sayg: "JOsephus
can hardly be wrong when he d..
scribes Samuel an taking David apart
and whispering int his ear the mean.
ing of his act AZ he performed IT,"