Mexico Missouri message., 1908-07-23
SAUL REJECTED
BY THE LORD
Sunday school Lesson for Jelly 70. 1908
Specially Prepared for This Paper

will We serve, and his voice will We obey"
Joshua 2l:2l
TIME-About 1919 n. c. Ujssher). about
g years after Saul began to reign. The
Revised ChronoloEios place Il later.
PLACE.-Gllgal in tho Jordan valley.
Both reflections were at this place Sauls
sapitsl was GlbeRh OF Benjamin. five or
six mllea north OF Jerusalem. The re-
hgious center was at Shiloh. IS miles
north Of Jerusalem.
PERsONs.-Samuei at Ramah, over 20
years OF age. Saul holding court at Gil
beah, about 80 years old. Jonathan.
sauIs son. young prince, able TO 60 to
war
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
In our last lesson we left Saul we'll
established on his throne. with wise
counsellor in Samuel. Several years
were spent in organizing the army, ar.
ranging the government. in resisting
the Entertainments OF the Philistines.
and In various victorious campaigns in
self.defense against the surrounding
nations. Saul showed himself TO be a
skillful general. and proved that he
had in him the possibilities Of a great
king. Only the warlike Philistines
were able TO resist him and his PEG.
pie, and these were very troublesome
and oppressive There are hints OF a
royal court. and those kingly exactions
OF which Samuel had forewarned the
people compare Sam. S:l1 with
Sam. lI:52).
The Long Wnitlng-In their des.
perate circumstances neither king nor
people dared make a move without the
los. - A1 a l..
10 come within seven days and offer
sacrifices and make known the will OF
God. Six days had gone, and the sew.
enth day was passing, yet no Samuel
appeared. To a commander like Saul.
who saw his army melting away like
snow in spring, and knew that the
enemy might swoop down upon them
at any hour, like the eagle from his
eyrie, or the wolf upon the fold; that
every moments delay weakened his
own forces and strengthened the en-
emy-such n delay was almost intoler.
able, The temptation was very strong
TO be his own priest. TO offer the offer.
ings, contrary TO Gods law and his
agreement with Samuel, and press In
20 action. He yielded 10 the temptation
at the last moment and offered the
burnt offerings.
The Sudden Appearance OF Samuel.
The prophet had delayed his COM
ing probably on purpose to test Saul.
or he may have been unavoidably de-
tanned.
Suddenly he appeared on the scene
Saul had failed in the hour OF trial
He did not trust God. He openly be-
fore all the people disobeyed a clear
commandment OF God. Samuel an.
nounced the consequences TO the king.
The kingdom could not continue in his
family. nor reach It's highest success
under him. A portion OF his posi-
bilities was lost; only the second
best" remained to him. But ne was
not deposed; other opportunities were
| open to him. Possibly he might re-
trieve what was lost IL he would.
A powerful nomadic tribe roaming
over southern Palestine and the desert
beyond, even as far as Sinai and the
| Egyptian frontier-the Amalekites-
were a continual danger to Israel and
10 all that Israel stood for In the
! progress OF the world. Descended from
Esaus grandson. Amalek, q fierce, I'M
tamable race OF wanderers, Israers
most harassing and unconquerable
enemies, these fierce marauders con.
stantly lowered on the borders.
swelled the Philistine armies, or fol.
| lowed in the rear, Ike Tartar hordes,
pillaging and massacring, and as the
| lsraelites had no cavalry. retreated
without loss to the security OF their
| deserts"
The Command.--Under Saul, for the
! first time, the nation was strong
enough TO assume the aggressive.
| Samuel brought commandment OF
| the Lord to Saul that he should utter
! ~ destroy them and all their posses
sions. as one would destroy wild beasts
and poisonous serpents. or any rob
| bers that were running homes, ravish-
ing wives and daughters. corrupting
morals and religion.
Why was this right?
For the same reason that II Is right
70 punish criminals. In all wars, in
all punishments Of criminals, thar
wives and their children suffer great.
IT, Il is not the fault OF the executors
OF the law, but the fault OF those who
break the law. and bring all these sor.
rows upon their families,
An Ancient Testimony.-"Such Of
the wicked as escape immediate pun
ishment receive. not after long time,
but during a long time, not a slower,
but a longer punishment. Such an one
is kept in lie as In prison that has
no outlet or mode OF escape; yet he
may enjoy frequent feasts. may tran
sact business, may receive presents
and kindnesses. like the men who play
with dice. or at draughts in prison.
with the rope hanging over their
heads."-PlutArch IN The Delay OF
Divine Justice"