The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1915-04-02

LESSON TEXT Samuel ls:lo-2a.
GOLDEN ~TExT-Behold. to obey Is bes-
ter than sacrince.-I Samuel l5:a2.
Jonathan's victory (ch. 14) brought
with 1t a shining on the part OF the
hungry, harassed Israelites in that
they ate okthe spoils with the blood
32: Lev. 3:17. 1920. In the
emergency Sau erected the first al
tar that he built unto the Lord (ch
1888, a rather dilatory act on the
part OF a G~od-anointed king. Saul had
'resorted tosNAhe subterfuge of COM
~manding the people ito roll a great
stone" i.e., cut the threats OF the ami,
mails Of which they had eaten that
they might bleed, and thus be an evil
sdence that the Sanimals had died be-
tore being eaten. This the people did,
fearing Saul, hut having no ~scruples
IN transgressing Gods commands.
These same people rescued Jonathan
from the foolish vow of Saul. for it
was his faith and valor that had chief
" brought about the victory
i. Gods Sorrow, w 1912. Samuel
had first revealed Gods purpose in
making Saul king, and likewise first
declared Gods. purpose to dispose OF
Saul ". 10). Saul's actions wv. 1-9)
stamped him as being no longer
worthy OF Gods confidence. The
word .'repenteth." meaning ito sigh"
w. I'D, denotes a change of feeling
Que to Sauf's actions and not to any
change in the character, purpose or
desires of Good. God was sorry that
Saul had proved himself unworthy.
A halfway obedience of Gods conf
mand only heightened his guilt.
Whatever moral difficulties seem to
lie, for a later age, in SauI's commits
sion against Amalek, there We're none
UGH for him" CVaughn). Mans re-
kpentance involves a change of mind
n purpose. In Saul's case God re-
pented, changed the instrument of his
execution, because of the change Of
circumstances and relation. God is
ever the same; it is man alone who
changes. Saul had given Samuel
for anger ". IL r. W, but he
did the wise thing in taking it to God
in prayer. Arising early the next
morning Samuel fastened to acquaint
Saul with .Iehovah's message. 1t is
remarkable Of how many of the great
men of the Bible it is said that they
rose early, Abraham, Gidaon, Joshua,
Job, Jacob, Noses. stc.. not to forget
our Lord Jesus.
u. Samuei's Rebuke, Wv. 12-13. It
7mustshave been a striking cen when
the aged. .Nazarite prophet faced the
proud but recreant king. A guilty
conscience is often covered by d ;ereat
show OF piety ". 49,, but such acts
cannot, stifie the conviction of the
heart nor deceive the righteous Judge.
Sin sproclaims itself ven as Samucl's
sharp question brought conviction
from the lips of Saul ". Il; Prov.
2S:l3). Saul thought to deceive Sam
uel by using a falsehood ". 15). The
only safe course is to confess our
sins FPS. 32:15; l.. John 1:9). There
is an interesting suggestion in the
way Saul uses h impersonal they"
n we" in verse 15, as il 10 lay
the guilt of his acts upon others. 1t
is easy for the sinner to blame others
and seek to minimize his own guilt
from. 14:12). Verse 0 clearly in
dicates why Saul and the people had
spared the best of the cattle. To use
a part only for God and the res. for
self in direct d~isobedience to Gods
rights or the rights OF others is to
incur his righteous wrath wv. %, 23).
Samuel did not tell Saul what he
thought of him but simply and direct
ly delivered words (v. 16 !. c.. Re-
calling Saul's beginnings as king of
Israel, emphasizing Gods mercy and
grace, Samuel recounts Gods COM
mand regarding the Amalekites.
These are a type of the flesh and for
such God has no mercy except that
of Calvary (Gal. 5:24). Samuel eff
f~ectually swept aside Sauls sophistry
by his direct question ". 1877 which
demand a straightforward answer.
~. Saui's SeIf-Reiection, w. 2c-23.
God. set Saul aside because he had
rejected the right and chose the
wrong. Face to face with his sin
Saul could not dodge the issue. Sam
uels wherefore" ". 19) must have
aroused Saul's guilty conscience. 1t
is a question which should reach every
tCAAPtC0 Soul. aliuc I'D tGCL6TlZ6u
fSaul's sin as being due to stubborn
ness, rebellion, disobediance and a re-
lection of God 0v. 1917. Again Saul
seeks to eyade his responsibility wv.
20, 2D. Then Samuel speaks plainly
". 22) comparing his sin of disobedi-
ence with witchcraft, st~ubbornness,
ihiquity and idolatry. Plainly he tells
Saul, Because thou hast rejected the
word of the Lord, he hath also reject
| ed thee from being king" Nv. 23t.
Driven thus to a corner Saul made
q confession of his guilt (v. 24) but
| spoiled it all by acknowledging that
he had greater fear of the people than
of God. His sorrow was that OF the
man who was caught in an act of
transgression and not because of the
sfnfulness of his deed. God had for
saken Saul and therefore Samuel
| parts company with him also tvv. %.
26). Saul's rending of Samuel's gar
ment (vv: 81, 2S) is used as a parable
OF the forthcoming rent kingdom.
Samuel takes occasion to suggest that
God, the Strength Ct Israel" had
won the recent victory and that God
was not guilty Of lying nor had he