The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1915-04-02
INTERNATIONAL.
SUNIGYSQlOOL
LESSON
LESSON FOR APRIL a
SAUL REJECTED BY THE LORD.
Q3y n. o. SELLERS, Acting Director OF
Sunday School Course. Moody Bible In
stitute, Chicago.)

LESSON TEXT Samuel 15:1O-2S.
GOLDEN TEXT-Behold. to obey is bet
ter than sacrifce.-I Samuel 1872.
Jonathan's victory (ch. 14) brought
with 1t SHINING on the part of the
hungry, harassed Israelites in that
they ate of the spoils with the blood"
(14:31, 80; Lev. 3:17, 1926. In the
emergency Saul erected the first al
tar that he built unto the Lord" (ch
1880, rather dilatory act on the
part of a God-anointed king. Saul had
resorted to the subterfuge of com.
handing the people ito roll a great
stone" ie., cut the Threats Of the ami
mails Of which they had eaten that
they might bleed, and thus be an evi-
dence that the animals had died be-
fore being eaten. This the people did,
fearing Saul, but 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.
ly brought about the victory.
!. Gods Sorrow, w. 1912. Samuel
had first revealed Gods purpose in
making Saul king, and likewise first
declared Gods purpose to dispose OF
Saul ". 100. Saul's actions wv. 1-9)
had stamped him as being no longer
worthy of Gods confidence. The
word "repenteth," meaning TO sigh"
". ~, denotes change Of feeling
due to SauPs 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 COM
mand only heightened his guilt.
Whatever moral difficulties seem to
lie, for later age, in Sauls commits
sion against Amalek, there were none
such for him" (Vaughn). Mans re-
pentance involves change Of mind
and 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
cause 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 Jehovahs message. 1t is
remarkable of how many of the great
men of the Bible 1t is said that they
rose early, Abraham, Gideon, Joshua,
Job, Jacob, Moses, ETC., not to forget
our Lord Jesus.
II. SamueI's Rebuke, w. 1919. It
must have been striking scene when
the aged Nazarite prophet faced the
proud but recreant king A guilty
conscience is often covered by great
show of piety ". 13), but such acts
cannot stifle the conviction OF the
heart nor deceive the righteous judge.
Sin proclaims itself even as Samuel's
sharp question brought conviction
from the lips of Saul ". IA; Prov.
2S:19). Saul thought to deceive Sam
uel by using falsehood ". 15). The
only safe course is to confess our
sins FPS. 32:15; I. John 1:9). There
is an interesting suggestion in the
way Saul uses the impersonal they"
and I'VE In verse 16, as If to lay
the guilt Of his acts upon others. 1t
is easy for the sinner to blame others
and seek to minimize his own guilt
(Rom. 14:12). Verse 9 clearly in
dicates why Saul and the people had
spared the best of the cattle. To use
part only for God and the rest for
self in direct disobedience to Gods
rights or the rights of others is to
incur his righteous wrath wv. 20, 23).
III. sauI's SeIf-Rejectlon, w. 2o-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
uel's wherefore" ". 19) must have
aroused Saul's guilty conscience. it
is question which should reach every
tempted soul. Samuel characterized
Saurs sin as being due to stubborn
ness, rebellion, disobedience and re-
lection of God ". 1917. Again Saul
seeks to evade his responsibility wv.
20, 21). Then Samuel speaks plainly
". 22) comparing his sin Of disobedi-
ence with witchcraft, stubbornness,
iniquity and idolatry. Plainly he tells
Saul, because thou hast rejected the
word of the Lord, he hath also reject
ed thee from being king" ". 23).
Driven thus to corner Saul made
q confession Of his guilt ". 24) but
spoiled 1t all by acknowledging that
he had greater fear of the people than
Of God.
This is Easter Sunday, our reproach
has been removed, not at Gilgal but
on Calvary. The unchanging God
hates sin. which is Interchangeable. has
condemned 1t on the Cross that the
guilty sinner may live.
The persistence of sin, the I'M
changeableness of God and his I'M
yielding hatred OF sin are met by the
elimination Of Easter for, by the
obedience Of one shall many be made
righteous" (Rom. 5:19).
The whole root Of Saul's trouble