The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-04-03

ter thSn sacrincc.-I samuel 1872
Jouathan's victory (ch. 14) brouFh,
with it a SHINING on the part OF The
hungry. harassed Israelites In thai
they ate of tse spoils with the bloods
C4:31, 80: Lev. 3:17. 1890. In thu
emergency Saul erected the first II.
tar that he built unto the Lord tcf
1880. rather dflatory act on the
part OF a Godanointed king. Saul had
resorted to the subterfuge of COM
handing the people ito roll q great
stone" i.e., cut the threats Of the anIs
mails of which they had eaten that
they might bleed, and thus be an evil
dence that the animals had died be.
fore being eaten. This the people did.
fearing Saul, but having no scrupIsa
in transGressing Gods commands.
These same people rescued Jonathan
from the foolish vow of Saul, for it
was his faith and vaIor that had chief.
ly brought about the victory. f
!. Gods Sorrow, wv. 1912. Samuel
had first revealed Gods purpose In
making Saul king, and likewise first
declared Gods purpose to dispose OF
Saul ". 1o). sauPs actions wv. Icy
had stamped him as being no longer
worthy Of Gods condolences. The
word "repenteth," meaning Ito aigh..
". III, denotes a change Of feeling
due to Saul's actions and not 20 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 Saurs commits.
sion against Amalek, there were none
such for him" CVaughn). Mans 70,
pentance involves change OF mind
and purpose. In Saul's case God re-
pented, changed the instrument Of hin
execution, because OF the change "a
circumstances and relation. COD a.
ever the same; 1t is man alone who
changes. Saul had given Samuel
cause for anger ". IL r. VI, but he
did the wise thing in taking It 20 Cod
IN prayer. Arising early the noxA
morning Samuel fastened to aoquaink
Saul with Jehovah's message. It 10
remarkable of how many of the great
men OF the Bible 1t is said that then
rose early. Abraham, Gideon. Joshuss
Job. Jacob, Moses, etc, not to forget
our Lord Jesus.
u. Samuel's Rebuke, wv. 1919. n
must have been striking scene when
the aged Nazarite prophet faced the
proud but recreant king. A guilty
conscience is often covered bysa great
show of piety ". 49,, but such acts
cannot stifle the conviction Of the
heart nor deceive the righteous Judge
Sg1 let ..
sharp question brought conYictfon
from the fps of Saul ". II; PROV.
2S:13). Saul thought to deceive Sam
uel by using falsehood ". I'D. Tha
only safe course is to confess our
sins CPS. 32:15; I. John 1:e). There
is an interesting suggestion in the
way Saul uses the impersonal they,
and I'VE" in verse 10, as &c to lar
the guilt of his acts upon others. Ie
is easy for the sinner to blame others
and seek to minimize his own guiIt
(Rom. 1879. Verse o. clearly In,
dicates why Saul and the people had
spared the best of the cattle. To uso
part only for God and the rest for
self in direct disobedience to Gods
rights or the rights of others - to
incur his righteous wrath Wv. az, 2s}.
III. Saui's seif-ReJectlon, w. 2c23.
God set Saul aside because no 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 Sauls guilty conscience 10
is a question which should reach every
tempted soul. Samuel Characterised
Saul's sin as being due to stubborn,
ness, rebellion, disobedience and q ro1
lection Of God ". 19). Again Saul
seeks to evade his responsibility (vv,
20, 2D. 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. Cv. 2s).
Driven thus to corner Saul mad6
confession OF his guilt ". 24) but
spoiled it all by acknowledging THAI
he had greater fear OF the people than
.of God.
This is Easter. Sunday. our reprcach
has been removed, not at Gilgal but
on Calvary. The unchanging God
hates sin. which is Interchangeable. has
condemned it on the Cross that tho
guilty sinner may live.
The persistence Of sin. the uns
changeableness Of God and his un-
yielding hatred OF sin are met by the
elimination Of Easter for. by the
obedience Of one shall many be made
righteous" (Rom. SID
The whole root of Saul'H troubie
was his attitude towards the word OF
God. Every mans destiny hinges
upon what he does with the Living
Incarnate Word.
The resurrection of Jesus Is the
seal of his authority. the arfdancn <,e