Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1915-04-02
LESSON FOR APRIL d
SAUL REJECTED BY THE LORD.

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SAUL REJECTED BY THE LORD.
LESSON TEXT Samuel 15:1o-23.
GOLDEN ~TEXT-Behold, to obey is bet
ter than sacriice.-I Samuel 15:22.
Jonathan's victory (ch. 14) brought
with 1t a 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, 1920. In the
emergency Saul erected the first al
tar that he built unto the Lord" (ch
1888, a 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" 1.e., cut the Threats of the ami
mails of which they had eaten that
they might bleed, inc thus be an evil
dence that the animals had died be-
fore being eaten. This the people did,
tearing Saul, but having no %scruples
N t~ransgressing 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 ". 10Y. Saul's actions wv. 49,
had stamped him as being no longer
worthy of Gods confidence. The
word "repenteth," meaning ito sigh"
". III, denotes a change Of feeling
due to Saul'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 com
mand only heightened his guilt.
Whatever moral difficulties seem to
lie, for a later age, in Saul's commits
l against Amalek, there were none
such for him" (Vaughn). Mans re-
pentance involves a change of mind
n purpose. In SauI's case God re-
pented, changed the instrument of his
execution, because of the change of
ol1o 1Ou IL
ever the same; it is man alone who
changes. Saul had given Samuel
cause for anger ". II R. VI, but he
DID the wise thing in taking it to God
in prayer. Arising early the next
morning Samuel FASTENED to a~cquaint
Saul with Jehoyah's message. 1t is
remarkable of how many of the great
men of the Bible it is said that they
rose early, Abraham, Gideon, Joshua,
Job, Jacob, Moses, ETC., not to forget
our Lord Jesus.
II. Samuei's Rebuke, wv. 1919. 1t
must have been a striking scene when
the aged Nazarite prophet faced the
proud but recreant king. A guilty
conscience is often covered by a great
show of piety ". 49,, but such acts
cannot stife the conviction of the
heart o deceive the righteous judge.
Sin proclaims itself ever as Samuels
sharp question brought conviction
from the lips of Saul "! IA; Prov.
2S:13). Saul thought to deceive Sam
uel by using a falsehood (v. 15). The
only safe cours is to confess our
sins Cps. 32:15; l. John 1:9). There
is an interesting suggestion in the
way Saul uses the impersonal they
and I'VE" in verse Is, as if to lay
the guilt of hi3 acts upon others. II
Is easy for the sinner to blame others
and seek to minimize his own gull
from. 14:12). Verse 9 clearly in
dicates why Saul and the people had
spared the best of the cattle. To use
a part only for God and the rest for
self in direct d~isobedience to Gods
rights or the rights Of others is tc
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 l.. CO.. Re
calling Saul's beginnings as king o.
Israel, emphasizing Gods mercy ane
grace, Samuel recounts Gods com
mand regarding the Amalekites
These are a type of the flesh and FOL
such God has DC mercy except tina
of Calvary (Gal. 5:24). Samuel eff
fectually swept aside Saul's sophistr,
by his direct question ". 19) which
demand a straightforward answer.
III. Sau!'s Self-Rejection, w. 2c-23
God set Saul aside because he hat
rejected the right and chose thu
wrong. Face to face with his sir
Saul could not dodge the issue. Sam
ueIs wherefore" ". 19) must hav,
aroused Saul's guilty conscience. l
is a question which should reach ever
tempted soul. Samuel characterize,
Saurs sin as being due to stubborn
ness, rebellion, d~isobedience and a re
lection of God (v. 1917. Again Sau
seeks to evade his responsibility (vy
20, 21). Then Samuel speaks plainl.
". 22) comparing his sin of disobed.
ence with witchcraft, stu~bbornness
~iniquity and idolatry. Plainly he tell
Saul, Because thou hast rejected tn
word of the Lord, he hath also reject
ed thee from being king" ". 23).
Driven thus to a orner Saul mad
a confession of his guilt ". 24) bu
spoiled it all by acknowledging tina
he had greater fear of the people tina,
of God. His sorrow was that of tn
man who was caught in an act @
transgression and not because of tn
sinfulness of his deed. God had fol
saken Saul and therefore Samue
nortc comDapv with him also wv q