The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-02-27
,JauAY SUHUUl.
Lesson lx.-First Quarter, Fol
Feb. %, 1915.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text of the Lesson, I Sam. vii, 3.17.
Memory Verses, II, 12-Goldsn Text,
Sam. vii, 12-commentary Prepared
by Rev. D. M. Stearns.

When the men of Beth-shemesh lost
50,OIO men because of their trans
gression they sent to the men of Kir-
th-jearim to come and take the ark
away from them, for they said, "Who
is able to stand before this holy Lord
God?" Their question is very sug-
gestive one, for the holiness which
God requires in His law, which is
holy and just and good. is so great
that no man can stand before 1t, even
as it is written: If thou, Lord, should
est mark iniquities, o Lord, who shall
stand! But there is forgiveness with
thee ~ (Rom. vii. II; Ps. cxxx,
81. The way out for all, for all have
sinned and come short. is that the nee
essary holiness,is found in Christ. who
perfectly kept this holy law and Is
made righteousness unto all who re-
ceive Him QI Cor. v, 81: Cor. /, 30).
The ark found Il resting place at Kir.
jath-jearim for many years in the
house of Abinadab in the hill until
David removed it to tent which he
had pitched for 1t in Jerusalem QI
Sam. vi, 3. ~. After it had been twen-
ty years there Israel seemed to awake
to a desire for the Lord. for it is said
that they "lamented after the Lord
Oversees |. y.
1t may have been that after the
catastrophe mt EbeneZer in which the
sons of Eli were slain and the ark OF
G41 AL til
died. Samuel returned to his fa-
theirs home at Ramah. for there he
lived all his life afterwards; there he
built an altar unto the Lord; there he
judged Israel going in circuit to Bethel,
Gilgal and Mizpeh. and there he died
and was buried Il, 10; ii, IL: vii, l6. II;
XIV, II. Ever since the Phiistine vic
tory Israel had been under their pow
er, but now Samuel encouraged them
to put away their idols. return unto the
Lord with all their hearts and serve
Him only, that He might deliver them
out of the hands of the Philistines
verses 3, ~. The one thing that the
Lord is looking for in all the world is
whole heart for Himself QI Chr1n.
xvi. 81; no idols. nothing to grieve or
hinder. but such yielded hearts that
He can magnify Himself in us and
work in us all His good pleasure Heb.
xiii, 20). SO all Israel gathered togeth-
er to MiZpeh that Samuel might pray
for them Oversees 5. u. They drew wa
ter and poured it out before the Lord
and tasted and confessed their sin.
The wise woman of Tekoa said, I'VE
are as water split on the ground, which
cannot be gathered up again Oh Sam.
xiv, 14). and in Lam. ii. 10, we read.
Pour out thine heart like water be-
fore the face of the Lord True
emptiness before Him will always
bring His fullness; He perfects His
strength in our weakness; when we
are nothing then He can work. There
must be no will nor way nor thoughts
Of ours to hinder The Philistines,
hearing of the Israel movement, went
up against them, for when the people
of God turn to Him with purpose of
oppose. Israel did the right thing in
saying to Samuel, Cease not to cry
unto the Lord our God for u.s." So
Samuel offered sacrifice and cried
unto the Lord, and the Lord heard
him and thundered with a great thun-
der and discounted the Philistines, and
they came no more into the coast Of
Israel all the days of Samuel verses
7-13).
We are reminded of such words as
these: THE God of glory thundereth;"
God thundereth marvelously with
His voice; great things doeth He,
which we cannot comprehend" Ps.
xxx, 8; Job xxxvii, 81. Neither thun-
der nor lightning should cause us any
fear If we are right with Him, but
should rather make us rejoice to hear
His voice and see His might As
Noah, Daniel and Job are quoted as
samples of righteous men tEzek. xiv,
1920. so Moses and Samuel are men.
toned as great intercessors (Jer. XIV,
u. At the same place where the
Philistines conquered Israel and cap
tured the ark there the Lord overthrow
them and delivered Israel Chapter iv.
1; vii, 12,. and Samuel set up his me-
mortal stone and said, Hitherto hath
the Lord helped u.s. All who trust in
the Lord can surely say the same, and
we should say always: "Henceforth
unto Him who died for us and
rose again" "Henceforth laid
up for me crown of Righteousness"
QI Cor. v, Is: II Tim. iv, 81. BY the
great sacrifice of Himself we are re.
deemed; by His sacrifice as a burnt
Offering, typified in Samuel's Offering
verse 81, we become wholly dedicated
to Him Uev. D. and when we willingly
acknowledge it and desire to serve Him
only then we may expect to see His
power on our behalf and His working
in and through us.
SamueIs home at Ramah and the
three other places where he judged
Israel are full Of interest historically
his home because of the story of Han
nah and her song; Mizpeh because of
Israers return TO God at this time
", g., and the meaning of the name
tGen. xxi, 1852. though it was not
the same Mizpeh. Bethel reminds us
Of Abraham's second altar in the land
and his departure and return and also
of Jacobs dream Gen. xii s; xiii, 3:
xviii. 10-19. At Gilgal Israel kept
the first passover in the land. and 1t
became Joshua's headquarters Josh
v. 10: <. 16.