The Raymer enterprise., 1920-05-06


GOLDEN TExT-The wages Of sin IL
death: but the gift Of God Is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord.-Rom. ga
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL-I Sam. 2:22-
ss; s:lo-lt: +:l9; Sis; Eph. s:l-4.
PRIMARY ToPIc-God Calls the Bov
Samuel
JUNIOR ToPIc-Eli and His Sons.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
Sowing and Reaping.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
"A Responsibility Of Parents and chn.
dren.
I. The Wlckedness Of Ell and Hla
Sons 2:l2-l7. 27-36.
l. ElI's sons wv. l2.l7. 22). The be.
havior Of these sons Is in strange con-
trast to that Of the boy Samuel. Eli's
sons were priests and mlnlstered In
the things Of the sanctuary. but "knew
not the Lord" ". 12).
~ Graft tvv. l2-1O. This greed
was practiced upon the worshlpers
who brought their sacrifices to the
sanctuary. according to Gods law.
God ordained that the priests should
have the breasts and shoulders of the
animals which were brought to the al.
tar LEX. 1927; Lev. 7:31, S2). The
degenerate sons of Ell we're not con.
tent with this. but demanded more,
and even sought to obtain It by force
". 16). Moreover. they lifted out
with a fork certain choice portions
while raw, and had them roasted.
Such behavior on the part Of the
priests was revolving to the worship
ers and resulted In the adherence OF
the Lords offerings
2. Ell tvv. 27-36). Ell was seeming.
ly good man. but he seriously erred
before God In that he failed to disci.
pline his sons tvy. 22-24). He knew
Of their sins and was conscious Of his
obligation. but his fatherly heart led
him Into sentimental indulgence; his
love got the better of his judgment.
Ell was content with a weak remon.
STRANGE. He was under obligation not
merely to speak against 1t, but should
have acted against 1t.
u. Ell and His Sons Punished a.:
1-18).
They at last came to reap what
they had sown. God has appointed a
day Of judgment Acts II :31). There
is harvest time for the sinner as
well as for the righteous Joel 3:l3).
II one has sown 10 the wind he shall
reap the whirlwind. The PhilIstlnes
made war upon Israel and defeated
them with great slaughter. This judg.
ment had been made known to Ell by
q "man Of God" :27) and Samuel
(3:l1-18). The Phllistlnes were IN.
struments In the hands of God for
this judgment.
!. The battle with the Philistines
(vv. l-9). The Tsraelites made an un.
successful attempt to free themselves
from the oppression Of the PhIlistines
Israel was smitten and some 1900 were
slain. This aroused them to inquire
as to why the Lord had smltten them
and to suggest that the ark be brought
from Shiloh as a defense against the
enemy. In this they committed two
blunders: III The elders had no right
to handle the ark; that belonged to
the priests. Before taking such a step
they should have sought the mind Of
God, and II It were bis will that the
ark be brought. 1t should have been
done by the priests. (2) II was su.
perstitious use Of the ark, which was
symbol of Gods presence. They ig-
norantly assumed that the presence OF
God inhered In the symbol. forgetting
that he is the living God. who has
will and purpose Of his own. and there
fore will not give c0untenance to that
which dIsagrees with his holy purpose
and will. Processing Christians In this
age commit a similar error when they
substitute the sacraments of the
church for the presence of God In the
soul. The earth rang out with great
shout when the ark was brought into
the camp and the enemy was struck
with fear. for they knew what wonders
God had wrought In times past. In
their desperation they made stand.
calling upon their men to do their best
With their backs to the wall they
fought and won the victory.
2. Israel's disastrous defeat wv. 10
18). az The army was routed and
great slaughter occurred ". 1W; (2)
the ark of God was taken ". l0). the
symbol of the divine presence with Its
sacred memories torn from their grasp
and with II went Israel's hope; 49,
Eli's sons slain ". 10Y the very priests
who were the custodians of the ark
were slain; az death Of Ell the high
priest ". l8). The news OF the de-
feat Of the army and the death Of his
sons was awful. hut when he heard
that the ark Of God was taken ne died
Instantly.
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