The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1920-05-27
LESSON FOR JUNE 6
sAUl's FAILURE.
LESSON TExr-I Sam. rs

LESSON TENT-I Sam IS
GOLDEN TENT-For thou hast reject
% the word % the Lord and the LORD
hath rejected thee.-I Sam 1915
ADDITIONAL WATERFALL sam IA,
a-6a '"' w.
PRIMARY roPIc-A King Who Dis
sbeyed God
JUNIOR roPIc-How Saul Los, Ills
Kingdom
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
why Saul Failed
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
The strength and Weakness o. saurs
Character
This Is one 81 the saddest pictures
In Bible history. No one has had a
brighter prospect before him than Saul.
yet no one has shade greater failure.
He possessed strong natural gifts. the
qualities Of a great king. He had fine
physique. which greatly favogs ones
success In life. other things being
equal. He had the benefit OF Samuel's
advice and cody life. which was Of In
estimable value.
.. The Command to Saul (vv. I-3).
He II commanded 10 utterly exiermi-
nate the Amaiekites. leaving neither
people nor booty. The reason assigned
IA their evil treatment Of Israel as
they came up out Of Egypt (Ex. II g.:
Deut. % ~. This command may seem
cruel. but we must remember that II
was given by the Lord. who has the
right 20 kill or TO make alive. The
wickedness OF this people was very
great Their judgment was only such
as their sin deserved. II was not Is
raers act, but Gods. Israel only being
the sword In his hand.
.. u. The olsobedienee Of Saul wv.
l-Q). $780,
He renders q partial obedience
Lgag. the king. In spared and the best
OF the goods IL appropriated. The pur-
pose Of Gods thoroughgoIng command
was 20 show that II was warfare Of
Judgment for wickedness. not for greed
Saul only oheyed as far as his lnclina-
tons led him. The obedience TO God
which In limited by the hearts incli-
nation Is the worst kind OF obedience.
~. Saul Rebuked by Samuel wv.
1929.
I. Samuel cried 10 God ". ~. The
news Of this dlsgraceful act greatly dis
turbed Samuel. causing him to cry to
the Lord all night.
2 Saul's hypocritical pretense wv.
Is. l6). Saul met Samuel with the
pretense Of having executed the Lords
commandment. This pretense carried
a lie upon its face. Those who are the
trlI 10 Of thalr oh
ence are the ones who are conscious Of
disobedlence. and their consciences
trouble them over II. Though dis
turbed by guilty conscience he tried
20 concillate Samuel. the prophet. but
the very bleatlng Of the sheep and the
lowing OF the herds betrayed him.
Thus betrayed. he tried 10 shift the
blame upon the people ". i5). This
Is always the way. II matters not
what the crime may be- some excuse
can be made for II. He then played
the hypocrite by trying TO make II
pass as an act OF devotion TO God ".
I5). He should have known that things
gnlned by disobedlence TO God are an
abomlnatlon 10 him. Offerings 10 God
OF ill-gotten gains can never atone for
sins OF disobeGience and neglect. Saul
tried 10 justify himself by pleading
that he was keeping the spirit of the
commandment. while not literally car
rylng out It's requirements. He has
many successors today who do not be-
iieve in the literal Interpretation and
practice OF Gods Word.
g. Samuel rehearses before Saul
Gods dealing with him wv. 1929.
Samuel met this hypocrisy by bring.
Ing him TO squsrely face his sin. God
is more concerned in having his sub
jects render obedience unto his com
mandments than he Is for them TO Of
fer unto him sacrifices. Such an act
when the heart is In rebellion Is as
hateful 20 God as withcraft and idola.
try.
W. The Judgment upon Saul wv. 20
85l. -2-l,s--As eel.
For the presumptuous offering OF
sacrifice the dynasty passed from
Sdtils hoGse, and Tor this att OF IA,
grant disobedlenee the kingdom Is rent
from him. 1t is taken from Saul and
given to his neighpor who is better
than he. Tie confessed his sin and
begged Samuel to still honor him be-
fore the elders Of the people This
further shows his selfeentered life.
His honor was more to him than the
glory OF God Samuel forsook him
and left him alone to suffer In dis
grace. lie refused TO punish the Anal
skite I'll Sam. :l0). Unless we Stay
our enemies they will Stay us. Judg-
ment shall come sooner or later upon
those who sin, for "the wages OF sin
is death. but the gift OF God 10 eternal
life through Jesus Christ our Lord"
(Rom. 6:23).
Great Oeeds
W. all want 10 do some great thing