Middletown transcript., 1920-06-05
LESSON FOR JUNE s
sAUL's FAILURE.


~,<ss
y sAuL's FAILURE.
LESSON TEXT Sam. 1k
GOLDEN TEXT-For thou hast reJece
ed the word Of the Lord, and the Lore
hath rejected thee--I Sam. 1926.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL Sam II
H-52
PRIMARY ToP1c-A King Who Die
obeyed God.
JUNIOR ToP1o-How Saul Lost Hi
Kingdom.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
The Strength and Weakness Ct Saurs
Character.
This is one OF the saddest pictures
In Bible history. No one has had q
brighter prospect before him than Saul.
yet no one has made greater failure.
ae possessed strong natural gifts, the
qualities Of great king. He had fine
physique, which greatly favors ones
success in life, other things being
equal. He had the benefit Of Samuel's
advice and godly life. which was Of In
estimable value.
!. The Command to Saul (vv. 1-S).
He IS commanded to utterly extermt
aate the Amalekites, leaving neither
3eople nor booty. The reason assigned
q their evil treatment Of Israel as
they came up out Of Egypt (Ex. 17:8;
Oeut. 25 :17). This command may seem
cruel, but we must remember that II
vas given by the Lord, who has the
eight to kill or to make alive. The
wickedness Of this people was very
great. Their judgment was only such
as their sin deserved. It was not Is
.ael's act, but Gods, Israel only being
he sword in his hand. God is just as
we'll as love. His love should not be
emphasized at the expense Of his
Justice.
n. The Disobedienee Of Saul wv:
t9).
He renders a partial obedience.
Agag, the king, is spared and the best
II the goods is appropriated. The pur'
Jose Of Gods thoroughgoing command
vas to show that it was a warfare OF
Judgment for wickedness, not for greed
Saul only obeyed as far as his inciina.
ions led him. The obedience to God
which Is limited by the hearts incli'
nation Is the worst kind Of obedience.
III. Saul Rebuked by Samuel wv.
lO-25).
/. Samuel cried to God tv. 11). The
news of this disgraceful act greatly dis
:urbed Samuel, causing him to cry to
The Lord all night.
2. SaulHs hypocridcal pretense fvv.
Is, 16). Saul met Samuel with the
pretense Of having executed the Lords
commandment. This pretense carried
a lie upon its face Those who are the
most willing to speak Of their obedi.
ence are the ones who are conscious Of
disobedience, and their consciences
trouble them over 1t. Though dis.
turbed by a guilty conscience he tried
to conciliate Samuel, the prophet, but
the very bleating Of the sheep and the
lowing Of the herds betrayed him.
Thus betrayed, he tried to shift the
blame upon the people ". 15). This
is always the way. It matters not
what the crime may be, some excuse
can be made for it. He then played
the hypocrite by trying to make it
pass as an act Of devotion to God ".
15). He should have known that things
gained by disobedtence to God are an
abomination to him. Offerings to God
Of ill.gotten gains can never atone for
sins Of disobedience and neglect. Saul
tried to justify himself by pleading
that he was keeping the spirit Of the
commandment. while not literally chr
rying out its requirements. He has
many successors today who do not be-
lieve in the literal Interpretation and
practice Of Gods Word.
8. Samuel rehearses before Saul
Gods dealing with him wv. 1929.
Samuel met this hypocrisy by bring
ing him to squarely face his SIN God
Is more concerned In having his sub
Iects 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 to God as withcraft and idola-
try.
w. The judgment upon Saul wv. &c
35).
For the presumptuous offering Of
sacrifice the dynasty passed from
Saurs house, and for this act Of fla
grant disobedience the kingdom is rent
from him. It is taken from Saul and
given to his neighbor, who is better
than he. He confessed his sin and
begged Samuel to still honor him be-
fore the elders Of the people This
further shows his self-centered life.
His honor was more to him than the
glory of God. Samuel forsook him
and left him alone to suffer in dis
grace. He refused to punish the Anal
ekite I'll Sam. 10Y. Unless we slay
our enemies they will slay US. Judg-
nent shall come sooner or later upon
those who sin, for "the wages of sin
g death, but the gift Of God is eternal
life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
(Rom. 6:23).
| True Love.
True love Is not passion: no noble