The Arvada enterprise. (Arvada, Colo.) 1908-1970, 1920-05-06

GOLDEN TExT-The wages of sin 10
death: but the gift Of God IL eternal life
through jesus Christ our LOrd.-Rom. SPA
ADDITIONAL WATERFALL Sam. 2:2c-
y; s:lo-l4: +:ls: Sis: Eph. s:l-%
PRIMARY ToPlc-God Calls the Boy
Samuel
JUNIOR TOPlC-EM and His Sons.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
Sowing and Reapins.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
"A Responsibility Of Parents and Chill
dren.
!. The Wiekedness Of Ell and His
Sons 2:l2-l7. 27-36
l. Ellis sons tvv. 1917. 22). The be-
haviOr Of these sons is In strange con-
trast to that Of the hoy Samuel. Els
sons were priests and ministered in
the things Of the sanctuary. but "knew
not the Lord" ". l2).
~ Graft wv. l2-lO. This greed
was practiced upon the wOrshipers
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. Z 81. 32). The
degenerate sons OF ELI we're not con-
tent with this. but demanded more.
and even sought to obtain 1t by force
". l6). Moreover. they lifted out
with 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 (vv. 27-36). Ell was seeming
ly a good man, but he seriously erred
before God In that he failed to disci.
pline his sons (vv: 22-24). He knew
Of their sins and was conscious Of his
obligation. bur his fatherly heart led
him into a sentimental Indulgence: his
love got the better Of HIS judgment.
Ell was content with q weak remon.
STRANGE. He was under obligation not
merely to speak against It. but should
have acted against It.
u. Eli and His Sons Punished a.:
1-18).
They at last came to reap what
they had sown. God has appointed q
day Of Judgment tActs 17:3l). There
II harvest time for the sinner as
well as for the righteous (Joei 3:13).
II one has sown 10 the wind he shall
reap the whirlwind. The Philistines
made war upon Israel and defeated
them with great slaughter. This judg.
ment had been made known to Ell by
. "man of God" (2:27) and Samuel
(3:11-1S). The Phllistines were In.
struments in the hands of God for
this judgment.
I. The battle with the Philistines
tvv. 1-8). The Israelites made an un.
successful attempt to free themselves
from the oppression Of the PhiiistInes.
IsrneI was smitten and some 1000 were
slain. This aroused them to inquire
as to why the Lord had srnitten them
and to suggest that the ark he brought
from Shiloh as defense against the
enemy. In this they committed two
blunders: ~ The elders had no right
to handle the ark: that belonged to
the priests. Before taking such step
they should have sought the mind Of
God. and II II were his will that the
ark be brought. II should have been
done by the priests. (2) II was ,su.
perstitiOus use Of the ark, which was
q symbol OF Gods presence. They ig.
norantly assumed that the presence Of
God inhered In the symbol. forgetting
that he II the living God. who has a
will and purpose Of his own. and there.
fore will not give countenunce to that
which disagrees with his holy purpose
and will. Processing Christians In this
age commit similar error when they
| substitute the sncramcnts Of the
church for the presence Of God In the
soul. The earth rang out with great
shout when the nrk was brought into
the cnmp and the enemy was struck
with fear. for they knew what wonders
God had wrought In times pnst. In
their desperation they made u stand.
calling upon their men to do their best.
with their backs TO the wall they
fought and won the victory.
2. israeI's disastrous defeat (vv. 10
49,. ~ The army was routed and q
grent slaughter occurred ". l0): t2)
the ark Of God WINS taken ". lO). the
symbol Of the divine presence with rs
sncred memories torn from their grasp
E;lrs SONS slnin ". l0) the very priests
who were the custo,iinns of the ark
were slain: ~ denth of Ell the high