Middletown transcript., 1920-05-22
LESSON FOR MAY q
leRAELes FIRST KING.

| LESSON FOR MAY %
leRAEL's FIRST, KING.
LESSON TEXT Sam. s:1s-bo.ak
| GOLDEN TExT-Only fear the Lord
md serve him IN truth with ali youl
| Seart.-1 Sam. HA
ADDITIONAL MATER1AL&I Sam. "a;
x14: W:16-4.
PRIMARY TOPIC-saul Visits samuel
| JUNIOR TOPIC-Saul Chosen as King.
| INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
| -Kingly Qualities In Saul.
| YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
The Selection OF Leaders.
!. The People Demand a King wv.
$40.
I. Their reasons for this demand.
~ Samuel was incapacitated by old
age; (2) the unfaithfulness Of his
IONS whom he had appointed as his
successors; (3) the desire to be like
sther nations. The surrounding ma
lions had king as leader. They
wanted king who would go out and
light their battles (see Y. 20). The de.
dire to be like others causes many to
1epart from the Lord
2. Samuel's behavior under this
rial fvv. CO.,. He took the matter
70 the Lord In prayer. The Lord COM
:orted him by assuring him that this
rejection was not merely his, rejec.
Ion, but the rejection Of the king.
Ihip Of God.
u. Samuel Telis of tho Manner o.
dse Kings wv. 1919.
He shows them that the king will
be very exacting and arbitrary in his
3ealing with them.
l. He will take their sons and make
them to serve in the army and do all
kinds Of hard work on his farm and
IN his house. He will make slaves
of their daughters. also.
z He win take their lands. even
those inherited from their fathers and
give them to his favorite officers and
servants. Not Content with that he
Will take the tenth part of the produce
that remains and give to them. Any
servant or animal particularly attrac.
i've would be appropriated by him.
III. Samuel's Protest Disreoarded by
the People wv. 1929.
Having made up their minds
.hey deliberately shut their eyes to
the truth and rushed madly into the
experiment. Men today just as delib-
erately are turning from Gods King,
going after the lusts Of their own
hearts, but God makes the wrath Of
men to praise him.
". Tho King Providentiaily Point
ed Out (1-10:18).
Saul was sent by his father to
search for the asses that had wan
dered away. While Saul and his fa-
ther were acting freely In this mat.
ter, at the same time Gods sovereign
purpose wes being carried out Al
though difficult to understand, God
carries forth his sovereign purpose
without interfering with mans free.
dom. History furnishes US with many
examples by which the desnnies Of
men and nations have been changed
v. The King Chosen At Mlzpeh
(1O:17-2D.
The Lord had already pointed out
to Samuel who should be king and
Saul had Seen anointed. Let US OBJ
serve:
1. Why Saul was chosen. II they
would have a king the Lord would
give them the one best suited to FIJI
the place. He was from Benjamin. .
small tribe, which would prevent un-
due rivalry between Ephraim and
Judah, the leading tribes Of Israel.
He was also chosen because Of his
personal fitness ". 24). He had (the
natural qualifications for his work,
namely, self-control, modeety. and q
military instinct.
2. How Saul was chosen. The meth.
cd was by lot Samuel called them
together before the Lord, and before
the lot was cast he again remonstrat.
ed with them against such action. He
showed them the base ingratituds Of
their rejection Of such a God and king
who had done SO much for them, and
gave them q chance to forego their
rash demand. He pointed out TO them
Gods goodness.
3. How the king was received by
the people. Saul knew that the Lord
had chosen him, but through modesty
and fear he shrank from the resron,
sibility. By inquiry Of the Lord his
hiding place was made known. When
he was brought forth Samuel present. |
ed him to the people, assuring them
that Saul was the Lords choice. |
Some were enthusiastic in their re-
ception and shouted, God save the
king" Others Knocked and refused
him allegiance.
VI. The King Confirmed at cIleaI
(ch. 11).
Soon after the election at Mizpeh
the. Ammonites made a desperate de
mand upon the men of Jabesh-g gilead. |
Saul hearing Of 1t. hastily sumponed
the tribes together for war and won |
q remarkable victory. As he thus
proved his ability the people wished
to punish the sons Of Belial, but Saul
forbade them. Samuel took advan-
tage Of this auspicious situation and
called all the people together at Gil.
gnl where they formally crowned hip
their king.
vpltalre's Prophecy.