The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1920-04-22
LESSON FOR MAY 2
The BOY SAMUEL

The BOY SAMUEL.
LESSON TEXT Sam. i.2t-2s. AIN
WIDEN TkAT-My son. give me thine
heart, and let thine eyes observe INV
ways-Prov. g3.es NY
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL Il Sam.
PRIMARY ToPIc-rhe CHA ssuu.,
In God's House. '"''"e'
JUNIOR ToPIc-A BOY Who Listened
and Obeyed S'e"e"
INTERMEDIATES AND SENIOR TOPIC
Training for Religious Leadership.
louNG PEOPLE AND ADULT Topic
heIsious Capacities In the Training Of
Children. "
'. Samuel Given to the Lord q %
2s).
samuel was given 10 Hannah I'm
answer TO prayer. His name means
asked Of God" For n time he was
cared for by his mother in the home.
III asking God for son she vowed
10 dedicate him TO the Lord. Accord
lngly Mt an early age she took him TO
the sanctuary and gave him over TO
the charge Of Ell. Thus In his tender
years he minlstered to the Lord.
w. Features Of Isrsers History In
This Period.
i. demoralized priesthood. U)
Inc priests were actuated by greed
2:l21O. II was Gods will that
those who minlstered at the altar
should live OF the things Of the altar,
but they broke through the divine reg.
ulations touching this matter and
were securing their selfish ends by
force. CD The priests polluted the
courts Of Gods house with the gross
est immortality (2:22).
2. An alienated people. The only
thing which separates people from
God is sin.
q. cessation Of divine revelation
t3:D. God was silent-"The word OF
God was precious In those days: there
was no open vision" The message
from the Lord was more matter Of
memory than an active experience.
The same thing In principle is true Of
the individual life today; some who
once enjoyed fellowship with God no
longer hear his voice speaking TO them.
~. God Calls Samuel (3:2-1O).
In striking contrast with the degen-
erncy Of the nation we have brought
before us the beautiful life Of Samuel.
We see God getting ready for the re-
generation of the nation. Dwelling
within the sacred courts and minister
ing before the Lord with Fla. Is the
innocent Samuel. who is TO be the
savior OF his people. In Samuel we
have n striking pattern OF child re-
hg'on. The Lord gave him In answer
TO Hannah's prayer. From his birth
he was dedicated To the Lord. While
quite young his mother took him To
the sanctuary OF the Lord where he
served and slept. IL Is good thing
10 have much sin forgiven. but IL Is
better far To grow up without sin.
Two traits in Samuel's character
stand out In this CALI namely, his
cheerful obedience TO the Lords call
and his surrendered will. Ii was no
easy thing TO respond cheerfuly TO
the thrice repeated call. II may have
seemed 10 him To be unreasonable,
but each time he obeyed in simplicity.
w. samueI's First Prophetic Nee |
sage (3:tt-ts).
Up TO this time Samuel obeyed' the
one who was over him, but the time
had now come when he must directly |
hear and obey the Lord. The first |
message entrusted 10 him is most |
terrible one. To deliver Il Is most |
trying task. lie hesitated 10 tell IL TO |
Ell. but when pressed by him he man |
ifested the true courage which was
lying back Of his fear. II must have
been bitter sting 10 Eli TO see Sam |
uel recognized and himself passed by, |
but he was submissive. He knew |
that the slight was just; he could not /
fail 10 interpret IL thus In view Of the |
appearance of the man Of God 10 him
G. :27-36). This fearful visitation up |
on EMS house was due 10 the sins of |
his sons lie was held accountable |
for not restraining them. Parental |
laxity Is most cruel. There is an age |
In which children may be restrained,
but when passed over the power TO re-
strain goes with IT,
v. Samuel Established in the Pro
phetie Office (3:l02D.
"And Samuel grew. and the Lord
was with him, and did let none of his
words fall To the ground. And all
Israel from Dan even 10 Beersheba
knew that Samuel was established To
be- prophet of the Lord This is a
verlfication Of the saying Him that
honors me | will honor" Little did
Hannah realize that the boy who had
been given In answer 10 her prayer
would one day become the head Of the
nation. This new position brought
great danger 10 tine boy, but the God
who raised him up was able TO sus-
tlan him.
Faith and Waiting.
The most difficult business In the