New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1920-06-04
LESSON FOR JUNE 6
SAul'S FAILURE.


LESSON TEXT Sam. IS.
GOLDEN TEXT-For thou hast reject
I'd the word OF the Lord. and the Lord
hath rejected thee.-I ~am 1928.
ADDITIONAL WATERFALL Sam. u:
E-62.
PRIMARY ToPIc-A King Who Dis
obeyed God.
JUNIOR TOPIC-How Saul Lost His
Kingdom.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
Why Saul Failed.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
The Strength and Weakness Of Sauls
Character.
This is M Of the saddest pictures
IN Bible history. No n has had a
brighter prospect before him than Saul.
yet no n has made a greater failure.
He possessed strong natural gifts, the
qualities Of a great king. He had a 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 wv. 1-3).
He Is commanded to utterly eytermi-
nate the A~malekites, leaving neither
people nor booty. The reason assigned
is their evil treatment of Israel as
they came up out of Egypt (Ex. II 81:
Dent. @ I'D. This command may eem
cruel, but we must remember that II
was given by the Lord, who has the
right TO kill or to make alive. The
~wickedness Of this people was very
great. Their judgment was only such
as their sin deserved. 1t was not Is
rael's act. but Gods. Israel only being
the sword In his hand. God is just as
well as love. His love should not be
emphasized at the expense Of his
justice.
u. The pisoSedienes Of Saul wv.
4-9).
He renders a partial obedience.
Agag. the king. Is spared and the best
Of the goods Is appropriated. The pur-
pose Of Gods thoroughgoing command
was to show that Il was a warfare Of
judgment for wickedness. not for greed.
Saul only Obeyed as far as his inclina-
lions led him. The obedience to God
which is limited by the hearts incli-
nation Is the worst kind of obedience.
~. Saul Rebuked BY Samuel wv.
1920.
1. Samuel cried to God ". 11). The
news of this d~isgraceful act greatly dis
turbed Samuel, cnusing him to cry to
the LORD oil night.
2. Sauls hypocritical pretense wv.
If. 18). 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 II. Though dis
turbed by a guilty conscience he tried
to cODciliate 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. II matters not
what the crime may be. some excuse
can be made for il. lie then played
the hypOcrite by trying to make II
pass MS an net of devotion to God ".
15). lie should have known that things
gained by disobelience to God are nm
a~bomination to him. Offerings 10 God
Of Wl-gOtfen gains al W atone for
sins OF d~isObedlence and neglect. Saul
tried to justify himself by pleading
that he was keeping the spirit Of the
commandment, while No literally ear
rying out its requirements. He has
many Successors today who do not be-
lIeve I'm the literal Interpretation and
practice of Gods Word.
3. Samuel rehearses before Sanl
Gods dealing with him tvv. 1929.
Samuel met this hypocrisy by bring
ing him to squarely face his sin. God
is more concerned In having his sub
jects render obedience unto his con-
mandments than he Is for them 20 OF.
fer unto him sacrifices. Such an act
when the heart is In rebellion is as
hateful to God as withcraft and idoIa-
try.
~. The Judgment upon Saul tvv. &c
35).
For the ~presumptuous offering Of
sacrifice the dynasty passed from
Saul's house, and for this act OF fs-
grant dIsnbedience the kingdom Is rent
from him. II is taken from Saul and
given TO bis neighbor, who is better
than DE. He confessed his sin and
begged Samuel to still honor him be-
fore the elders Of the people. This
further shows his s~elf-centered life.
His honor was more { him than the
glory Of God. Samuel .orsook him
and left him alone to suffer in dis
He refused TO punish the Anal
ekite Gil Sam. 1:10). Unless We slay
enemies they will slay us. Jude.
mept shall come ID or later upon
those who sin. for "the wages Of sin
IL death, but the gift Of God Is eternal
life through Jesus Christ our Lord"
SRom. esq.
True Love.