Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1920-06-03

1
F7-52
PRIMARY roPIc-A King Who Dis
obeyed God.
JUNIOR roP1c-How saul Lost HIS
Kingdom.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
| why Saul Failed.
Young PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
The Strength and Weakness oe Saul's
Character.
! This Is one Of the saddest pictures
In Bible history. Ne one has had q
brighter prospect before him than Saul,
vet no one has made a greater faifqga
he possessed strong natural gifts the
qualities Of great king. He had a flne'
physique. which greatly favors ones
success In life, other things being
equal. He had the benefit Of SamueEs
advice and cody life, which was Of in
estimable value.
!. The Command to Saul wv. 1-3).
He Is commanded to utterly extermi-
nate the Amalekites. leaving neither
people nor booty. The reason assigned
Is their evil treatment of Israel as
they came up out Of Egypt lex. 1873;
Deut. 26:17). This command may seem
cruel, but we must remember that It
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. It was not Is
raels act, but Gods, Israel only being
the sword in his hand.
u. The Dlsobedlenee 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 it was warfare Of
judgment for wickedness. not for greed.
Saul only obeyed as far as his inclina-
tons led him. The obedience to God
which is limited by the hearts incii-
nation is the worst kind of obedience.
III. Saul RebuI<ed by Samuel wv.
1025).
1. Samuel cried to God ". ~. The
news Of this disgraceful act greatly dis
turbed Samuel, causing him to cry to
the Lord all night.
2. Saul's hypocritical pretense wv.
Is, 16). Saul met Samuel with the
pretense Of having executed the Lords
commandment. This pretense carried
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 guilty conscience he tried
to conciliate Samuel, the prophet, but
the very bleating Of the sheep and the
lowing Of the Aerds 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 1t. He then played
the hypocrite by trying to make 1t
pass as an act Of devotion to God ".
15). He should have known that things
gained by disobedience to God are an
abomination to him. Offerings to God
of ill-gotten gains can never atone for
sins Of disobedieHce and neglect. Saul
tried to Justify himself by pleading
that he was keeping the spirit Of the
commandment, while not literally car
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.
jects 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.
". The Judgment upon Saul wv. 20
35).
For the presumptuous Offering Of
sacrifice the dynasty passed from
Saul's 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.
exile (II Sam. 1:10). Unless we STAY
our enemies they will STAY us. Judg
ment shall come sooner or later upon
those who sin, for "the wages Of sir |
is death, but the gift Of God 10 eternal
lifn through Jo1ua Christ oup ord /, |