The Dolores star., 1920-05-14
LESSON FOR MAY 16
VICTORY UNDER SAMUEL.

GOLDEN TExT-Prepare your hearts
| unto the Lord and serve him. Sam. 7:3
| ADDITIONAL. MATERIAL-I sam 6:ls-
ii; sI-3
PRIMARY ToPI~A Boy who Became
| q Useful Man.
JUNIOR ToPIC-A Great Leader Pray
Ing
| INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
Victory Through Prayer
| YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
-Qualifications for Leadership
In our last lesson we saw Tsraers
overwhelming defeat and the capture
of the ark by the Philistines. While
they triumphed over Israel, they did
not triumph over Israel's God.
Through the presence OF the ark God
was working among the Philistines.
| Note:
l. The ark at Ashdod t5:1-6). 1t was
| placed In the heather temple alongside
| OF Dagon. with the expectation that
the ark would be destroyed, showing
that Dagon was mightier than God,
but Dngon was humiliated and broken.
| Besides this the people were afflicted
with emerods. or hemorrboids. show.
Ing the hand of the living God upon
them In judgment.
2. The ark at Gath (5:7-9). Here
Immediately the same dreadful dis
ease broke out that had afflicted the
Ashdodites, accompanied with great
mortality. They then carried the ark
to Ekron.
3. The nrk at Ekron (5:1O-12). AT
Ekr0n the destruction was still more
| ,ltl m Inn lat. =
we're smitten with emerOds so that
their cry went up to heaven. The
| contest was decisively In favor of God.
Upon the advice of the lords Of the
Philistines the ark was returned to
| Israel. This was done in such way
ms to show conclusively that the hand
OF Gnd WAS upon them in judgement.
!. Samuel Calls Israel to Repentance
T:2-4).
Some twenty years have now elapsed
since Israel was humiliated by the
Philistines. during which time Israel
"lamented after the Lord" We know
not why Samuel has not been heard
| from through all these years. Doubt
less he continued to exercise the
prophetic office during this time, but
now he is appointed to the office of
| judge. also. He asked the people to
turn to the Lord with all their hearts,
| the proof of which would be:
l. To put away their idolatrOuS wor-
ship. This was really gross licentious-
ness under the guise of religion.
2. TO direct their hearts unto the
| Lord and serve him only He assures
| them that deliverance would come as
| soon as this was sincerely complied
| with.
u. Israel Assembled at Mizpeh wv.
$. 81.
This was for the purpose of confess
Ing their sins.
/. They poured water before the
Lord. This symbolized their need of
cleansing and the pouring out Of their
hearts In penitence before the Lord.
Q. They tasted and publicly con-
fessed their sins.
~. The PhiIistines Attack Israel.
| ". ~.
The assembly of Israel at Mizpeh
alarmed the Philistines. They inter
preted the gathering as preparation
| frustrnte Israel's attack upon them by
n,iucking them first: or perhaps they
recognized that the return of the peo-
| pie to the Lord meant return to pow
| er and decided to attack them while
unprepared.
~. The intereession Of Samuel. (vv.
s. 9).
The lsraelites urged Samuel to pray
| to God for them. Instead Of trusting
to the ark for deliverance they now
looked to God. Samuel accompanied
| his ,ntercession with burnt offering,
showing that he looked for acceptance
in the sacrifice OF another. even Christ.
through whose offering way Of &C.
cess was opened unto God.
v. The Victory Over the PhiIistines
(vv 10 ~.
This was the result Of Gods interpo-
sitiun "The Lord thundered with a
great thunder on that day and discom-
fitted them" The men of lsrnel fol.
lowed up this advantage to such COM
plele victory that the Philistines did
not come back to power during the
days Of Samuel. The Lord will fight j
our BATTLES II we put our trust In him;
no enemy can stand before the al.
mighty.
VI A Memorial Of oeliveranee tvv.
i2-ll).
Samuel SET up a stone between Miz-
peb aud Shen and called II Ebenezer,
winch ueans "Hitherto hath the Lord
helped u.s." Since God has tnterpOsed
In onr behalf and wrought deliverance
foi us. II ,s proper that memorial be
Sc, up which will commemorate It
Our Conduct.
conduct Is three-fourths OF life"
What we have to do. us Christian men,
Is 10 bring the great principles of the