The Arvada enterprise., 1920-06-10
!. The lerd Rsbuksd oamves ses
B3oooelvo Grief ", ~,

!. The Lord Rsbukst samwsl sss
4xesssivs Grief ". ~.
Il was 4 bitter experience tor Can.
uel to pronounce Gods judsmsat 1poe
Saul Tue cause Of samuel's SrieE
was threefold:
L The wreck Of Q promising ufA
In all history. perhaps. . life with
greater promise cannot b found. and
Jet It affords no example Of Q more
wretched failure.
2. A personal loss. No doubt %
the spiritual adviser Of the king. Sam.
uel found many things In him to ad.
mire. His removal. therefore. Samuel
most keeniy felt.
8. Anxiety for the national welfare.
Samuel knew quite well that change
Of dynasty oftentlmes meant severe
war and the reign Of anarchy. This
would very seriously weaken the al.
ready weak kingdom. His concern
for the peoples good was therefore
part Of his grief. One can readily
see why Samuel should mourn. but a.
. prophet of God he should not have
indulged to excess. The Lords Ques-
tion "How long will thou mourn for
Sauif' has IN II a rebuke for Samuel.
Grief for others 10 q sacred thing, but
whenever It Is carried 20 far ~ to In
tsrfere with ones duty It becomes
sinful.
u. Samuel Sent to 0sthlshsm =
Aneint saul's Successor (vv. l-6).
Though Saul failed, God 10 able to
provide a successor who 10 better
than be. Samuel 10 directed to 20 to
Bethlehem and from among the sons
Of Jesse choose . successor. Samuel
again showed his weakness In express-
Ing his fear lest Saul should kill him.
if God sends man on an errand
what matters It though Q thousand
0aul's Be Waiting to kin hint Even
though It means death. II God oenda.
who dare refuse or offer sxcusef God
instructed him to avoid publicity By
the concealment Of his real purpose.
Some. may question the diplomacy Of
Samuel, but we must remember that
no one II under Obligation to tell all
that he knows, especially to parties
who have no moral right to know.
To withhold truth which 10 necessary
morally to tell 10 dupIiclty which dara
not be practiced. God allowed Sam
Del to hide his true errsnd under the
cloak Of q sacrifice In order to shelter
bis weakness. The whole matter was
already decided: the moral acts were
already committed; the Issues were
already faced. The exposure Of Sam
uel to the murderous hatred Of Saul
would have only made matters worss,
10. The hasthsd o. os6's chssss
(vv. 6l2).
The elders Of Bethlehem were some
what alarmed when Samuel cana
Hs In the exercise Of his 3udEeship
went from place to place. and at
times hs doubtless had to deal ia
severity with the people. He caimed
their fears BY assuring them that HI
caas peaceably, even to worship God
While the preparation for the sacrifice
was being made. Samuel seems "a
have had the interview with Jsssl
and bis cons. When the eldest ot
Jesss's sons passed before him be Dc
cided that this stalwart young mal
must b Gods choice. but God told
bin that man iooksth On he outward
appearance. but the Lard iooksth oa
the hsaFt. We should learn. like Sam
uei WAS obliged TO do. that the quail
acatioas In Gods sight for worksrl
ere inward. not bodily. The one WIN
does Gods work must DO II By lean
log upon him. not through personal
strength ~ eudowmenta. To the ut
Ter surprise Of Samuel and Jesse
David the shepherd hoy. was chosen
". osmvsi Ansints osvi6 ". iS).
When this stripping Of . boy came
before Samuel. the Lord indicated his
choics. Samuel proceeded 10 anoint
him. This amounting typified the -
dowmeat of the Holy SpIrf1. which Il
essential for any and oil service FOL
God. The preparation which David
needed for the ONCE Of king was jusi
what hs got % . shepherd boy. 0od'a
choices are not arbitrary. A. king.
his responsibility vas to defend. feed,
and lead Gods flock. and this he had
learned to DO ~ he attended his t.
thsr'A flock. This promotion Of the
shepherd boy should bs an encourage
ment for toys Of lowiy station IN life.