The Holly chieftain., 1923-05-03
LESSON FOR MAY 6
sAMugL-JuDeE AND PROPHET

sAMUEL-JUDoE AND PROPHET
LESSON TEXT SAM 12:l-3
GOLDEN TEXT-Only fear the Lord.
and serve him In truth with all your
heart: for consider how great things he
hath done for you'll Sam. 12:A
REFERENCE MATERIAL Chron.
e:22: 9:S: Ps. e9:6: Jer. 15:1: Hb. u:32. 49,
PRIMARY ToPIC-samuel. the Boy
Who Served in Gods House.
JUNIOR ToPIc-The Boy Who Heard
Gods Call.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOPIC
Samuel. the Upright Judge.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOPIC
Samuel. the True Prophet.
Samuel means asked Of God" God
gave him In answer to his mothers
prayer. She promised to give him
back to God. In his early childhood,
his mother cared for and taught him.
There Is no teacher or nurse like the
mother of the child. At an early age,
she handed him over to the care Of Ell
to minister unto the Lord in the taber-
nacle. While ministering unto the
Lord in the tabernacle, God called him.
He responded to this call and spent a
long life in useful service to God and
his nation as judge and prophet Our
lesson today is his farewell address.
After Saul was made king, he retired
and turned over the authority to the
newly-chosen ruler.
I. samuel's Challenge to the People.
wv. 1-5).
1. Reminder Of the Way the King
Had Been Given. ". ~. He showed
that they were directly responsible for
the change in government. Though
keenly feeling the reflection upon him.
self and their ingratitude to God In
their demand for king. he has not
resisted their wish. He reminded them
that they now had what they wanted.
2. Review Of His Own Administra-
ton. wv. 2. 81. ~ Walk from child
hood ". q. Samuel's was remark
able life; from childhood to old age
he had lived an upright and pure life.
How satisfying 1t must be to come to
the end Of life and to look back even
to childhood days without regrets. (2)
Career as judge and ruler ". 81. He
boldly challenged them to show where
and how he had even In the smallest
matters defrauded or oppressed any,
one. He courted the most searching
investigation Of his life, even calling
upon the Lord Himself to bear wit
ness.
3. The Vote of Confidence by the
People. (vv. 4, 81. 1t was Sam1ers
right as he laid down the reins Of gov.
ernment to have his record indicated
and to have his integrity established
beyond doubt so that no evil-minded
man could ever be able to cast re.
proach upon him.
u. Samuel Reviews Gods Dealings
from the Time Of Moses. wv. 6-15).
He reasoned with them concerning
the good hand Of the Lord upon them
from the time of Moses. Though they
with ingratitude turned from the Lord
and demanded a king like the other
nations. he had acceded to their re.
quest and set king over them.
1. National Prosperity Conditioned
by Obedience. ". 14). Though they
had displeased God In choosing king,
II they would fear the Lord and render
obedience, national prosperity would
still be given. The nation which will
not walk in Gods way cannot expect
Gods blessing.
2. Disobedience to God Meant the
Nations Ruin ". 15). 1t Is folly to
ask Gods blessing upon nation while
1t is living in rebellion against Him.
+ True craftsmanship Is to find out Gods
will concerning the nation and so dl.
rect 1t that in all Its laws and customs
there may be harmony with that will.
III. samuel's Own vindication. wv.
1e-19).
This was such critical hour in the
history of the nation that Samuel
sought to indelibly impress this mo-
ment on their hearts. This he did by
means Of the thunder and rain out
Of season. Harvest time was not the
season for thunder and rain so when
1t came at the call of Samuel the
people were frightened. The sign had
Its designed effect. The people con.
fessed their sin Of asking for king
and besought Samuel to pray for them.
Nv. samuel's Gracious Response. (vv.
2O-25).
l. Fear Not-Serve the Lord With
All Your Heart" wv. 2O-22). Samuel
did not minimize their sin but assured
them II they would serve the Lord
Fundamentally, He would not forsake
them.
2. "God Forbid That Should Sin
Against the Lord in Ceasing to Pray
for You" ". 23). Though the people
had rejected Samuel, yet he had such
magnanimity of soul that he had not
allowed their ingratltude to keep him
from interceding for them. Such fail.
ure on his part he regarded as sin.
Paaanism.