The Dolores star., 1924-03-07
IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
Su1nldaySchool
' Lesson '
By REV. p. b. FITZwATER, DID,,
Dean of the Evening School. Moody
Bible Institute of Chicago)
tG. 1924 Western Newspaper Union.)
Lesson for March 9
THE REIGN OF SAUL

LESSON TENT Sam: 1898.
GOLDEN TEXT-Behold, to obey 10
better than sacrifice-I Sam. 15:22
PRIMARY TOPIC-A King Who Dis
obeyed God.
JUNIOR TOPIC-A King Who Lost
His Kingdom.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
IC-Sauls Successes and Failures
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP
IC-Lessons From Saurs Reign.
In order to properly present this
lesson, survey of chapters to 10 of
l Samuel should be made.
I. The People Demand a King Il
Sam. S:1-22).
/. Their Reasons wv. 1-O:
G) Samuel was incapacitated by
old age.
(2) The unfaithfulness of his sons
whom he had appointed as his sue
cessors. Samuel greatly blundered in
this, for the office of judge was not
hereditary.
(3) The desire to be like other ma
tons Since the surrounding nations
had kings as leaders, they wanted a
king who would fight their battles.
2. Samuels Protest wv. 6-1S). He
took the matter to the Lord in prayer
and the Lord instructed him to SOL
EMMY point out to the people the
meaning of their action.
Q) The king would make slaves Of
their daughters and make their sons
to serve in his army and do all kinds
of hard work on his farms and in his
house.
(2) He would take their lands, even
those inherited from their fathers, and
give them to his favOrite officers and
servants. Not content with that, he
would take the tenth part of their
produce to give to his favorites.
3. Protest Disregarded wv. 1920.
Having made up their minds, they de-
liberately shut their eyes to the truth
and madly rushed into the experiment.
II. Saul Chosen as King q Sam.
9-1D.
l. The King Pointed Out 60 :1-1O :16)
Saul was sent to search for his IA
TIERS asses that had wandered away.
While on this errand, Samuel found
him and anointed him. Saul and his
father were acting freely in this mat
ter. yet at the same time Gods pur-
pose was being carried out.
2. The King Chosen at Mizpeh
QO:17-2D. Saul was chosen because
of his fitness. If they would have a
king, the Lord gave them the one best
fitted for their needs.
W A fine physique. He was head
and shoulders above the rest of the
people
t2) Modesty. ts) self-control. (4)
Military instinct.
The method Of choice was by lot
When the choice was made, part OF
the people enthusiastically cried, "God
| save the king" Others mocked ant
refused allegiance.
III. The King Confirmed At olga
II Sam. 1D.
Saul took advantage of the grea,
victory over the Ammonites to get al
the people to crown him king.
~. SauI's Failure Il Sam. 15).
This Is one of the saddest picture!
in all history.
| 1. The Command to Saul wv. 1-S)
He was commanded to utterly exter
inmate the Amalekltes. The reason
assigned was their evil treatment O.
Israel after they came up out of Egyp
(Exod. IT'S; Deut. 25:1O.
| 2. The Disobedience of Saul wv
4-9). The commandment was carried
out only in part. Agag. the king, wa!
spared. and the best of the goods ap
| propriated.
3. Saul Rejected by God wv. 1O-25)
| O Samuel cried to God ". 11)
The news of this disgraceful affaI
greatly disturbed Samuel, moving hin
to cry unto God day and night.
(2) SauIs hypocritical pretense wv
1910. This pretense carried Ii,
upon Its face. Though disturbed by
| guilty conscience, he tried to concli
ate Samuel, but the very bleating o
the sheep and the lowing of the herd
betrayed him. He then tried to pu
the blame upon the people.
(3) Samuel rehearses before Sau
Gods dealing with him wv. 1929
Samuel met his hypocrisy by bringing
him to squarely face his sin. God 1
more concerned in having His subject
render obedience unto His command
ment than He is for them to offer unit
Him sacrifice.
4. The Judgment Upon Saul (vy
26-35). For the presumptuous offerin
of the sacrifice, the dynasty passe
from Saul's house, and for this act o
fragrant disobedlence, the kingdor
was rent from him. He confessed hi
sin and begged Samuel to still homo
him before the elders of the people
Samuel forsook him and left him alon
to suffer In disgrace.