Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1924-02-28
Lesson for March z
The REVIVAL UNDER SAMUEL


THE REVIVAL UNDER SAMUEL
LESSON TEXT Sam. III.
GOLDEN TExT-Prepare your hearts
unto the Lord and serve Him only
= Sam. 7:2
PRIMARY ToPIC-God Calls the Boy
Samuel
JUNIOR ToPIc-The victory at Es.-
Rezer.
NTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
1c-How Samuel Served His Nation.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT Tor
e-Ths Revival Under Samuel.
Gross immortality and even anarchy
prevailed during the close Of the period
me judges. e. we see recorded ia
ne hast chapters Of Judges. Through
me ministry Of the last Judge, Samuel,
: brighter day dawned upon israel.
]. Features u israsi's Misery In
This Period. "a
! l. 4 Demsralised Priesthood.
ID The priests ware actuated by
sreed Il Sam. 2:12-l7,. 1t was Gods
Niu that those who ministered at the
aatar should i've Of the things Of the
altar. but they broke through the d.
vine revelations touching this matter
and were securing their selfish ends by
force. @
z t2) The priests polluted the courts Of
0od's house with the gressest irnmor-
atty Il Sam. 2:22). We thus see that
Hhe condition Of the nation was most
appalling. When Gods ministers are
actuated by greed and practice unclean-
ness, degradation and ruin rapidly fol-
lew.
2. An Alienated People. The only
hing which separates people from God
y sin. The people who choose sin shall
be thus separated from COO.
8. A Cessation of Divine Revelation
Sam. BID. God was silent ("The
word of GOD was precious in those
days, there was no open vision"). The
message from the Lord was matter of
memory.
VI. God Calls Samuel (I Sam. :2-1O).
Samuel's name means, ASKED of
Sod" He was given to Hannah in an
kwer to prayer. In asking God for this
son she vowed to dedicate him to the
kerd. Accordingly at an early age she
steok him to the sanctuary and gave
MIN over to the charge Of Ell. Thus
"A his tender years he ministered to
Abe Lord. The beautiful life Of Samuel
was in striking contrast to the degra-
1ation Of the nation.
~. samuers First Prophetic Mes.
sage Il Sam. 3:1l-1G).
Up to this time Samuel obeyed the
enc who was over him, hut the time
had now come when he must directly
hear and obey the Lord. The FIRST mes
sage intrusted to him is most terrible
one. He hesitated to tell 1t to Eli, but,
when pressed by him, he manifested
the true courage which was lying back
of his fear. He announced a fearful
visitation upon ELS house because of
the sins OF his sons.
~. Samuel Established in the Pro-
phetIe ONCE Il Sam. 3:19-2D.
4 And Samuel grew. and the Lord
was with him, and did let none Of his
words fall to the ground, and all Israel
from Dan even unto Beer-sheba knew
that Samuel was established to be q
prophet Of the Lord"
v. Victory sf Samuel q Sam. I'll
~.
I. Samuel Calls Israel to Repentance
Nsvv. La. Some twenty years have
now elapsed since Israel was humili-
'ated by the Philistines. He asks the
people to turn to the Lord with ali
their hearts, the proof Of which would
be:
~ To put away their own licentious
Worship. This was really gross ncen-
tiousness under the guise Of religion.
(2) To direct their hearts unto the
Lord and serve Him only.
2. Israel Assembled at Mispeh wv.
s. 81. The purpose OF this assembly
was the confession OF their sins. They
poured water before the Lord, thus
symboliztng their need Of cleansing and
the pouring out Of their hearts in peni-
tence before the Lord. They tasted
and publicly confessed their sins.
8. The Philistines Attack Israel ".
-. The assembly Of Israel. at Mizpeh
alarmed the Philistines. They inter
preted the gathering as preparation
to attack them, SO they decided to at
tack first
A. The Intercession of Samuel wv.
g, 81. Samuel accompanied his inter-
cession with burnt offering, showing
that he looked for acceptance In the
sacrifice Of another, even Christ.
5. The Victory Over the Phiiistines
wv. 10, III. This was the result of
Gods iRterposition. The Lord thun-
dered with great thunder that day
and discounted them"
6. A Memorial Set Up (vv s12-14).
Samuel set up stone between Mizpeh
and Shen and called it Ebenezer.
which means. Hitherto hath the Lord
helped us"
Shining Christians.