Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1926-12-09
improved Uniform International
Sil1gldaySclhool.
' Lesson '
tBy REV p B. FITzwATER, DID,. Deas
Of Day and Evening Schools. Moody Bibis
Institute of Chicago.)
"a 1925 Western Newspaper Union,
Lesson for December IL
THE BOY SAMUEL


thy servant heareth.
PRIMARY TOPIC-Ths Boy Samuel
JUNIOR ToPIc-God Calls the Boy
Samuel
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
fC--The Boyhood OF Great Leader.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP
fC--Hearing and Needing Gods Voice.
In order to grasp the story Of Sam
uel's boyhood life. survey should be
made of Samuel. ch. 1-3s
I. Samuel Given In Answsr to
Prayer Il Sam. 10. 20).
The name Samuel means asked Of
God" He was given to Hannah in
answer to her prayers. In connec-
ton with her asking this gift from
God, she vowed to give him to God.
He was to be therefore Naxarite all
the days Of his life.
u. Samuel Given to tho Lord q
Sam. l:2428).
For time he was cared for by his
mother in the home. The best nurse
and teacher for child Is Its mother.
According to her vow when she asked
the Lord for this child, at an early age
she took him to the sanctuary and
gave him over to the charge Of Ell, the
priest, to minister In the sanctuary.
~. Features Of israel,s History In
This Period (2:12-36).
l. The demoralized priesthood.
"a They were actuated by greed
t2:12-17).
1t was Gods will that those who
ministered at the altar should live OF
the things Of the altar, but they broke
through the divine regulations touch
ing this MISTER, even to securing their
selfish ends by force.
(2) Gross immortality (2:22).
The courts OF Gods house were thus
polluted. The condition Of the ma
ton was most appalling: Degradation
and ruin follow rapidly when Gods
ministers are under the sway Of lust
and greed.
2. An alienated people q :s0,32).
Their sins separated them from God
Gods holiness Is such that those who
practice sin are alienated from Him.
3. The cessation of divine revela-
ticn GID.
The Word of God was precious In
those days. There was no open
vision" This shows that God was
silent. The message from the Lord
was more memory than a present
experience. The same thing In prln-
ciple Is true of the individual life
today. Some who once enjoyed fell
owship with God no longer hear His
voice speaking to them.
~. God Called Samuel (3.2-10).
In striking contrast with the de-
generacy of the nation, we have be-
fore US the beautiful life of Samuel
Dwelling within the sacred courts and
ministering before the Lord with Eli
Is the innocent Samuel who is become
the savior of his people. In Samuel
we have striking pattern Of child re-
ligiOn. The Lord gave him In answer
to Hannah's prayer. From his birth
he was dedicated to the Lord. While
quite young his mother took him to
the sanctuary of the Lord where he
served and slept. Two traits In Sam
uel's character stand out in this call,
namely, his cheerful obedience to the
Lords call and his surrendered will
He expressed his willingness before
he knew what was required. He did
not inquire what was wanted and then
let his obedience depend upon its
suiting him. We should believe that
the Lord knows what is best and be
willing to yield glad obedience to His
commands.
v. Samuel's First Prophetic Mes
sage (3;11-1S).
Up to this time Samuel obeyed the
one who was over him, but the time
had now come when he must directly
hear and obey the Lord. The first
terrible one. To deliver 1t was most
trying task. He hesitated to tell it to
Eli. but when pressed by him he man
Tested the true courage which was
lying back of his fear. 1t must have
been bitter experience to ELI to see
Samuel recognized and himself passed
by, but he was submissive He knew
that the slight was just. He could moi
fail to interpret 1t thus In view of the
appearance of the man of God to him
(2:27-36). This fearful visitation upon
ELS house was due to the sins Of shis
sons. He was held accountable for
not restraining them.
VI. Samuel Established In the
Prophetic Office 6 1921.
"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 to Beersheba
knew that Samuel was established to
be prophet of the Lord"