Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-16

Saurs success as a military leader
of Israel resulted in his doom. His
triumphs were primarily spiritual vic
tories that followed his carrying out
the commands of the prophet Samuel,
who was the power behind the King.
His forgetting of his dependence upon
the Lord of Hosts and his neglecting
to comply with the will of God result
ed in his victory over the Amalekites
proving to be. according to DR.. Price,
"Saul's Waterloo"
God did not cast Saul one side with
out giving the first King of Israel an
opportunity to make good after he
had been warned by Samuel Of his sin.
His faith failed him at Gilgal, when
his soldiers kept deserving him be-
cause the prophet failed to arrive to
offer the sacrifices to Jehovah, so he
offered them with the purpose of
arousing the morale needed among his
men to secure a victory. Samuel de-
nounced his failure to obey God and
predicted his rejection.
Although his men continued to de-
sert him after Samuel had abandoned
him, Jonathan won a victory at Mich
mash over the Philistines. that in
spired some English soldiers during
Allenby's campaign in Palestine" by
the similarity of their condition with
that recorded about Saul to attempt
an attack along the lines of Jonathan.
Maj. Vivian reports that history re.
peated itself. for they defeated the
Turks just as Jonathan had routed
the Philistines upon the hills cen
turtles previous.
CO, vi will OF oil M
domineering. The result was inevi-
table. 1t came after Saul had returned
from a punitive expedition against the
Amalekites. He had gone upon the
orders of Samuel, who told Saul to tut
terly destroy all that they have, sparing
them not. but Staying both man and
beast" Saul turned the punitive ex.
petition into campaign for profit.
Saul won a great victory, but he met
his Waterloo because he had neglected
to obey the explicit commands of
Jehovah that had been communicated
to him by Samuel. In the chapter
preceding this lesson we possess, so
Jefferson tells us, 'in Saul's defense
of his sin study of conscience
unsurpassed in the literature of the
world"
In breaking with Saul, because the
king had been disobedient to Gods
orders, the prophet, who loved Saul in
spite of his ambition, self-will, dis
obedience, hypocrisy and moral cow
ardice, was greatly grieved. 1t left
SAUL who finally broke down mentally
from his task, without the restraining
influence and guidance of Samuel,
whose advice. and suggestions had
made Saul a great military leader. 1t
would have been better for Saul had
hn nj i-r l1
gerous path for any one to take.
Seeking Sauls Successor.
Men may fail to obey God and cause
Him to refuse to use them any longer
but His work goes on. Jehovah called
the broken-hearted prophet to leave
off his sorrow over Saul. when he sum-
moned him to find Sauls successor.
There is no better cure for sorrow
than to take up some definate task
for the Master. Too often sorrow has
a tendency to weaken our faith, just
exactly as Samuel's confidence in God
and His sustaining grace was weaken
ed when the Lord asked His prophet
to visit the house of Jesse, the
Bethlehemite, among whose sons He
had chosen a successor to Saul.
History testifieS to the fact that at
every emergency in the affairs of men,
the Lord has provided man, whom
He has prepared to meet the crisis Of
that moment by period Of needed
preparation.
Samuel had assumed that he was
called upon to anoint the new king,
because he was ordered to take with
him his horn of OIL" He jumped to
completely set aside at once by the
new king contesting with Saul for
the throne. He assumed that the
king would place the responsibility
upon his shoulders for the revolu-
tionary or civil war, and that price
would be placed upon his head. This
was due to the fact that the people
had formed the conception, which
Samuel had helped to cultivate, that
the prophet was essential to the sue
cess of the nation. Whenever Jehovah
calls us to enter into His service
it is accompanied with the assur-
ance: Certainly, l will be with thee"
1t was this guarantee that prompted
Moses, who hesitated and Ques-
toned his fitness to enter upon the
work of saving his countrymen In
compliance with Gods commands. In
Samuel went to Bethlehem in fear
and trembling. He took a round
about way in an effort to escape
Saurs attention, so that he could
secretly carry out the Lords COM
mission.
There was no duplicity in Samuers
assurance to the citizens OF Bethle-
hem that his mission was a peaceful
one. He came to offer a sacrifice,
which he had been accustomed TO
perform. No one knew the real pur
pose of the prophets mission. Not
a member of Jesse's family was in
formed of the prophets reason for
requiring each one of the sons to
meet the prophet personally. He
obeyed God and waited until the
before he amounted David. In this
way all danger was averted. We,
too, will find that obedience to the
Lords directions will bring us His
peace and protection.
The Amounting Of David.
There is no reason assigned in the
record for the absence of David from
the sacrificial service. He was few
miles away attending to the sheep.
Stanley tells us that he was doing
what was usually allotted in Eastern
countries to the slaves, the females,
or the despised of the family" Samuel
looked upon each of the sons Of Jesse
in a favorable manner, but he failed
to receive from the Lord the instruc-
tons to anoint any one of those pre-.
scented to him by Bethlehems leading
citizen, who was grandson of Ruth.
Samuel looked upon them from the
standpoint of men, who viewed them
from their outward appearances.
Gods method was different. He
judges men by their spiritual powers
and personality. God was looking
baor+ cf nauid ho chanborI