Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1946-03-28

change its form Of government. That
was especially true in the case OF
Israel, for they were about to throw
of the, direct rule Of GOD and de-
mand king. .s..ss. ,.a
There were good reasons for their
desire, Samuel was old His sons
who were. to succeed him we're not
honest Il Sam. $3.50. But there were
other motives, not 50 good: for ey-
ample. their. desire 70 have, the
pomp of q kipgly ruler and. a wish
to be like other peoples ~. 20s.c.r
Their request was made known 10
Samuel Il Sam. $50. He was
srieved, but the Lord showed him
that Il was not His rule they were
rejecting. but Gods rule ". d.
The matter came to 9 crisis as
Samuel was sent to reason with
them, ". %. ,s $50. atss s,f "a
]. Prophetic Words wv. 1910.
There IL always q price TO pay II
we are eager to follow the styles Of
this world, Israel wanted to have
q king with an attractive court and
. mighty army like their neighbours.
the other nations, but they had not
realized that such things are not
provided out Of the kings pocket.
A. word Of warning may be IN
place here for Christians who have
fallen for the temptation 10 keep
pace with their ungodly neighbors-
to keep up with the Joneses, = as It
is sometimes put. 81
Government has a right to call on
the governed for, its support, but
who viii deny that the tremendous
military establishments which the
rulers Of the earth have maintained
have been both burdensoIne and
provocative Of war. ,aEa{
We live in q sinful world, and we
may as well face the necessity of
protecting ourselves and policing
the unruly, but think how much bet.
ter would be our lot II we like Is
rael could have been under the
direct rule Of God.
They did not want 1t. Are men any
better today when they reject the
beneHcent rule Of. the Son Of God
over their lives9
ii. Perslsteht Wills wv. 10. .2na :,
The people refused to hearken.
Their stubborn reply was. May. but
we win have king over u.s." and
one can almost hear the emphasis
on the word win.
One might have expected that the
leaders Of the people would have
sensed the folly OF their plan and
asked God to continue to rule over
them forever. but the stubbornness
Of the wiiiful human heart 10 al
most beyond belief. When it's deter
ernination IL coupled with pride and
unbelief 1t becomes an even more
appalling barrier to the blessing
Of God. ,.- al.
Therein lies the outstanding lesson
OF these verses. Let us beware that
we do not sin like Israel; yes. sin
even worse than they did. Joseph
Parker In the Peoples Bible (vol
8, p, 2S7) makes this acute applica.
tion Of the truth: do we condemn
themf Let Us not be ready with re-
proach; nor urgent in copdemnA-
ton. We are doing q deadlier thing
1t may be than the elders Of Israel
did In this case. We are told that
God Is angry with the wicked every
day; that the wicked shall be driven
into he'll. and all the, nAtions that
forget God, We are told that the
liar shah have his portion in the
lake which burneth with are ana
birthstone. that no drunkard shan
enter the Kingdom OF heaven that
anything unclean, dsfled or corrupt
shall not pass into the city OF 0od,s
light; We are told that nothing re-
.maineth for the sinner but q tear
til looking for of Judgment and
hery indignation.
what IL the fesultY Men can 10
Immediately from. the hearing or
reading OF the most terrific state
nents concerning the future Of the
wicked and can, throw themselves
with unbridled license into all the
diabolical enjoyments which stimu.
late but never satisfy the corrupt
soul"
III. Providentiai Willingness wv.
n, 22).
Reluctantly. but Inevitably. comes
the divine expression OF willingness
to let man 60 the way he wants to
90. Israel shall have q king, says
God In fact He had prophesied this
day long before (see Deut, II: IL.
2O). RI a
So II Is true Ito quote Parker
AGAIN. that I'VE can force our way
through oil solemn warning. eli path.
etc entreaty, all earnest persuasive.
ness =. We can 20 to he'll. II we
win -. There is nothing before you
but love. grace. mercy. tenderness.
God. That Is all. There 10 q cross
hew 1t down. There is way around
1t. way through It q way over. !.
you can get therei"
May we. neither as individuals nor
as nation, thus thwart God love
and reject His warnings. and 20 on
our own nfIihhnrn uau into ain. apa