Arkansas State press. [volume] (Little Rock, Ark.) 1941-1959, 1947-04-11

lESSNN st'f -
II. Is; ISL, 22.26. "a, IS.
MEMORY sELECTIoN--Bl is the
nation whose God il the Lord.--Ps IN 3J'
"a
A major crisis had come In the
history Of Israel when we left them
In our study OF January-March
1916. They were ready to change
their form OF government. They nc
longer wanted God to rule them
directly through his representa-
tives, but wanted king Ike other
nations round about them.
God acceded to their request ana
Instructed his servant Samuel TO
anoint Saul as king. and they began
that period In their history which
led to their ultimate captivity ana
disgrace. We shall study together
during the next three months the
facts and factors involved In the
rise and fall OF the nation OF Israel
Our lesson concerns their FIRST
king, Saul, the son Of Kish, who
promised to be great and good
king. but who failed through dis
obedience.
L. SauI-a Choice Man and God
Chosen King t9l. 2; l5:D.
To begin we'll is TO be far on the
road to success. Here was man oil
excellent quality. "a choice young
man and a goodwin fact, there
was not among his people one who
surpassed him. What splendid rec.
ommendation for the prospective
rulerl
His physical appearance was also
attractive. That Is not as great a
factor in success as some think, but
II does have a bearing on man
influence over others.
Most important Of all, this man
Saul was the one whom not only
The people but also the Lord had
chosen. The Lord sent Samuel
Q5:D to anoint Saul as king, and
TO give him the key to success as
ruler-obedience to the voice OF
God.
II. Saul-an Obedient and God
Messed King Qi;i2, 49,.
The attitude Of a man toward his
enemies is often the test OF his
character. Bitterness, hatred re-
yenge. or yelled hostility with q
purpose Of ultimate destruction
these are the common reactions OF
men toward them who oppose
them.
Saul. who was not essentially diff
ferent In his own spirit Gas we shall
see later), was man after God S
own heart In his early reign, for he
was obedient to the Lord.
Some Worthless fellows" de-
spised Saul and refused to recognize
him as king. The urge Of the flesh
10 destroy them was aggravated by
their own unworthiness. Some
wanted to put them to death for
their disloyalty to the king, but Saul
in true klngly spirit, and recogniz-
ing that he reigned by the good
grace Of the Lord, decreed that
there was to be no revenge. but
rejoicing.
The story which we touch on so
briefly here is one that teaches the
eternal truth that the way Of bless
ing and power is the way Of obedi-
>ence to the laws and the will Of
God.
Saul began well. but before long
his pride and self-will began to as
sert itself and he thus brought to
ruin and personal disaster that
which had begun with such promise
and blessing There were many
such incidents, but we consider only
one.
III. Saul-a Disobedlent and God
Rejected King d5:22-26, 81, 35).
God had commanded that there
must be utter destruction OF the
Amalekites and their possessions
something like the burning Of dis
ease.infested house--a wiping Out
Of a king and people who we're con-
demned OF God. We may not fully
understand this act Of God, but il
we know him we will not doubt thai
Il was In accordance with his inf
mite wisdom and love.
Saul chose to disobey, later con
tending that it was done because o
the people, that sheep and oxen hat
been spared for a sacrifice to tn
Lord. Samuel cut through his by
pocrlsy and declared that CO.
wants obedience rather than sac
rifice This Is lesson that man
who profess 10 follow the Lord hav
not learned.
The church or the Individual VIII
denies or disregards the teaching G
Gods Word and attempts to max
up for Il by sacrifices and cere
monies declares to the world tina
there has been a departure fror
true faith In God. Obedience is
virtue all TOO rare.
Too late! What sad words--an
never sadder than when they spea
of spiritual failure. Saul talked {
repentance and prayer, but tn
Lord had already rejected him o
king.
There comes q time when God