International Sunday School Lessons Exposition and Practical Applications By R. A. T orrey Outlines and Suggestive Points By T. C. H orton MARCH 7, 1915. S aul A nointed K ing . LESSON X. 1 Sam. 9:17; 10:1. (Commit 1 Sam. 10:1.) G olden T e x t : “ Fear God. Honor the king." —1 Peter 2:17. DAILY BIBLE READINGS
Monday, March 1.—1 Sam. 8:10-22. (The Lesson). Tuesday, March 2.—1 Sam. 9:15-21. (The Lesson).. Wednesday, March 3.—1 Sam. 9:22; 10:1. (The Lesson). Thursday, March 4.—1 Sam. 10:17-27. (The Lesson). Friday, March 5.—1 Sam. 12:6-16. Behold the king. Saturday, March 6.—1 Sam. 12:17-25. Samuel’s warning. Sunday, March 7.—Deut. 28:1-10. Promises to the obedient. EXPOSITION AND PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
which God makes known to him in vision (Num. 24:4-16). There is no one who really sees except the one whose eyes God opens. He sees the things which are of real worth and therefore are worth seeing. The etymology of the word “seer” is very similar to that of our modern word “clair voyant,” and there are many who would make the modern clairvoyant the legitimate successor of the Bible seer or prophet. Clairvoyants are successors of one class of Bible prophets, namely the false prophets (Jer. 14:14), and even more of those who in Bible days “had familiar spirits” (cf. 1 Chron. 10:13, 14; Isa. 8:19, 20; Lev. 19:31; 20:6; Deut. 18:10-12; 2 Kings 21:1, 2, 6). What the modern clairvoyant sees is not what God presents to his vision, but what some evil spirit (or, “demon”) presents to his vision. Often he does see things but they are not the things which God shows him. “I will tell thee all that is in thine heart.” This was a daring thing for Samuel to say, but it was the daring of faith. He knew that God had spoken to him and re vealed to him what was in the heart of Saul, and trusting God he could say, “I
v. 17. “The LORD said unto Him, Be hold the man whom I spake to thee or: This same shall reign over my people.’’ It was not the will of God that Israel should have a human king, but as long as the peo ple were determined to have a king, God in great grace chose their king for them. The true way to choose a ruler in church or state is to let God choose him for us. Saul was a good ruler for the period for which God chose him, and when his usefulness was at an end God chose another (1 Sam. 16:1). The latter (David) was God’s real choice for the people. Now-a-days God has very little voice in the choice of our politi cal leaders, and altogether too often He has too little voice in the choice of the leaders in our churches. Though the people had rejected Jehovah in asking for a human king (ch. 8:7) still God speaks of them as “My people,” all through the history of Israel even when God had to deal with them in stern judgment, His grace abounded. v. 19. “And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer.” The word “seer” means exactly what its etymology indicates, that is “one who sees.” He sees things
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