July 1930
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
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home! Hannah remembered her promise, and brought up her boy to serve God. For some time she did not go with Elkanah on his annual visits to the tabernacle, but at last the time came when she fulfilled her vow. She took Samuel to the house of God, and left him there to grow up in the service of the Lord. Every y%ar Samuel’s mother went to see him, bringing him a new garment which she made, doubtless putting many prayers in every stitch. In the tabernacle Samuel learned to help Eli. In this way he be came familiar with the work which he was later to perform. The ark, a symbol o f God’s presence, was in “the most holy place,” in the tab ernacle ; and before the entrance into the Holy of Holies stood the beautiful golden candlestick, which was lighted at sunset and burned until morning. Samuel was the personal attendant of _Eli, who was an old man and nearly blind. One night, when Samuel heard somebody calling his name, he supposed Eli wanted him. Sam uel sprang out of bed and hastened to the high priest, ready and willing to serve him in any way. Eli said he had not called, so Samuel went back to bed. Again he heard a voice saying, “ Samuel,” and again he went to see what Eli wanted. When this happened a third time, Eli knew that God was speaking to the twelve- year-old lad, so Eli told him to answer, if the call came again: “Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.” Samuel received the message God gave to him, and told it to Eli. After that, he often heard the voice o f God, listened, obeyed, and gave forth the messages re ceived. He became a prophet and leader, recognized throughout all Israel. We, too, should say: “ Lord, speak to me, that I may speak In living echoes of Thy tone.” Prayer.
August 17, 1930 Saul, a Man of Great Possibilities Who Failed Lesson: 1 Samuel 8-11; 13, IS; 16:14- 23; 19:9-12; 28; 31. (Lesson Text: 1 Sam. 9:15-17, 25-27; 10:1; 19:9-11; 31:1-4.) Golden Text: “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12). * * * L esson in O utline I. Saul Pointed Out (9:15-17). 1. The word o f the Lord to Samuel. 2. Saul’s errand to Samuel (cf. 9: 11-14). II. Saul Anointed (9:25-27; 10:1). 1. The private interview (9:25, 26). 2. The private anointing (9 :27; 10: 1 ). III. Saul Forsaken o f God (19:9-11). 1. The flight o f Israel (1). 2. The sons o f Saul killed (2). 3. The wounding o f Saul (3). 4. The armorbearer’s courageous re fusal (4). 5. Saul, a suicide (4). * * * A pproach to the L esson CAMUEL had failed in his own house- hold. His sons, appointed judges, abused their privilege and perverted jus tice (8:1-3). This situation, coupled with a desire to be like the surrounding na tions, led the people to ask for a king. Samuel’s remonstrances and vivid descrip tions of a despotic monarchy failed to dis suade them (1 Sam. 8:11-19). Finally GojJ instructed the prophet to grant the people’s request. The new ruler, Saul, was the son of Kish, of the tribe o f Benjamin. He was a man o f great stature, a head taller than any one else in the country. He was just such a man as would appeal to the im aginations o f those who looked on the outward appearance and not on the heart. Samuel had been told by Jehovah that the new king would be pointed out to him. The unsuccessful search o f Saul for his father’s asses was the incident which brought him to Samuel, the seer. He came to make inquiry about the lost animals (9:1-14). * * * H eart of the L esson I. Saul Pointed Out (9:15-17). V. 15. Jehovah had revealed. We are not told how the revelation had come, but Samuel was in no doubt. Clear guid ance is always possible to God’s children. V. 16. Thou shalt 1. A spirit o f envy (9 ). 2. An evil spirit (10). 3. A murderous spirit (11). IV. Saul Slain (31:1-4).
G olden T ext I llustration One day Dr. Armstrong told me of a call he had made. The door was opened by a little girl. He asked for her mother, and she asked, “Are you sick?” He said that he wasn’t, and she asked, “Are you hurt ?” Again he said n o ; then she asked if he knew o f any one who was sick or injured. When he said no, she said, “Then you can’t see mamma, for she prays from nine to ten o’clock.” It was then twenty minutes after nine, but he sat down and waited forty minutes to see her. At ten o’clock she came in, with the light of glory on her face, and he knew why that home was so bright; knew why her two sons were in a theological seminary and her daughter a missionary. All hell can’t tear a boy or girl away from a mother like that.— Billy Sunday in the “North American." * * * Memory V e r s e '“My son, hear the in struction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother” (Prov. 1:8). Approach.— The name Samuel means “asked o f God.” Every time Samuel’s mother called him by name, it was as if she said: “The gift I asked of God.” She Lesson Story— Hannah and Elkanah were godly people, who lived in Ramah, in central Palestine. Can you find this location on the map? Every year they went to Shiloh, about twenty miles north o f Jerusalem, to the tabernacle to offer sacrifices. According to the Hebrew cus tom at that time, after the disposal of the portion of the animals sacrificed on the altar, and the portion considered the share of the priests, the worshippers made a feast of the remaining flesh. It was on such an occasion that Hannah’s heart was full of sorrow because she had no child. Leaving the feast, she went away to be alone with God and to pour out her heart to Him. In this prayer she called God by a new name, “The Lord o f Hosts.” A f terwards this name was used often. Per haps Hannah addressed Him by this name because she knew that He is the Creator, with whom all things are possible. She told Him about her burden and longing, believing that He could and would answer her prayer. She asked God for a, son, promising to dedicate him to the Lord. Eli was judge as well as high priest, and he sat in his office on the porch of the tabernacle court. He saw Hannah weep ing, her lips moving, and he wondered what the reason was. When Hannah told him she was pouring out her heart to God, He sent her away with a blessing. Doubt less Hannah returned home with a happy heart, believing she would receive the an swer to her prayer. What a welcome the baby boy must have received when he came into this O / V I S I Ö Hannah, a Godly Mother 1 Sam. 1:9-18, 24-28; 2:19 named him this be- c a u s e s h e h a d prayed for a son, and God heard her prayer. Can you say: “I believe God answers prayer, I am sure God an swers p r a y e r ; I have proved God a n s w e r s prayer; g l o r y t o H i s Name” ?
A Very Safe and Helpful Magazine A Pastor in Pennsylvania sends this word of encouragement: I am enclosing money order for fifty-one subscriptions to T he K ing ’ s B usiness . I am very glad to do this for T he K ing ’ s B usiness as I think it is a very safe and helpful mag azine. I feel that by getting the magazine into so many homes much good should result in the people who' read, and also the Institute may be encouraged to get such a large list o f new sub scribers as practically all are new subscriptions. We wish for you the greatest success in the work o f the Insti tute. In these days o f modern istic tendencies we need to en courage the institutions that are true. Yes, we are encouraged and are Very appreciative of those who are introducing this Bible Family Magazine into Christian homes.
a n o i n t him. The anointing symbol ized the special en- d u e m e n t of the Holy Spirit (cf. 16: 13; Isa. 61:1). To be prince. The mar ginal r e a d i n g is
“leader.” Save my people. The Philis tines lived on the Mediterranean coast. They were a - constant menace to Israel and there was need at this time o f a
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