R E a THE MILLIONS (Formerly China's Millions) A 16-page illustrated monthly magazine with late news of gospel work going on in Far Eastern countries— JAPAN, FORMOSA, PHILIPPINES THAILAND, MALAYA, INDONESIA under the auspices of the Overseas Missionary Fellowship of the C H I N A I N L A N D M I S S I O N Send $1.00 for a year's subscription For free sample copy of THE MILLIONS, free Prayer Calendar, list of the Mission's books, or for information, write to The Secretary CHINA INLAND MISSION 237 West School Lane Philadelphia 44, Pa.
over Israel. Samuel invited Saul to have dinner with him and to spend the night with him. Early the next morn ing, Samuel asked Saul to have the servants go ahead of them. Samuel took some oil and poured it upon Saul’s head and kissed Saul and told him that he had been chosen by God to be king over Israel. Samuel told Saul several signs that God would give to him that he might know that God had chosen him as the king. Later Samuel gathered God’s people together and brought Saul before them saying, “ See ye him whom the Lord hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people?” The people shouted, “ God save the king.” After Saul had reigned for two years over God’s people, he began to rule as he desired rather than asking God what His plans for His people were. Soon Saul offered sacrifices which only Sam uel was supposed to offer. Because he thus disobeyed God, Samuel told Saul that God would soon take his kingdom from him. As long as Saul was obedient to God and ruled as God commanded, his king dom was blessed of God. When Saul be gan to turn away from God’s plans, God could no longer trust him to rule the Israelites. Saul was strong in body, brilliant in mind, and a great leader. He had to choose whether he would put God first in his life and be a success or plan his own life and be a failure. Today each Christian has to choose whether he will follow God’s plan for his life and be successful and joyful or plan his own life and find that it is a failure. Which will you do? Aug. 17, 1952 THE TRAGEDY OF SAUL 1 Sam. 15:17-22; 18:6-9; 31:3, 4 The failure of Saul is indeed tragic. He was a man who had many advan tages. There were many reasons why he should have succeeded. He had a good birth, 9:1. He was possessed of a good physique, 9:2. The Spirit’s presence was with him, 10:6,10. He had great zeal, 11:6. Moreover, he was blessed with a great friendship, that is, with Samuel, 15:35. ihen, of course, the Lord had placed him in a high position, 10:1. It seems that it should have been com paratively easy for Saul to succeed, but the very opposite was true. Today’s les son will show us some of the reasons why Saul failed. Let us not forget that the Lord has permitted these things to be written down for our admonition and warning. We need not fail as Saul did but we will if we do not heed the warn ing sounded in this lesson. Saul’s Incomplete Obedience 15:17-22 In this section several reasons for Saul’s failure are set forth. For one thing, pride filled his heart, v. 17. Then, it is evident that he was full of greed, v. 19. He “ didst fly upon the spoil” as one who could scarcely wait to line his
ship of pastor and people. Many a pas tor has been thwarted in doing a great work because of an unco-operative con gregation. The people were reminded that Saul was “ chosen” of the Lord. Though it was not God’s primary in tention that they should have a king, yet because of the insistence of the peo ple, He finally permitted them to have one like the nations round about (8:5-7). In harmony with the permis sive will of God, the people needed to remember that Saul was God’s man for them. He was an outstanding man— “ none like him among the people.” Thus they had reason to be proud of him/ to pray for him and to co-operate with him in every good endeavor. The response of the people—“ God save the king”—indicates the desire to heed Samuel’s admonition. Their words in this connection were an expression of desire for the prosperity and long life of the one called to the position of rulership. It has been used often from that day to this. At this time Samuel continued to in struct the people by telling them the things they ought to know about the kingdom, its duties and responsibilities. These instructions were written down and put in a place of holy significance, probably in the place of worship. (See Deut. 31:26). The subjects of any gov ernment should know all they can about their government so that they can be the best possible citizens. Associates and Enemies of the King 10:26, 27 Saul was fortunate as he began his reign to have a band of godly men who regarded allegiance to the king as a conscientious duty. He also had the problem of “the children of Belial” to contend with. It is always so in God’s service. Some are for the things of God, while others are enemies of the things and people of God. Weakness of the King 13:5-7, 19-22 This is a disappointing chapter in which we find Saul guilty of self-will, intrusion into the priest’s office, and his rejection by God foretold. Helps for the Children The People Choose a King 1 Sam. 9, 10, 13 Memory Verse: “Trust in the Lord and do good” (Psa. 37:3). God’s people rejected God as their King and asked that they might have an earthly king as the nations around them did. Samuel, the old prophet and leader, was told by God whom to choose as the new king. The asses belonging to the father of a handsome, tall young man named Saul, had been lost. As Saul and his servants were searching for the animals, they went to Samuel to see if he might tell them which direction to go. God had told Samuel the day before that Saul would come to him and that Samuel should anoint him to be king
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