T H E K ING ’S He prayed all night about it. v. 11; Matt. 5:44. At Carmel Saul erected a monument to commemorate his victory, v. 12; 2 Sam. 18:18. Questions: Why had God changed His attitude toward Saul? Does God change His mind or His atti tude toward men? Jer. 18:7-10. When God repented of the evil He said He would do to Nineveh, what had Nine veh done? Jonah 3:10. If Saul had repented, would God have spared him? Was Samuel given to intercessory prayer? 6h. 7:8-9; 12:18. (2) God’s Rebuke to Saul for Disobedience. vs. 13-19. Saul meets Samuel with a hypocritical show of respect, v. 13 ; ch. 13:10; He asserts that he performed the com mandment of the Lord. v. 13; Prov. 30:8- 13; Luke 18:11. Samuel replied with a heart-searching question, v. 14; Luke 19:22; 1 Cor. 4:5. Saul answers with four excuses.. v. 15; ch. 9 :21; Ex. 32:22-23. - Samuel tells Saul he has a message for him from the Lord. v. 16; ch. 9^:27; 1 Kings 22:16. He reminds Saul of God’s choice of him. v. 17; ch. 9:21; 10:2; Judges 6:15; and how the Lord anointed him king. v. 17; ch. 10:3; 15:1-3. The Lord had sent him on a mission with definite'instructions, v. 18; Prov. 10:29; 13:21. But he had failed to follow the instruc tions given, v. 19; Jer. 7:11; Hab. 2:9-12 He had done evil in the sight of the Lord. v. 19; 2 Chron. 32:2-6. Questions: Did Saul think he could de ceive Samuel? Jer. 2:19-22. Was Saul’s reply a half truth ? Is a half truth a devils’ lie? Gen. 3:5. Did Saul follow the example of Adam (Gen. 3:12), and of Eve (Gen. 3:13), and of Aaron (Ex. .32:21-23) when he laid the blame upon the people? Was not the sacrifice of devoted things
BU S INESS 319 prohibited by the law? Deut. 13:15; Num. 31:48. (3) God’s Rejection of Saul as King. vs. 20-23. Saul seeks to justify himself by his par tial obedience, v. 20; Matt. 19:20. He seeks to lay the blame upon the peo ple. Ex. 32:22-23. And to justify the people’s wrongdoing, v. 21; Gen. 3 :13. Samuel rebukes Saul’s inconsistency, v. 22; Hosea 6:6. He tells him that obedience is better than sacrifice, v. 22; Ex. 19:5. He accuses Saul of rebellion, v, 23; Psa. 117:11-12. He pronounces upon him God’s rejection, v. 23; 1 Chron. 28:9. Questions: Had Saul been rejected ten years before? 1 Sam. 13:13-14. How did this rejection differ ? How did Samuel characterize Saul’s sin? Deut. 18:10; 2 Cor. 6:16. Did repetition of his falsehood accen tuate his guilt? Job 34:37; Psa. 107:11. Did he help himself by lying ? Prov. 12: 22; Jer. 7:8. What great truth did Samuel enunciate? Gen. 22:18; 26:5; Jer. 42:6. PRACTICAL POINTS Men’s monuments pander to their pride. The attitude of God towards men de pends on the actions of men toward God. ■ Had Saul repented of his sin, God would have responded with a pardon. A refuge of lies is not a safe retreat. Reproof and rebuke were without result Saul shufflingly swore to'his lies. The soul’s surrender to the will of God is the acceptable sacrifice. The bleating of the sheep often belies our speech. Saul was weighed in the balance and found wanting. Saul cut the cord which bound him to God, shut the gate of repentance, and aban doned himself to his unruly will. Having refused the rule of God, his reign was rejected by God.
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