586 is a sin which deserves death. To be disobedient to the Word of God is to set His authority aside and usurp His will. For this Satan lost his place, and Adam his position. God has magnified His Word above all His name. (Psa. 138:2). God puts a premium upon obedience (Gen. 22: 18; Jer. 42:6). To reject the Word of God is to be rejected by God. We are helpless. We must believe and obey. There is no other way. Every higher critic who sets aside God’s Word will be set aside. The min istry of these infidels is always barren. Amalek is a type of the flesh—wick edness. The flesh is obnoxious to the Lord. There is no good thing in it. God never changes it. “ That which is born of the flesh, is flesh.” God never improves it. It is His enemy. It is not subject to God’s law. We are to crucify it (Ga. 5:24). We are to have no confidence in it. (Phil. 3 :3). The Spirit wars against it (Gal. 5:17). We must count it dead. Saul’s excuse for his disobedience and sin was fear of the people. This fear of man is a significant sign of his weak ness of character (Prov. 29:25). He sought for pardon for his sin, and sought for fellowship with Samuel in the worship of the Lord, but Samuel said, “ I will not return with thee.” The rejection of the Word of the Lord brought upon Saul his own rejection as king. There can be no sowing without the consequent reaping. Saul had a splendid opportunity— as fine as was ever afforded, but lost out through trifling and trickery, and his ex ample is before us as a red flag warn ing us of the consequences of dis obedience. . PRACTICAL POINTS (1) Christ modifies the law, but does not abolish it. (2) Saul accepted responsibility, but refused to exercise authority.
THE K I N G ’ S B US I NE S S (3) Men’s monuments pander to their pride. (4) The attitude of God toward men depends on the actions of men to ward God. (5) Had Saul repented of his sin, God would have responded with a par don. (6) A refuge of lies is not a safe re treat. (7) Reproof and rebuke were without result. (8) The soul’s surrender to the will of God is the acceptable sacrifice. (9) The bleating of the sheep often be lies our speech. CIO) Saul cut the cord which bound him to God, shut the gate of re pentance and abandoned himself to his unruly will. (11) Having refused the rule of God, his reign was rejected by God. Subject Illustration— Failure. The Japanese grow dwarf trees. The gardener takes great pains to keep them little. His purpose is to grow dwarf trees, and from the time of their plant ing they are re- LESSOX pressed and starved. ILLUSTRATIONS God’s plan for life W. H. Pike is the very opposite, but evil habits and sin will cramp our spiritual natures. Just so much of self-indulgence and the life will be so much dwarfed. A giant tree cannot find rootage in a flower-pot, nor can a giant life find rootage except in the deep soils of God’s great Book. Causes for failure. In a fashionable home a young daugh ter was dying. The mother’s heart was breaking, and she cried out in despair, “ O God, save my child.” The daughter turned to her and uttered these terrible words, “Mother dear, ’tis too late now! Your only ambition for me was that I might shine as a society belie. But you never read the Bible to me, or talked
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