388 hypocrite.— J. F. & B. I have performed the commandment. In all that had to do with obedience, Saul says “ I," “ we.” In all that has to do with disobedience, he says “ they” and “ the people” .— Tor- rey. The big “ I” is always founded on other people’s sins and capped with our own goodness.— Eliott. Those who boast most of their religion may justly be sus pected of partiality and hypocrisy in it. -—Blaikie. v. 14. What meaneth this bleating of sheep? Facts are stubborn things and they make quick work of sophistry. Oh, sinner, you miscalculate fearfully when you give to God’s servants false explana tions of your sins: How long, think you, will the flimsy material hold out? v. 15. People spared the best to sac rifice. A sinner can always invent a good construction to his deeds.— Ben- net. If we spare what God has com manded us to destroy, it may later de stroy us.—Meyer. It is not uncommon for rebels against the holy will of God to decorate the gratification of their lust with a pretense of religion.— Tor- rey. Sin is a brat that nobody cares to have laid at his own doors.— Sel. Such sacrifice could not compensate for dis obedience. The most beautiful offering in the world cannot hide the disobedi ence of the heart.— Haldeman. Unto the Lord thy God. Note Saul’s attitude toward Jehovah, betrayed by him in that one word, “ the Lord thy God” . He had no close sense of connection with God.4C; Alexander. v. 16. What the Lord hath said. Men would have more heed to the ut terances of preachers if they could have confidence that they were giving out God’s Word rather than their own spec ulations and opinions.— C. H. M. v. 17. Samuel said. It is impossible to deceive the man who is in God’s con fidence.— Torrey. Little in thy own sight. Nothing is more short lived than pride.— Jonson. In general, pride is at the bottom of all great mistakes.— Sel. Pride and weakness are Siamese twins. —Lowell. Spiritual pride is the most dangerous and the most arrogant of all sorts of pride.— Richardson. Be very sure that man will not learn anything at all who will not first learn humility before GodJ#-Meredith. v. 19. Wherefore didst thou not obey? Disobedience which will not do a little thing is a great disobedience. No act can be called small of which the motive is disregard of God’s plain com-
f H E K I N G ’ S B US I NE S S mand. The excepting of the best of the spoil from the general destruction changed the whole character of the transaction and brought it down from the level of a solemn act of divine jus tice to that of a mere cattle lifting foray in which they were but thieves for their own gain.—Maclaren. The mingling of personal advantage with any sort of service for God, ruins the whole and turns it into mere selfishness.— Sel. v. 20. I have obeyed. What he needed was confession of sin, not pro fession of obedience.— Sel. Saul’s for mer evasion is made worse by his re peating his lie. He told only part of the truth but he had not done according to the mind of the Lord and hence it was not done.— Eliott. He obeyed only so far as it suited his convenience. He presumed to be wiser than God and to change His commands. As much disre spect may be shown in partial and half hearted obedience as in direct and posi tive disobedience.— Farr. Sinners think by justifying themselves to escape being judged of the Lord, whereas the only way to do that is by judging ourselves. —Henry. v. 22. Hath the Lord delight? Cere monial observances cannot take the place of humble, sincere obedience to the will of God which requires full yieldedness to His Word.— Sum. Bible. To obey is better than sacrifice. He was not left to imagine like the heathen that sacrifices were what God chiefly, de sired.—Dummelow. v. 23. Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. Nothing is so provoking to God as a setting up of our wills in com petition with His.—Henry. Thou hast rejected the word of the Lord. There are professed Christians who accept what they like in the Word of God and reject what they do not like. They will obey the precepts of the Word to a cer tain extent but the moment it -crosses their own concept or desire, they refuse to obey it. They have practically re jected the Word.—Haldeman. He hath rejected thee. Saul of Gibeah lost an earthly kingdom by pride. Saul of Tarsus gained a heavenly kingdom by humility. Both were of the tribe of Benjamin.— Pettingil. v. 24. I have sinned. Every sinner has to come to this point sooner or later. The sooner the better.— Torrey. I feared the people. He who begins by pleasing the people must end by dis pleasing God.— Cook. This was a dif-
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