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THE K I N G ’ S B US I NE S S
MAY 23, 1920 ISRAEL’S FIRST KING Golden Text: “ Only fear Jehovah, and serve Him in truth with all your heart.” 1 Sam. 12:24. LESSON TEXT 1 Sam. 9:15-21; 9:25-10:1. (Read Ps. 19.)
sire of Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father’s house? (21) And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the fam ilies of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me? (25) And when they were come down from the high place into the city, Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house, (26) And they arose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel called to Saul to the top of the house, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad. (27) And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on be fore us, but stand thou still a while (at this time), that I may shew thee the word of God. (10:1) Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not . be cause the LORD hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance? uel’s life casts a shadow upon him in asmuch as he must have known of the sins of his sons and should have dis missed them from their office. Outline. (1) God’s Announcement of His Choice for King, v. 17. (2) Saul Acquainted with God’s Choice, vs. 18-24. (3) Saul Anointed as Captain of God’s People, v. 25; 10:1. (1) GOD’S ANNOUNCEMENT OF HIS CHOICE FOR KING, v. 17. Israel was dissatisfied with God’s rule and God’s plan for them. They had been walking by faith and wanted to walk by sight. God’s order had been — a man, a family, a tribe, a nation, a priest, a High Priest. Israel had an invisible King and a Divine legislation. Their Ruler was manifest in the Shekinah glory, work ing through human instrumentalities,-— Moses, Joshua and the judges. (Judges 2:18).
(15) Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying, (16) To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Ben jamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me. (17) And when Samuel saw Saul the LORD said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of this same shall reign over my people. (18) Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me}< I pray thee, where the ■seer’s house is. t(19) And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer; go up before me unto the high place; for ye-shall eat with me to day, and to morrow (to day: and in the morifing) I will let _thee go, and will tell thee -all that is in thine heart. (20) And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the de- Twenty more years have passed over Israel and we come to a new epoch In their history. It is nearly fifty years since the lad Samuel was called, and now he is getting LESSON old. He judged now EXPOSITION in the Northern dis- T. O. Horton t r i c t s and had placed his two sons, Joel (Jehovah is my God), and Abijah (Jehovah is my Father), as judges in the Southern districts. Well named, but poorly trained. With the example of Eli’s sons fresh in his mind, we cannot understand how Samuel’s sons could have become such religious political tricksters. They took bribes and per verted judgment. They would have been “ hail fellows well met” in the Twentieth Century. Samuel was, of course, but little at home during these years, and it wsfs impossible for him to stem the tide of departure from the Lord which was again setting in. This phase of Sam- Introduction.
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