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TRSJCK THROUGH THR RUBLE
By G. CAMPBELL MORGAN, Westminster Chapel, London, England,
Appearing Ebery Week During 1907. (Copyright American Sprial “Rights (Applied Tor by The Golden Age Publishing Co. All Rights Reser bed.)
I. SAMUEL—TRANSITION.
A. Samuel. i.—vii. B. Saul. viii.—xv. C. David. xvi.—xxxi.
I. Preparation. i.—iv. la I. Appointment. viii—x. I. Preparation. xvi.—-xx.
i. Birth and childhood. i. The people’s demand. viii. i. Anointed. xvi.
i.—ii. 11 ii. Samuel’s search. ix. ii. Progress. xvii.—xviii. 5
ii. Life at Shiloh. ii. 12-36 iii. Anointing and coronation, x. iii. Difficulties. xviii. 6 —xx.
iii. Call. iii.—iv. la
11. Crisis. iv. lb—vii. 1 11. Reign. xi.—xiv. 11. In Exile. xxi.— xxvii.
i. Eli. iv. i. Kingdom established. i. Flight. xxi,
ii. The Ark. v. —vii. 1 xi., xii. ii. Varied experiences.
ii. Wars. xiii., xiv. xxii.—xxvii.
111. Judgeship. vii. 2-17 111. Rejection. xv. 111. Returning. xxviii.—xxxi.
i. Twenty years. i. War with Amalek. i. Saul and the Witch, xxviii.
ii. Ebenezer. ii- Disobedience. ii. David. xxix., xxx.
iii. Samuel, governing on cir- iii- Rejection. iii. Death of Saul. xxxi.
cuit. iv. “Samuel mourned for
Saul.”
HE first book of Samuel covers a pe
riod of transition in the history of the
nation. It deals with the process from
the judges to the kings. The condi
tion of the chosen people under the
judges we have seen to have been one
of terrible degeneracy. It was during
this period that they practically re
jected God from being King. The
T
clamour for an earthly king which followed was
the natural outcome of this practical rejection.
In this book we have the history of the people
from the last, and in some senses, the best of
the judges, Samuel: through the troublous times
of Saul in which thev learned what government
by man really meant, to the beginning of the
reign of the king chosen by God, David.
The book naturally falls into three sections,
around the names of these, three men. The periods
of their influence overlap, but there is sufficient
definiteness in the changes to create the possibility
of the following analysis: A. Samuel, (1-7);
B. Saul (8-15); C. David (16-31).
A. SAMUEL.
In the dark and troublous times Jehovah is seen
working toward deliverance, by answering the
prayer of faith as it operated in the heart of a sim
ple and trusting woman. There was much of hu
man passion manifest in her desire, but the fact
that she turned to Jehovah is evidence of her trust
in Him; and upon the basis of that evidence He
prepared a v.ay for the future guidance of the
people. Her boy. Samuel, was dedicated for life
to the service of God.
The story of the life at Shiloh reveals two move
ments going forward simultaneously in Israel,
those namelv of degeneration and regeneration.
The corruption of the priesthood was appalling.
Within the precincts of the tabernacle Samuel was
preserved from pollution, and grew in the fear of
the Lord.
At last, -while yet a boy, Samuel was distinctly
called, and the first message entrusted to him was
a terrible one. A further period of training and
growth followed before he was ready to assume
the work of leadership. During that period the
Lord vindicated him by permitting no word he
spoke to fall to the ground, that is, to fail of ful
filment.
The crisis of judgment foretold by Samuel came
in connection with the Philistine attack upon the
people. In the midst of the disaster, hoping to
save themselves, the men of Israel carried the
ark of God into the fray. It was an entirely
superstitious use tihereof, and was utterly unavail
ing. The Philistines captured the ark itself.
The history of their possession of it is a most
interesting one, as it reveals how that when a peo
ple of God fail to hear testimony for Him among
the nations, He becomes His own Witness, They
I. SAMUEL.
The Golden Age for March 21, 1907.
first lodged it at Ashdod, in the house of the fish
god, Dagon, with disastrous results to the idol.
Wit h speed and in fear they -carried it to Gath, and
a plague fell upon the people. They moved it has
tily to Ekron, and painful and troublesome tumors
broke out among the people. At each move
judgment became more severe, and Philistia found
that if she had been able to conquer and break the
power of Israel, it was a different thing when she
bad to deal with Israel’s God. At last they de
cided to send the ark back, accompanied by offer
ings which indicated their recognition of the fact
that their plagues bad been the visitation of God.
Joshua of Bet-shemesh received the ark in away
worthy of an Israelite.
A dark period of twenty years is now passed
over without detailed record. It would seem that
during that time Israel was under Philistine rule
without any definite centre of worship. During
this peribd Samuel was advancing from youth to
manhood, and approaching the hour of his leader
ship. This was ushered in by the lamenting of
the people after God. Os this he took advantage,
calling them to return to Him, and put away all
strange gods. They obeyed and were summoned to
Mizpeh. Here, by direct divine intervention, the
power of Philistia was broken, and her cities re
stored to Israel. Samuel erected an altar, and
called it Ebenezer. This man of clear vision recog
nized both the government of God, and its benefi
cent method. The Lord had helped them, through
chastisement, to sorrow for sin, and through such
sorrow to freedom from oppression.
In a brief paragraph the story of his actual
judgship is told. At Ramah was his home, and
from there he journeyed in circuit once a year to
Bethel. Gilgal and Alizpeh, thus maintaining over
sight, and administering the affairs of the peo
ple.
B. SAUL.
The book now merges into its second division,
which has to do with Saul. The people clamoured
for a king. The occasion of their request was the
mal-administration of the sons of Samuel, and their
sinful practices. The real principle underlying it
was a desire on their part to be, as they said, “like
all the-nations.” They had been chosen to be unlike
file nations, a people directly governed by Jeho
vah. Samuel decdared to them what the issue of
their wish would be if it were granted to them.
Saul was, in every way, a remarkable man. In
the pursuit of his filial duty he was led into contact,
with Samuel. While they were alone, he communi
cated to him his divine appointment. How long
elapsed between this and his formal presentation
to the people we do lot know. This took place at
Mizpeh. Here Saul manifested the first sign of
the weakness of character which eventuated in his
failure. His hiding behind the stuff is often quot
ed as evidence of his modesty. Modesty, however,
becomes sin when it prevents any man from sfetp-
ping at once into the place to which God is calling
him.
Returning to his house at Gibeah Saul did Hot
take up the responsibilities of the kingship until
the Ammonite invasion stirred him, and he gained
a complete victory over them. Samuel immediate
ly gathered the people to Gilgal, and Saul was con
firmed in the kingship. On that occasion Samuel
delivered what was practically his last great ad
dress to the nation. A. study of that address will
show how clearly Samuel understood that these
people could only be great as they remained loyal
to the throne of God. Two chapters give an ac
count of the wars Saul waged. The Philistines
gathered themselves together with the express in
tention of destroying the power of the chosen peo
ple. It was in the midst of the fear which possess
ed the Israelites that Saul manifested his self-de
pendence by offering sacrifice in the ■absence, and
without the instruction, of Samuel. The king’s
deterioration in character is manifest moreover
in the fact that he remained idle in Gibeah with
his army, and it was at this time that Jonathan
made his great strategic attack upon the Philis
tines, which resulted in their rout.
Saul was commissioned by Jehovah through Sam
uel to smite Amalek, and in connection with that
campaign occurred the sin which filled his cup to
the brim, and caused him to be rejected.
While he was victorious, he was disobedient in
that he spared Agag and part of the spoil. The
two men are seen in striking contrast at this point.
Saul, the man of great opportunity, miserably fail
ing, and passing along the pathway of disobe
dience to rain. Samuel, rejected long ago of the
people, still mighty in -his allegiance to God, burn
ing in anger, denouncing in force, and finally in
a white heat of loyalty, himself hewing Agag to
pieces. It was the last interview between the
king and the prophet prior to the latter’s death.
Very touching- is the statement, “Samuel mourn
ed for Saul.” When he failed, Samuel denounced
him without sparing, and then in loneliness mourn
ed over him.
C. DAVID.
We now come to the third section of the book
in which David is the principal figure. Samuel
was rebuked for his prolonged mourning, and was
commissioned to arise and anoint the new king.
Through the melancholy of Saul, David found his
way to the court. Then immediately the two men
are seen in the presence of a national danger.
Saul, notwithstanding his position and his army,
was utterly incompetent. David, without human
resource, but conscious of the true greatness of
his people, and sure of the strength of God, gain
ed his victory over Goliath. One of the most
charming love stories of the Bible is that of the
friendship between Jonathan and David. Coin
cident with the commencement thereof, the hatred
of Saul against David deepened, and manifested
itself in deeply laid schemes, unworthy methods
in which he attempted to rid himself of his rival.
These were trying days for the young man, anoint
ed to the kingly office, and it was natural that he
should flee to Samuel for protection. Saul fast
became an irresponsible madman, while David,
through all the painful discipline, was being pre
pared for the work that lay before him.
At last the land itself seemed too hot to hold
him, and he took refuge in flight. The period of
his exile was characterized by varied experiences.
Once he found refuge at Achish among the Philis
tines. and there had to feign madness. Coming'
at last to Adullam, he gathered around him a band
of the outcasts of his own people. During this pe
riod Samuel died. Twice the life of Saul was in
David’s hands, and on each occasion he spared it.
So terrible was the pressure of these dark days,
that David himself became pessimistic. “He said
in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the
(Concluded on Page 11.)