patriarchs and prophets-第137节

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to　regard　the　ark　with　superstitious　fear。　Eager　to　be　free　from　its
presence；　yet　not　daring　to　remove　it；　the　Beth…shemites　sent　a　message　to
the　inhabitants　of　Kirjath…jearim；　inviting　them　to　take　it　away。。　With
great　joy　the　men　of　this　place　welcomed　the　sacred　chest。　They　knew　that　it
was　the　pledge　of　divine　favor　to　the　obedient　and　faithful。　With　solemn
gladness　they　brought　it　to　their　city　and　placed　it　in　the　house　of
Abinadab；　a　Levite。　This　man　appointed　his　son　Eleazar　to　take　charge　of　it；
and　it　remained　there　for　many　years。

During　the　years　since　the　Lord　first　manifested　Himself　to　the　son　of
Hannah；　Samuel's　call　to　the　prophetic　office　had　come　to　be　acknowledged　by
the　whole　nation。　By　faithfully　delivering　the　divine　warning　to　the　house
of　Eli；　painful　and

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trying　as　the　duty　had　been；　Samuel　had　given　proof　of　his　fidelity　as
Jehovah's　messenger；　〃and　the　Lord　was　with　him；　and　did　let　none　of　his
words　fall　to　the　ground。　And　all　Israel　from　Dan　even　to　Beersheba　knew
that　Samuel　was　established　to　be　a　prophet　of　the　Lord。〃

The　Israelites　as　a　nation　still　continued　in　a　state　of　irreligion　and
idolatry；　and　as　a　punishment　they　remained　in　subjection　to　the
Philistines。　During　this　time　Samuel　visited　the　cities　and　villages
throughout　the　land；　seeking　to　turn　the　hearts　of　the　people　to　the　God　of
their　fathers；　and　his　efforts　were　not　without　good　results。　After
suffering　the　oppression　of　their　enemies　for　twenty　years；　the　Israelites
〃mourned　after　the　Lord。〃　Samuel　counseled　them；　〃If　ye　do　return　unto　the
Lord　with　all　your　hearts；　then　put　away　the　strange　gods　and　Ashtaroth　from
among　you；　and　prepare　your　hearts　unto　the　Lord；　and　serve　Him　only。〃　Here
we　see　that　practical　piety；　heart　religion；　was　taught　in　the　days　of
Samuel　as　taught　by　Christ　when　He　was　upon　the　earth。　Without　the　grace　of
Christ　the　outward　forms　of　religion　were　valueless　to　ancient　Israel。　They
are　the　same　to　modern　Israel。

There　is　need　today　of　such　a　revival　of　true　heart　religion　as　was
experienced　by　ancient　Israel。　Repentance　is　the　first　step　that　must　be
taken　by　all　who　would　return　to　God。　No　one　can　do　this　work　for　another。
We　must　individually　humble　our　souls　before　God　and　put　away　our　idols。
When　we　have　done　all　that　we　can　do；　the　Lord　will　manifest　to　us　His
salvation。

With　the　co…operation　of　the　heads　of　the　tribes；　a　large　assembly　was
gathered　at　Mizpeh。　Here　a　solemn　fast　was　held。　With　deep　humiliation　the
people　confessed　their　sins；　and　as　an　evidence　of　their　determination　to
obey　the　instructions　they　had　heard；　they　invested　Samuel　with　the
authority　of　judge。

The　Philistines　interpreted　this　gathering　to　be　a　council　of　war；　and　with
a　strong　force　set　out　to　disperse　the　Israelites　before　their　plans　could
be　matured。　The　tidings　of　their　approach　caused　great　terror　in　Israel。　The
people　entreated　Samuel；　〃Cease　not　to　cry　unto　the　Lord　our　God　for　us；
that　He　will　save　us　out　of　the　hand　of　the　Philistines。〃

While　Samuel　was　in　the　act　of　presenting　a　lamb　as　a　burnt　offering；　the
Philistines　drew　near　for　battle。　Then　the

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Mighty　One　who　had　descended　upon　Sinai　amid　fire　and　smoke　and　thunder；　who
had　parted　the　Red　Sea　and　made　a　way　through　Jordan　for　the　children　of
Israel；　again　manifested　His　power。　A　terrible　storm　burst　upon　the
advancing　host；　and　the　earth　was　strewn　with　the　dead　bodies　of　mighty
warriors。

The　Israelites　had　stood　in　silent　awe；　trembling　with　hope　and　fear。　When
they　beheld　the　slaughter　of　their　enemies；　they　knew　that　God　had　accepted
their　repentance。　Through　unprepared　for　battle；　they　seized　the　weapons　of
the　slaughtered　Philistines　and　pursued　the　fleeing　host　to　Beth…car。　This
signal　victory　was　gained　upon　the　very　field　where；　twenty　years　before；
Israel　had　been　smitten　before　the　Philistines；　the　priests　slain；　and　the
ark　of　God　taken。　For　nations　as　well　as　for　individuals；　the　path　of
obedience　to　God　is　the　path　of　safety　and　happiness；　while　that　of
transgression　leads　only　to　disaster　and　defeat。　The　Philistines　were　now　so
completely　subdued　that　they　surrendered　the　strongholds　which　had　been
taken　from　Israel　and　refrained　from　acts　of　hostility　for　many　years。　Other
nations　followed　this　example；　and　the　Israelites　enjoyed　peace　until　the
close　of　Samuel's　sole　administration。

That　the　occasion　might　never　be　forgotten；　Samuel　set　up；　between　Mizpeh
and　Shen；　a　great　stone　as　a　memorial。　He　called　the　name　of　it　Ebenezer；
〃the　stone　of　help；〃　saying　to　the　people；　〃hitherto　hath　Jehovah　helped
us。〃





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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　58

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Schools　of　the　Prophets


The　Lord　Himself　directed　the　education　of　Israel。　His　care　was　not
restricted　to　their　religious　interests；　whatever　affected　their　mental　or
physical　well…being　was　also　the　subject　of　divine　providence；　and　came
within　the　sphere　of　divine　law。

God　had　commanded　the　Hebrews　to　teach　their　children　His　requirements　and
to　make　them　acquainted　with　all　His　dealings　with　their　fathers。　This　was
one　of　the　special　duties　of　every　parentone　that　was　not　to　be　delegated
to　another。　In　the　place　of　stranger　lips　the　loving　hearts　of　the　father
and　mother　were　to　give　instruction　to　their　children。　Thoughts　of　God　were
to　be　associated　with　all　the　events　of　daily　life。　The　mighty　works　of　God
in　the　deliverance　of　His　people　and　the　promises　of　the　Redeemer　to　come
were　to　be　often　recounted　in　the　homes　of　Israel；　and　the　use　of　figures
and　symbols　caused　the　lessons　given　to　be　more　firmly　fixed　in　the　memory。
The　great　truths　of　God's　providence　and　of　the　future　life　were　impressed
on　the　young　mind。　It　was　trained　to　see　God　alike　in　the　scenes　of　nature
and　the　words　of　revelation。　The　stars　of　heaven；　the　trees　and　flowers　of
the　field；　the　lofty　mountains；　the　rippling　brooksall　spoke　of　the
Creator。　The　solemn　service　of　sacrifice　and　worship　at　the　sanctuary　and
the　utterances　of　the　prophets　were　a　revelation　of　God。

Such　was　the　training　of　Moses　in　the　lowly　cabin　home　in　Goshen；　of　Samuel；
by　the　faithful　Hannah；　of　David；　in　the　hill　dwelling　at　Bethlehem；　of
Daniel；　before　the　scenes　of　the　captivity　separated　him　from　the　home　of
his　fathers。　Such；　too；　was　the　early　life　of　Christ　at　Nazareth；　such　the
training　by　which　the　child　Timothy　learned　from　the　lips　of　his　grandmother
Lois；　and　his　mother　Eunice　（2　Timothy　1：5；　3：15）；　the　truths　of　Holy　Writ。

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Further　provision　was　made　for　the　instruction　of　the　young；　by　the
establishment　of　the　schools　of　the　prophets。　If　a　youth　desired　to　search
deeper　into　the　truths　of　the　word　of　God　and　to　seek　wisdom　from　above；
that　he　might　become　a　teacher　in　Israel；　these　schools　were　open　to　him。
The　schools　of　the　prophets　were　founded　by　Samuel　to　serve　as　a　barrier
against　the　widespread　corruption；　to　provide　for　the　moral　and　spiritual
welfare　of　the　youth；　and　to　promote　the　future　prosperity　of　the　nation　by
furnishing　it　with　men　qualified　to　act　in　the　fear　of　God　as　leaders　and
counselors。　In　the　accomplishment　of　this　object　Samuel　gathered　companies
of　young　men　who　were　pious；　intelligent；　and　studious。　These　were　called
the　sons　of　the　prophets。　As　they　communed　with　God　and　studied　His　word　and
His　works；　wisdom　from　above　was　added　to　their　natural　endowments。　The
instructors　were　men　not　only　well　versed　in　divine　truth；　but　those　who　had
themselves　enjoyed　communion　with　God　and　had　received　the　special　endowment
of　His　Spirit。　They　enjoyed　the　respect　and　confidence　of　the　people；　both
for　learning　and　piety。

In　Samuel's　day　there　were　two　of　these　schoolsone　at　Ramah；　the　home　of
the　prophet；　and　the　other　at　Kirjath…jearim；　where　the　ark　then　was。　Others
were　established　in　later　times。

The　pupils　of　these　schools　sustained　themselves　by　their　own　labor　in
tilling　the　soil　or　in　some　mechanical　employment。　In　Israel　this　was　not
thought　strange　or　degrading；　indeed；　it　was　regarded　a　crime　to　allow
children　to　grow　up　in　ignorance　of　useful　labor。　By　the　command　of　God
every　child　was　taught　some　trade；　even　though　he　was　to　be　educated　for
holy　office。　Many　of　the　religious　teachers　supported　themselves　by　manual
labor。　Even　so　late　as　the　time　of　the　apostles；　Paul　and　Aquila　were　no
less　honored　because　they　earned　a　livelihood　by　their　trade　of　tentmaking。

The　chief　subjects　of　study　in　these　schools　were　the　law　of　God；　with　the
instructions　given　to　Moses；　sacred　history；　sacred　music；　and　poetry。　The
manner　of　instruction　was　far　different　from　that　in　the　theological　schools
of　the　present　day；　from　which　many　students　graduate　with　less　real
knowledge　of　God　and　religious　truth　than　when　they　entered。　In　those
schools　of　the　olden　time　it　was　the　grand　object　of　all　study　to　learn　the

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will　of　God　and　man's　duty　toward　Him。　In　the　records　of　sacred　history　were
traced　the　footsteps　of　Jehovah。　The　great　truths　se