patriarchs and prophets-第140节

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the　welfare　of　his　people；　and　the　nation　had　prospered　under　his　wise
control。　Order　had　been　restored；　and　godliness　promoted；　and　the　spirit　of
discontent　was　checked　for　the　time。　But　with　advancing　years　the　prophet
was　forced　to　share　with　others　the　cares　of　government；　and　he　appointed
his　two　sons　to　act　as　his　assistants。　While　Samuel　continued　the　duties　of
his　office　at　Ramah；　the　young　men　were　stationed　at　Beersheba；　to
administer　justice　among　the　people　near　the　southern　border　of　the　land。

It　was　with　the　full　assent　of　the　nation　that　Samuel　had　appointed　his　sons
to　office；　but　they　did　not　prove　themselves　worthy　of　their　father's
choice。　The　Lord　had；　through　Moses；　given　special　directions　to　His　people
that　the　rulers　of　Israel　should　judge　righteously；　deal　justly　with　the
widow　and　the　fatherless；　and　receive　no　bribes。　But　the　sons　of　Samuel
〃turned　aside　after　lucre；　and　took　bribes；　and　perverted　judgment。〃　The
sons　of　the　prophet　had　not　heeded　the　precepts　which　he　had　sought　to
impress　upon　their　minds。　They　had　not　copied　the　pure；　unselfish　life　of
their　father。　The　warning　given　to　Eli　had　not　exerted　the　influence　upon
the　mind　of　Samuel　that　it　should　have　done。　He　had　been　to　some　extent　too
indulgent　with　his　sons；　and　the　result　was　apparent　in　their　character　and
life。

The　injustice　of　these　judges　caused　much　dissatisfaction；　and　a　pretext　was
thus　furnished　for　urging　the　change　that　had　long　been　secretly　desired。
〃All　the　elders　of　Israel　gathered　themselves　together；　and　came　to　Samuel
unto　Ramah；　and　said　unto　him；　Behold；　thou　art　old；　and　thy　sons　walk　not
in　thy　ways：　now　make　us　a　king　to　judge　us　like　all　the　nations。〃　The　cases
of　abuse　among　the　people　had　not　been　referred　to　Samuel。　Had　the　evil
course　of　his　sons　been　known　to　him；　he　would　have　removed　them　without
delay；　but　this　was　not　what　the　petitioners　desired。　Samuel　saw　that　their
real　motive　was　discontent　and　pride；　and　that　their　demand　was　the　result
of　a　deliberate　and　determined　purpose。　No　complaint　had　been　made　against
Samuel。　All　acknowledged　the　integrity　and　wisdom　of　his　administration；　but
the　aged　prophet　looked　upon

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the　request　as　a　censure　upon　himself；　and　a　direct　effort　to　set　him　aside。
He　did　not；　however；　reveal　his　feelings；　he　uttered　no　reproach；　but
carried　the　matter　to　the　Lord　in　prayer　and　sought　counsel　from　Him　alone。

And　the　Lord　said　unto　Samuel：　〃Hearken　unto　the　voice　of　the　people　in　all
that　they　say　unto　thee：　for　they　have　not　rejected　thee；　but　they　have
rejected　Me；　that　I　should　not　reign　over　them。　According　to　all　the　works
which　they　have　done　since　the　day　that　I　brought　them　up　out　of　Egypt　even
unto　this　day；　wherewith　they　have　forsaken　Me；　and　served　other　gods；　so　do
they　also　unto　thee。〃　The　prophet　was　reproved　for　grieving　at　the　conduct
of　the　people　toward　himself　as　an　individual。　They　had　not　manifested
disrespect　for　him；　but　for　the　authority　of　God；　who　had　appointed　the
rulers　of　His　people。　Those　who　despise　and　reject　the　faithful　servant　of
God　show　contempt；　not　merely　for　the　man；　but　for　the　Master　who　sent　him。
It　is　God's　words；　His　reproofs　and　counsel；　that　are　set　at　nought；　it　is
His　authority　that　is　rejected。

The　days　of　Israel's　greatest　prosperity　had　been　those　in　which　they
acknowledged　Jehovah　as　their　Kingwhen　the　laws　and　the　government　which
He　had　established　were　regarded　as　superior　to　those　of　all　other　nations。
Moses　had　declared　to　Israel　concerning　the　commandments　of　the　Lord：　〃This
is　your　wisdom　and　your　understanding　in　the　sight　of　the　nations；　which
shall　hear　all　these　statutes；　and　say；　Surely　this　great　nation　is　a　wise
and　understanding　people。〃　Deuteronomy　4：6。　But　by　departing　from　God's　law
the　Hebrews　had　failed　to　become　the　people　that　God　desired　to　make　them；
and　then　all　the　evils　which　were　the　result　of　their　own　sin　and　folly　they
charged　upon　the　government　of　God。　So　completely　had　they　become　blinded　by
sin。

The　Lord　had；　through　His　prophets；　foretold　that　Israel　would　be　governed
by　a　king；　but　it　does　not　follow　that　this　form　of　government　was　best　for
them　or　according　to　His　will。　He　permitted　the　people　to　follow　their　own
choice；　because　they　refused　to　be　guided　by　His　counsel。　Hosea　declares
that　God　gave　them　a　king　in　His　anger。　Hosea　13：11。　When　men　choose　to　have
their　own　way；　without　seeking　counsel　from　God；　or　in　opposition　to　His
revealed　will；　He　often　grants　their　desires；　in　order　that；　through　the
bitter　experience

606

that　follows；　they　may　be　led　to　realize　their　folly　and　to　repent　of　their
sin。　Human　pride　and　wisdom　will　prove　a　dangerous　guide。　That　which　the
heart　desires　contrary　to　the　will　of　God　will　in　the　end　be　found　a　curse
rather　than　a　blessing。

God　desired　His　people　to　look　to　Him　alone　as　their　Law…giver　and　their
Source　of　strength。　Feeling　their　dependence　upon　God；　they　would　be
constantly　drawn　nearer　to　Him。　They　would　become　elevated　and　ennobled；
fitted　for　the　high　destiny　to　which　He　had　called　them　as　His　chosen
people。　But　when　a　man　was　placed　upon　the　throne；　it　would　tend　to　turn　the
minds　of　the　people　from　God。　They　would　trust　more　to　human　strength；　and
less　to　divine　power；　and　the　errors　of　their　king　would　lead　them　into　sin
and　separate　the　nation　from　God。

Samuel　was　instructed　to　grant　the　request　of　the　people；　but　to　warn　them
of　the　Lord's　disapproval；　and　also　make　known　what　would　be　the　result　of
their　course。　〃And　Samuel　told　all　the　words　of　the　Lord　unto　the　people
that　asked　of　him　a　king。〃　He　faithfully　set　before　them　the　burdens　that
would　be　laid　upon　them；　and　showed　the　contrast　between　such　a　state　of
oppression　and　their　present　comparatively　free　and　prosperous　condition。
Their　king　would　imitate　the　pomp　and　luxury　of　other　monarchs；　to　support
which；　grievous　exactions　upon　their　persons　and　property　would　be
necessary。　The　goodliest　of　their　young　men　he　would　require　for　his
service。　They　would　be　made　charioteers　and　horsemen　and　runners　before　him。
They　must　fill　the　ranks　of　his　army；　and　they　would　be　required　to　till　his
fields；　to　reap　his　harvests；　and　to　manufacture　implements　of　war　for　his
service。　The　daughters　of　Israel　would　be　for　confectioners　and　bakers　for
the　royal　household。　To　support　his　kingly　state　he　would　seize　upon　the
best　of　their　lands；　bestowed　upon　the　people　by　Jehovah　Himself。　The　most
valuable　of　their　servants　also；　and　of　their　cattle；　he　would　take；　and
〃put　them　to　his　work。〃　Besides　all　this；　the　king　would　require　a　tenth　of
all　their　income；　the　profits　of　their　labor；　or　the　products　of　the　soil。
〃Ye　shall　be　his　servants；〃　concluded　the　prophet。　〃And　ye　shall　cry　out　in
that　day　because　of　your　king　which　ye　shall　have　chosen　you；　and　the　Lord
will　not　hear　you　in　that　day。〃　However　burdensome　its　exactions　should　be
found；　when　once　a　monarchy　was　established；　they　could　not　set　it　aside　at
pleasure。

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But　the　people　returned　the　answer；　〃Nay；　but　we　will　have　a　king　over　us；
that　we　also　may　be　like　all　the　nations；　and　that　our　king　may　judge　us；
and　go　out　before　us；　and　fight　our　battles。〃

〃Like　all　the　nations。〃　The　Israelites　did　not　realize　that　to　be　in　this
respect　unlike　other　nations　was　a　special　privilege　and　blessing。　God　had
separated　the　Israelites　from　every　other　people；　to　make　them　His　own
peculiar　treasure。　But　they；　disregarding　this　high　honor；　eagerly　desired
to　imitate　the　example　of　the　heathen！　And　still　the　longing　to　conform　to
worldly　practices　and　customs　exists　among　the　professed　people　of　God。　As
they　depart　from　the　Lord　they　become　ambitious　for　the　gains　and　honors　of
the　world。　Christians　are　constantly　seeking　to　imitate　the　practices　of
those　who　worship　the　god　of　this　world。　Many　urge　that　by　uniting　with
worldlings　and　conforming　to　their　customs　they　might　exert　a　stronger
influence　over　the　ungodly。　But　all　who　pursue　this　course　thereby　separate
from　the　Source　of　their　strength。　Becoming　the　friends　of　the　world；　they
are　the　enemies　of　God。　For　the　sake　of　earthly　distinction　they　sacrifice
the　unspeakable　honor　to　which　God　has　called　them；　of　showing　forth　the
praises　of　Him　who　hath　called　us　out　of　darkness　into　His　marvelous　light。
1　Peter　2：9。

With　deep　sadness　Samuel　listened　to　the　words　of　the　people；　but　the　Lord
said　unto　him；　〃Hearken　unto　their　voice；　and　make　them　a　king。〃　The　prophet
had　done　his　duty。　He　had　faithfully　presented　the　warning；　and　it　had　been
rejected。　With　a　heavy　heart　he　dismissed　the　people；　and　himself　departed
to　prepare　for　the　great　change　in　the　government。

Samuel's　life　of　purity　and　unselfish　devotion　was　a　perpetual　rebuke　both
to　self…serving　priests　and　elders　and　to　the　proud；　sensual　congregation　of
Israel。　Although　he　assumed　no　pomp　and　made　no　display；　his　labors　bore　the
signet　of　Heaven。　He　was　honored　by　the　world's　Redeemer；　under　whose
guidance　he　ruled　the　Hebrew　nation