patriarchs and prophets-第146节

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destroy　them：　but　everything　that　was　vile　and　refuse；　that　they　destroyed
utterly。〃

This　victory　over　the　Amalekites　was　the　most　brilliant　victory　that　Saul
had　ever　gained；　and　it　served　to　rekindle　the　pride　of　heart　that　was　his
greatest　peril。　The　divine　edict　devoting　the　enemies　of　God　to　utter
destruction　was　but　partially　fulfilled。　Ambitious　to　heighten　the　honor　of
his　triumphal　return　by　the　presence　of　a　royal　captive；　Saul　ventured　to
imitate　the　customs　of　the　nations　around　him　and　spared　Agag；　the　fierce
and　warlike　king　of　the　Amalekites。　The　people　reserved　for　themselves　the
finest　of　the　flocks；　herds；　and　beasts　of　burden；　excusing　their　sin　on　the
ground　that　the　cattle　were　reserved　to　be　offered　as　sacrifices　to　the
Lord。　It　was　their　purpose；　however；　to　use　these　merely　as　a　substitute；　to
save　their　own　cattle。

Saul　had　now　been　subjected　to　the　final　test。　His　presumptuous　disregard　of
the　will　of　God；　showing　his　determination　to　rule　as　an　independent
monarch；　proved　that　he　could　not　be　trusted　with　royal　power　as　the
vicegerent　of　the　Lord。　While　Saul　and　his　army　were　marching　home　in　the
flush　of　victory；　there　was　deep　anguish　in　the　home　of　Samuel　the　prophet。
He　had　received　a　message　from　the　Lord　denouncing　the　course　of

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the　king：　〃It　repenteth　Me　that　I　have　set　up　Saul　to　be　king：　for　he　is
turned　back　from　following　Me；　and　hath　not　performed　My　commandments。〃　The
prophet　was　deeply　grieved　over　the　course　of　the　rebellious　king；　and　he
wept　and　prayed　all　night　for　a　reversing　of　the　terrible　sentence。

God's　repentance　is　not　like　man's　repentance。　〃The　Strength　of　Israel　will
not　lie　nor　repent：　for　He　is　not　a　man；　that　He　should　repent。〃　Man's
repentance　implies　a　change　of　mind。　God's　repentance　implies　a　change　of
circumstances　and　relations。　Man　may　change　his　relation　to　God　by　complying
with　the　conditions　upon　which　he　may　be　brought　into　the　divine　favor；　or
he　may；　by　his　own　action；　place　himself　outside　the　favoring　condition；　but
the　Lord　is　the　same　〃yesterday；　and　today；　and　forever。〃　Hebrews　13：8。
Saul's　disobedience　changed　his　relation　to　God；　but　the　conditions　of
acceptance　with　God　were　unalteredGod's　requirements　were　still　the　same；
for　with　Him　there　〃is　no　variableness；　neither　shadow　of　turning。〃　James
1：17。

With　an　aching　heart　the　prophet　set　forth　the　next　morning　to　meet　the
erring　king。　Samuel　cherished　a　hope　that；　upon　reflection；　Saul　might
become　conscious　of　his　sin；　and　by　repentance　and　humiliation　be　again
restored　to　the　divine　favor。　But　when　the　first　step　is　taken　in　the　path
of　transgression　the　way　becomes　easy。　Saul；　debased　by　his　disobedience；
came　to　meet　Samuel　with　a　lie　upon　his　lips。　He　exclaimed；　〃Blessed　be　thou
of　the　Lord：　I　have　performed　the　commandment　of　the　Lord。〃

The　sounds　that　fell　on　the　prophet's　ears　disproved　the　statement　of　the
disobedient　king。　To　the　pointed　question；　〃What　meaneth　then　this　bleating
of　the　sheep　in　mine　ears；　and　the　lowing　of　the　oxen　which　I　hear？〃　Saul
made　answer；　〃They　have　brought　them　from　the　Amalekites：　for　the　people
spared　the　best　of　the　sheep　and　of　the　oxen；　to　sacrifice　unto　the　Lord　thy
God；　and　the　rest　we　have　utterly　destroyed。〃　The　people　had　obeyed　Saul's
directions；　but　in　order　to　shield　himself；　he　was　willing　to　charge　upon
them　the　sin　of　his　disobedience。

The　message　of　Saul's　rejection　brought　unspeakable　grief　to　the　heart　of
Samuel。　It　had　to　be　delivered　before　the　whole　army　of　Israel；　when　they
were　filled　with　pride　and　triumphal　rejoicing　over　a　victory　that　was
accredited　to　the　valor　and　generalship

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of　their　king；　for　Saul　had　not　associated　God　with　the　success　of　Israel　in
this　conflict；　but　when　the　prophet　saw　the　evidence　of　Saul's　rebellion；　he
was　stirred　with　indignation　that　he；　who　had　been　so　highly　favored　of　God；
should　transgress　the　commandment　of　Heaven　and　lead　Israel　into　sin。　Samuel
was　not　deceived　by　the　subterfuge　of　the　king。　With　mingled　grief　and
indignation　he　declared；　〃Stay；　and　I　will　tell　thee　what　the　Lord　hath　said
to　me　this　night。　。　。　。　When　thou　wast　little　in　thine　own　sight；　wast　thou
not　made　the　head　of　the　tribes　of　Israel；　and　the　Lord　anointed　thee　king
over　Israel？〃　He　repeated　the　command　of　the　Lord　concerning　Amalek；　and
demanded　the　reason　of　the　king's　disobedience。

Saul　persisted　in　self…justification：　〃Yea；　I　have　obeyed　the　voice　of　the
Lord；　and　have　gone　the　way　which　the　Lord　sent　me；　and　have　brought　Agag
the　king　of　Amalek；　and　have　utterly　destroyed　the　Amalekites。　But　the
people　took　of　the　spoil；　sheep　and　oxen；　the　chief　of　the　things　which
should　have　been　utterly　destroyed；　to　sacrifice　unto　the　Lord　thy　God　in
Gilgal。〃

In　stern　and　solemn　words　the　prophet　swept　away　the　refuge　of　lies　and
pronounced　the　irrevocable　sentence：　〃Hath　the　Lord　as　great　delight　in
burnt　offerings　and　sacrifices；　as　in　obeying　the　voice　of　the　Lord？　Behold；
to　obey　is　better　than　sacrifice；　and　to　hearken　than　the　fat　of　rams。　For
rebellion　is　as　the　sin　of　witchcraft；　and　stubbornness　is　as　iniquity　and
idolatry。　Because　thou　hast　rejected　the　word　of　the　Lord；　He　hath　also
rejected　thee　from　being　king。〃

As　the　king　heard　this　fearful　sentence　he　cried　out；　〃I　have　sinned：　for　I
have　transgressed　the　commandment　of　the　Lord；　and　thy　words：　because　I
feared　the　people；　and　obeyed　their　voice。〃　Terrified　by　the　denunciation　of
the　prophet；　Saul　acknowledged　his　guilt；　which　he　had　before　stubbornly
denied；　but　he　still　persisted　in　casting　blame　upon　the　people；　declaring
that　he　had　sinned　through　fear　of　them。

It　was　not　sorrow　for　sin；　but　fear　of　its　penalty；　that　actuated　the　king
of　Israel　as　he　entreated　Samuel；　〃I　pray　thee；　pardon　my　sin；　and　turn
again　with　me；　that　I　may　worship　the　Lord。〃　If　Saul　had　had　true
repentance；　he　would　have　made　public　confession　of　his　sin；　but　it　was　his
chief　anxiety　to　maintain　his　authority　and　retain　the　allegiance　of　the
people。　He　desired　the　honor　of　Samuel's　presence　in　order　to　strengthen　his
own　influence　with　the　nation。

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〃I　will　not　return　with　thee；〃　was　the　answer　of　the　prophet：　〃for　thou　hast
rejected　the　word　of　the　Lord；　and　the　Lord　hath　rejected　thee　from　being
king　over　Israel。〃　As　Samuel　turned　to　depart；　the　king；　in　an　agony　of
fear；　laid　hold　of　his　mantle　to　hold　him　back；　but　it　rent　in　his　hands。
Upon　this；　the　prophet　declared；　〃The　Lord　hath　rent　the　kingdom　of　Israel
from　thee　this　day；　and　hath　given　it　to　a　neighbor　of　thine；　that　is　better
than　thou。〃

Saul　was　more　disturbed　by　the　alienation　of　Samuel　than　by　the　displeasure
of　God。　He　knew　that　the　people　had　greater　confidence　in　the　prophet　than
in　himself。　Should　another　by　divine　command　be　now　anointed　king；　Saul　felt
that　it　would　be　impossible　to　maintain　his　own　authority。　He　feared　an
immediate　revolt　should　Samuel　utterly　forsake　him。　Saul　entreated　the
prophet　to　honor　him　before　the　elders　and　the　people　by　publicly　uniting
with　him　in　a　religious　service。　By　divine　direction　Samuel　yielded　to　the
king's　request；　that　no　occasion　might　be　given　for　a　revolt。　But　he
remained　only　as　a　silent　witness　of　the　service。

An　act　of　justice；　stern　and　terrible；　was　yet　to　be　performed。　Samuel　must
publicly　vindicate　the　honor　of　God　and　rebuke　the　course　of　Saul。　He
commanded　that　the　king　of　the　Amalekites　be　brought　before　him。　Above　all
who　had　fallen　by　the　sword　of　Israel；　Agag　was　the　most　guilty　and
merciless；　one　who　had　hated　and　sought　to　destroy　the　people　of　God；　and
whose　influence　had　been　strongest　to　promote　idolatry。　He　came　at　the
prophet's　command；　flattering　himself　that　the　danger　of　death　was　past。
Samuel　declared：　〃As　thy　sword　hath　made　women　childless；　so　shall　thy
mother　be　childless　among　women。　And　Samuel　hewed　Agag　in　pieces　before　the
Lord。〃　This　done；　Samuel　returned　to　his　home　at　Ramah；　Saul　to　his　at
Gibeah。　Only　once　thereafter　did　the　prophet　and　the　king　ever　meet　each
other。

When　called　to　the　throne；　Saul　had　a　humble　opinion　of　his　own
capabilities；　and　was　willing　to　be　instructed。　He　was　deficient　in
knowledge　and　experience　and　had　serious　defects　of　character。　But　the　Lord
granted　him　the　Holy　Spirit　as　a　guide　and　helper；　and　placed　him　in　a
position　where　he　could　develop　the　qualities　requisite　for　a　ruler　of
Israel。　Had　he　remained　humble；　seeking　constantly　to　be　guided　by　divine
wisdom；　he

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would　have　been　enabled　to　discharge　the　duties　of　his　high　position　with
success　and　honor。　Under　the　influence　of　divine　grace　every　good　quality
would　have　been　gaining　strength；　while　evil　tendencies　would　have　lost
their　power。　This　is　the　work　which　the　Lord　proposes　to　do　for　all　who
consecrate　themselves　to　Him。　There　are　many　whom　He　has　called　to　positions
in　His　work　because　they　have　a　humble　and　teachable　spirit。　In　His
providence　He　places　them　where　they　may　learn　of　Him。　He　will　reveal　to
them　their　defects　of　character；