patriarchs and prophets-第147节

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providence　He　places　them　where　they　may　learn　of　Him。　He　will　reveal　to
them　their　defects　of　character；　and　to　all　who　seek　His　aid　He　will　give
strength　to　correct　their　errors。

But　Saul　presumed　upon　his　exaltation；　and　dishonored　God　by　unbelief　and
disobedience。　Though　when　first　called　to　the　throne　he　was　humble　and
self…distrustful；　success　made　him　self…confident。　The　very　first　victory　of
his　reign　had　kindled　that　pride　of　heart　which　was　his　greatest　danger。　The
valor　and　military　skill　displayed　in　the　deliverance　of　Jabesh…gilead　had
roused　the　enthusiasm　of　the　whole　nation。　The　people　honored　their　king；
forgetting　that　he　was　but　the　agent　by　whom　God　had　wrought；　and　though　at
first　Saul　ascribed　the　glory　to　God；　he　afterward　took　honor　to　himself。　He
lost　sight　of　his　dependence　upon　God；　and　in　heart　departed　from　the　Lord。
Thus　the　way　was　prepared　for　his　sin　of　presumption　and　sacrilege　at
Gilgal。　The　same　blind　self…confidence　led　him　to　reject　Samuel's　reproof。
Saul　acknowledged　Samuel　to　be　a　prophet　sent　from　God；　hence　he　should　have
accepted　the　reproof；　though　he　could　not　himself　see　that　he　had　sinned。
Had　he　been　willing　to　see　and　confess　his　error；　this　bitter　experience
would　have　proved　a　safeguard　for　the　future。

If　the　Lord　had　then　separated　Himself　entirely　from　Saul；　He　would　not　have
again　spoken　to　him　through　His　prophet；　entrusting　him　with　a　definite　work
to　perform；　that　he　might　correct　the　errors　of　the　past。　When　one　who
professes　to　be　a　child　of　God　becomes　careless　in　doing　His　will；　thereby
influencing　others　to　be　irreverent　and　unmindful　of　the　Lord's　injunctions；
it　is　still　possible　for　his　failures　to　be　turned　into　victories　if　he　will
but　accept　reproof　with　true　contrition　of　soul　and　return　to　God　in
humility　and　faith。　The　humiliation　of　defeat　often　proves　a　blessing　by
showing　us　our　inability　to　do　the　will　of　God　without　His　aid。

When　Saul　turned　away　from　the　reproof　sent　him　by　God's

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Holy　Spirit；　and　persisted　in　his　stubborn　self…justification；　he　rejected
the　only　means　by　which　God　could　work　to　save　him　from　himself。　He　had
willfully　separated　himself　from　God。　He　could　not　receive　divine　help　or
guidance　until　he　should　return　to　God　by　confession　of　his　sin。

At　Gilgal；　Saul　had　made　an　appearance　of　great　conscientiousness；　as　he
stood　before　the　army　of　Israel　offering　up　a　sacrifice　to　God。　But　his
piety　was　not　genuine。　A　religious　service　performed　in　direct　opposition　to
the　command　of　God　only　served　to　weaken　Saul's　hands；　placing　him　beyond
the　help　that　God　was　so　willing　to　grant　him。

In　his　expedition　against　Amalek；　Saul　thought　he　had　done　all　that　was
essential　of　that　which　the　Lord　had　commanded　him；　but　the　Lord　was　not
pleased　with　partial　obedience；　nor　willing　to　pass　over　what　had　been
neglected　through　so　plausible　a　motive。　God　has　given　men　no　liberty　to
depart　from　His　requirements。　The　Lord　had　declared　to　Israel；　〃Ye　shall　not
do　。　。　。　every　man　whatsoever　is　right　in　his　own　eyes；〃　but　ye　shall
〃observe　and　hear　all　these　words　which　I　command　thee。〃　Deuteronomy　12：8；
28。　In　deciding　upon　any　course　of　action　we　are　not　to　ask　whether　we　can
see　that　harm　will　result　from　it；　but　whether　it　is　in　keeping　with　the
will　of　God。　〃There　is　a　way　which　seemeth　right　unto　a　man；　but　the　end
thereof　are　the　ways　of　death。〃　Proverbs　14：12。

〃To　obey　is　better　than　sacrifice。〃　The　sacrificial　offerings　were　in
themselves　of　no　value　in　the　sight　of　God。　They　were　designed　to　express　on
the　part　of　the　offerer　penitence　for　sin　and　faith　in　Christ　and　to　pledge
future　obedience　to　the　law　of　God。　But　without　penitence；　faith；　and　an
obedient　heart；　the　offerings　were　worthless。　When；　in　direct　violation　of
God's　command；　Saul　proposed　to　present　a　sacrifice　of　that　which　God　had
devoted　to　destruction；　open　contempt　was　shown　for　the　divine　authority。
The　service　would　have　been　an　insult　to　Heaven。　Yet　with　the　sin　of　Saul
and　its　result　before　us；　how　many　are　pursuing　a　similar　course。　While　they
refuse　to　believe　and　obey　some　requirement　of　the　Lord；　they　persevere　in
offering　up　to　God　their　formal　services　of　religion。　There　is　no　response
of　the　Spirit　of　God　to　such　service。　No　matter　how　zealous　men　may　be　in
their　observance　of　religious　ceremonies；　the　Lord　cannot　accept　them　if
they　persist　in　willful　violation　of　one　of　His　commands。　PG　635
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〃Rebellion　is　as　the　sin　of　witchcraft；　and　stubbornness　is　as　iniquity　and
idolatry。〃　Rebellion　originated　with　Satan；　and　all　rebellion　against　God　is
directly　due　to　satanic　influence。　Those　who　set　themselves　against　the
government　of　God　have　entered　into　an　alliance　with　the　archapostate；　and
he　will　exercise　his　power　and　cunning　to　captivate　the　senses　and　mislead
the　understanding。　He　will　cause　everything　to　appear　in　a　false　light。　Like
our　first　parents；　those　who　are　under　his　bewitching　spell　see　only　the
great　benefits　to　be　received　by　transgression。

No　stronger　evidence　can　be　given　of　Satan's　delusive　power　than　that　many
who　are　thus　led　by　him　deceive　themselves　with　the　belief　that　they　are　in
the　service　of　God。　When　Korah；　Dathan；　and　Abiram　rebelled　against　the
authority　of　Moses；　they　thought　they　were　opposing　only　a　human　leader；　a
man　like　themselves；　and　they　came　to　believe　that　they　were　verily　doing
God　service。　But　in　rejecting　God's　chosen　instrument　they　rejected　Christ；
they　insulted　the　Spirit　of　God。　So；　in　the　days　of　Christ；　the　Jewish
scribes　and　elders；　who　professed　great　zeal　for　the　honor　of　God；　crucified
His　Son。　The　same　spirit　still　exists　in　the　hearts　of　those　who　set
themselves　to　follow　their　own　will　in　opposition　to　the　will　of　God。

Saul　had　had　the　most　ample　proof　that　Samuel　was　divinely　inspired。　His
venturing　to　disregard　the　command　of　God　through　the　prophet　was　against
the　dictates　of　reason　and　sound　judgment。　His　fatal　presumption　must　be
attributed　to　satanic　sorcery。　Saul　had　manifested　great　zeal　in　suppressing
idolatry　and　witchcraft；　yet　in　his　disobedience　to　the　divine　command　he
had　been　actuated　by　the　same　spirit　of　opposition　to　God　and　had　been　as
really　inspired　by　Satan　as　are　those　who　practice　sorcery；　and　when
reproved；　he　had　added　stubbornness　to　rebellion。　He　could　have　offered　no
greater　insult　to　the　Spirit　of　God　had　he　openly　united　with　idolaters。

It　is　a　perilous　step　to　slight　the　reproofs　and　warnings　of　God's　word　or
of　His　Spirit。　Many；　like　Saul；　yield　to　temptation　until　they　become　blind
to　the　true　character　of　sin。　They　flatter　themselves　that　they　have　had
some　good　object　in　view；　and　have　done　no　wrong　in　departing　from　the
Lord's　requirements。　Thus　they　do　despite　to　the　Spirit　of　grace；　until　its
voice　is　no　longer　heard；　and　they　are　left　to　the　delusions　which　they　have
chosen。

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In　Saul；　God　had　given　to　Israel　a　king　after　their　own　heart；　as　Samuel
said　when　the　kingdom　was　confirmed　to　Saul　at　Gilgal；　〃Behold　the　king　whom
ye　have　chosen；　and　whom　ye　have　desired。〃　1　Samuel　12：13。　Comely　in　person；
of　noble　stature　and　princely　bearing；　his　appearance　accorded　with　their
conceptions　of　royal　dignity；　and　his　personal　valor　and　his　ability　in　the
conduct　of　armies　were　the　qualities　which　they　regarded　as　best　calculated
to　secure　respect　and　honor　from　other　nations。　They　felt　little　solicitude
that　their　king　should　possess　those　higher　qualities　which　alone　could　fit
him　to　rule　which　justice　and　equity。　They　did　not　ask　for　one　who　had　true
nobility　of　character；　who　possessed　the　love　and　fear　of　God。　They　had　not
sought　counsel　from　God　as　to　the　qualities　a　ruler　should　possess；　in　order
to　preserve　their　distinctive；　holy　character　as　His　chosen　people。　They
were　not　seeking　God's　way；　but　their　own　way。　Therefore　God　gave　them　such
a　king　as　they　desiredone　whose　character　was　a　reflection　of　their　own。
Their　hearts　were　not　in　submission　to　God；　and　their　king　also　was
unsubdued　by　divine　grace。　Under　the　rule　of　this　king　they　would　obtain　the
experience　necessary　in　order　that　they　might　see　their　error；　and　return　to
their　allegiance　to　God。

Yet　the　Lord；　having　placed　on　Saul　the　responsibility　of　the　kingdom；　did
not　leave　him　to　himself。　He　caused　the　Holy　Spirit　to　rest　upon　Saul　to
reveal　to　him　his　own　weakness　and　his　need　of　divine　grace；　and　had　Saul
relied　upon　God；　God　would　have　been　with　him。　So　long　as　his　will　was
controlled　by　the　will　of　God；　so　long　as　he　yielded　to　the　discipline　of
His　Spirit；　God　could　crown　his　efforts　with　success。　But　when　Saul　chose　to
act　independently　of　God；　the　Lord　could　no　longer　be　his　guide；　and　was
forced　to　set　him　aside。　Then　He　called　to　the　throne　〃a　man　after　His　own
heart〃　（1　Samuel　13：14）not　one　who　was　faultless　in　character；　but　who；
instead　of　trusting　to　himself；　would　rely　upon　God；　and　be　guided　by　His
Spirit；　who；　when　he　sinned；　would　submit　to　reproof　and　correction。




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