patriarchs and prophets-第159章

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offered　elsewhere；　and　the　cities　of　the　priests　and　Levites；　where　the
people　resorted　for　instruction；　were　chosen　for　this　purpose。　The　highest
points　in　these　cities　were　usually　selected　as　the　place　of　sacrifice；　and
hence　were　called　〃the　high　places。〃

At　the　gate　of　the　city　Saul　was　met　by　the　prophet　himself。　God　had
revealed　to　Samuel　that　at　that　time　the　chosen　king　of　Israel　would　present
himself　before　him。　As　they　now　stood　face　to　face；　the　Lord　said　to　Samuel；
〃Behold　the　man　whom　I　spake　to　thee　of！　this　same　shall　reign　over　My
people。〃

To　the　request　of　Saul；　〃Tell　me；　I　pray　thee；　where　the　seer's　house　is；〃
Samuel　replied；　〃I　am　the　seer。〃　Assuring　him　also　that　the　lost　animals　had
been　found；　he　urged　him　to　tarry　and　attend　the　feast；　at　the　same　time
giving　some　intimation　of　the　great　destiny　before　him：　〃On　whom　is　all　the
desire　of　Israel？　Is　it　not　on　thee；　and　on　all　thy　father's　house？〃　The
listener's　heart　thrilled　at　the　prophet's　words。　He　could　not　but　perceive
something　of　their　significance；　for　the　demand　for　a　king　had　become　a
matter　of　absorbing　interest　to　the　whole　nation。　Yet　with　modest
self…depreciation　Saul　replied；　〃Am　not　I　a　Benjamite；　of　the　smallest　of
the　tribes　of　Israel？　and　my　family　the　least　of　all　the　families　of　the
tribe　of　Benjamin？　wherefore　then　speakest　thou　so　to　me？〃

Samuel　conducted　the　stranger　to　the　place　of　assembly；　where　the　principal
men　of　the　town　were　gathered。　Among　them；　at

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the　prophet's　direction；　the　place　of　honor　was　given　to　Saul；　and　at　the
feast　the　choicest　portion　was　set　before　him。　The　services　over；　Samuel
took　his　guest　to　his　own　home；　and　there　upon　the　housetop　he　communed　with
him；　setting　forth　the　great　principles　on　which　the　government　of　Israel
had　been　established；　and　thus　seeking　to　prepare　him；　in　some　measure；　for
his　high　station。

When　Saul　departed；　early　next　morning；　the　prophet　went　forth　with　him。
Having　passed　through　the　town；　he　directed　the　servant　to　go　forward。　Then
he　bade　Saul　stand　still　to　receive　a　message　sent　him　from　God。　〃Then
Samuel　took　a　vial　of　oil；　and　poured　it　upon　his　head；　and　kissed　him；　and
said；　Is　it　not　because　Jehovah　hath　anointed　thee　to　be　captain　over　His
inheritance？〃　As　evidence　that　this　was　done　by　divine　authority；　he
foretold　the　incidents　that　would　occur　on　the　homeward　journey　and　assured
Saul　that　he　would　be　qualified　by　the　Spirit　of　God　for　the　station
awaiting　him。　〃The　Spirit　of　Jehovah　will　come　upon　thee；〃　said　the　prophet；
and　thou　〃shalt　be　turned　into　another　man。　And　let　it　be；　when　these　signs
are　come　unto　thee；　that　thou　do　as　occasion　serve　thee；　for　God　is　with
thee。〃

As　Saul　went　on　his　way；　all　came　to　pass　as　the　prophet　had　said。　Near　the
border　of　Benjamin　he　was　informed　that　the　lost　animals　had　been　found。　In
the　plain　of　Tabor　he　met　three　men　who　were　going　to　worship　God　at　Bethel。
One　of　them　carried　three　kids　for　sacrifice；　another　three　loaves　of　bread；
and　the　third　a　bottle　of　wine；　for　the　sacrificial　feast。　They　gave　Saul
the　usual　salutation　and　also　presented　him　with　two　of　the　three　loaves　of
bread。　At　Gibeah；　his　own　city；　a　band　of　prophets　returning　from　〃the　high
place〃　were　singing　the　praise　of　God　to　the　music　of　the　pipe　and　the　harp；
the　psaltery　and　the　tabret。　As　Saul　approached　them　the　Spirit　of　the　Lord
came　upon　him　also；　and　he　joined　in　their　song　of　praise；　and　prophesied
with　them。　He　spoke　with　so　great　fluency　and　wisdom；　and　joined　so
earnestly　in　the　service；　that　those　who　had　known　him　exclaimed　in
astonishment；　〃What　is　this　that　is　come　unto　the　son　of　Kish？　Is　Saul　also
among　the　prophets？〃

As　Saul　united　with　the　prophets　in　their　worship；　a　great　change　was
wrought　in　him　by　the　Holy　Spirit。　The　light　of　divine　purity　and　holiness
shone　in　upon　the　darkness　of　the　natural　heart。　He　saw　himself　as　he　was
before　God。　He　saw

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the　beauty　of　holiness。　He　was　now　called　to　begin　the　warfare　against　sin
and　Satan；　and　he　was　made　to　feel　that　in　this　conflict　his　strength　must
come　wholly　from　God。　The　plan　of　salvation；　which　had　before　seemed　dim　and
uncertain；　was　opened　to　his　understanding。　The　Lord　endowed　him　with
courage　and　wisdom　for　his　high　station。　He　revealed　to　him　the　Source　of
strength　and　grace；　and　enlightened　his　understanding　as　to　the　divine
claims　and　his　own　duty。

The　anointing　of　Saul　as　king　had　not　been　made　known　to　the　nation。　The
choice　of　God　was　to　be　publicly　manifested　by　lot。　For　this　purpose　Samuel
convoked　the　people　at　Mizpeh。　Prayer　was　offered　for　divine　guidance；　then
followed　the　solemn　ceremony　of　casting　the　lot。　In　silence　the　assembled
multitude　awaited　the　issue。　The　tribe；　the　family；　and　the　household　were
successively　designated；　and　then　Saul；　the　son　of　Kish；　was　pointed　out　as
the　individual　chosen。　But　Saul　was　not　in　the　assembly。　Burdened　with　a
sense　of　the　great　responsibility　about　to　fall　upon　him；　he　had　secretly
withdrawn。　He　was　brought　back　to　the　congregation；　who　observed　with　pride
and　satisfaction　that　he　was　of　kingly　bearing　and　noble　form；　being　〃higher
than　any　of　the　people　from　his　shoulders　and　upward。〃　Even　Samuel；　when
presenting　him　to　the　assembly；　exclaimed；　〃See　ye　him　whom　the　Lord　hath
chosen；　that　there　is　none　like　him　among　all　the　people？〃　And　in　response
arose　from　the　vast　throng　one　long；　loud　shout　of　joy；　〃God　save　the　king！〃

Samuel　then　set　before　the　people　〃the　manner　of　the　kingdom；〃　stating　the
principles　upon　which　the　monarchial　government　was　based；　and　by　which　it
should　be　controlled。　The　king　was　not　to　be　an　absolute　monarch；　but　was　to
hold　his　power　in　subjection　to　the　will　of　the　Most　High。　This　address　was
recorded　in　a　book；　wherein　were　set　forth　the　prerogatives　of　the　prince
and　the　rights　and　privileges　of　the　people。　Though　the　nation　had　despised
Samuel's　warning；　the　faithful　prophet；　while　forced　to　yield　to　their
desires；　still　endeavored；　as　far　as　possible；　to　guard　their　liberties。

While　the　people　in　general　were　ready　to　acknowledge　Saul　as　their　king；
there　was　a　large　party　in　opposition。　For　a　monarch　to　be　chosen　from
Benjamin；　the　smallest　of　the　tribes　of　Israeland　that　to　the　neglect　of
both　Judah　and　Ephraim；　the　largest　and　most　powerfulwas　a　slight　which
they　could　not　brook。　They　refused　to　profess　allegiance　to　Saul　or　to　bring

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him　the　customary　presents。　Those　who　had　been　most　urgent　in　their　demand
for　a　king　were　the　very　ones　that　refused　to　accept　with　gratitude　the　man
of　God's　appointment。　The　members　of　each　faction　had　their　favorite；　whom
they　wished　to　see　placed　on　the　throne；　and　several　among　the　leaders　had
desired　the　honor　for　themselves。　Envy　and　jealousy　burned　in　the　hearts　of
many。　The　efforts　of　pride　and　ambition　had　resulted　in　disappointment　and
discontent。

In　this　condition　of　affairs　Saul　did　not　see　fit　to　assume　the　royal
dignity。　Leaving　Samuel　to　administer　the　government　as　formerly；　he
returned　to　Gibeah。　He　was　honorably　escorted　thither　by　a　company；　who；
seeing　the　divine　choice　in　his　selection；　were　determined　to　sustain　him。
But　he　made　no　attempt　to　maintain　by　force　his　right　to　the　throne。　In　his
home　among　the　uplands　of　Benjamin　he　quietly　occupied　himself　in　the　duties
of　a　husbandman；　leaving　the　establishment　of　his　authority　entirely　to　God。

Soon　after　Saul's　appointment　the　Ammonites；　under　their　king；　Nahash；
invaded　the　territory　of　the　tribes　east　of　Jordan　and　threatened　the　city
of　Jabesh…gilead。　The　inhabitants　tried　to　secure　terms　of　peace　by　offering
to　become　tributary　to　the　Ammonites。　To　this　the　cruel　king　would　not
consent　but　on　condition　that　he　might　put　out　the　right　eye　of　every　one　of
them；　thus　making　them　abiding　witnesses　to　his　power。

The　people　of　the　besieged　city　begged　a　respite　of　seven　days。　To　this　the
Ammonites　consented；　thinking　thus　to　heighten　the　honor　of　their　expected
triumph。　Messengers　were　at　once　dispatched　from　Jabesh；　to　seek　help　from
the　tribes　west　of　Jordan