patriarchs and prophets-第164章

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once　proclaimed　war。　To　his　own　authority　was　added　that　of　the　prophet；　and
at　the　call　to　battle　the　men　of　Israel　flocked　to　his　standard。　The
expedition　was　not　to　be　entered　upon　for　the　purpose　of
self…aggrandizement；　the　Israelites　were　not　to　receive　either　the　honor　of
the　conquest　or　the　spoils　of　their　enemies。　They　were　to　engage　in　the　war
solely　as　an　act　of　obedience　to　God；　for　the　purpose　of　executing　His
judgment　upon　the　Amalekites。　God　intended　that　all　nations　should　behold
the　doom　of　that　people　that　had　defied　His　sovereignty；　and　should　mark
that　they　were　destroyed　by　the　very　people　whom　they　had　despised。

〃Saul　smote　the　Amalekites　from　Havilah　until　thou　comest　to　Shur；　that　is
over　against　Egypt。　And　he　took　Agag　the　king　of　the　Amalekites　alive；　and
utterly　destroyed　all　the　people　with　the　edge　of　the　sword。　But　Saul　and
the　people　spared　Agag；　and　the　best　of　the　sheep；　and　of　the　oxen；　and　of
the　fatlings；　and　the　lambs；　and　all　that　was　good；　and　would　not　utterly
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。　B