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Patriarchs and Prophets
“And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not
kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which He commanded
thee: for now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon
Israel forever. But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath
sought Him a man after His own heart, and the Lord hath commanded
him to be captain over His people.... And Samuel arose, and gat him
up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin.”
Either Israel must cease to be the people of God, or the principle
upon which the monarchy was founded must be maintained, and the
nation must be governed by a divine power. If Israel would be wholly
the Lord’s, if the will of the human and earthly were held in subjection
to the will of God, He would continue to be the Ruler of Israel. So long
as the king and the people would conduct themselves as subordinate
to God, so long He could be their defense. But in Israel no monarchy
could prosper that did not in all things acknowledge the supreme
authority of God.
If Saul had shown a regard for the requirements of God in this time
of trial, God could have worked His will through him. His failure now
proved him unfit to be the vicegerent of God to His people. He would
mislead Israel. His will, rather than the will of God, would be the
controlling power. If Saul had been faithful, his kingdom would have
been established forever; but since he had failed, the purpose of God
must be accomplished by another. The government of Israel must be
committed to one who would rule the people according to the will of
Heaven.
We do not know what great interests may be at stake in the proving
of God. There is no safety except in strict obedience to the word of
God. All His promises are made upon condition of faith and obedience,
and a failure to comply with His commands cuts off the fulfillment to us
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of the rich provisions of the Scriptures. We should not follow impulse,
nor rely on the judgment of men; we should look to the revealed will
of God and walk according to His definite commandment, no matter
what circumstances may surround us. God will take care of the results;
by faithfulness to His word we may in time of trial prove before men
and angels that the Lord can trust us in difficult places to carry out His
will, honor His name, and bless His people.
Saul was in disfavor with God, and yet unwilling to humble his
heart in penitence. What he lacked in real piety he would try to