patriarchs and prophets-第144节

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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

622

commands　cuts　off　the　fulfillment　to　us　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　make　up　by　his　zeal
in　the　forms　of　religion。　Saul　was　not　ignorant　of　Israel's　defeat　when　the
ark　of　God　was　brought　into　the　camp　by　Hophni　and　Phinehas；　and　yet；
knowing　all　this；　he　determined　to　send　for　the　sacred　chest　and　its
attendant　priest。　Could　he　by　this　means　inspire　confidence　in　the　people；
he　hoped　to　reassemble　his　scattered　army　and　give　battle　to　the
Philistines。　He　would　now　dispense　with　Samuel's　presence　and　support；　and
thus　free　himself　from　the　prophet's　unwelcome　criticisms　and　reproofs。

The　Holy　Spirit　had　been　granted　to　Saul　to　enlighten　his　understanding　and
soften　his　heart。　He　had　received　faithful　instruction　and　reproof　from　the
prophet　of　God。　And　yet　how　great　was　his　perversity！　The　history　of
Israel's　first　king　presents　a　sad　example　of　the　power　of　early　wrong
habits。　In　his　youth　Saul　did　not　love　and　fear　God；　and　that　impetuous
spirit；　not　early　trained　to　submission；　was　ever　ready　to　rebel　against
divine　authority。　Those　who　in　their　youth　cherish　a　sacred　regard　for　the
will　of　God；　and　who　faithfully　perform　the　duties　of　their　position；　will
be　prepared　for　higher　service　in　afterlife。　But　men　cannot　for　years
pervert　the　powers　that　God　has　given　them；　and　then；　when　they　choose　to
change；　find　these　powers　fresh　and　free　for　an　entirely　opposite　course。

Saul's　efforts　to　arouse　the　people　proved　unavailing。　Finding　his　force
reduced　to　six　hundred　men；　he　left　Gilgal　and　retired　to　the　fortress　at
Geba；　lately　taken　from　the　Philistines。　This　stronghold　was　on　the　south
side　of　a　deep；　rugged　valley；　or　gorge；　a　few　miles　north　of　the　site　of
Jerusalem。　On　the　north　side　of　the　same　valley；　at　Michmash；　the　Philistine
force　lay　encamped　while　detachments　of　troops　went　out　in　different
directions　to　ravage　the　country。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　623


God　had　permitted　matters　to　be　thus　brought　to　a　crisis　that　He　might
rebuke　the　perversity　of　Saul　and　teach　His　people　a　lesson　of　humility　and
faith。　Because　of　Saul's　sin　in　his　presumptuous　offering；　the　Lord　would
not　give　him　the　honor　of　vanquishing　the　Philistines。　Jonathan；　the　king's
son；　a　man　who　feared　the　Lord；　was　chosen　as　the　instrument　to　deliver
Israel。　Moved　by　a　divine　impulse；　he　proposed　to　his　armor…bearer　that　they
should　make　a　secret　attack　upon　the　enemy's　camp。　〃It　may　be；〃　he　urged；
〃that　the　Lord　will　work　for　us：　for　there　is　no　restraint　to　the　Lord　to
save　by　many　or　by　few。〃

The　armor…bearer；　who　also　was　a　man　of　faith　and　prayer；　encouragement　the
design；　and　together　they　withdrew　from　the　camp；　secretly；　lest　their
purpose　should　be　opposed。　With　earnest　prayer　to　the　Guide　of　their
fathers；　they　agreed　upon　a　sign　by　which　they　might　determine　how　to
proceed。　Then　passing　down　into　the　gorge　separating　the　two　armies；　they
silently　threaded　their　way；　under　the　shadow　of　the　cliff；　and　partially
concealed　by　the　mounds　and　ridges　of　the　valley。　Approaching　the　Philistine
fortress；　they　were　revealed　to　the　view　of　their　enemies；　who　said；
tauntingly；　〃Behold；　the　Hebrews　come　forth　out　of　the　holes　where　they　had
hid　themselves；〃　then　challenged　them；　〃Come　up　to　us；　and　we　will　show　you
a　thing；〃　meaning　that　they　would　punish　the　two　Israelites　for　their
daring。　This　challenge　was　the　token　that　Jonathan　and　his　companion　had
agreed　to　accept　as　evidence　that　the　Lord　would　prosper　their　undertaking。
Passing　now　from　the　sight　of　the　Philistines；　and　choosing　a　secret　and
difficult　path；　the　warriors　made　their　way　to　the　summit　of　a　cliff　that
had　been　deemed　inaccessible；　and　was　not　very　strongly　guarded。　Thus　they
penetrated　the　enemy's　camp　and　slew　the　sentinels；　who；　overcome　with
surprise　and　fear；　offered　no　resistance。

Angels　of　heaven　shielded　Jonathan　and　his　attendant；　angels　fought　by　their
side；　and　the　Philistines　fell　before　them。　The　earth　trembled　as　though　a
great　multitude　with　horsemen　and　chariots　were　approaching。　Jonathan
recognized　the　tokens　of　divine　aid；　and　even　the　Philistines　knew　that　God
was　working　for　the　deliverance　of　Israel。　Great　fear　seized　upon　the　host；
both　in　the　field　and　in　the　garrison。　In　the　confusion；　mistaking　their　own
soldiers　for　enemies；　the　Philistines　began　to　slay　one　another。

624


Soon　the　noise　of　the　battle　was　heard　in　the　camp　of　Israel。　The　king's
sentinels　reported　that　there　was　great　confusion　among　the　Philistines；　and
that　their　numbers　were　decreasing。　Yet　it　was　not　known　that　any　part　of
the　Hebrew　army　had　left　the　camp。　Upon　inquiry　it　was　found　that　none　were
absent　except　Jonathan　and　his　armor…bearer。　But　seeing　that　the　Philistines
were　meeting　with　a　repulse；　Saul　led　his　army　to　join　the　assault。　The
Hebrews　who　had　deserted　to　the　enemy　now　turned　against　them；　great　numbers
also　came　out　of　their　hiding　places；　and　as　the　Philistines　fled；
discomfited；　Saul's　army　committed　terrible　havoc　upon　the　fugitives。

Determined　to　make　the　most　of　his　advantage；　the　king　rashly　forbade　his
soldiers　to　partake　of　food　for　the　entire　day；　enforcing　his　command　by　the
solemn　imprecation；　〃Cursed　be　the　man　that　eateth　any　food　until　evening；
that　I　may　be　avenged　on　mine　enemies。〃　The　victory　had　already　been　gained；
without　Saul's　knowledge　or　co…operation；　but　he　hoped　to　distinguish
himself　by　the　utter　destruction　of　the　vanquished　army。　The　command　to
refrain　from　food　was　prompted　by　selfish　ambition；　and　it　showed　the　king
to　be　indifferent　to　the　needs　of　his　people　when　these　conflicted　with　his
desire　for　self…exaltation。　To　confirm　his　prohibition　by　a　solemn　oath
showed　Saul　to　be　both　rash　and　profane。　The　very　words　of　the　curse　give
evidence　that　Saul's　zeal　was　for　himself；　and　not　for　the　honor　of　God。　He
declared　his　object　to　be；　not　〃that　the　Lord　may　be　avenged　on　His
enemies；〃　but　〃that　I　may　be　avenged　on　mine　enemies。〃

The　prohibition　resulted　in　leading　the　people　to　transgress　the　command　of
God。　They　had　been　engaged　in　warfare　all　day；　and　were　faint　for　want　of
food；　and　as　soon　as　the　hours　of　restriction　were　over；　they　fell　upon　the
spoil　and　devoured　the　flesh　with　the　blood；　thus　violating　the　law　that
forbade　the　eating　of　blood。

During　the　day's　battle　Jonathan；　who　had　not　heard　of　the　king's　command；
unwittingly　offended　by　eating　a　little　honey　as　he　passed　through　a　wood。
Saul　learned　of　this　at　evening。　He　had　declared　that　the　violation　of　his
edict　should　be　punished　with　death；　and　though　Jonathan　had　not　been　guilty
of　a　willful　sin；　though　God　had　miraculously　preserved　his　life　and　had
wrought　deliverance　through　him；　the　king　declared　that　the　sentence　must　be
executed。　To　spare　the　life　of　his　son　would