patriarchs and prophets-第145节

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executed。　To　spare　the　life　of　his　son　would

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have　been　an　acknowledgment　on　the　part　of　Saul　that　he　had　sinned　in　making
so　rash　a　vow。　This　would　have　been　humiliating　to　his　pride。　〃God　do　so；
and　more　also；〃　was　his　terrible　sentence：　〃thou　shalt　surely　die；
Jonathan。〃

Saul　could　not　claim　the　honor　of　the　victory；　but　he　hoped　to　be　honored
for　his　zeal　in　maintaining　the　sacredness　of　his　oath。　Even　at　the
sacrifice　of　his　son；　he　would　impress　upon　his　subjects　the　fact　that　the
royal　authority　must　be　maintained。　At　Gilgal；　but　a　short　time　before；　Saul
had　presumed　to　officiate　as　priest；　contrary　to　the　command　of　God。　When
reproved　by　Samuel；　he　had　stubbornly　justified　himself。　Now；　when　his　own
command　was　disobeyedthough　the　command　was　unreasonable　and　had　been
violated　through　ignorancethe　king　and　father　sentenced　his　son　to　death。

The　people　refused　to　allow　the　sentence　to　be　executed。　Braving　the　anger
of　the　king；　they　declared；　〃Shall　Jonathan　die；　who　hath　wrought　this　great
salvation　in　Israel？　God　forbid：　as　the　Lord　liveth；　there　shall　not　one
hair　of　his　head　fall　to　the　ground；　for　he　hath　wrought　with　God　this　day。〃
The　proud　monarch　dared　not　disregard　this　unanimous　verdict；　and　the　life
of　Jonathan　was　preserved。

Saul　could　not　but　feel　that　his　son　was　preferred　before　him；　both　by　the
people　and　by　the　Lord。　Jonathan's　deliverance　was　a　severe　reproof　to　the
king's　rashness。　He　felt　a　presentiment　that　his　curses　would　return　upon
his　own　head。　He　did　not　longer　continue　the　war　with　the　Philistines；　but
returned　to　his　home；　moody　and　dissatisfied。

Those　who　are　most　ready　to　excuse　or　justify　themselves　in　sin　are　often
most　severe　in　judging　and　condemning　others。　Many；　like　Saul；　bring　upon
themselves　the　displeasure　of　God；　but　they　reject　counsel　and　despise
reproof。　Even　when　convinced　that　the　Lord　is　not　with　them；　they　refuse　to
see　in　themselves　the　cause　of　their　trouble。　They　cherish　a　proud；　boastful
spirit；　while　they　indulge　in　cruel　judgment　or　severe　rebuke　of　others　who
are　better　than　they。　Well　would　it　be　for　such　self…constituted　judges　to
ponder　those　words　of　Christ：　〃With　what　judgment　ye　judge；　ye　shall　be
judged：　and　with　what　measure　ye　mete；　it　shall　be　measured　to　you　again。〃
Matthew　7：2。

Often　those　who　are　seeking　to　exalt　themselves　are　brought　into　positions
where　their　true　character　is　revealed。　So　it　was　in

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the　case　of　Saul。　His　own　course　convinced　the　people　that　kingly　honor　and
authority　were　dearer　to　him　than　justice；　mercy；　or　benevolence。　Thus　the
people　were　led　to　see　their　error　in　rejecting　the　government　that　God　had
given　them。　They　had　exchanged　the　pious　prophet；　whose　prayers　had　brought
down　blessings；　for　a　king　who　in　his　blind　zeal　had　prayed　for　a　curse　upon
them。

Had　not　the　men　of　Israel　interposed　to　save　the　life　of　Jonathan；　their
deliverer　would　have　perished　by　the　king's　decree。　With　what　misgivings
must　that　people　afterward　have　followed　Saul's　guidance！　How　bitter　the
thought　that　he　had　been　placed　upon　the　throne　by　their　own　act！　The　Lord
bears　long　with　the　waywardness　of　men；　and　to　all　He　grants　opportunity　to
see　and　forsake　their　sins；　but　while　He　may　seem　to　prosper　those　who
disregard　His　will　and　despise　His　warnings；　He　will；　in　His　own　time；
surely　make　manifest　their　folly。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　61

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Saul　Rejected


Saul　had　failed　to　bear　the　test　of　faith　in　the　trying　situation　at　Gilgal；
and　had　brought　dishonor　upon　the　service　of　God；　but　his　errors　were　not
yet　irretrievable；　and　the　Lord　would　grant　him　another　opportunity　to　learn
the　lesson　of　unquestioning　faith　in　His　word　and　obedience　to　His　commands。

When　reproved　by　the　prophet　at　Gilgal；　Saul　saw　no　great　sin　in　the　course
he　had　pursued。　He　felt　that　he　had　been　treated　unjustly；　and　endeavored　to
vindicate　his　actions　and　offered　excuses　for　his　error。　From　that　time　he
had　little　intercourse　with　the　prophet。　Samuel　loved　Saul　as　his　own　son；
while　Saul；　bold　and　ardent　in　temper；　had　held　the　prophet　in　high　regard；
but　he　resented　Samuel's　rebuke；　and　thenceforth　avoided　him　so　far　as
possible。

But　the　Lord　sent　His　servant　with　another　message　to　Saul。　By　obedience　he
might　still　prove　his　fidelity　to　God　and　his　worthiness　to　walk　before
Israel。　Samuel　came　to　the　king　and　delivered　the　word　of　the　Lord。　That　the
monarch　might　realize　the　importance　of　heeding　the　command；　Samuel
expressly　declared　that　he　spoke　by　divine　direction；　by　the　same　authority
that　had　called　Saul　to　the　throne。　The　prophet　said；　〃Thus　saith　the　Lord
of　hosts；　I　remember　that　which　Amalek　did　to　Israel；　how　he　laid　wait　for
him　in　the　way；　when　he　came　up　from　Egypt。　Now　go　and　smite　Amalek；　and
utterly　destroy　all　that　they　have；　and　spare　them　not；　but　slay　both　man
and　woman；　infant　and　suckling；　ox　and　sheep；　camel　and　ass。〃　The　Amalekites
had　been　the　first　to　make　war　upon　Israel　in　the　wilderness；　and　for　this
sin；　together　with　their　defiance　of　God　and　their　debasing　idolatry；　the
Lord；　through　Moses；　had　pronounced　sentence　upon　them。　By　divine　direction
the　history　of　their　cruelty　toward　Israel　had　been　recorded；　with　the
command；　〃Thou

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shalt　blot　out　the　remembrance　of　Amalek　from　under　heaven；　thou　shalt　not
forget　it。〃　Deuteronomy　25：19。　For　four　hundred　years　the　execution　of　this
sentence　had　been　deferred；　but　the　Amalekites　had　not　turned　from　their
sins。　The　Lord　knew　that　this　wicked　people　would；　if　it　were　possible；　blot
out　His　people　and　His　worship　from　the　earth。　Now　the　time　had　come　for　the
sentence；　so　long　delayed；　to　be　executed。

The　forbearance　that　God　has　exercised　toward　the　wicked；　emboldens　men　in
transgression；　but　their　punishment　will　be　none　the　less　certain　and
terrible　for　being　long　delayed。　〃The　Lord　shall　rise　up　as　in　Mount
Perazim；　He　shall　be　wroth　as　in　the　valley　of　Gibeon；　that　He　may　do　His
work；　His　strange　work；　and　bring　to　pass　His　act；　His　strange　act。〃　Isaiah
28：21。　To　our　merciful　God　the　act　of　punishment　is　a　strange　act。　〃As　I
live；　saith　the　Lord　God；　I　have　no　pleasure　in　the　death　of　the　wicked；　but
that　the　wicked　turn　from　his　way　and　live。〃　Ezekiel　33：11。　The　Lord　is
〃merciful　and　gracious；　long…suffering；　and　abundant　in　goodness　and　truth；
。　。　。　forgiving　iniquity　and　transgression　and　sin。〃　Yet　He　will　〃by　no
means　clear　the　guilty。〃　Exodus　34：6；　7。　While　He　does　not　delight　in
vengeance；　He　will　execute　judgment　upon　the　transgressors　of　His　law。　He　is
forced　to　do　this；　to　preserve　the　inhabitants　of　the　earth　from　utter
depravity　and　ruin。　In　order　to　save　some　He　must　cut　off　those　who　have
become　hardened　in　sin。　〃The　Lord　is　slow　to　anger；　and　great　in　power；　and
will　not　at　all　acquit　the　wicked。〃　Nahum　1：3。　By　terrible　things　in
righteousness　He　will　vindicate　the　authority　of　His　downtrodden　law。　And
the　very　fact　of　His　reluctance　to　execute　justice　testifies　to　the　enormity
of　the　sins　that　call　forth　His　judgments　and　to　the　severity　of　the
retribution　awaiting　the　transgressor。

But　while　inflicting　judgment；　God　remembered　mercy。　The　Amalekites　were　to
be　destroyed；　but　the　Kenites；　who　dwelt　among　them；　were　spared。　This
people；　though　not　wholly　free　from　idolatry；　were　worshipers　of　God　and
were　friendly　to　Israel。　Of　this　tribe　was　the　brother…in…law　of　Moses；
Hobab；　who　had　accompanied　the　Israelites　in　their　travels　through　the
wilderness；　and　by　his　knowledge　of　the　country　had　rendered　them　valuable
assistance。

Since　the　defeat　of　the　Philistines　at　Michmash；　Saul　had　made　war　against
Moab；　Ammon；　and　Edom；　and　against　the

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Amalekites　and　the　Philistines；　and　wherever　he　turned　his　arms；　he　gained
fresh　victories。　On　receiving　the　commission　against　the　Amalekites；　he　at
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