_And Samuel said unto all Israel._ A STATESMAN’S RETROSPECT The closing years in the life of Samuel, the last and greatest of the judges, witnessed a transition in the method of governing the nation of Israel from the theocracy to the monarchy. By the wise, unselfish action of Samuel, this transit... [ Continue Reading ]
_I am now old and grey-headed._ A GOOD OLD AGE A good old age has been cynically defined as “an age at which a man is good for nothing;” but it is our own fault if we are good for nothing in old age. The old can help the rising generation by sympathy and advice, and do much to prevent them from ri... [ Continue Reading ]
_Behold, here I am, witness against me._ AD MAGISTRATUM A bold and just challenge of an old judge, made before all the people, upon his resignal of the government into the hands of a new king. In which words are observable both the matter and form of Samuel’s challenge. We may observe concerning S... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Samuel maid unto the people._ SAMUEL’S DEALINGS WITH THE PEOPLE Having vindicated himself (in the first five verses of this chapter), Samuel now proceeds to his second point, and takes the people in hand. But before proceeding to close quarters with them, he gives a brief review of the histor... [ Continue Reading ]
_Which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt._ GOD’S LEADING A child might say to a geographer: “You talk about the earth being round! Look on this great crag; look on that deep dell; look on yonder great mountain, and the valley at its feet, and yet you talk about the earth being round.” The ge... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when they forgot the Lord their God he sold them into the hand of Sisera._ NATIONAL JUDGMENTS THE CONSEQUENCE OF NATIONAL SINS Let us learn from this transaction the important lesson, that national judgments are the certain consequences of national transgression! A lesson, taught not merely in... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now, therefore, behold the king whom ye have chosen._ SAMUEL’S FAREWELL ADDRESS I. One could hardly fail to note what is here taught respecting the condition of true prosperity. Samuel plainly tells people that, in gaining their desire, they had not made sure of blessing. It still remained that th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Continue following the Lord your God._ CONTINUITY IN SERVICE It has been said that one reason (perhaps the chief one) why the late Emperor of Brazil was dethroned by his own subjects, was because he was a man of peaceful pursuits and tastes, fond of literature, science and art, and the society of... [ Continue Reading ]
_I will call unto the Lord, and He will send thunder end rain._ THE POWER OF PRAYER The evidence of history to the truth is most invaluable. It makes an appeal to the judgment which can be readily appreciated and, next to experience, is one of the most convincing demonstrations of the divinity of... [ Continue Reading ]
_Pray for thy servants unto the Lord thy God._ INTERCESSORY PRAYER 1. This Lesson contains Samuel’s official farewell to the people--that is, as Judge. There is something touching in all farewells. Retirement from long and distinguished service has ever a shade of melancholy; it reminds us of the... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not._ DANGER OR DESPONDENCY It is, I believe, no very unusual thing, however unwilling we may be to avow it, for persons to give way to a kind of despair, when they are called on to repent of their sins. They say to themselves, “It is too late now: it is no us... [ Continue Reading ]
_Turn ye not aside._ POINTS OF DEPARTURE Samuel assumes that the true path was clear before Israel; it knew its calling and destiny. To love God alone and to serve Him was the simple royal pathway. And Samuel here reminds the people that the imminent danger was not that they would execute a right-... [ Continue Reading ]
_For the Lord will not forsake His people._ GOD NEVER FORSAKES HIS PEOPLE I. Let us consider how God has made our nation His peculiar people. 1. It hath pleased the Lord to separate us in a peculiar manner from other nations. 2. It hath pleased the Lord to make us the objects of His peculiar car... [ Continue Reading ]
_God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you._ SAMUEL: AN EXAMPLE OF INTERCESSION It is a very great privilege to be permitted to pray for our fellow men Such prayers are often of unspeakable value to those for whom they are offered. Intercessory prayer is a benefit to... [ Continue Reading ]
_Only fear the Lord and serve Him in truth with all your heart._ THE RELIGIOUS CAPABILITY OF MAN I. That man can reverence God. “Only fear the Lord” Reverence implies:-- 1. A sense of Divine greatness. For none can reverence the contemptible or the small 2. A sense of Divine excellance. For none... [ Continue Reading ]
_But if ye shall do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king._ SIN RUINS A KINGDOM Such was the language of Samuel to the Jews. He requires of them nothing superstitious; nothing merely ceremonious; nothing only external and temporary--but the exercise of piety flowing from the feet of... [ Continue Reading ]