patriarchs and prophets-第131部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


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

628

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

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　629

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　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

630

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

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　631

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