SAMUEL’S WARNING.

147

OXII.

pPAMUEL'S WARNING,

king, Samuel again called
| the people together. He
was now a very old man,
and soon he must die,
and leave them; but they had a
young king to rule over them when
he was gone, and Samuel wanted to
talk to them, and to warn them,
and to teach them what they must
do to be happy with their new king.

Samuel said, “I am now an old
man; my hair is white with age; I
have been with you all my life, from
the time when I was a child till now.
Tell me if I have oppressed you, or
if I have taken anything away from
you, and I will restore it.” Then
the people cried “ No;” for they all
loved Samuel, and knew that he
had always been their friend.

Then Samuel said again, “ Wait,
and hear what I wish to say to you.
Many years ago, God brought your
fathers out of Egypt, and Moses and
Aaron with them, and gave them
this land for a possession. Very
often your fathers rebelled against
God, and then he punished them,
and sent enemies to fight and con-
quer them. He sent Sisera, and the
Philistines, and the Moabites, and
many more enemies to fight against
them. But when your fathers re-
pented, and turned to God, and
gave up their idols, then the Lord
had mercy, and saved them. He
sent many good and faithful cap-
tains, to conquer their enemies.
Gideon, and Jephthah, and Samson,

 

FTER Saul was made | and many more.

 

Now you have
asked for a king, because you were
tired of God ruling over you; and

| He has given you Saul, and you are

pleased and happy. If you and your
king obey and serve the Lord, then
God’s blessing will be upon you,
and you will have the Lord for your
friend. But if you are disobedient,
and rebel, then God will be your
enemy, and punish you as he pun-
ished your fathers. And now, God
is going to do a great thing, that
you may know how much you have
sinned against Him in asking for a
king.”

What was this great thing? It
was harvest time, when it very sel-
dom rains, or thunders, or lightens
in Judea; but Samuel asked God
to send a storm, to show His great
power to the people, and to teach
them how angry He was.

God heard Samuel’s prayer, and
sent a fearful storm of thunder, and
lightning, and rain ; and all the peo-
ple were very much afraid. Then
they cried aloud, and asked Samuel
to pray to God for them, and con-
fessed their sins, and asked forgive-
ness for having wished for a new king,
when God Himself was their king.

Samuel was sorry to see the peo-
ple unhappy, and he comforted
them, and spoke kindly to them.
He said, “ Yes, I will pray for
you, and I will teach you to do
what is right. But remember al-
ways to fear the Lord, and to love
and obey Him. Think how kind