TWO SAULS by G. | AdventAI

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · May 31, 1905

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 31, No. 22.

TWO SAULS.

By G.

SAUL the son of Kish was a large, strong man of goodly appearance. Our first introduction to him is to a plain, meek, and bashful young man, who accepts the kingship of Israel with rare diffidence. But eventually he becomes puffed up by success, and grows self-confident and jealous. Then he deliberately disobeys God, seeks communion with a spiritist medium, and dies a God-forsaken suicide.

Saul of Tarsus was a man of unattractive mien, whose “bodily presence” was “weak.” Yet he was an active, forward young man, and our first acquaintance with him is as a bitter persecutor of the disciples of Christ. But when this Saul is confronted with a positive knowledge of the will of God, he immediately becomes obedient, and eventually a power for good. When his life-work was ended, he died in the triumph of faith.

Saul the son of Kish was admired by the people for his personal appearance; Saul of Tarsus was not. “Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” When the first Saul departed from the Lord, “The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul,” and allowed an evil spirit to control him. When the latter Saul yielded to the call of Christ, the Spirit of Christ became his guide and comforter.

The career of the son of Kish ended in disastrous failure; that of the apostle of Christ in the victory of faith. Why?—Because the one rejected the commandments of God, and the other became obedient to His voice. These two lives are set before us as ensamples—the result of disobedience and the reward of obedience. The choice is before all, and it is fraught with eternal consequences.

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” G.