The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 36

EC'l,es that they "kiss the Son," lest they perish, "while his wrath is kindled but a little." V. IN\"OLYINO GREAT REV_ERSIONS: i:'rov_idence vindicated itself for former ap• rarcntly unequal and undesirable d1stnbut10ns of favour by breaking the bows of the strong and giving strength to the feeble; by causing the self-satisfied Peninnah to feel the lack of a satisfaction not to be obtained by the cruel, and the yearning· Hannah to want for nothing more. The once proud mother of many children, from causes in the ho~10 life, fails in her joys, whil~ the unfru!tful a~tains to the perfection of' earthly bhss. In the one case hopes and Joys are smitten ; m the other created; •The rich in home delights becomes poor, by possibly erring sons, or enfeebled health•1 the poor and sorrowful is enriched with a treasure for the use of all ages. Thus does Hannah see in outline the reversions ever occurring in the working out of God's salvation in the individual, the nation, or the Church. 1. In the liurnan soul saved by Chz:ist, forces of evil once strong and self-satisfied, lacking nothing, and usurping a~1thonty, ~re brought lo~, enfeebled_, mad~ ~onscious of the!r ii:opotence, and fin,ally, killed; while the poor, famt, strugglmg spmt of love and faith 1s when one~" made alive," girded with strength, satisfied with good, and made finally dominant over the entire nature. Doubts, fears, and mighty temptations are laid low. Hopes joys' and nctories of faith are called forth ; and, as a final issue, the once outcast un'happy' soul is enriched with the full bliss of a child of God. 2. In national affairs. 'I'ht strength of Egypt sinks i~ the sea;_ the _helplessn~ss of Israel puts ?n th,E:,streng~h. of God. The boastful nat10ns that m pnde of their resources set.aside tlie pr~ctice of righteousness, one by one are brought low by the corruption concealed ·beneath their material splendour; while the feeble people who live ii) the fear of God strength to strength, and "delight themselves in the abundance of peace.' •3. In' io from' the Church. The wealth, power, and wisdom of Rome and Greece fell before the rising power and spiritual knowledge of ~oar fish~rmen. The mighty evils of an age, are at length brought down, and the despised" thmgs that are not" are caused to be the most potent and blessed of all agencies. VI. TRACEABLE TO Goo. Well did Hannah know that l1er deliverance was of God/ and not of man. In all the second causes co-operating towards the compl.etion of her desire she, with true spiritual instinct, saw the work of the First Cause., "The Lord" it was who" killed and made alirn." "The Lord" "broug·ht low'' .the proud ri,al, and " lifted np '' "the woman of sorrowful spirit." He it is who II keeps the· feet of his saints,'' and causes the wicked at length " to be silent.'' So through the unfolding ages it is "the Lord" who works to destroy the. evils of the soul, and. 'to create and nourish the good. All the triumphs of the Church over political schelJl• ing, pseudo-learning, violent persec?tion, and satanic opposition are by the inig~t an~. power of him who raiseth up the wise and good, checks the rage of man, and m .t'he; invisible sphere frustrates the " gates of hell." All things are of God, who. worketn: all and in all. It is not crude anthropomorphism that refers all the processes 'of individual, national, and Church salvation to the energy of God. It is the most penetrating philosophy, born of the inspiring Spirit of God. There are II pillars llor foundations, or bases, of all terrestrial things. We may call this a cause, and that an effect. We may clothe matter with qualities, and point out their uniform and neces- sary interaction. But still they are all traceable down to some original constitution' inherent in the elemental forces and mate1ials; and that constitution, that firm a'.nd' grand arrangement of invisible " pillars'' or bases, is what it is because God made h' so, and for no other reason. Wisely and beautifully, therefore, does the prophete~s anticipate the philosophies of the coming ages by referring all the agenc1~s and powers involved in the accomplishing of salvation for men to "the Lord." Not unto us, but to thy name be the glory. . VII. CULMINATING IN CHRIST'S PERFECT REIGN. The prophetic eye looks on through the material disorder of Eli's day to a typical King in Zion. ~he order and prosperity of a David's reign are but the temporal shadow of the enduring order and unfading prosperity of the "Anointed,'' who is in the highest spiritual sense to "exalt" his "horn " and "judge the ends of the earth." What though, mean· while, "ad versarie~" may combine, and the occasional "strength " of the wicked threaten to cast down "tlie S'.tints; '' he that !litteth in the heavens has in reserve hil CH, lJ. 1-10,] THE FIRST BOOK Olt SAMUEL. 31