The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 101

s11p~rior to th<' nngodly ha,·e learnt their ways, it is Just and appropriate thnt they ,J,onld be given up to chastisement at their hands. 2. The chastiscme11t which is tl111s inflicted upon them is the most severe they can experience. "Let us not fall into t h0 hand of man" (2 Sam. xxiv. 14 ). "The tender mercies of the wicked are cruel" ( 1'1\1Y. xii. 10). 3. In fulfilling their own purposes the wicked are subject to the ,-.n111·ol '.lf God; they cn.n go no further than he pleases, their designs are overruled i'o1r good, and when they have done their work they are broken and cast aside like 11,c!ess saws n.nd axes (Isa. xxvii. 7, 8; Acts v. 28). This is the case with Satan !,i:nself. "Satan is a very important element in the Divine economy. God needs l,i111. and he thnefore keeps him until he shall have no more use for him. Then will lw be banished to ·his own place. The Scriptures call the wicked heathen tyrant );chuchadnezzar a sen·ant of God. They might give Satan the same name'' (Heng- stenberg-). II. How VAIN IS THE POSSESSION OF THE FORM OF RELlGION WITHOUT ITSSPIRI'J'(vers. 3, 4). Israel had a great though superstitious reverence for the ark, and expected that it would "save them out of the hand of their enemies." 1. Excessive devotion to the outward forms and ceremonies, and dependence upon them, is commonly asso- ciated with the absence of spiritual life (Matt. v. 20 ; 2 Tim. iii. 5). 2. Reliance upon.such forms arises from the delusi,on that they insure the presence and working of God apart from the spirit in which they are employed. They are, however, neither the necessary ncr the exdusive channels of Divine grace (John vi. 63), and no benefit· _formerly received through them (Num. x. 35) is to be expected, unless there be a right relation to him who bas appointed them. 3. The vanity of it is clearly shown in the day of trial. "If progress to perfection is placed only in external observances, our religion, lia~ing no Divine life, will quickly pe1ish, with the things on which it subsists; but the axe must be laid at the root of the tree, that, being separated and freed from the restless desires of nature and self, we may possess our souls in the pear.e of God" (A Kempis). TTL How NEAR ARE THOSE WHO ARE ELATED IN FALSE CONFIDENCE TO THEIR SIGNAL nc,11-~FALL (ver. 5). There was a shout in the camp at the arrival of the ark. It srrnck consternation i11to the Philistines, who had heard of the wonders wrought by .Jdioval, in former times (eh. vi. 6), and who, like Israel, supposed that bis presence wa~ inseparably connected with the symbol thereof (vers. 6-8). But they speedily regained courage, and obtained a second and greater victory (ver. 9). 1. False con- fidence is blind to its own weakness and danger. 2. It is generally associated with neglect of the proper means of safety. 3. Nothing is more displeasing to God than pride and presumption; nothing more frequently condemned or more severely punished ( eh. ii. 3; Prov. xvi. 18; Isa. ii. 11). "By that sin fell the angels." "We must there- fore bear tl1is in mind throughout our whole life, e_very day, every hour, and every moment, that we never indulge so w ucb as a thought of confidence in self" (Scupoli ). IV. How Sl:'RE IS THE FULFILMENT OF THE DIVINE THREATENINGS AGAINST THE IMPENITENT (vers. 10, 11 ; eh. ii. 30, 34). In mercy it may be long delayed; but ruercy bas its limits, and judgment comes at last (Prov. xxix. 1 ; Rom. ii. 5). I. The priesu, who had so grossly abused their power in many ways,. and no_w exposed the ark of the Lord in battle, were struck down by the sword of his enemies. "Wisdom supreme ! how wonderful the art, Which thou <lost manifest in heaven, in earth, And in the evil world, how just a meed Allotting by thy virtue unto all" (Dante, 'lnfomo '). 2. The elders and 1Jeople, who "asked not counsel at the m?uth of the Lord," ":erA abandoned to their own devices, and 30,000 of them were slam. 3. The whole iiatwn, which had forsaken the Lord, was deprived of the sign of his presence (ver. ~l); tl,r, place of the sanctuary, which had been defiled, was made a perpetual desolation (Px. lxxviii. 59-64; Jer. vii. 11, 12, 14; xxvi. 6); and they who woul? not serve the Lord with gladness were compelled to wear the heavy yoke of their oppressors (Deut. :r.xviii. 47, 48 ; 1 Sam. vii. 2, 14). "The mills of God grind slowly, but they grind exceeding small; Though he stauds and waits with patience, with exactn~ss grinds he all." -CH. IV. 1-22.] Tlll~ ]:t'lllST BOOK OF SA:\IUEL.