The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 181

P:ophcts at Gibeah: (4) An i_nspiration fron~ God to prophesy. 3. He i1rntruebi lmn on the complct10n of the signs to act on Ins own judgmcnt with tho a~sun111eu that God is ~1is helper. 4 .. Ho finally directs him to wait at' Gilgal for himself, there to reccn·e further gmdance. The course taken by Samuel was the naturuI completion of his protracted intercourse with Saul. The hour had come in which the symb~lism of ~he recei:t feast and the foreshadowings of suggestive language ~1rns~ recen-e defimte form m w·or~ and 1eed. !',.s O!Je chosen of God to high .office IT: l11s go,ernment of Israel, Saul 1s anomted with 011; and Samuel voluntarily gives 111111 what he_ rn~1st (ia,·e ~alued above al_l price, the k~ss o~ homage and of congrat11- lat10n, thus md1catmg· Ins perfect readmess to fall m with the new order. and his tender interest in the king's prosperity. A new era of responsibility open'ed up. to Saul. He had !o go fort_h, believing himself to .be God's chosen servant, ready for the onerous duties attachmg to great honours. But a man could not thus have his faith taxed without craving for encouragement. There were, in the circumstances of Israel a_nd of Saul, obvious reasons for this private announcement and anointing. The deliberate act of such a man as Samuel must go far to banish doubt. But still human nature needs many supports, and God is very considerate of our frame. The day might come when difficulties and disappointments would recall the primary mis- givings of the reality of the Divine call. Hence tLe provision made by Samuel for the encouragement of Saul. I. THERE IS ALWAYS IN GoD's SERVICE A NEED OF SUPPORT TO FAITH AND DUTY. Others have been summoned to a life requiring strong faith and unfailing courage in duty. 1. There is a call to special service. Abraham was called to be a pilg·rim in a strange land, and to thereby secure a seed in whom all should be .blessed. Moses was called to surrender the wealth of Egypt, and to lead God's people to freedom. The apostles "\"\ere bidden to leave house and business for Christ's sake. E,cry true pastor and Christian worker recognises a voice which, in commanding separation to his service, puts honour on the servant. The instrument by which each is called may be human, as truly as it was a human hand and voice that set apart S:rnl. The evidence of the call may be clear. But tedious toils have to be borne. E,·ents will not realise the expectations of a too sanguine temperament. Abraham needed the support of occasional manifestations, as weU as o:f; fulfilled predictions. Moses could not go without "signs." Christ promised proofs that he was sending forth his disciples. 2. There is a call to Chr'/,8tia1i life. This is the most blessed Rummons to privilege, honour, and obligation. The call to Christian life is endless in its form and manner and seasons. It may come in infancy, when we are uncon- ficiously made new creatures in Christ; or in mature years, by the preacher's voice, the written word, the loss of friends, and the adversities of life, or the still small voice in the heart. There may be instances in which it is as clear as was Samuel's ,oice and hand to Saul ; and a wonder and sense of unworthiness may arise as sincere and deep as was his. But times will come when a horror of great darkness falls. on the spirit; the difficulties of one's path will rai~e. ~he questi?n a~ !o the rea!it:yof that call which once seemed so clear, and the poss1b1lity of mamtammg the distinct, line of duty once entered on A man -cannot find support simply in retrospect of what was a marked change ir. his life ; he needs Sl)mething else to convince him that all is right, that the past change was not an illusion. II. The SUPPORT GlVEN·rs VARIED-ADAPTED TO THE ENTIRE NEED. Saul needed to be assured of the fact that it was God, .and not merely man, who appointed him ; he had it in thefourfoldful,filled predu:tion (vers. 2, 3, 5, 6). He needed the eympat?Y and concurrence of the religious portion of Israel; he was assured of it symbolic~ ally by the worshippers spontaneously offering him nourishment. He neede~ t~e co- operation of the most important educators of the age; he was assured .o! it m the- symbolical welcome given to him by the company of prophets, the th~n r1sm~ power, which in years hence was to exert so great an influence _on t~e national )ife. He needed, moreover, a power and wisdom in excess of. th~t mher1ted from ?1.s father, and acquired during years of private life; he had 1t given when the spmt of the Lord made him another man. Wisely, therefore, were these arrang~ments made for the servant of God. They are beautifully congruous with the pos1t10n of Saul, and the age in wl1ic:l1 he was called to act. An examination of the lives of Abraham, OH. X. 1-16.) THE FIHST BOOK 01<' SAMUEL.