The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 212

V_ers. 6-15.~T~ immutable condit-ion of well-being. The £acts are-L Samuel, havmg shown his_ ngl!t ~o be heard, calls on the peol,:e to hearken to hie argument. 2. He refers to lustonc mstances to show that troub_e slways came with unfaithful- ness to God, and prosperity with a return to fidelity. 3. He reminds them that their des!re. for a king implied _distrust of G?d. 4. Reco~ieing the new order of thinr,s, he ms1sts that the adversity or prospenty of the nation rested where it always haJ - on their own disobedience or obedience to God. Samuel, having gained a respectful hearing, proceeds to urge his argument with the view to convince Israel that conshmt obedience to God will be in future, on their part, the only rational conduct. The principles involved are universal, and they imply what some have recklessly dcr,ied or questioned, namely, the essential reasonableness of religion. Changing the his- toric allusions £or corresponding facts in modern experience, the identical argument could be urged with equal force upon many who fain would escape the yoke of Christ as being inconsistent with the claims of human reason. l. CONFORMITY TO THE WILL OF GOD IS THE SUPREME .CONDITION OF WRLL-DEING. Israel would, as a people, dwell in safety, be rich, prosperous, and, in fact, realise all the best ends of national existence, in proportion as they obeyed the Lord God. The interactions of material agencies, and the habits of irrational beings, in so far as they flow from necessary physiological laws, are conformed to the Divine will. The possession by man of moral freedom renders it possible for him to be resolutely and knowingly out of accord with the same. The will of God is variously expressed, though always one. In external nature, in constitution of mind, in moral relations, in social laws, in Scripture there are harmonious expressions of will varying accord- ing to the subject-matter and occasions. It being in the power of man, as free, to conform in feeling, in purpose, and actual outward movement of will to what God reveals of himself, perfect life, personal, social, and national, lies in that conformity, and that alone. The continuous act of obedience is conformity. Observing physical, mental, and moral laws in every detail of life; acting in harmony with the revealed requirements of repentance and effort after holiness; constant exercise of faith in Christ as the revealed means of the highest spiritual life-this course !lf action is a fulfilment of the conditions of blessedness, the prelude to final likeness to Christ. II. THAT SUCH CONFORMITY IS THE CONDITION OF WELL-BEING IS A TRUTH ATTESTED BY HISTORY. It could be shown by independent lines of proof that religion, as con- sisting in true conformity to God's will, is essentially reasonable, and that, conversely, sinful men are most irrational. But Samuel knows human nature, and, therefore, he deals with the concrete facts of history, and points out how the past records of Israel's national life establish his contention. Gon gave them freedom from Egypt by Moses and .Aaron. Disobedience and neglect entailed subjection to Sisera and the Philistines. A return to God brought deliverance once more. Therefore history connected pros- perity with due recognition of God, adversity with disobedience. Every _sinful nation and indivi,dual is deluded by fallacy. There is induced, by the blmdmg effect of moral corruption on the intclloct, a belief that the miseries endured are not connected with moral causes. But a fafr induction of the facts of public and private life will demonstrate Samuel's position, tliat when the soul or the nation has been true to God it has enjoyed tl1e truest prosperity. The very prospeiity of fools is in the long run their destruction. The meniment of the impious, like the brilliant JU. XII, 1-25.] THE FIRST BOOK 01<' SA.i\IUEL. 213