The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 218

they ha? t~ken the iniliati_Ye in the matter, he had reserved to himself the authority of appomtmg lllln, an_d almles t~1e supreme l~nler o_ver both people_ an~ king (ver. 12). In the n~w order of thmgs-1. '!-~iey are speciall,1/ liable to forget tlus prunarytruth, and to trust III man, and hence he impresses upon them once and again the fact that" the Lor~ God is their king." No earthly monarch can release ~hem frolJ! their responsibility to him, and no human help can save them apart from him. "It 1s better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes" (Ps. cxviii; 9). 2. They can prosper only by beingfaitJiful to him. "If ye will fear the Lord," &c., it will be well with you and you~ king. But-3. If mifaithful, they will ex_pose themselves to heavyjudg- ment-S, as their fathers had done before them. Wherem, then, have they improved their condition? What a perilous course have they entered upon I And how can they hope to avoid its consequences except by profound humiliation, and seeking the- Lord " with full purpose of heart" ? _ IV. NECESSITATING SINCERE REPENTANCE (vers. 16.;_18) in the light of approaching 3udgment. " Now therefore stand and see this great thing, " &c. Hitherto the words of Samuel appear to have produced little effect; something further was necessary that they might not be spoken in vain ; and, in response to his prayer, the thunder crashed above the heads of the great assembly, and the rain fell in torrents around them-things "incomprehensible to a Hebrew" in time of harvest. The· miraculous sign-1. Corroborates the word of truth as well as the Divine com- mission of him who uttered it, and confirms the testimony borne to his integrity. The voice of the supreme Judge answers the appeal which had been made to him, (ver. 5), and there is "an end of all controversy" (Heh. vi. 16). 2. ls significant of the Divine displeasure at their sin, and of terrible judgments (Exod. ix. 28):: " Hereb) the Lord showed his power, and the people their foolishness in not· being contented to have such a mighty God for their protector, who could with thunder. and rain fight for them against their enemies, as he did for Israel against the ·host of Pharaoh, and not long before this against the Philistines. .And, beside, it appeared with what small reason they should be weary of Sa'muel's'government, who by hib prayer could fetch down rain and thunder from heaven 11 (Willet). "God had gra11ted their desire; but upon them and their king's bearing toward the Lord, not upon the fact that they had now a king, would the future of Israel depend ; and this truth, so difficult for them to learn, God would, as it were, prove ·before them in a symbol. Did they think it unlikely, nay, well-nigh impossible, to fail in their present circumstances? God would bring the unlikely and seemingly incredible to pass in a manner patent to all. Was it not the time of wheat harveijt; when in the East not a cloud darkens the clear sky? God would send thunder and rain to convince them, by making the unlikely real, of the folly· and sin of their thoughts_ in ·demand_ing a king" (Edersl1eim). 3. Is desig11:ed to effect a 1:1oral end, _in fillm?, them with salutary fear. "That ye may perceive that your wickedness 1s great (ver. 17). .And it is not in rnin ; for "all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel" (ver. 18), thus solemnly avouched to be his prophet. God is neverata loss for means to accomplish his purposes, and goes beyond his usual method of opera- tions when the occasion demands it. The end of his dealings with men is to bring them to repentance and make them holy. V. NoT EXCLUDING CONSOLATION AND HOPE (vers. 19-25) in the light of the great· name and merciful purposes of God. By means of repentance and faith men plac_e themselves within the circle where the "consuming fire II of Divine wrath (Rom. 1. 18; Heh. xii. 29) is transformed into the genial beams of Divine grace; and "he_ is faithful and just to forgive us our sins 11 (1 John i. 9). We have here.....:...1. A descrip- .tion of a penitent people (ver. 19), overwhelmed with fear, freely and fully confess- ing their sin, rendering honour where they had formerly shown ingratitude _and disrespect, and seeking Divine mercy in the way in which they had reason to believe it might be obtained. 2. An exhortation to an arnended course of life (vers. 20, 21). (1) A consoling word. "Fear not. 11 (2) A reminding and humbling word. "Ye h~ve done all this wickedness." (3) A restraining word. "Turn not aside from ~ollowrng the Lord 11 (as ye have done in your distrust and self-will). (4) A directive wurd. "But Berve the Lord with all your heart 11 (in faith, and love, and entire consecra- tion). (5) A warning word. "And turn ye not aside" (from God to any £alee objeot CU, XII. 1-25.] THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 219