The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 238

to cli~~nid and impatience, and leads _it to adopt worldly and g·odless expedients. Unhchd wa~ the root o~ th_e tran~g:resston o~ Saul, as it is of th_e transgression of men g·enernliY· 3. Formalit?j in religwu.s sei--mce. A burnt offering was a symbol and <'Xprcs~10n of consecrnt10n, and when offered aright, in a spirit of obedience it, 11(\nonred God and obtained his blessing; but when wrongly offered it was worthl~ss -<lishonomed him, and was abomination in his sight (eh. xv. 22; Prov. xxi. 27 '. Isa. i. 13). It is the same with other outward forms of service. "Saul is a specimer. of th~t :lass of persons who sh_o~ a cer~ain reverence and zeal for the outwardfoi·ms of rehgton, and even a superstitious reliance on them, but are not careful to cherish the inner _spirit of ~•ital r~ligion" (Wordsworth's 'Com.'). 4. Self-will, pride, and presumption. In d1sobeymg the will of God he set up Ins own will as supreme and was guilty of pride, "by which sin fell the angels." It is not said that he offered sacrifice with his own hand, and he may ha,·e simply directed it to be done by _the priest who was with him ( eh. xiv. 18) ; nor is it certain that if he had done so he 7,onld have gone beyond the privilege and prerogative possessed by other kino-s. His sin did not consist of intrusion into the priestly office. It was neverthele~s very 5-reat. "He had cast away his obedience to God. The crown he thoug·ht was his o\\·n. From that moment he fell; for all our good qualities retain their ascendancy over our evil passions by the presence and power of God claiming'them as his." "Samuel, according to modem expositors of the story, was angry' because he felt that he was losing his own influence over the mind of the king. No; he was angry because the king was so much the slave of his influence, or of any influence that was exerted over him for a moment; because he was losing the sense of responsibility tq One higher than a prophet, to One who had appointed him to rule not in. his ow1't name, but as the minister and executor of the Divine righteousness 11 (Maurice). , III. ITS EXCEEDING FOLLY. "Thou hast done foolishly" (ver. 13): The folly of the sinner appears in his-1. Being deceived by tlie appearances of tliings-tbe magnitude of danger, the false promises of advantage, the specious arguments of -expediency. He is like the foolish man who built his house upon the sand, instead of "digging deep and laying the foundation on n rock" (Luke vi. 48). He is infatuated, fascinated, and under a glamour cast over his mind by his own evil -desires and the spell of the tempter. 2. Making ligllt of tlie enormous evil of siri. It is the only real evil. But he is thoughtless, ignorant, and foolish enough to account it a trivial thing, which may be easily excused and passed by. As he who says in his heart" No God" is called a "fool," so he who deems it a little matter to offend him is appropriately designated by the same name. '' Fools make a mock at sin" (Prov. xiv. 9) ; and he who makes light of sin makes lig-ht of God. 3. Leaving :die only patli of safety and lwnour. "For now" (if thou hadst obeyed his command- ment) " the Lord would have established thy sovereignty over Israel for ever." 4. Entering on a course of certain loss and misery. (1) Inward-weakened moral ,power, increased tendency to sin, unsteadiness, rashness, &c. What a man does once he is almost certain under similar circumstances to do again. Saul's subsequent -course was a continuation and complete development of the same kind of transg·ression as he 110w committed. He was already so blinded by sin as not to repent. (2) Out- ward. "But now thy sovereignty shall not continue," &c. (ver. 14). The sentence "embodied the principle that no monarchy could be enduring in Israel which did not -own the supreme authority of God," and it declared that Saul's crown would not be transmitted to his descendants; but not until afterwards was he personally rejected from being king (eh. xv. 23). Having failed to endure the trial to which he was sub- jected, he was left by Samuel (ver. 15), and nothing is further recor~ed of his in~er- • -course with the prophet for ~ome years. "He had not even accomplished the obJect of his unseasonable sacrifice, viz., to prevent tbP, dispersion of the people" (Keil). () that be had waited a little longer I "Saul lost his kingdom for want of two -or three hours' patience." . . _ 1. Beware of the first wrong step. "It is always ~arked by ~ p~c~hanty of evil which does not attach to any subsequent offences" (Miller). Principiis obsta. 2. If you have taken such a step, instantly repent of it. " It is not s!nning that rui1111 men, but sinning and not repenting, falling and not getting up agam. "-D. {III, XIII. 1-23.] TIIE FIW3T I.IOOK 01<' SA:\IUEL.