The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Samuel — Section 518

st.i!ion ,u-e evidence of the po,wr of the religious sentiment in man. Thousands of men have done much to crush it out, but it has reasserted itself in seasons of distress. Ileranse man is formed for religion, and carries within him feelings which crnve for the_ unseen and ~ternal, therefore he of-ten_ becomes the slave of false systems of' belief and worship. The permanence of t\11s sentiment 0o·ives hope to the missionary and rrdds to the remorse of the finally impenitent. ' IV. THE POWER OF RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE. The influence of Samuel over Saul appears in this bitter cry for his presence in the hour of misery. The foundation of this influence was laid in Samuel's character, and in the kind and wise interest be- took _in Sa1;1l ~hen en~ering on his public duties as king. Holy example, faithful warmng, wise mstruct1on, tender forbearance, and pitiful concern had not been alto- gether lost on this erring, self-willed man, although in the perversity of his heart he had for years gone counter to Samuel's guidance. In the dark and painful hour of despair the thought of the wise counsellor and sincere friend came over the soul ':ith_ m~mor~es rich in homage to him. H ow _often does the poor prodigal, when smkmg m misery, feel the spell of a mothers 1 piety I How many a man after years of neglected instruction thinks of the faithful pastor, and perchance takes to heart the lessons of his words and life I General lessons :-1. The climax of trouble is reached when God refuses to hear our prayer, for " What can I do ? " then admits of no satisfactory answer. 2. Vv' e· ought to search our hearts, to see whether we so "regard iniquity" therein as to be in an unfit moral condition to receive a blessing from God (Ps. I.xvi. 18). 3. God has methods by which he can vindicate the justice of his judgments, even when we are craving for relief from them. 4. It is important to exercise religious influence over others as early and constantly as possible, since we know that it will be a power even when we are gone. Vers. 15-25.-The last fruitless ifort. The facts of this section are-1. Saul, in, reply to Samuel's question, declares, as the reason of seeking him, his deep distress and desire to know what to do. 2. Samuel intimates that the inquiry is vain, as he cannot go against God ; that the event causing so much distress was simply the per- fecting of what had long before been declared; that David was the coming 'king; and that all this was the consequence of deliberate disobedience. 3. He also declares- that the morrow should witness the overthrow of Saul's power and the death of him- self and sons. 4. The effect of the message on Saul is to prostrate him in terror on the ground. 5. Out of compassion the woman seeks in vain to rouse Saul from his helpless despair, but by the aid of his attendants he is at last constrained to rise and partake of the meal she had prepared. Among the many truths suggested by this impressive scene we may notice a few. I. THE DARING OF DESPERATION. Ordinarily men shrink in dread from all thought of contact with visitants from the unseen world, and bad men especially tremble at the possible presence, seen or unseen, of the ghosts of the departed. The experience of all ages testifies to this. And yet here we have an instance of a man, not usually distinguished by calm self-possession, deliberately seeking, and actually holding, converse with one from the dead. The solution of this reversal of the course of human feeling and conduct lies in the desperation of despair, which so overpowers all thought and feeling as to dare to do what at other times would be impossible. Such the urgency of conscience the pressure of misery, the violent struggle of a will caught in the coils of its ~wn perversity. The same occurs in other circumstances, as when, to extricate themselves from self-brought miseries, men dare to perpetrate deeds of honour or shame, or even commit suicide. Is there not a similar feeling implied in the cry to the rocks," Fall on us and hide us from the wrath of the Lamb"?' II. AN UNANSWERABLE QuESTION. One question had agitated Saul for some days, He appealed to God, and no answer c~n:ie; and now Samuel is told th~t the object. for which he was summoned into the vISible sphere was to reply to this one question, " What shall I do? " The silence of God and the words of Samuel show that prac- tically this was a question for which no answer was possible. The day for doing was in the past, when Samuel delivered instructions in the name of God. Years of pe111istent impenitence for disobedience and of self-willed warring against the pur,. <JH. XXVIII, 1-25.] THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. 529