The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Samuel — Section 121

of the troubles that were coming. David had to act eo as to render the words of Samuel credible to the people; he had to make hie "calling and election sure" by a line of conduct that would destroy the supposition that possibly Samuel the prophet, in this Instance, we.e mistaking the surmisings of hie own mind for the purpose of God. Those long years from the day he left the sheepfold to the death of Ishbosheth, formed the period in which he was to bring out before men the great wisdom of God in hiH selection. As the other Anointed One later on lived among men in such a way as to show to them that he was from the Father, that he had a work to do for the people of God, and was, in fact, appointed to be the Redeemer of the race, so David had to justify all that Samuel had said, and all that was implied in the prior Divine choice. It is a noble thing when a man believes that God has ordained him to a work in the world, and strives to so regulate his life that every act shall be a demonstration of the wisdom and fitness of the Divine appointment. How David did this, by sympathy with all classes, by carrying on his heart the sorrows of his people, by deeds of valour which broke asunder the chains of Philistine oppression, by gentle forbearance toward those who sought his life, by abstention from pride and acts of violence to further his interests, also by patient trust in the covenant-keeping God during days of terrible suffering, as by wise administration among his own followers,-the history of his early life fully records. However obstinate, for personal and political reasons, men were in refusing him as successor to Saul, they could not but yield at last to the force of evidence that he was the man for the position, and so far demonstrated to be the chosen of God. By a similar method, Christ is creatin:;!; history which will be the vindication of hie claim to be Lord of all. Likewise the Church, as the body of Christ, answers to her calling and duty only so far as she does deeds and manifests a spirit that will furnish unanswerable evidence of the Divinity of the Christian religion. " By their fruits ye shall know them." The test of salt lies in the presence of its peculiar savour. III. THE REALIZATION OF Gon's PURPOSE THROUGH THE LOYALTY OF HIS SERV A~TS IS ONLY A QUESTION OF TIME, It would have seemed that when Samnel made known the will of God it would have been enough at once to have secured the abdication of Saul and the hearty concurrence of the chosen race. But there was the same free way of dealing with Divine declarations, the same perversity of understanding, as in the days of Christ; so that men did not thoroughly accept and act upon what was said. Jonathan and a. few elect souls read aright the Divine intent, and rejoiced therein; but the rest found reasons for doubt, as men always can when the spirit is not thoroughly humble and devout. Occasionally, as we have seen in the case of Abner (eh. iii 9, 10), there was a recognition of truth generally suppressed. A man of less faith than David would have despaired of witnessing the day when the whole nation would, by a solemn act of corqnation, fall in with the purpose of God. But through the loyalty of David and the few devout men who were the companions of his heart, the issue was brought to pass. It was not a question of truth or falsehood, of national policy or individual striving; the word of God had gone forth, true and unchangeable, that so it was to be; whether scheming politicians fell in with it or not, the course of nature was ·the course of God. Time would prove to be the element for solving all. Faithfulness to God has the power, in a. mysterious way, of winning over the forces of nature and society to its side. The hour came when all Israel simply met to do what God all along intended should be done, Herein do we see, on a small scale, what is yet to be illustrated on the grandest scale. It is a. question of time. The hour is coming when every knee shall bow to the Anointed of the Lord, and every tongue confess that he is the Christ, to the glory of God the Father. Tho world will then simply recognize, as a whole, what now the faithful followers of Christ know to bo true. In spiritual things the world doe~ not acquire truth; it simply comes to admit to be true what Christ's people all along have affirmed is true. The Church is not outstripped; its conclusions are accepted. GENER~L LESSONS. 1. We cannot fully estimate the cumulative force of Christia.n consistency in bringing about the final triumph of Christiauity. 2. There is a parallel botween our modern religious conflicts with unbelief and the struggle of many in Israel against the revealed p-:irpose of God, and we may rest assured that the truth with us, long resisted, will in the end be accepted. 3. It behoves every Church and priv!lte Christian to consider how much the solution of our mndern difficulties depends  122 THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. [ou. v, 1-26,