1 Samuel 28:15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why have you disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed… It is not in the power of language to depict a more terrible and hopeless condition for a rational creature to be in than that set forth in these five words of Scripture. And the climax of Paul's description of man's unregenerate state is: "Having no hope, and without God in the world." Let us glance at the true meaning and significance of the words. 1. They do not mean that God has absolved them from all obligation — no longer sustains relations with them — has withdrawn His supervision and feels no concern on their account. For He holds them to strict account the same as with other men; He takes cognizance of their daily conduct, the same as if they were on terms of intimacy. 2. But they do mean:(1) The toss of God's favour. They are "aliens" from His love. He has no complacency in them. "God is not in all their thoughts." They live only by His sufferance. (2) They do mean the withdrawal of His special presence, His Holy Spirit, the tokens of His favour, the recognition and inward consciousness that He is a friendly power with whom they have to do. There had been no signs or revelations declaring unto him the awful fact. So every ungodly man knows and feels. He needs no spirit to come up from the grave to herald it. (3) They do mean that all friendly intercourse between God and themselves has ceased. Saul besought the Lord when disaster and calamity came upon him and his kingdom; but he sought in vain. 3. Glance at the awfulness of such a condition! (1) To be "without God in the world" is to be destitute of every element of true happiness. (2) To possess a character that has in it not one element of moral worth. (3) To be at the mercy of all the forces of depravity, human and devilish, with no defence, no shield, nothing to mitigate the evil. (4) To be not only friendless and miserable "in the world" but "without hope" for eternity. (J. M. Sherwood, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do. |
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