1 Kingdoms (1 Samuel) 7:4Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

In a time when the Israelites turned their hearts to worship stones and trees, abandoning the one true God, each individual chose to idolize whatever appealed to them. This led to the displeasure of the Lord, resulting in their betrayal by neighboring nations, enslavement by their foes, and the loss of their homeland. Ultimately, after enduring severe tribulations, they transformed their sinful ways, recognized their transgressions, and sought forgiveness through sincere repentance.

In essence, God shares the same divine nature as God. When I refer to ‘One,’ I am speaking of the holy and immaterial essence of the Almighty. The term ‘One’ can apply to both an individual and the entirety of existence. For instance, concerning an individual, one might state that Paul was uniquely taken up to the third heaven, where he encountered ineffable words that cannot be conveyed to human beings (2 Cor. 12:2,4). When David remarks, ‘The days of man are as grass’ (Ps. 102:15), he is referring not to a specific individual, but to humanity in general, given that every person is transient and mortal. Hence, we can apply similar language to the divine nature, which possesses immortality (1 Tim. 6:16), is addressed as the only wise God (Rom.