Quoting an angel who has been sent to instruct him (see verse 7), Samuel projects the Lord’s position with respect to the people: When they have driven out the remaining faithful among them, then they will be ripe for destruction. In today’s world we are witnessing an accelerated erosion of the patterns of righteousness. The Sabbath is continually being desecrated. Christian values are being suppressed in public discourse. Moral principles are being transformed into matters of relativistic taste. When will the cause of righteousness be so diluted that the nation is ripe for destruction?