https://shillerinspires.com/king-saul-the-first-king-of-israel-final-part/
We have seen king Saul’s ups and downs in his character in the last two blogs. If you haven’t read the previous blogs of king Saul, I recommend you read Part 1 & 2 first before reading this final blog (Part 1 & Part 2). In this blog, we will discuss in detail about what was the reason behind king Saul was rejected from being the king over Israel. As always, let’s dissect the Scriptures to see revelation behind king’s Saul downfall.
I want to point out a few character bents of Saul which I didn’t share in my previous blogs one of them were that Saul has self pity. Let’s see what the Scriptures tell about this:
The context here is Prophet Samuel speaks to Saul that Israel’s desire is upon him prophetically. When Saul heard this and answered,
21 And Saul answered and said, “Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak like this to me?”
1 Samuel 9:21
From his statement, we could tell that either he thinks he is worthless, or he is full of humility. Which one is correct? We need to finalize which character he had. For that, lets have a look at another verse in the next chapter,
20 And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen. 21 When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was chosen. And Saul the son of Kish was chosen. But when they sought him, he could not be found. 22 Therefore they inquired of the Lord further, “Has the man come here yet?”And the Lord answered, “There he is, hidden among the equipment.”
1 Samuel 10: 20-22
Prophet Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel at Mizpah. He chose Saul as the first king of Israel. However, people couldn’t find Saul at that congregation as he hid himself behind the equipment.
Action speaks better than words. Here, it is apparent that Saul was a shy person though he was counted as a choice and most handsome young man and taller than any of the people of Israel. I wondered why a person could be shy despite all positive external appearance.
It wasn’t because Saul had true humility that he hid among the equipment but because he lacked true humility.
Shyness is something everyone takes lightly, often mistakenly see as humbleness. People always compare shyness in contrast to pride. Shyness is a negative behavior which need to be dealt seriously just as any other negative emotions. The cause of shyness or self pity could be traumas, wounds, or bitter experiences in the past.
Saul couldn’t think he was worthy enough to be the king of Israel though he lacked nothing externally. beacause the issue was inside. Saul had many wounds and bruises in his soul which need to be healed to make him believe he was worthy and chosen by Yahweh to be king over the people of Israel.
Self pity or low self esteem is a product of internal traumas.
The important point here I want to make is to become a minister or servant of God to tender His people is a toughest position you would ever desire to be. But many of the servants of God are just like king Saul. They desire to serve others with their existing wounds and traumas, being ignorant of the fact that they need healing first.
What would be the result when a deeply wounded person rule over the wounded?
Some might argue then why Yahweh chose Saul as a king in the first place. It can be figured out from Prophet Samuel’s first prophecy in which he said upon you Saul, all the desire of Israel lies. Prophet Samuel didn’t say that all the desire of Yahweh was upon Saul.
As I mentioned in previous blogs, the people of Israel desired a ‘fully loaded’ king in outward look alone, didn’t bother to search what beauty their king holds in his heart internally.
The words of prophet Samuel who anointed Saul will clearly unveil Saul’s self pity later in chapter 15:17,
17 So Samuel said, “When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the Lord anoint you king over Israel?
1 Samuel 15:17
Being little in one’s eyes means insignificant or see oneself minimal or unimportant. So, here Samuel was quoting when he anointed Saul, Saul was insignificant or unworthy in his own eyes. That was the reason Saul hid among the equipment because he needed something strong or significant to present himself to the public to be counted as worthy.
Saul was different from any other men whom Yahweh has chosen. From Genesis, we see every single person Yahweh called, He gave them a personal encounter in other words, He did reveal Himself to those characters. In Saul’s case, we don’t see that type of encounter in his life. It makes known one thing that Saul didn’t know Yahweh personally. That’s one of the reasons, he failed to make a single altar to the Lord until chapter 14:35 though Saul was anointed as a king in chapter 10. It took so long to raise an altar to the Lord as a token of gratitude.
Above character bents or traits were not the reason behind him being replaced as a king over Israel.
King Saul feared people over Yahweh. This is the notable cause behind his replacement.
Yahweh didn’t take that long to remove Saul from kingship. In Chapter 13, king Saul did sinful sacrifices to the Lord when prophet Samuel came late. When Saul finished offering burnt offering, Samuel came and rebuked Saul because he didn’t obey Yahweh’s commandment. Answer to this, Saul reply was,
12 then I said, ‘The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the Lord.’ Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering.”
1 Samuel 13:12
Saul said he was compelled or forced by the people. When would we be under pressure? Whenever we fear and value the opinion of others who put us under pressure through their compulsion. King Saul valued the opinion of people of Israel instead of what his Lord commanded.
In Proverbs it says,
The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.
Proverbs 29:25
If Saul did fear the Lord instead the people, he wouldn’t have been pressured by any means. If he had trusted the Lord, he would have remained in place where he was exalted as a king. Since Saul didn’t have both, he was rejected from being king.
Later in chapter 15, when the Lord sent king Saul on a mission to utterly destroy the Amalekites and all of their possession, king Saul listened to the people again, he allowed them to take the spoils of the Amalekites which grieved Yahweh greatly.
In chapter 15:24 Saul repeats his mistake again, saying,
24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.
1 Samuel 15:24
This makes a strong point that Saul was ignorant of his mistakes and not willing to repent from the sin of people pleasing which he previously made.
In verse 30,
30 Then he said, “I have sinned; yet honor me now, please, before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may worship the Lord your God.”
1 Samuel 15:30
Above verse clearly describes that Saul’s heart was not right at all with the Lord. It seems like he didn’t even care what Yahweh thinks of him, but he was greatly concerned about his people and kingly position.
Saul wanted the honor as a king over Israel and respect he had before the people of Israel.
What a dreadful situation Saul was in!
Saul failed to acknowledge the Lord God alone chose him to be king not the people or Israel. Because of his deep lying, undealt insecurities, he was unable to figure out Lord’s grace over his life though he was little in his own eyes. Yahweh chose Saul despite of his endless flaws. Yahweh’s grace conquered Saul’s frailties. Saul hasn’t had a heart of thankfulness at any point of his life unlike his replacement king David who was full of gratitude towards his Lord at all times of his life.
