One Last Chance: King Saul

Saul was anointed King

Saul was anointed King

King Saul began with so much potential, but ended in disgrace.

The people of Israel wanted a king.   God asked them if he wasn’t enough but the people were persistent.  God finally agreed to their demands.  Saul, the son of Kish, was appointed king by God and anointed by the prophet, Samuel.  Samuel anointed him in private.

Later, the people gathered and appointed him king.  Instead of going to a castle, Saul returned home with some of his followers accompanying him.   After he led his soldiers in the battle of Gilgal, he was anointed king.

God even sent Saul three signs that his anointment was by divine appointment.

In time, the power he had began to go to Saul’s head.  He disobeyed Samuel’s orders on multiple occasions.  These include offering sacrifices instead of waiting for Samuel to arrive and not killing all of the Amalekites, as he’s been instructed.

King Saul was rejected by God for his disobedience

King Saul was rejected by God for his disobedience

Samuel is angry that Saul has disobeyed the orders God gave him.  Samuel tells Saul that “God has rejected” him as king when he did not kill all of the Amalekites.  This is a direct result of his disobedience.

Saul reacts in anger and Samuel explains his kingdom will be ripped in half.  When Samuel leaves, he never returns to Saul.

Samuel later anoints David as king.  David soothed Saul with his music and later married Saul’s daughter, Michel. However, Saul becomes paranoid and obsessed with trying to kill David.

Many years later, Saul seeks out a witch to conjure up Samuel’s spirit.  Samuel is angry and foretells of his death.  He also tells him that God will not answer him anymore when he prays.

Saul and his son, Jonathan, are killed in the Battle of Gilboa.

So what can we learn from the life of King Saul?

  1. God can anoint and God can reject

    Death of King Saul

    Death of King Saul

  2. God will send signs to show we are in His will
  3. We need to wait for the proper timing
  4. Being prideful only brings destruction
  5. We can change our destiny through disobedience.
  6. We should not misuse the power given to us
  7. God can and will turn His back on us if we make Him angry enough
  8. Our obsessions can lead to our downfall
  9. We are not to delve in the art of witchcraft
  10. Anger can lead to destruction
  11. Integrity is essential

We must take responsibility for our actions

 

 

 

For others in the One Last Chance Series:

Adam and Eve, Cain, Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot’s Wife, Er and Onan, The Israelite Children, Korah, Nadab and Abihu

For the Second Chances series:

Old Testament: JonahJob,  SamsonRahabDavid and BathshebaMosesJoseph, and  Jacob

New Testament: Zacchaeus, Woman Caught in Adultery, The Prodigal Son, The Thief on the Cross, Saul to Paul, John Mark, and Peter

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