How did King Saul fall and lose his calling? 

King Saul’s tragic fall and loss of his divine calling serve as a sobering lesson in the Bible about the consequences of disobedience, pride, and a failure to fully trust in God. King Saul’s journey from being chosen as the first king of Israel to his ultimate rejection by God is marked by a series of missteps that reveal his character flaws and spiritual decline.

King Saul’s Initial Humility and God’s Favor

When King Saul was first introduced in Scripture, he was depicted as a humble and unassuming young man. In 1 Samuel 9:21, when Samuel informed Saul that he would be the chosen king of Israel, Saul responded, “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?” This initial humility was one of the qualities that made Saul an ideal candidate for kingship in the eyes of the people and God.

God’s selection of Saul was confirmed when Samuel anointed him as king, declaring that “the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man” (1 Samuel 10:6, NKJV). This anointing signified God’s empowerment of Saul to lead His people, indicating that Saul was equipped with the necessary spiritual resources to fulfill his role.

King Saul’s Disobedience and the Beginning of His Fall

Despite his promising start, Saul’s reign began to unravel due to his disobedience to God’s commands. The first significant act of disobedience occurred during the battle against the Philistines at Gilgal. Saul, under pressure as his troops began to scatter, took it upon himself to offer a burnt offering, a duty reserved for the prophet Samuel. This act is described in 1 Samuel 13:8-14:

“So Saul said, ‘Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me.’ And he offered the burnt offering. Now it happened, as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering, that Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him. And Samuel said, ‘What have you done?’ Saul said, ‘When I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, 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.’ And Samuel said to Saul, ‘You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you. For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.'” (1 Samuel 13:9-14, NKJV).

Saul’s actions revealed a lack of faith and patience. Rather than waiting for Samuel and trusting in God’s timing, Saul allowed fear and impatience to dictate his actions. This disobedience marked the beginning of his spiritual decline and the loss of God’s favor.

King Saul’s Rejection by God

The pivotal moment in Saul’s downfall occurred during the battle against the Amalekites. God, through Samuel, commanded Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites and all they possessed as a form of divine judgment (1 Samuel 15:3). However, Saul disobeyed by sparing Agag, the king of the Amalekites, and keeping the best of the livestock under the pretense of offering them as sacrifices to God.

When confronted by Samuel, Saul attempted to justify his actions, but Samuel rebuked him sharply, emphasizing the importance of obedience over sacrifice:

“So Samuel said: ‘Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.'” (1 Samuel 15:22-23, NKJV).

Saul’s disobedience in this instance was particularly egregious because it demonstrated a willful disregard for God’s explicit instructions. By sparing Agag and the best of the livestock, Saul placed his own judgment above God’s command, revealing a heart that had strayed from humble submission to God’s will. This act of rebellion led to God’s irrevocable rejection of Saul as king.

King Saul’s Descent into Madness and Paranoia

After his rejection, Saul’s spiritual and mental state continued to deteriorate. The Bible describes how the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit began to trouble him (1 Samuel 16:14). This shift marked the beginning of Saul’s descent into paranoia and madness. Saul became increasingly obsessed with maintaining his power and grew deeply jealous of David, who had been anointed by Samuel as the next king of Israel.

Saul’s jealousy and fear of David became all-consuming. He viewed David as a threat to his throne and repeatedly sought to kill him. The Bible records several instances of Saul’s irrational and violent behavior towards David, including hurling a spear at him in an attempt to pin him to the wall (1 Samuel 18:10-11) and pursuing him relentlessly in the wilderness (1 Samuel 23:7-29).

Saul’s obsession with David and his inability to recognize the futility of resisting God’s will further exemplified his spiritual decline. His focus shifted entirely from serving God and the people of Israel to preserving his own power at any cost, even if it meant defying God’s anointed.

The Witch of Endor and Saul’s Final Downfall

Saul’s final act of desperation came when he sought out the witch of Endor to summon the spirit of Samuel. This act was a direct violation of God’s law, which strictly forbade any form of necromancy or consultation with the dead (Leviticus 19:31; Deuteronomy 18:10-12). Saul’s decision to seek guidance from a medium instead of repenting and turning to God highlighted the depth of his spiritual depravity.

In 1 Samuel 28:15-19, the spirit of Samuel, when summoned, delivered a grim prophecy:

“Then Samuel said to Saul, ‘Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?’ And Saul answered, ‘I am deeply distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God has departed from me and does not answer me anymore, neither by prophets nor by dreams. Therefore I have called you, that you may reveal to me what I should do.’ Then Samuel said: ‘So why do you ask me, seeing the Lord has departed from you and has become your enemy? And the Lord has done for Himself as He spoke by me. For the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. Because you did not obey the voice of the Lord nor execute His fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day. Moreover, the Lord will also deliver Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines. And tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will also deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.'” (1 Samuel 28:15-19, NKJV).

The demon that impersonated Samuel gave a hopeless message to the king. Saul’s fate was sealed, and his kingdom was to be handed over to David, the man after God’s own heart.

King Saul’s Tragic End

Saul’s life ended tragically in the battle against the Philistines. Wounded by archers and fearing capture, Saul took his own life by falling on his sword (1 Samuel 31:3-4). His death marked the culmination of his tragic fall from the anointed king of Israel to a man abandoned by God and consumed by fear and despair.

Conclusion

King Saul’s fall and the loss of his calling serve as a powerful reminder of the importance of obedience, humility, and reliance on God. Saul’s initial humility and anointing were overshadowed by his disobedience, pride, and lack of faith, leading to his rejection by God. His life illustrates the dangers of allowing fear, impatience, and self-reliance to overshadow trust in God’s plan. Ultimately, Saul’s story is a cautionary tale about the consequences of turning away from God’s guidance and the tragic results that can ensue when one seeks to fulfill their own will above the will of God.

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In His service,
BibleAsk Team