“How the mighty have fallen!”
This was a part of David’s lament for Saul and Jonathan after their tragic deaths in battle with the Philistines (2 Sam.1:17-27). This was the final summary of a life which began with more potential than any other in Israel, yet declined to this tragic end. Most of us think of Saul as a wicked king who was out to kill David – a man after God’s own heart. But a closer examination of Saul shows that he had more potential and blessing on his life than David, yet his responses and actions brought him down. This is an object lesson for many gifted and anointed leaders today. Let them learn from the lesson of Saul and avoid those same temptations that caused him to fall.
Saul’s characteristics and qualities were ideal for becoming a leader of God’s chosen people. He was known to be humble, generous and loving. Saul had no symptoms of vanity or pride which typically brings down those whose character does not equal their position. He was courageous and considerate of his father; he hated evil and in addition was a handsome man standing head and shoulders above others. He was a man of considerable stature commanding honor and respect. In other words, he was cut out for the job of king.
God also gave Saul an anointing to become “another man” and to “prophesy” as well as be sensitive to the voice of the Lord (1 Sam.10:6-7, 10). Saul was God’s “man of the hour” and Israel’s anointed leader. How, then, did Saul end as he did?
Saul’s first major mistake was one of disrespect and presumption (1 Sam. 13). The Philistines had come against Israel and Saul was told to wait for Samuel at Gilgal. Saul violated the priesthood by offering sacrifices himself to the Lord because of his fear and impatience in waiting for Samuel to arrive. Samuel rebuked him saying, “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.” Wow! How often has presumption, impatience and anxiety robbed us of God’s blessing on our lives? I’ve seen this happen often to those who had unique gifting and anointing on their lives, but they also had some of Saul’s traits as well which precluded them from rising to higher levels in kingdom authority.
Saul’s next blunder was caused by his impulsiveness and willful pride. God had used Jonathan to start a rout among the Philistines. Saul called for a priest to ask for God’s guidance in the battle, but before they could bring God’s wisdom, Saul panicked and impulsively sent his men off with a rashly imposed death sentence on any man who would eat food that day (1 Sam. 14:24). This order caused many to sin (vs.30-32) and even Jonathan came under the death sentence imposed by his father. He was only rescued by the intervention of the people. Saul panicked without a clear word from the Lord with devastating results!
1 Sam. 15 is the story of Saul’s disobedience and deceit in the battle against the Amalekites. Saul spared their king’s life as well as their livestock when he was told by God to utterly destroy them. When Samuel confronted Saul, he lied about his reasons for doing so. 1 Sam. 15:22-23 – “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 has also rejected you from being king.’” This began Saul’s freefall. 1 Sam. 16:14 – “But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the Lord troubled him.”
Saul went from a respected king to a man operating in jealous rage with hatred towards David. All this from rejecting the Word of the Lord in his own life! Saul, once given a new heart by God, found himself with murder in his heart for David. Saul became bitter to the point that he sought for wisdom from the witch of Endor (1 Sam. 28: 6- 25). Saul’s tragedy finally ends with his suicide on the battlefield against the Philistines (1 Sam 31:4).
As horrible as Saul’s outcome was, I believe it serves as a signpost for all to heed the lessons it teaches. From out of this pit of despair and tragedy of Saul’s life, it’s possible for redemption and restoration to come for those who will hear and heed. Saul started out with much more promise and potential than did David. Saul had everything David had and more. Both were susceptible to sin – David had his fleshly lusts, pride and deceit, but the difference between Saul and David was in their responses. When wrong, Saul would make excuses – David would repent. When Saul would try to hide his wicked actions – David would confess. When Saul would act impulsively – David would wait for a word from the Lord. When Saul became jealous over his position – David supplied all that was needed for his successor to fulfill his destiny.
Here’s the lesson – we all face situations where contention, strife, pride, jealousy, envy, impatience, presumption and fear confront our lives. Our response to these situations becomes a test as to whose type heart we will display – Saul’s or David’s. Will you respond in the same way in which “the mighty have fallen” through pride; or, will you “humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may be able to exalt you in due time” (1 Pet.5:6)? Surely time will tell!
This was a part of David’s lament for Saul and Jonathan after their tragic deaths in battle with the Philistines (2 Sam.1:17-27). This was the final summary of a life which began with more potential than any other in Israel, yet declined to this tragic end. Most of us think of Saul as a wicked king who was out to kill David – a man after God’s own heart. But a closer examination of Saul shows that he had more potential and blessing on his life than David, yet his responses and actions brought him down. This is an object lesson for many gifted and anointed leaders today. Let them learn from the lesson of Saul and avoid those same temptations that caused him to fall.
Saul’s characteristics and qualities were ideal for becoming a leader of God’s chosen people. He was known to be humble, generous and loving. Saul had no symptoms of vanity or pride which typically brings down those whose character does not equal their position. He was courageous and considerate of his father; he hated evil and in addition was a handsome man standing head and shoulders above others. He was a man of considerable stature commanding honor and respect. In other words, he was cut out for the job of king.
God also gave Saul an anointing to become “another man” and to “prophesy” as well as be sensitive to the voice of the Lord (1 Sam.10:6-7, 10). Saul was God’s “man of the hour” and Israel’s anointed leader. How, then, did Saul end as he did?
Saul’s first major mistake was one of disrespect and presumption (1 Sam. 13). The Philistines had come against Israel and Saul was told to wait for Samuel at Gilgal. Saul violated the priesthood by offering sacrifices himself to the Lord because of his fear and impatience in waiting for Samuel to arrive. Samuel rebuked him saying, “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.” Wow! How often has presumption, impatience and anxiety robbed us of God’s blessing on our lives? I’ve seen this happen often to those who had unique gifting and anointing on their lives, but they also had some of Saul’s traits as well which precluded them from rising to higher levels in kingdom authority.
Saul’s next blunder was caused by his impulsiveness and willful pride. God had used Jonathan to start a rout among the Philistines. Saul called for a priest to ask for God’s guidance in the battle, but before they could bring God’s wisdom, Saul panicked and impulsively sent his men off with a rashly imposed death sentence on any man who would eat food that day (1 Sam. 14:24). This order caused many to sin (vs.30-32) and even Jonathan came under the death sentence imposed by his father. He was only rescued by the intervention of the people. Saul panicked without a clear word from the Lord with devastating results!
1 Sam. 15 is the story of Saul’s disobedience and deceit in the battle against the Amalekites. Saul spared their king’s life as well as their livestock when he was told by God to utterly destroy them. When Samuel confronted Saul, he lied about his reasons for doing so. 1 Sam. 15:22-23 – “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 has also rejected you from being king.’” This began Saul’s freefall. 1 Sam. 16:14 – “But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the Lord troubled him.”
Saul went from a respected king to a man operating in jealous rage with hatred towards David. All this from rejecting the Word of the Lord in his own life! Saul, once given a new heart by God, found himself with murder in his heart for David. Saul became bitter to the point that he sought for wisdom from the witch of Endor (1 Sam. 28: 6- 25). Saul’s tragedy finally ends with his suicide on the battlefield against the Philistines (1 Sam 31:4).
As horrible as Saul’s outcome was, I believe it serves as a signpost for all to heed the lessons it teaches. From out of this pit of despair and tragedy of Saul’s life, it’s possible for redemption and restoration to come for those who will hear and heed. Saul started out with much more promise and potential than did David. Saul had everything David had and more. Both were susceptible to sin – David had his fleshly lusts, pride and deceit, but the difference between Saul and David was in their responses. When wrong, Saul would make excuses – David would repent. When Saul would try to hide his wicked actions – David would confess. When Saul would act impulsively – David would wait for a word from the Lord. When Saul became jealous over his position – David supplied all that was needed for his successor to fulfill his destiny.
Here’s the lesson – we all face situations where contention, strife, pride, jealousy, envy, impatience, presumption and fear confront our lives. Our response to these situations becomes a test as to whose type heart we will display – Saul’s or David’s. Will you respond in the same way in which “the mighty have fallen” through pride; or, will you “humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may be able to exalt you in due time” (1 Pet.5:6)? Surely time will tell!