Elements Of A Fall
When Samuel reached him, Saul said, “The LORD bless you! I have carried out the LORD’s instructions.” But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear? Saul answered, “The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice them to the LORD your God, but we totally destroyed the rest. “Enough,” Samuel said, “Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night.”...
Samuel said, “Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel. And He sent you on a mission saying, "Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; wage war against them until you have completely wiped them out. Why did you not obey the LORD? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the LORD?”...
To obey is better than sacrifice and to heed is better than the fat of rams…
Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king”…
As Samuel turned to leave, Saul caught hold of the hem of his robe, and it tore. Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today.”...
Saul replied, “...please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me so that I may worship the LORD your God.”
Samuel said, “Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel. And He sent you on a mission saying, "Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; wage war against them until you have completely wiped them out. Why did you not obey the LORD? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the LORD?”...
To obey is better than sacrifice and to heed is better than the fat of rams…
Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king”…
As Samuel turned to leave, Saul caught hold of the hem of his robe, and it tore. Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today.”...
Saul replied, “...please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me so that I may worship the LORD your God.”
I Samuel 15:13-30
What a tragic ending to an otherwise very promising beginning!
Saul was handpicked by God and validated through public lot-casting to be the first king of Israel. God touched the hearts of valiant men to support him as king. God gave him one of the greatest prophets of Israel, Samuel to serve as his spiritual advisor. The prophet Samuel wrote down all the rules and regulations concerning the kingship of Israel. All the divine expectations were spelt out. Saul was set up for success. In fact, he started with so much humility that he even shied away from his first public recognition as king. The people loved him and shouted, “Long live the king.”
So, how could someone with such great potential and divine support finish so terribly?
Two things seem to stand out: First, Saul was consumed with self-honor. He set up a monument to honor himself even when he had been disobedient to God. He was also more concerned about Samuel showing him honor in the eyes of the elders and the people than he was about the sins he had committed. He was more focused on self-glorification than honoring God.
Second: Saul’s obedience to God concerning the Amalekites was partial. Partial obedience is still disobedience. If God commands us to go ten miles and we only go nine, it is still disobedience. Blatant disobedience is a rejection of God and God will reject in turn.
An inordinate absorption with self-recognition and a disregard of the commands of God are two elements that will quickly bring us down no matter how gifted or talented we are.
Saul was handpicked by God and validated through public lot-casting to be the first king of Israel. God touched the hearts of valiant men to support him as king. God gave him one of the greatest prophets of Israel, Samuel to serve as his spiritual advisor. The prophet Samuel wrote down all the rules and regulations concerning the kingship of Israel. All the divine expectations were spelt out. Saul was set up for success. In fact, he started with so much humility that he even shied away from his first public recognition as king. The people loved him and shouted, “Long live the king.”
So, how could someone with such great potential and divine support finish so terribly?
Two things seem to stand out: First, Saul was consumed with self-honor. He set up a monument to honor himself even when he had been disobedient to God. He was also more concerned about Samuel showing him honor in the eyes of the elders and the people than he was about the sins he had committed. He was more focused on self-glorification than honoring God.
Second: Saul’s obedience to God concerning the Amalekites was partial. Partial obedience is still disobedience. If God commands us to go ten miles and we only go nine, it is still disobedience. Blatant disobedience is a rejection of God and God will reject in turn.
An inordinate absorption with self-recognition and a disregard of the commands of God are two elements that will quickly bring us down no matter how gifted or talented we are.