| WHY SAUL WAS REJECTED |
| A leader who failed under pressure. |
| "Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king." 15:23 |
| Saul had everything going for him. Tall and handsome, he struck people with his appearance. God chose him as the first king in the history of Israel. Soon after he was secretly anointed, God's Spirit came on him - an encounter with God that affected his entire personality. Almost immediately Saul led a successful rescue operation, saving the people of a besieged city from mutilation. He was then publicly crowned king, even though he himself did no politicking for the office. (In fact, he hid during the selection.) He wisely refrained from allowing his opponents to be punished. Instead, he united all 12 tribes behind him, even though he himself came from a small, minority tribe. Saul chose the best young men to serve in his army. One of them, David, was not only a skilled general, but also a loyal follower who would never oppose Saul - even when he had good reason. David married Saul's daughter, and Saul's oldest son, Jonathan, became David's best friend. This should have cemented an alliance, sealing Saul's success. Deterioration under Pressure Yet Saul's life went tragically wrong. The first sign of trouble, as 1 Samuel tells the story, cam not long after he became king. While preparing for a campaign against the Philistines, Saul grew impatient. Samuel, scheduled to lead in the proper spiritual preparation for battle, was seven days late. Saul's men began to desert, and Saul decided he could wait no longer. He himself began to make the religious sacrifices that Samuel, as priest, was supposed to make. Just then Samuel arrived. He blasted Saul (13:13-14). Saul's hasitness, insignificant though it may seem, showed an inner weakness: his willingness to compromise God's directions under pressure. The battle came soon afterwards, and Israel won |
 |