Saul's Mistakes by Jos. Clarke

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Feb 19, 1885

Saul's Mistakes.

By Jos. Clarke

NO KING or ruler could ask for a more favorable accession to power than Saul had. See 1 Samuel, chapters 9-11. He had the favor of God, and the friendship of the prophet Samuel. Only one thing seems to point to ultimate defeat; that is, a tinge of cruelty in his threat in chapter 11: 7. This threat of itself might seem of little importance, if it did not furnish a key to the true character of Saul, as king of Israel.

Again, as recorded in chapter 13, Saul committed a great error in offering a burnt offering, thus taking upon himself the office of a priest. His third public error is recorded in chapter 14, when his rash order to fast at a very improper time caused a great loss; and his anxiety to have his noble son Jonathan executed, because he had tasted a little honey, betrayed a spirit of extreme rashness and cruelty. His self-will is again made apparent in chapter 15, where he spared the best and fairest of the cattle, as well as King Agag himself, contrary to the strict commandment of God through the prophet Samuel. After this event, Saul seemed to be almost wholly under the control of Satan.

When he was among the prophets, the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied (see chap. 10: 9-12). This shows plainly that God was willing to sustain him if he would be faithful. Saul should have sought the society of Samuel and the prophets, and thus he might have learned the way of the Lord, and would have had a clear record, and a prosperous reign. But he was willful and self-sufficient, and did not appreciate the favor of the Lord. God had called him, through the prophet Samuel; he ought therefore to have sought counsel from that man of God, and taken daily lessons from him. As long as Samuel lived, David resorted to him in times of trouble. There were others also to whom David had recourse. Nathan was for a time his near friend; also Abiathar the priest; and the young king learned wisdom from the mistakes of his erring predecessor.

Rulers and men in authority need especially the help of God and his people. No counsel is so good as that coming from men of God. Their society is of itself not only precept but example. Men who rule over others need to feel a deep sympathy for those under their care. Saul no doubt imagined that he was doing the best he could; but he did not realize that by associating with the prophets he could do far better, because he would then be nearer to God, and therefore subject to his guidance.

But Saul's greatest mistake was his jealousy of David, which led him to commit one of the most unjustifiable and wicked acts recorded in the Scriptures (see 1 Sam. 22); and we may infer from chapter 20: 30 that Saul did not suffer his most intimate friends and relatives to live in peace.

Saul's final act of consulting the witch of Endor, his unhappy death, and Israel's defeat, were all as one might expect after so wicked a life. Poor Saul, no one can love such a history as thine, or admire thy character, so stained with envy, jealousy, and crime. Yet, after all, we pity more than we detest such a career; for the record in 1 Samuel 24 shows that there were noble traits in the character of Saul, and, if they had been cultivated and the evil traits eradicated, he might have won the favor of God and man. But this, Saul did not do. He persisted in his self-will until ruin overtook him. All the acts of his life showed a lack of faith in God. He imagined that, as the kingdom came to him unsought, so it would in some way be unconditionally confirmed to him and his family. He forgot God, and neglected the welfare of his people, in his unhappy effort to sustain his own kingly dignity and gratify his personal vanity. Had he taken the opposite course, and put God and his people first; had he kept self-love out of his heart; had he set a watch over his passions, and had not given place to envy, jealousy, and cruelty; had he sought God continually for grace and wisdom in the affairs of Government,—how different would have been his experience and record!

But Saul felt himself a king, a man of great dignity. Samuel and the other prophets looked little in his eyes, and he even presumed to think that God himself would come to such terms as he, the king of Israel, should see fit to prescribe. See 1 Sam. 13: 9; also chapter 15. The true character of Saul is here portrayed. Had he sought to fit himself for the task of ruling wisely over that great people; had he retained the spirit of prophecy which he received while among the prophets; had he not grieved away the Spirit of God, by his self-willed course,—his career would have been honorable and glorious, instead of disgraceful and ruinous.

JOS. CLARKE.