The Fall of King Saul: A Tragic Tale of Rise, Decline, and Lessons Learned

King Saul is an important figure in the Old Testament. He was the first king of Israel, chosen by God to lead the Israelites. King Saul’s life serves as a cautionary tale in the Bible, illustrating the consequences of disobedience, and the importance of humility, and obedience to God’s commands. Despite his early successes, his reign was marked by a decline because of his disobedience, jealousy, and eventual downfall.

An Anointed King Chosen By God

Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin and was chosen by God through the prophet Samuel to be the king of Israel. Samuel anointed Saul with oil, signifying his divine selection. At the beginning of his reign, Saul was described as a humble and handsome man. This anointing marked the beginning of Saul’s reign and kindled hopes of a prosperous future for the nation. Early in his rule, Saul displayed commendable leadership qualities, securing victories against their enemies and garnering popularity among the people. Under Saul’s leadership, the Israelites experienced military successes against their enemies, including the Ammonites, Moabites, and Philistines. Saul proved himself as a capable military commander and gained popularity among the people.

The Fall of King Saul

Despite King Saul’s early successes, his reign was later marked by willful acts of disobedience toward God. In one instance, Samuel instructed Saul to wait for him before offering sacrifices, but Saul grew impatient and offered the sacrifices himself. Another notable act of disobedience was sparing the life of the Amalekite king, Agag, and keeping some of the spoils, contrary to God’s command to utterly destroy them as a divine judgment for their wickedness. These acts led to God’s rejection of Saul as king and the loss of his kingdom. When Samuel confronted Saul about his disobedience, Saul made excuses, claiming that he had kept the livestock to offer as sacrifices to God. Samuel delivered the message that his kingdom would not endure. Samuel responded by saying that obedience is more important than sacrifices and reiterated that Saul had rejected the word of the Lord.

So Samuel said, “When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the Lord anoint you king over Israel? ¹⁸ Now the Lord sent you on a mission, and said, ‘Go, and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ ¹⁹ Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you swoop down on the spoil, and do evil in the sight of the Lord?” 1 Samuel 15:17-19

²² 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. ²³ 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

An Evil Spirit Troubles Saul

The Holy Spirit departed from King Saul due to his disobedience and rejection of God’s commands. The departure of the Holy Spirit signified the withdrawal of God’s presence, guidance, and anointing from Saul. God’s favor and guidance were no longer with him, and Saul became increasingly isolated and filled with dread. This event occurred during a critical time in Saul’s reign, when he faced a significant challenge from the Philistines. This marked a turning point in Saul’s life and kingship. It highlighted the consequences of disobedience and the importance of wholehearted obedience to God’s commands.

After the Holy Spirit departed from King Saul, God allowed an evil spirit to torment him. It is important to note that the phrase “an evil spirit from the Lord” is not to be understood as God directly sending an evil spirit, but rather, God permitting or allowing the spirit to trouble Saul. Following Saul’s disobedience and rejection by God, his mental and emotional state deteriorated.

 But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the Lord troubled him. ¹⁵ And Saul’s servants said to him, “Surely, a distressing spirit from God is troubling you. ¹⁶ Let our master now command your servants, who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. And it shall be that he will play it with his hand when the ^[g]distressing spirit from God is upon you, and you shall be well.” 1 Samuel 16:14-16

The evil spirit that troubled Saul caused him great distress and inner turmoil. Saul’s servants recognized his condition and suggested finding someone skilled in playing the lyre to soothe him in his torment. David, who would later become the renowned King David, was known for his musical talents and was recommended to Saul. David played the lyre for Saul, and whenever the distressing spirit troubled Saul, the music would bring him relief. The presence of the evil spirit was a consequence of Saul’s disobedience and rejection of God’s commands. It served as a form of divine punishment and a reminder of Saul’s fallen state. The torment caused by the evil spirit highlighted the severity of Saul’s actions and the consequences of turning away from God. This period of torment and the presence of the evil spirit underscores the importance of obedience and faithfulness in one’s relationship with God, and serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of disobedience.

Jealousy and Conflict with David

King Saul’s relationship with the young shepherd David played a significant role in his later years. David gained fame as a warrior after killing the Philistine giant Goliath, which led to Saul’s jealousy and insecurity. Saul’s paranoia grew, as he became increasingly suspicious of David’s rising popularity. Eventually, leading to Saul’s multiple attempts to kill him, causing David to go on the run.

Saul’s Death 

Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. ² Then the Philistines followed hard after Saul and his sons. And the Philistines killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul’s sons. ³ The battle became fierce against Saul. The archers ^[a]hit him, and he was severely wounded by the archers. ⁴ Then Saul said to his armorbearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised men come and thrust me through and abuse me.”

But his armorbearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword and fell on it. ⁵ And when his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword, and died with him. ⁶ So Saul, his three sons, his armorbearer, and all his men died together that same day. 1 Samuel 31:1-6

Saul’s later years were marked by a growing sense of insecurity, paranoia, and a troubled spirit. He consulted a medium to seek guidance but received a message of his impending defeat and death in battle. The Philistines amassed a large army against Israel, and in the Battle of Mount Gilboa, Saul and his sons were killed. Saul’s death marked the end of his reign as the first king of Israel. However, his story sets the stage for the rise of David as the subsequent new king of Israel.

Married to King Saul: A Woman’s Quest to Understand Her Abusive Husband By Nathalie Elvire Gaillot / Resource Publications

The King Saul Spirit By Hansie Steyn / Xulon Press

The Reign and Rejection of King Saul: A Case for Literary and Theological Coherence By V. Philips Long / Society of Biblical Literature