Saul Rejected as King
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Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of
rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as
iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord,
He hath also rejected thee from being king.”
As the king heard this fearful sentence, he cried out, “I have sinned:
for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words:
because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.” Terrified, Saul
acknowledged his guilt, but he still persisted in casting blame on the
people.
It was not sorrow for sin, but fear of its penalty, that actuated the
king of Israel as he entreated Samuel, “I pray thee, pardon my sin, and
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turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord.” If Saul had had true
repentance, he would have made public confession of his sin; but it
was his chief anxiety to maintain his authority and retain the allegiance
of the people. He desired the honor of Samuel’s presence to strengthen
his own influence.
“I will not return with thee,” was the answer of the prophet: “for
thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee
from being king over Israel.” As Samuel turned to depart, the king, in
an agony of fear, laid hold of his mantle to hold him back, but it rent
in his hands. Upon this, the prophet declared, “The Lord hath rent the
kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbor
of thine, that is better than thou.”
An act of justice, stern and terrible, was yet to be performed.
Samuel commanded that the king of the Amalekites be brought before
him. Agag, guilty and merciless, came at the prophet’s command,
flattering himself that the danger of death was past. Samuel declared:
“As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be
childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before
the Lord.” This done, Samuel returned to Ramah.
God Did All Possible to Help Saul
When called to the throne, Saul was deficient in knowledge and
had serious defects of character. But the Lord granted him the Holy
Spirit and placed him where he could develop the qualities requisite for
a ruler of Israel. Had he remained humble, every good quality would
have been gaining strength, while evil tendencies would have lost their