Topical Bible: Unbelief: Saul

◄ Unbelief: Saul ►

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Saul, the first king of Israel, is a prominent biblical figure whose life is marked by a tragic trajectory of unbelief and disobedience to God. His account is primarily found in the books of 1 Samuel and 1 Chronicles. Saul's reign began with promise but ended in rejection by God due to his failure to fully trust and obey the Lord.

Anointed as King

Saul's journey begins with his anointing by the prophet Samuel. God chose Saul, a Benjamite, to be king over Israel in response to the people's demand for a monarch to lead them like other nations (1 Samuel 8:5). Saul was described as a handsome and tall man, standing head and shoulders above the people (1 Samuel 9:2). Initially, Saul demonstrated humility and reluctance to assume the kingship (1 Samuel 10:21-22).

Early Success and Disobedience

Saul's early reign was marked by military success, notably his victory over the Ammonites (1 Samuel 11). However, his unbelief began to manifest in critical moments of disobedience. One significant instance occurred when Saul offered a burnt offering at Gilgal, a task reserved for the prophet Samuel. Saul acted out of fear and impatience, failing to wait for Samuel as instructed (1 Samuel 13:8-14). Samuel rebuked Saul, declaring that his kingdom would not endure because he had not kept the Lord's command.

The Amalekite Incident

Saul's unbelief reached a climax in his dealings with the Amalekites. God commanded Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites and all they possessed as an act of divine judgment (1 Samuel 15:3). However, Saul spared King Agag and the best of the livestock, rationalizing his disobedience by claiming the animals were intended for sacrifice to the Lord (1 Samuel 15:15). Samuel confronted Saul, emphasizing that obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22). As a result of his disobedience, God rejected Saul as king, and Samuel mourned for him (1 Samuel 15:26-35).

Descent into Madness and Jealousy

Saul's unbelief and disobedience led to a spiritual decline, marked by jealousy and paranoia, particularly towards David, whom God had chosen as his successor. Saul's jealousy of David's success and popularity consumed him, leading to multiple attempts on David's life (1 Samuel 18:8-11). Saul's inability to trust in God's plan and his obsession with maintaining power further alienated him from God's favor.

Consultation with the Medium at Endor

In a final act of desperation, Saul sought guidance from a medium at Endor, violating God's law against necromancy (1 Samuel 28:7-19). This act of unbelief underscored Saul's spiritual desolation and his estrangement from God. The encounter with the spirit of Samuel confirmed Saul's impending doom, as the Philistines were poised to defeat Israel.

Death and Legacy

Saul's life ended in tragedy on the battlefield at Mount Gilboa, where he fell on his sword to avoid capture by the Philistines (1 Samuel 31:4). His death marked the end of his troubled reign and the beginning of David's ascent to the throne. Saul's legacy is a sobering reminder of the consequences of unbelief and disobedience to God. His life serves as a cautionary tale of the importance of faithfulness and trust in the Lord's commands.

Nave's Topical Index

1 Timothy 1:13
Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
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Library

Miracles no Remedy for Unbelief.
... waywardness, fickleness, ingratitude, jealousy, suspiciousness, obstinacy, unbelief,
all these ... Saul, Ahithophel, Joab, and Absalom, have had their parallels ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol viii/sermon vi miracles no remedy.htm

The Holy Spirit Convicting the World of Sin, of Righteousness and ...
... Saul prostrate on the ground cried to the risen Christ asking what he must do, and ...
sin it is that the Holy Spirit convinces men"the sin of unbelief in Jesus ...
/.../torrey/the person and work of the holy spirit/chapter vii the holy spirit.htm

On the Words of the Gospel, Luke xxiv. 36, "He Himself Stood in ...
... if they had continued in this belief, yea, rather in this unbelief, not their ... Jews
rage madly, and be filled with jealousy: Stephen be stoned, Saul keep the ...
/.../sermons on selected lessons of the new testament/sermon lxvi on the words.htm

From Persecutor to Disciple
... During the long hours when Saul was shut in with God alone, he recalled ... He knew that
his former prejudice and unbelief had clouded his spiritual perception and ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 12 from persecutor to.htm

The First Christian Martyr
... Saul of Tarsus was present and took a leading part against Stephen. ... beheld this light
trembled and veiled their faces, but the stubborn unbelief and prejudice ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 10 the first christian.htm

The Holy Spirit and the World.
... Even Saul of Tarsus, as he afterwards confessed, thought he was doing God's service
when he sought to kill the saints. ... All sin springs from unbelief. ...
/.../johnson/the new testament commentary vol iii john/the holy spirit and the.htm

Kept from Iniquity
... He proved by his conduct that he was so; for when Saul was in his ... perhaps to suspicion;
they may fall into mistrust, or various forms of unbelief, and even ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 41 1895/kept from iniquity.htm

The Holy Spirit Convincing the World of Sin, Righteousness, and ...
... Saul: he convinced him first of the horrid sin of persecution; "Saul, Saul, why
persecutest thou ... sin, that root of all other evils, I mean the sin of unbelief. ...
/.../selected sermons of george whitefield/the holy spirit convincing the.htm

Psalm LIX.
... sort of witnesses of falsehood against truth and the Resurrection of Christ, His
enemies, through Saul figured, did produce. Enquire, O unbelief, of sleeping ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm lix.htm

The Ordination of Paul and Barnabas; their Missionary Tour in Asia ...
... hands the ministers of Antioch implored a blessing on Barnabas and Saul, and announced ...
it was not until the Jews had exhibited a spirit of unbelief, that they ...
/.../killen/the ancient church/chapter v the ordination of.htm