Saul’s trajectory is parabolic - a steep rise, then very small misdemeanours that lead inexorably to a swifter and swifter decline. I can’t help feeling sorry for the man.
Jonathan’s victory
1 Samuel 13:23-14:23
The people forbidden to eat
1 Samuel 14:24-35
Jonathan - the offender
1 Samuel 14:36-46
Continual war with the Philistines
1 Samuel 14:47-48,52
Saul sent to destroy Amalek
1 Samuel 15:1-9
Saul commends himself
1 Samuel 15:10-21
Samuel’s reply
1 Samuel 15:22-23
Saul’s imperfect humiliation
1 Samuel 15: 24-31
Agag put to death, Samuel and Saul part
1 Samuel 15:32-35
When Saul was made king, he showed a pleasing humility. Although he was a tall and impressive man, he did not vaunt himself over others. But now, this lack of self confidence is turning into a flaw. Saul starts doing things to bolster his ego - making unreasonable demands that his soldiers mustn’t eat until he has had his revenge. Then he tries to make an example of the sinner, and finds that his own son has disobeyed. But he can’t back down, do makes to kill his son, and only the intervention of the soldiers prevents him.
Later, he lacks the stomach to completely destroy a set of enemies (and who can blame him for this?) but he shuffles his feet and makes excuses when Samuel confronts him about it.
These are small errors, but it is enough for God to declare that Saul isn’t the right king any more.
Now to me, this seems uncommonly like God saying “I made a mistake with him. I promoted him to quickly - he’s not got the potential I thought he had.” That’s too human. God knew what Saul was like. To me, this is Samuel talking - he had a hand in thew writing of this book, and I feel that he never liked Saul in the first place.
I’m not accusing Samuel of lying, but I think he put his own gloss on this story. Although he says that he mourned for Saul, I think he was secretly glad that this experiment into kingship hasn’t been a complete success. Samuel’s problem is, what to do for Israel instead?
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