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1 Samuel – The Rise and Fall of Saul
“The Rise and Fall of” is a familiar way to document historical periods, whether of people, parties, religions or nations. The Roman Empire, Fascist Germany, are the two most infamous. Systems, whether political or financial, and individuals, whose lives are lived before the world, are chronicled with the epitaph and fatalistic phrase, “the rise and fall of….” History thrives upon and feeds on failures; but only after they have been winners.
Those who never rise very high, still fall, just out of sight, and without others caring. Their beginning and end is to be ignored by both history and contemporaries.
Few of anything or anyone appear upon the scene fully in heroic form, or as powerful figures and movements and ideas already complete. Partly this is because of the way of the world where few are born as rulers, even if seemingly born to rule. Partly this is because this is how we like our heroes, humble in spirit and humbled by life, normal and common just like us. Starting low gives our heroes a little bit of humanity even if we ultimately raise them higher than reality, higher than what’s legitimately reasonable. Humble beginnings also give us little folk, we normal people, hope too, that we can rise above our ordinary lot in life. Anonymity is not what we are destined to be in our own made-up myths of the mind. Rather we are not just someone, but “someone.” We are destined to make a difference. Someone destined to rise above, to rise and meet the challenges that make mere common men uncommon.
This is about the rise and fall of Saul. Fear will be the true king in his reign. Fear will be its own temptation and lead to others, leading to his downfall and dethronement. Throughout this analysis of Saul, I will present self-doubt in the form of fear as a possible motivation even when the text does not dictate what prompts Saul’s panic. Self-doubt often lashes out in the form of fear. Analyzing Saul’s unstated motivation as fear is not without reason because of all the many times when fear is given as the motive.
The fear of Saul will focus on people, power and position. His self-doubt will turn into paranoia, fueled by the fear of others’ doubt in him. The king will rise despite his fear, conquering his fear, and fall because of fear.
With position and power comes responsibility and temptation. With temptation comes the reason we rise, or the cause of our fall. Ultimately the lessons are about our dangers of rising and the certainty of falling either for a time, or for all of time. Saul’s self-doubt is our self-doubt. Each of us, every one of us, are placed in positions of power; whether over many or a few, or just ourselves, whether politically, congregationally, or influentially.
Don’t look at yourself and think such does not describe you. Husbands, wives, employers, managers, teachers, officials, elders, deacons, and more are all positions of influence. And in a greater sense all Christians are placed by God into a position of judging whether this be in the realm of just influence or something yet unrevealed.
1 Corinthians 6:3 (HCSB) Don’t you know that we will judge angels — not to mention ordinary matters?
So in examining the rise and fall of Saul, examine yourself. Peer deeply within and ask if you want to rise and how to keep from falling. Look at yourself for your own temptations. Do not allow fear to make you stumble, or to keep you from fulfilling God’s purposes. Fear can make us reject our gifts and cause God to reject us.
The Rise – The Anointing
Saul’s father appears first on the scene and appears impressive (1 Samuel 9:1). The HCSB says that Kish is “an influential man;” the NASB reads, “a mighty man of valor;” while the ESV has “a man of wealth.” Whatever the meaning, Kish is no ordinary man, having risen above commonality.
Saul appears and it is his appearance that is impressive – “There was no one more impressive among the Israelites than he. He stood a head taller than anyone else” (9:2). Saul rose above the people too, but not by actions, just by height. This should have come in handy against Goliath, but by that time Saul will already be falling from grace, and falling in fear.
After this grand introduction, Saul is shown looking for donkeys (1 Samuel 9:3) with, oddly enough, less money on him than his attendant (1 Samuel 9:7-8). The record shows he never does find the donkeys, who are found by someone else (1 Samuel 9:20). I can’t help by wonder if the donkeys somehow represent Saul’s story – stubborn and wandering away, unable to be found by his Divine Owner. I also can’t help but to compare this introduction to another young man who is busy shepherding sheep, a lowly occupation in Israel. The first two kings are hunting donkeys and feeding the flock. Not too impressive from man’s perspective. But as we learn, God’s perspective is not man’s (1 Sam.16:7).
Not finding the donkeys, Saul is concerned about his father becoming overly concerned (9:5). Good personal trait. Unless…have you ever noticed how seemingly good traits and actions can actually be triggered by something less admirable? Fear can do that. Fear can motivate replacing love. Negative motives can cause positive behavior. People see the actions, God sees the attitude.
While not finding the donkeys, Saul himself is found by Samuel. At first, Saul appears very unassuming and humble. When complimented by Samuel,
1 Samuel 9:21 Saul responded, “Am I not a Benjaminite from the smallest of Israel’s tribes and isn’t my clan the least important of all the clans of the Benjaminite tribe? So why have you said something like this to me? ”
Saul’s words do not quite match the description of Saul’s father, Kish (1 Sam.9:1). Again, “unless.” While false humility is hypocritical at worse, or at best a false understanding of humility; there is another possible explanation of Saul. Self-deprecation is often a tool of humility and humor, but when it is the real mindset of someone, where they doubt their ability and attributes, then the cause again can be fear from self-doubt. How? The fear of failure often accompanies the fear to even try. We talk ourselves out of responsibility by denigrating ourselves as unworthy or incapable. Some might look at Saul’s response and Kish’s community standing as a Biblical contradiction. Instead it is an example of how often our own personal perspective is a contradiction of reality. Self-doubt often wears the mask of humility.
On his way home from this strange, historically life-altering meeting, something life-altering again happens:
1 Samuel 10:9 (HCSB) When Saul turned around to leave Samuel, God changed his heart, and all the signs came about that day.
Read that verse again. It is exhilarating, frightening and confounding. How can a man changed by God, change back? That, my friend, is the story of us all. That is the danger of temptation. In giving ourselves over to God, we are changed by divine power. In giving into temptation, we are changed by demonic power. We are changed by God only to change ourselves back.
Even after being anointed by Samuel the first time (10:1), Saul doesn’t even tell anyone (10.16). I like this humble Saul – unless it is fear causing him to recoil.
The Rise – The Appointing
The appointing comes after the anointing, when the narrative moves from private to public approval. When it comes time to declare before all Saul as king, Samuel and Israel cannot even find him. God says he is hiding. In trying not to overly psychoanalyze Saul, humility could be the cause of his hiding, or fear.
Saul’s coronation reminds me of another within history, where fear reigned but rightfully so. In the praetorian purge against Caligula, the unassuming and unimpressive, Claudius, witnesses the German guard massacre several uninvolved noblemen, including many of his friends. He flees to the palace to hide. According to tradition, a Praetorian named Gratus finds him hiding behind a curtain and suddenly declared him Emperor.
Saul does not have a palace in which to hide. He hides among the supplies or baggage (1 Sam.10:22). I do not know what this consisted of, but ironically one of the most common ways this word (Hebrew – kelı̂y) is used in 1 Samuel is to describe armor and weapons. So picture this possibility, Israel wants a king to fight their battles and he is hiding behind the weapons. Not too impressive.
This is a scene where I wish we had more information because it could have been quite comical. Remember, he is already anointed king, and when he finally stands among the people they discover he is head and shoulders taller than everyone (10:23). So, was he sitting with his knees all bundled up trying to make himself as small as possible? Fear does that too – makes us feel as small as possible.
Whether humility, embarrassment, hesitancy or fear, we do not know. But at the end of this scene there is a possible sign of Saul’s great potential. Some wicked men, “sons of Belial” mock and despise him saying, “How can this guy save us?” (1 Sam.10:27). The King’s response? “Saul said nothing” (1 Sam.10:27). Granted, we do not know his motive, but I would like to think it is because of grand intentions. The text says he had “brave men whose hearts God had touched” with him (v.26). So it appears he had the manpower to punish as a king would and could. But I will come back to the “unless” of before. Saul could be fearful that any act of his might turn against him.
The Rise – The Victory
A leader is more than just someone up front. A leader must stand above. A true leader is one who leads, and leads in the right way in the right direction. Contrary to the popular slogan, leaders are not born; they are made, made by the situations that are not under their control. They are made by remaking themselves to serve the needs of the many and the few. They lead, not because they consider themselves leaders, but because leaders are needed. They rise to the occasion and rise as leaders.
Threats and a siege from Nahash the Ammonite to the people of Jabesh-gilead begin the next scene. Begging for peace, Nahash offers one condition – which is that he be allowed to gouge out everyone’s right eye to humiliate all of Israel (11.2).
Where is Saul at this time? Not doing anything kingly. He is plowing with oxen (11.5). After hearing the people weeping, he asks “What’s the matter with the people?” They tell him.
1 Samuel 11:6-7 (HCSB) 6 When Saul heard these words, the Spirit of God suddenly took control of him, and his anger burned furiously. 7 He took a team of oxen, cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout the land of Israel by messengers who said, “This is what will be done to the ox of anyone who doesn’t march behind Saul and Samuel.” As a result, the terror of the LORD fell on the people, and they went out united.
Finally, the King is beginning to act like a king. This is Saul’s greatest moment. Victory is won, confirmation is affirmed, and the people respond to his leadership,
After the victory, just as before, Saul shows kingly potential. The people want to take revenge on those who had publicly doubted and disparaged Saul (11:6). He stands against the crowd. He stands tall as never before and never again.
1 Samuel 11:13 (HCSB) 13 But Saul ordered, “No one will be executed this day, for today the LORD has provided deliverance in Israel.”
Often the bravest and grandest action is forgiveness. Not using power can be very powerful.
Far better to think historically, to remember the lessons of the past. Thus, far better to conceive of power as consisting in part of the knowledge of when not to use all the power you have. Far better to be one who knows that if you reserve the power not to use all your power, you will lead others far more successfully and well. A. Bartlett Giamatti (1938 – 1989), President of Yale University
This victory is the beginning. This is also the end, literally. The rest of Saul’s reign will be failure, fear, and falling from favor with God and Samuel. The one who anointed and appointed will become disappointed. Next and continually, the text will display and describe the failures of Saul. Either power will corrupt Saul, or Saul will use his power in a corrupt way.
- “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.” (John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton)
- “Because power corrupts, society’s demands for moral authority and character increase as the importance of the position increases.” (John Adams)
- “Power does not corrupt. Fear corrupts… perhaps the fear of a loss of power.” (John Steinbeck )
- “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” (Abraham Lincoln)
How does power corrupt? Well let’s define power. It can refer to the office or position one holds, or the exercise and use thereof.
The Fall – Saul Offers the Sacrifice
The beginning of the end is motivated by fear. The Philistines are frightening the Israelites despite them having their king they so desperately want to fight their battles for them. The Philistines had been defeated by the Israelites under the judging of Samuel (7), but God the true leader was not good enough. So much for their faith in their new leader and system.
Fear is the problem of both the people and leader. A good leader recognizes fear and defeats it before it brings down his people. Saul sees the fear in his forces and the desertions (13:6-7). When fear ravages the heart, the hardest thing to do is wait. Action is the natural response. Yet, wait Saul must. Seven days is how long Samuel asks Saul to wait. On the seventh, but not at the end, but close to it, Saul gives up waiting. In the role of leader he takes upon himself a role not given. Saul replaces Samuel in offering a sacrifice. The irony is that Saul had replaced Samuel once before, when the people wanted a king. Both were sinful.
Seven days marks both the beginning and the end of Saul’s kingship. I find the 7 day wait significant because this is not the first time Samuel gives this designated time to Saul. The first time is in 10:8, immediately after his anointing.
1 Samuel 10:8 (HCSB) Afterward, go ahead of me to Gilgal. I will come to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice fellowship offerings. Wait seven days until I come to you and show you what to do.”
Fear, impatience, uncertainty, and a willingness to deceive himself leads to Saul’s fall.
1 Samuel 13:11-12 (HCSB) 11 and Samuel asked, “What have you done? ” Saul answered, “When I saw that the troops were deserting me and you didn’t come within the appointed days and the Philistines were gathering at Michmash, 12 I thought: The Philistines will now descend on me at Gilgal, and I haven’t sought the LORD’s favor. So I forced myself to offer the burnt offering.”
Saul, whose earlier action popularizes the phrase, “Is Saul among the prophets” (10:12), fails because he says he had not sought the Lord’s favor. Maybe I am naïve, but couldn’t he have inquired of the Lord in a way other than forcing himself to act as a priest?
Fear of the people leads to failing God again (15). Fear of Goliath keeps Saul hiding in his tent (17). Fear of David replacing him and his son as king will be the recurring theme haunting his last years as king.
The Rise – Conclusion
Let’s go back to the beginning, and attribute the rise of Saul properly by noticing how often a theme occurs.
- 9:27 As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the attendant to go on ahead of us, but you stay for a while, and I’ll reveal the word of God to you.” So the attendant went on.
- 10:1 Samuel took the flask of oil, poured it out on Saul’s head, kissed him, and said, “Hasn’t the LORD anointed you ruler over His inheritance?
- 10:6 The Spirit of the LORD will control you, you will prophesy with them, and you will be transformed into a different person.
- 10:7 When these signs have happened to you, do whatever your circumstances require because God is with you.
- 10:9 When Saul turned around to leave Samuel, God changed his heart, and all the signs came about that day.
- 10:10 When Saul and his attendant arrived at Gibeah, a group of prophets met him. Then the Spirit of God took control of him, and he prophesied along with them.
- 11:6 When Saul heard these words, the Spirit of God suddenly took control of him, and his anger burned furiously.
- 11:13 But Saul ordered, “No one will be executed this day, for today the LORD has provided deliverance in Israel.”
- 11:15 So all the people went to Gilgal, and there in the LORD’s presence they made Saul king. There they sacrificed fellowship offerings in the LORD’s presence, and Saul and all the men of Israel greatly rejoiced.
The fall of Saul coincides with Saul’s fall from God. The rise and fall is about each and every one of us.
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