Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord; he did not keep the word of the Lord and even consulted a medium for guidance, and did not inquire of the Lord. So the Lord put him to death …. (1 Chronicles 10:13, 14a NIV).
Saul died. In his death, he leaves behind death-principles that can work death in you and me if we are not watchful. For the Bible says: Saul died “because . . . .”
Interestingly it does not say that he lost his life in battle. That is how it happened. But the real reasons are cited here.
Those are the death-principles we should be watchful about. Otherwise our death certificate too will be written along those lines. That would be truly tragic.
Saul, it is said here, was unfaithful to God. As we look back at Saul’s life, we find that though there are moments of courage in his life, there was not much of devotion to God in his life.
He might have known God with his head, but the heart never played a great role in his relationship with God. And loyalty is a matter of the heart. Is it not?
Or have you not seen a dog wag its tail and bark with joy when it met its master? That is a good picture of loyalty. Staying by its master’s side! And it has much to do with the heart.
Saul sadly had little heart in his religion. It was one of the death-principles that was at work in his life. Possibly in yours too, right now.
Again, Saul had strange ideas about obedience to God. Once he could not wait a few more seconds to keep the word of the Lord. He said he had felt compelled to disobey.
On another instance he tried to please people; more than he wanted to please God. Still he tried to make it look as if he was obeying God by sacrificing to God. But God through Samuel told him that God is more pleased with obedience than sacrifices!
Another death-principle at work in Saul’s life–his inability to keep the word of the Lord. Is this a problem in your life too?
Finally, Saul dug his own grave by consulting a medium for guidance. This was something which God had clearly forbidden in the Bible (see Deuteronomy 17:9-14) in obedience to which Saul had actually expelled mediums from the land. But when he did not get an answer from God he sought them again.
Should you seek demonic sources (see Isaiah 8:19) and make yourselves liable to destruction? Make sure that such a death-principle is not at work in you.
Saul died a violent physical death; but make sure that you read carefully the reasons God says that led to his death!
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