| What About King Saul? |
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| Written by David Lawrence |
| Monday, January 29 2007 00:00 |
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One of our subscribers, who uses our material in his Bible class, submitted a question that arose in his class regarding the recent series on “The Esther Principle.” If God calls people to a task and does not allow them to opt out, then what about King Saul? Did God not appoint him king, and in view of his failure then appoint someone else, David? God did choose Saul, and yet in the end God determined to end Saul's life, although it happened by Saul's own hand. (A good example of God's sovereignty and man's free will working together). However, the position of king not only involved a political leadership, but a role in the redemptive plan of God. Ultimately, the Lion of Judah was prophet, priest, and king. God chose Judah to be the progenitor of the Messiah via a lineage of kings. When you examine the covenant God made with David, He refers to the king that would sit on an eternal throne, and that pointed to the son of David, namely to our Lord. While it is true that God chose Saul, that Saul failed, and in consequence God chose David, it would seem that the series of events was in view to God from all along. And that is no surprise, as God knows the end from the beginning, in fact it all works together according to the counsel of His own will. Viewing the redemptive and Messianic nature of the throne, I would conclude it was not a matter simply that God had a job for Saul, and when Saul failed, He resorted to an alternate plan; rather, David was the intended king all along. Then why Saul and not David to begin with? Perhaps the answer lies in the trials, suffering, and difficulties David faced against Saul all of which contributed to his sanctification and to the development of his ability and character to assume leadership. The case would also provide for Israel a contrast between a man who had all the external qualifications and yet lacked the obedient heart, over against the man after God's own heart, one with few apparent external qualifications, and yet the greatest king, the model king, for Israel. |
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