1Sa 13:14 | KingComments | STEP | Here it says that Saul would always have remained king if he had not sinned. The fact that God had David in mind does not change the failure of Saul. It is his own fault that his kingdom is taken away from him. An act of disobedience can have major consequences, both for the person and for his or her offspring. We also see this with Adam. The kingdom of Saul is not immediately taken away. The rejection of Saul goes in stages. Only in 1 Samuel 15 is the kingdom taken away from him ( ). Here the hereditary kingdom is taken from him by saying to him that he will have no successor. After Samuel has said to Saul that his kingdom would not endure, he is in fact thereafter speaking about the Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus is the true Man after God’s heart. Of Him David is a foreshadowing. At second instance Samuel speaks about David, who is also a man after God’s heart, but turns out to be fallible. David is the successor of Saul. Samuel leaves Saul. It does not seem that Saul is doing his best to keep Samuel with him. Nor does it seem that Saul is touched by Samuel’s words. In any case, we do not notice any conversion or humiliation because of his disobedience. The only thing Saul can think of is how big his army is. That is why he counts it. His army appears to consist of about six hundred men, still twice as many as Gideon had at the time. It would be more than enough for faith.

‏ 1 Samuel 13:14

Samuel Reproaches Saul

Here it says that Saul would always have remained king if he had not sinned. The fact that God had David in mind does not change the failure of Saul. It is his own fault that his kingdom is taken away from him. An act of disobedience can have major consequences, both for the person and for his or her offspring. We also see this with Adam. The kingdom of Saul is not immediately taken away. The rejection of Saul goes in stages. Only in 1 Samuel 15 is the kingdom taken away from him (1Sam 15:26). Here the hereditary kingdom is taken from him by saying to him that he will have no successor.

After Samuel has said to Saul that his kingdom would not endure, he is in fact thereafter speaking about the Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus is the true Man after God’s heart. Of Him David is a foreshadowing. At second instance Samuel speaks about David, who is also a man after God’s heart, but turns out to be fallible. David is the successor of Saul.

Samuel leaves Saul. It does not seem that Saul is doing his best to keep Samuel with him. Nor does it seem that Saul is touched by Samuel’s words. In any case, we do not notice any conversion or humiliation because of his disobedience. The only thing Saul can think of is how big his army is. That is why he counts it. His army appears to consist of about six hundred men, still twice as many as Gideon had at the time. It would be more than enough for faith.