What was so wrong with Saul?

At the end of human history there will be judgement.

1 Samual 16:7

'But God said, ‘Not him! People look at the outward appearance, but I look at the heart’.'

While it is true that those of us who are saved by grace have the righteousness of Christ, it does seem that our deeds and actions do matter. As in the parable of the sheep and goats, and 1 Cor 3:12-14. I'm glad I'm not the judge.

I had a friend, now passed away, who taught me a lot about generosity. At the time he was pretty rough and larger than life, but had a heart of gold. We all know people who don’t seem to have accepted Christ but seem to have the heart of a Christian.

Then we know some Christians who don’t seem to have too much of the fruit of the Spirit. We shouldn’t judge. We have no idea what trauma they have experienced or indeed how much they might have grown.

When Samuel went to the home of Jesse to anoint one of his sons as the king to follow Saul, he was introduced to the eldest, Eliab. Samuel’s initial reaction was to think, ‘Surely, this is God’s anointed.’ Eliab must have been tall, strong, and good looking. But God said, ‘Not him! People look at the outward appearance, but I look at the heart’. Samuel gets introduced to son after son until the youngest, David, is brought in from the fields. Then Samuel anoints David as the next king. As a side note: Eliab shows his true colours in the Goliath episode.

Both Saul and David followed the Lord God. Saul is on the receiving end of harsh words from God via Samuel, as is David via Nathan. It’s what happens next that shows the difference between the two. David shows full repentance and no excuses. Be like David.

Andy Coller