Why was Saul chosen as king? A second look.

In Isaiah 55:8-9 we read, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are my ways your ways”, declares the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Simply put, we as finite creatures can never comprehend an infinite being. God knew the nation would reject Him and want a human king like the nations surrounding them. God knew that He would reject Saul as king in favor of David due to Saul’s disobedience. Here’s the most intriguing element of the narrative. God tells Samuel that He Regretted He made Saul king (1 Sam 15:10, 35).

That is an interesting declaration from the Lord. From the language it almost seems as if God did not know what Saul would do. But of course He knew all along. The question is why did the Lord choose him? The best reason I can give is that God chose him because He exercised His sovereign right to do so (Psalm 115:3). Although Saul's reign became an epic failure due to his own disobedience, somehow it was wrapped up in the Lord's providential plan. Mysteriously you have these parallels truths: God choosing Saul on purpose to be king, and God regretting the choosing of Saul once He saw how disobedient he was. Saul did not have a genuine desire to serve God in as much as he wanted to serve and aggrandize himself. Not only did he not obey the voice of the Lord, he built a monument to honor himself for a bootleg victory against God's enemies the Amalekites (1 Sam 15:12). The writer believes at this point Saul became an apostate - it was no longer in his heart to serve the Lord. Saul's rebellious attitude hurt God to the core. Yes! God has genuine emotions. Where do you think we get them from (Genesis 6:6)? The Lord knew Saul would disobey His command to completely destroy the Amalekites  and tore the kingdom away from him and gave it to David who served the Lord faithfully his whole life. 

Saul was a man after Israel's rebellious heart. Looking at Saul for Israel was like looking in the mirror: prideful, vacillating, faithless, weak, blameworthy, evil and idolatrous. God chose a man Saul's complete opposite, David, a man after God's own heart (1 Sam 13:14; Acts 13:22): faithful, valiant, terrific and victorious in battle, reliable, praiseworthy, one that would exhibit justice and righteousness among God's people. Tenderhearted, merciful and wise, humble and fearless for God (1 Sam 15:28).

Just like Adam and Eve was given the command NOT to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, yet did it anyway, Saul was given the command of destroying God's enemies but did not obey proving he was unfit to be the leader of God's people. Removing Saul as king was an act of justice against Saul, and also and act of grace by God over Israel. The role of the king had to be one who executed righteousness and Saul miserably failed to meet that standard (Proverbs 16:12).