King Saul: A Portrait of Pride and Insecurity
The Purpose of Old Testament Examples King Saul's life, chronicled in 1 Samuel chapters 9-17, shows how a lack of faith in God can fuel pride, insecurity, and an insatiable need for human attention and approval. The biblical account of Saul's life illustrates the problems and pitfalls of prideful self-reliance, which inevitably lead to self-destruction. In his letter to the Corinthian church, Paul states that all Scripture is written for our example. Now all these things happened to them (Old Testament characters) as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. — 1 Corinthians 10:11 This example intends that as we examine the narrative, we also examine ourselves. Examine me, God! Look at my heart! Put me to the test! Know my anxious thoughts! Look to see if there is any idolatrous way in me, then lead me on the eternal path! — Psalm 139:23-24 Give Us a King In chapter nine of First Samuel, Israel's first king is ...