Disobedience/mental illness/spiritual destruction
God's people wanted to be like the nations around them, so God gave them a King. Samuel poured the anointing oil over Saul's head and kissed him. So Saul would lead the armies of Israel into battle to destroy their enemies. After a few victories, Saul's heart became lifted up and he forgot his place, he took it upon himself to offer the burnt offering to God, which only a Levite could offer. He thought he could worship God any way he chose, but God is the one who tells us that we must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. Saul was supposed to kill the Amalekites in battle because of their brutality (
Deut 25:17-19). It was the will of God that the Amalekites would be utterly destroyed, men, women, children and livestock. But Saul took it upon himself to spare the King and the best of the livestock.
Because Saul did not obey the Lord, God rejected him from being king. (
1 Sam 15:22-23)
Here is were the story becomes intriguing. Samuel turns from Saul and anoints David to be King of Israel. The anointing leaves Saul and the bible says that an evil spirit begins to trouble Saul. Saul becomes mentally tormented. The only time Saul finds relief from his mental illness is when he is in the presence of David who now has the anointing, and is singing praises to God.
David sings his Psalms in the King's presence and the evil spirit from the Lord leaves Saul for a time.
But Saul spends the rest of his life with a tormenting spirit, murderous thoughts, insane jealousy, and is eventually destroyed. Saul's disobedience led to mental illness that caused a downward spiral that costs Saul his Kingdom, and the lives of Jonathan and himself.
This passage made me ponder how disobedience and rebellion results eventually in the destruction of our very souls.
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