1 Chronicles 10:13-14 – So Saul died for his breach of faith. He broke faith with the LORD in that he did not keep the command of the LORD, and also consulted a medium, seeking guidance. He did not seek guidance from the LORD. Therefore the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.
Why did King Saul die? Among the reasons is this: He did not seek guidance from the Lord, instead he sought a medium to ask advice of Samuel. But notice the other account in 1 Samuel 28.
1 Samuel 28:5-7 – When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets. Then Saul said to his servants, “Seek out for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold, there is a medium at En-dor.”
1 Samuel’s account says that Saul did inquire of the Lord, but God didn’t answer him. So is there a contradiction here? Did King Saul inquire of God? Indeed, Saul tried to ask God, but he really didn’t want a relationship with God. He didn’t want to repent, he was just scared of being killed by the Philistines. So when he “inquired” of the Lord he wasn’t really humbly coming before God’s throne.
This is consistent with how King Saul behaved earlier in his reign. 1 Samuel 13-15 repeatedly showed that King Saul was going to do what King Saul wanted to do, and he certainly wasn’t going to let God get in the way of his plans.
God knows the difference. If Saul truly would have had a repentant heart before God, there are plenty of examples in Scripture that show God’s willingness to forgive and hear prayers.
When we seek counsel outside of God, we commit 2 sins. The first sin is not asking God, and the second sin is going to someone other than God.
Jeremiah 2:13 – for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.
Don’t be like King Saul. Ask God for help. Ask Him first. Ask Him for wisdom and guidance. Don’t just whine to the Lord because you are in a bad way and you merely want to change your temporary circumstances. King Saul didn’t really want the help the Lord was offering.
If you want to be a leader, a true leader among God’s people in the family, church and community, then inquire of God first. Jesus promised that if we ask, seek and knock, the Holy Spirit and wisdom will be given to us (Luke 11; James 1:5). In contrast to King Saul, David showed early on that he would inquire of God to ask His guidance (1 Samuel 23). David’s heart as a leader was one to seek God’s wisdom and God answered his prayers. God has promised to do the same for you.