1 Chronicles 10:6: “So Saul died, and his three sons, and all his house died together.”
Saul started off with a humble heart. In the beginning, he was shy and hesitant when the Lord chose him as Israel’s first king. His story began with promise, and he showed great potential. However, as time went on, pride crept in. He began to trust in his own wisdom rather than seeking God. This was the beginning of his downfall.
As a believer, Saul’s greatest failure was his relationship with God. He stopped seeking the Lord’s guidance and ultimately rejected His word. Verse 14 of 1 Chronicles 10 tells us that Saul “enquired not of the Lord,” but instead, he sought counsel from a witch. This act of rebellion was at the root of all his problems. If Saul had returned to the Lord, repented, and fixed his relationship with God, the rest of his failures could have been avoided.
Saul also failed as a king and leader. Verse 13 says, “So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he kept not.” Saul’s disobedience cost him his kingdom. God had given him the responsibility to lead His people, but Saul did not fulfill this role faithfully. He lost the trust of his people and ultimately his throne.
David, a man after God’s own heart, would rise up and take the leadership that Saul squandered.
It’s tragic because Saul had so much potential, but his pride and refusal to lead according to God’s word sealed his fate. His family had no part in the future success of Israel under David. All the blessings and opportunities that could have been theirs were lost.
Fathers, the story of Saul is a sobering reminder of the cost of neglecting our spiritual responsibilities. Saul didn’t just lose a kingdom; he lost his family and their future.
All of it crumbled because he failed to follow God’s way. In the same way, many Christian fathers today are missing the mark. They are too busy, too distracted, or too prideful to lead their families spiritually. But the consequences are severe—families are being led into spiritual death, not because of external enemies, but because of the absence of godly leadership at home.
Saul’s downfall could have been avoided if he had humbled himself before God. Likewise, the solution today is simple but requires humility—fathers must seek the Lord first. If we, as men, get our relationship with God right, everything else will follow. Our leadership in the home will improve, our children will have a greater chance at spiritual success, and our families can experience God’s blessings.
Don’t be like Saul. Don’t wait until it’s too late to realize the damage has been done. Start now by walking with the Lord, leading your family in prayer, worship, and obedience to God’s Word. In doing so, you can avoid the heartache Saul experienced and build a lasting legacy for your family in the Lord.
The future of your family depends on your leadership. Choose today to lead them toward life, not death.
