Introduction of Theme: It is as old as time itself, this lesson, but we minimize it to our peril: “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18 ESV). But wicked King Saul did not learn that until it was too late for him. God removed the kingdom from Saul and anointed the man (David) after his (God’s) own heart. God, in other words, installs leaders but also removes them.

Context: God had commanded Saul to “devote to destruction all” that they (the Amalekites) had. Israel was not to spare them, but to be fully obedient to wipe out the Amalekites because of their great wickedness. Israel was supposed to be faithful to do what God had called them to do; part of that was vanquishing evil and the ways of wickedness (1 Samuel 15:1-3).

Saul’s Sins: But Saul was not faithful to do what God commanded. Saul “spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them” (1 Samuel 15:9 ESV).

But there is another crucial verse in chapter 15 I think we often overlook. It’s verse 12b: “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself and turned and passed on and went down to Gilgal.”

To whom did Saul erect a monument? To himself.

Saul’s god was himself, and it cost him the kingdom.

Encouragement: God delights in exalting the humble and humbling the proud. “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matthew 23:12 ESV).