THE CONSEQUENCE OF PRIDE - LESSONS FROM SAUL

Pr. James Victor Lubwama

Proverbs 16:18 (ESV)

“Pride goes before destruction,

And a haughty spirit before a fall”

By God’s instruction, Samuel anointed Saul king over Israel. (1 Samuel 10:1). After he had been anointed, Samuel told Saul to go ahead of him to Gilgal and wait for seven days so that he would come and offer the burnt offering. 1 Samuel 10:8 (NIV) says; 

“Go down ahead of me to Gilgal. I will surely come down to you to sacrifice burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, but you must wait seven days until I come to you and tell you what you are to do”

Saul Plays Priest - The Unlawful Sacrifice

When seven days ended, Saul committed a fatal mistake before God when he played the role of a priest and burnt the offering himself because of what he felt was a delayed arrival by Samuel. 1 Samuel 13:8-9 (NIV) says; 

“He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter. 9 So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” And Saul offered up the burnt offering”

You cannot play a priestly role just because you are a king. The results cannot be the same when Christians not called choose to perform the priestly functions. Why? Because the hand of God for that office is not upon them. It is God who calls and anoints people in different ministries; and if He has not called you, He cannot use you. Saul did not respect the office of the prophet who was anointed and called of God.

Pride made Saul perform a priestly function even when the servant of God told him to wait for him for a specified number of days. Even in the church today, the priestly office has been trampled over and some people have become like Saul. For example some people anoint the sick without being sent; and some allocate the tithe to the needy without taking it to church yet God requires us according to Malachi 3:10 (GNT) to;

 “Bring the full amount of your tithes to the Temple, so that there will be plenty of food there”.

Additionally some people have started prayer altars without the knowledge of their spiritual parents, which eventually grow into fellowships and then into churches without God’s covenant in place. 

Sometimes we need to be a little patient for the men of God to come because immediately after Saul offered a sacrifice, Samuel arrived. 1 Samuel 13:10-12 (NIV) says;
“Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him. 11 “What have you done?” asked Samuel. Saul replied, “When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash, 12 I thought, “Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.” So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering”

Saul is Rejected by God

We later see that the Holy Spirit had already revealed to Samuel what Saul had done in his absence. Saul lost the favor of Samuel and of the Lord, which made him lose his crown. 1 Samuel 13:13-14 (NIV) says;
“You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. 14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people because you have not kept the Lord’s command”

Again, here we learn that if you fail to follow God’s commandments, instructions, and statutes, God will appoint another person in your place. Rightly, so God appointed a man after his own heart who followed God’s charges, laws, and statutes. God is looking for a man who would hear the Holy Spirit’s voice and do exactly as commanded. 
Christians need to directly download from the Holy Spirit and do exactly what the Holy Spirit says without any speculation and compromise. Some people have planned for God without first hearing from the Holy Spirit and God has hence rejected them. If you want to see God’s work in your life, you must have a relationship with the Holy Spirit who is the heart of God. Saul did not have an element of always inquiring from the Lord or His servants.

Because of pride, Saul disobeyed God and lost favor with Him. And we know from the bible that; pride goes precedes a disaster, and an arrogant attitude precedes a fall - Proverbs 16:18 (GW). In order to maintain favor with God and people, you need to kill pride; and in order to do this, you need to be able to identify pride. Pride manifests itself in many ways, and there are many facets of it to look out for.

25 Characteristics of Pride

1) If you cannot submit yourself to a higher authority.

2) If you find it difficult to accept corrections.

3) If you are too big to say sorry.

4) If you think that your success or achievements are based on your efforts.

5) If you do not have respect for people.

6) If you always feel superior to others.

7) If you want to always control and dominate others.

8) If you think that you are better than other people are.

9) If you cannot work under people with lesser qualifications.

10) If you always want people to bow down to you.

11) If you want people to notice you wherever you go.

12) If you are a graduate and feel too big to do any small job.

13) If you cannot marry those with lesser qualifications.

14) Always angry with those who correct you.

15) If you avoid those who criticize you.

16) If you feel too big to learn.

17)  If you feel ashamed to ask questions about what you do not know.

18) When you're always bragging about your achievements or connections.

19) If you do not consider it necessary to recognize those who helped you.

20) If one has competition.

21) If you think nobody knows more than you do.

22)  If you think you cannot make mistakes.

23) If you are fond of blaming others for your actions.

24) When you look at those who helped you to the top as nothing.

25) If you consider your country, race, tribe and family better than others.

It was because of pride that Saul failed to have a heart like God’s and thus led to his downfall. There is a reason that God hates pride (Proverbs 6:16). As C.S Lewis says; “it was through pride that the devil became the devil; pride leads to every other vice, it is the complete anti-God state of mind.” A proud person will reject God’s will every time it conflicts with his own desire; a proud person cannot love others more than himself, in fact he will only serve someone else if it feeds his own ego or interests. 

It is very important for us as Christians to discover the elements of pride and deal with them with the help of the Holy Spirit through repentance and prayer.