Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord; he did not keep the word of the Lord and even consulted a medium for guidance, and did not inquire of the Lord. So the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse. 1 Chronicles 10:13-14
Saul had many failings. Early in his reign, he became impatient when waiting for Samuel, and presented the offering himself (1 Samuel 13:8). Later he became jealous of David and tried to kill him on several occasions. Saul was also disobedient to the Lord’s instructions to destroy the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15:1-15). Yet in this summary, the thing that’s highlighted is that Saul wouldn’t inquire of the Lord, and even consulted a medium.
In the account of Saul consulting a medium (1 Samuel 28), it’s recorded that Saul did inquire of the Lord (verse 6). But Saul left it too late. He had been ignoring God for so long, without any sign of repentance, that he could no longer hear from God.
Saul had always been reluctant to wait for God, and receive from him. It requires humility to ask and receive. When we pray, we’re acknowledging our inadequacies, and our lack of resources to deal with the problem. It wounds our sense of self-sufficiency and competence. Praying may damage our self-esteem if it’s built on our accomplishments.
Alternatively, requesting help from a medium who is just another human being with no ability to give real help, doesn’t require humility. There aren’t any consequence from the medium if their advice isn’t followed. So Saul was able to keep his sense of being capable and in charge.
Sadly Saul died not keeping the word of the Lord. He lost his life and the kingdom through a lack of humility.
