Donald Trump and the Lesson of King Saul

Read time: 6 minutes 21 seconds

It has become apparent to all outside of the most loyal of Trump supporters, that the former president is undergoing a season of decline.

The choices he makes during this season may very well determine not only his future, but his legacy as well.

If Trump has any hope of a turnaround from his current situation, he would do well to heed the lessons taught by Israel’s first king, Saul.

Saul was chosen by God and anointed by Samuel. He was picked to carry out the will of the Lord as he led God’s people. He was to be the ultimate example of a godly man in a position of power.

Unfortunately, Saul did not live up to the calling.

Before Saul was even king, he hid from Samuel at his own coronation, putting on hold the will of the Lord.

Many within the evangelical circle believe that God chose Donald Trump as well. And there are many reasons for them to believe that. His conservative and pro-America policies were unexpected and welcome, as was the relationship he forged with Israel. Say what you will about Trump, the Bible says all authority is granted by the Lord, and to not honor the authority granted to those in leadership is to go against the Word of the Lord. It is not a far-fetched statement to say that Donald Trump may well have been the most pro-Israel president in the history of America.

When Saul was finally anointed king, there was a remainder who did not acknowledge his authority. They instead insulted him in a way that called for death. But after his victory over the Philistines, against the will of his supporters, Saul spared the lives of those who had spoken out against his kingship. What Saul may not have thought of was by speaking against his appointment, they were also speaking against God.

Upon the election of Donald Trump, not only was the left thrown into what is now known as “Trump Derangement Syndrome” (TDS), but there were splinter groups of so-called Republicans, some of whom later formed the Lincoln Project, who made it their sole purpose to destroy Donald Trump.

During Saul’s reign, he developed a lack of patience. Being king got to his head, and he believed that he was not beholden to anyone but himself. This led to his disobeying the commandment of the Lord to wait for Samuel to offer a sacrifice to the Lord. It was upon this event that the kingship was stripped from him, a man once chosen by God to lead His people. Instead of repenting and begging the Lord for forgiveness, Saul continued in his war against the Philistines.

It is a fair statement—perhaps an understatement—to say that Donald Trump also values his own advice over others. Neither Trump nor Saul were stupid men, but hubris can allow even an intelligent man to act foolishly, and even worse, disobey the Lord. Few can say what happened behind closed doors during the Trump presidency, but when his favor began to fall, Christians with discernment know that it was time to repent and get back on the path the Lord set him on.

When Saul failed to kill King Agag of the Amalekites and took for himself the spoils of their land, he finally broke the last straw of the Lord’s grace and was rejected by God. Samuel clued Saul into an important secret: the Lord desires obedience above all else. All Saul had to do was obey the Word of the Lord and his reign would have been a very different experience.

Donald Trump had a wealth of success when it came to his policies. Any objective observer will acknowledge that, but with hindsight being 20/20, few will argue that the decision to rush a vaccine and lock down the country has had ramifications that will be felt for years to come.

Nor would any objective person say that the election of 2020 was a fair one either. With Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter, it was confirmed that Donald Trump was right all along: he and his supporters, along with others who questioned the Leftist narrative, were silenced by Big Tech companies on social media platforms. But the result remained the same, Donald Trump left office. Whether this was an act allowed by God, or a victory of the devil against the Lord’s chosen is open for debate. But considering how Trump has acted in the time since he left office, it can also be argued that his heart is not in the right place. His unwarranted attack on his biggest rival within the Republican party, Ron DeSantis, showed that.

Saul developed erratic behavior throughout his reign as he was tormented by spirits. This is what happens when leadership is not protected by the Lord. The rooms in his heart were taken over by the devil and only the sound of David’s anointed music could bring peace to him for a short time. As Saul was overtaken by jealousy, pride and rebellion, he suffered defeat at the hand of Israel’s enemy. It was David who was elevated over him and slew the giant, the same David that Saul would hunt down and try to kill. Saul did this out of fear and because he knew that God was with David and not with him.

As Saul’s reign began getting closer to the end he committed atrocities against the Lord, such as killing the priests of the Lord at Nob. Why? Because they gave David, chosen of the Lord, provisions. Saul would even commit a crime that the Lord considers an abomination: he consulted a medium to summon the spirit of Samuel to give him guidance. Eventually, Saul would be slain by his own sword, and become a tragic lesson for all leaders to heed.

President Donald Trump has not crossed the threshold that Saul crossed, yet. Christians should pray that he never does. Trump’s behavior has become more erratic in recent days, most recently teasing a “big announcement” that turned out to be a self-absorbed digital trading card collection. He is currently trailing both Ron DeSantis and Joe Biden in potential matchups, and his support among his strongest base, evangelical Christians, has waned since 2016. Whatever may be in his heart, perhaps bitterness from unrelenting attacks his entire presidency and a level of disrespect shown to him by his political rivals never before seen in American politics, or perhaps pride in all his accomplishments that made him a billionaire and president of the mightiest country in the history of the world, there must be a change.

If Donald Trump could find the humility to prostrate himself before the Lord and repent for whatever may be in his heart and turn back to the Lord who blessed him as president, he could forge a legacy few have achieved. He could become a great unifier, and use his powerful influence to support biblical values, ideals and candidates.

The choice is his. Christians are called to lift him up in prayer and pray that he does not suffer a spiritual fate as that of King Saul. {eoa}

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James Lasher is Staff Writer for Charisma Media.