Yes — Les Feldick teaches that Saul was the natural king and David was the spiritual king who followed him.
Les repeatedly presents the Bible's "rule of thumb" that the natural always comes first and the spiritual second. He pairs King Saul, who he says was not a believer, with King David, who follows as the spiritual king. This follows the same sequence seen with Cain/Abel, Ishmael/Isaac, Esau/Jacob, Adam/Christ, and even Antichrist/Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:46 — This verse explicitly states the principle of "first that which is natural, then that which is spiritual" that Les applies to Saul and David.
1 Samuel 8:7 — It records Israel's rejection of God as King and their demand for a human king, setting the stage for Saul as the natural king.
In 1 Corinthians 15:46, the Bible states the principle directly: "Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual." The same chapter goes on to contrast the first man and the second man: "The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven" (1 Corinthians 15:47). Scripture also records the same order in the lives of earlier pairs — Cain came before Abel, Ishmael before Isaac, and Esau before Jacob.
Les Feldick identifies what he calls a "rule of thumb" in Scripture: all the way through the Bible, the natural appears first, followed by the spiritual. He lists the same pairs again and again: "First Cain, then Abel; first Ishmael, then Isaac; first Esau, then Jacob; first King Saul, then King David." When he personally applies this to Israel's first two kings, he says plainly, "First you've got King Saul, who was not a believer, and then you've got King David." He also applies the principle to end-time events — the Antichrist appears first, then Christ — and to every believer's experience: we begin natural and become spiritual through being born from above.
Les does not speculate about why this is so; he simply calls it a law of Scripture. He points out that the pattern is consistent all the way from Genesis to Revelation. In every case, the natural or unbelieving person appears first, and the spiritual or believing person follows. For Saul and David, this means Saul comes first on the scene as Israel's first king, and David follows as the spiritual king who takes his place.
Les connects David to the greater spiritual purpose by showing that God promised David an everlasting throne. In 2 Samuel 7, God tells David through Nathan that Solomon will build the Temple and that the throne of his kingdom will be established forever. This makes David much more than just a replacement for Saul; he is the king through whom the eternal Kingdom promise continues. For Les, this aligns with David's place in the "natural then spiritual" pattern.
Israel Demands a King
Les shows that Israel rejected God and asked for a king, which set the stage for Saul as the natural king brought in to satisfy the people's demand.
A Rule of Thumb in Scripture
Les explicitly pairs King Saul, whom he calls not a believer, with King David as the spiritual counterpart, following the same pattern as Cain/Abel and Esau/Jacob.
The Pattern Runs to the End-Time
Les includes Saul and David in the recurring list of natural-then-spiritual pairs and applies the same law to every believer — starting natural and becoming spiritual.
The Pattern Continues Throughout Scripture
Les again lists Saul and David between Esau/Jacob and Antichrist/Christ, showing the same sequence holds all the way through the Bible.
Paul Refers to This Law
Les ties the Old Testament pairs, including Saul and David, to Paul's teaching that the first man was earthy and the second man is spiritual.
The Spiritual Comes After Salvation
Les connects the Saul/David pattern to personal salvation: believers are born natural, but after being born from above they become spiritual.
Adam and Christ Are the Ultimate Pair
Les reviews the same examples, including Saul and David, before showing Paul's point that the spiritual was not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual.
God's Promise of an Everlasting Throne
In the Davidic covenant, God promises an everlasting throne, revealing David as the spiritual king whose kingdom continues beyond his own lifetime.
1 Corinthians 15:46: Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
Paul states the principle that the natural comes first and the spiritual afterward, which Les applies to Saul and David.
1 Corinthians 15:47: The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
Paul contrasts the earthy first man with the spiritual second man, reinforcing the same natural-then-spiritual order.
1 Samuel 8:7: And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
This verse shows Israel rejecting God as King, which led to Saul becoming the natural king.
Genesis 4:1-2: And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
Cain is born first and Abel second, the earliest example of the natural-then-spiritual order Les cites.
2 Samuel 7:13: He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
God's promise to David about Solomon shows the everlasting nature of David's throne, connecting David to the spiritual side of the pattern.
2 Samuel 7:16: And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
God's covenant with David promises an eternal kingdom, reinforcing David's significance in the spiritual progression.
According to Les Feldick, Saul was not a believer. He says, "First you've got King Saul, who was not a believer, and then you've got King David." This is why Saul represents the natural side of the pattern and David the spiritual side.
The Bible does not apply that phrase directly to Saul and David. The phrase is Paul's in 1 Corinthians 15:46. Les Feldick takes that scriptural principle and shows that the same order appears in many Old Testament pairs, including Saul and David.
Les says we all begin life as natural — people of the flesh with no spiritual life. After we experience salvation and are born from above, we become spiritual. So the same law that runs from Cain to Christ applies personally to every believer.
Watch the Teaching: Why Israel Rejected God as King — 1 Samuel 8 Explained