Saul was the first king of Israel, anointed by Samuel when the people insisted on having a king. Like all the kings, both good and bad, he represents the Lord, especially the idea of the Lord expressed in ways that the wise can understand. This seems contrary, because Saul turned evil as his reign went on, and many of the kings that followed were far worse. Because they were anointed with oil, which represents the Lord's pure, infinite love, they could represent the expression of that love even though they were personally evil. At specific points, however, the representation can turn into the exact opposite. In Saul's case, this was when he was taken over by his evil moods, the foul humors that caused him to try to kill both David and his own son, Jonathan. In those moments Saul represents false ideas that attack and try to destroy the idea of the Lord.

'Wilderness' signifies something with little life in it, as described in the internal sense in Luke 1:80 'Wilderness' signifies somewhere there is no good because there is no truth. 'Wilderness,' as in Jeremiah 23:10, signifies the Word when it is adulterated.

(Odkazy: Arcana Coelestia 1927)