VERSES: 1 Samuel 19:1-24
MEMORY VERSE: 1 Samuel 19:18 "...so David fled, and escaped, and came to Samuel..."
BOOK TO REMEMBER: Review the 66 books of the Bible.
PRAYER: Let us have that good and honest heart that is precious in God's sight and not a heart that is full of hatred, suspicion, and jealousy. May we strive to be more and more like Jesus every day.
SPECIAL SONG: Be Patient And Kind (see April - Lesson - Joseph Meets His Brothers Who Hated Him on this blog.)
VISUAL AID: Divide the whiteboard or chalkboard in to four parts. Number the areas. As you tell the lesson, draw David, Jonathan, and King Saul out in the field, talking; King Saul throwing his javelin again; Michal helping David; and David and Samuel talking in each of the four sections. (See Activity below)
LESSON POINTS:
- After King Saul had tried to kill David two times before by throwing a javelin at him, Saul told all of his servants and Jonathan, his son, to kill David. King Saul was aware that the LORD was with David and that the LORD had left King Saul. King Saul was afraid of David because David had the LORD's favor and he did not. He was jealous and would get very angry with David. His servants and Jonathan were commanded to kill David, but because Jonathan was David's close friend, Jonathan told David that his father was trying to kill him and advises him to find a hiding place and stay there. Later, Jonathan's plan was to stand by his father out in the field where David was hiding and talk with his father and then tell David what was said.
- So Jonathan, David's best friend, spoke up bravely to his father and said good things about David. He told his father not to sin against David because David had done nothing to Saul but good. He reminded Saul how David had killed Goliath and when King Saul saw that David had killed the giant, he was happy. David had done good for Israel. Then Jonathan asked his father, "Are you going to kill David without a reason?" King Saul listened to Jonathan and said that he would not kill David, so Jonathan brought David from his hiding place to talk to Saul and it seemed just like the good times they had enjoyed before Saul was jealous of David.
- Later, there was another war against the Philistines and David went out and killed a great number of the enemy. An evil spirit was with Saul at the time as he was sitting in his house. He had a javelin in his hand and guess what? King Saul threw it again at David as David played the harp, but the javelin hit the wall and David escaped! King Saul had become David's enemy.
- King Saul sent messengers to Jesse, David's father's, house so they could kill David the next morning. Michal, David's wife and King Saul's daughter, told David of her father's plan and helped him escape by helping him down through a window and David got away. Michal continued to help David by laying an image in the bed and putting a pillow of goat's hair in the bed and covered it with a cloth, so it would fool anyone who was looking for David. They would think that it was David laying in the bed! When Saul sent messengers to see David again, Michal said that he was sick. A short time later, King Saul said, "Bring the whole bed and David, too, so I can kill him." That's when they found out that it wasn't David in the bed, but just an image and a pillow. Saul asked his daughter why had she deceived him.
- So, David escaped. Where do you think he went? That's right! To Samuel's house. David told Samuel all the things that King Saul had done to him. David and Samuel went to another small town, but someone told Saul where Samuel and David were staying. Saul was always trying to kill David. Had David done anything bad to Saul? No! He had only done good, but King Saul still tried to kill David and David had to run for his life!
- Sometimes people may accuse us of doing bad things to others, but it is not true. That's when we should think about David and how badly he felt when he was trying to do everything the way the LORD would have wanted.
- Did David ever try to hurt the King? Never! David respected the king's place and the fact that God had made him king over all his people.
ACTIVITY: David Runs Away From Saul
Materials needed: 12" x 18" white construction paper, crayons.
- Hand out white paper to students.
- Fold paper in thirds, width-wise.
- Number the sections 1, 2, 3, then fold up the bottom section and number the section 4.
- Continue to fold paper down, so that it is only one section wise (like an up-and-down book).
- On the outside, write "David Runs Away From King Saul" and "1 Samuel 19."
- Unfold paper all the way.
- In Section #1, draw a picture of David, Jonathan, and King Saul in a field, talking.
- In Section #2, draw King Saul with his javelin. Write the word "AGAIN" in the area.
- In Section #3, draw a bed with something in the bed (see picture). Write "Michael, David's wife, tries to help." at the top of this section. Write "Goat hair pillow" and "Image" with arrows pointing to objects.
- In Section #4, draw Samuel and David talking (see picture). Write "David tells Samuel what Saul has done. Write "Samuel" and "David" in the area.
- First, draw everything, then color. There should be enough time for an activity like this, but if this activity takes too long, the students can finish a bit of coloring at home. At least, they have drawn the pictures and writing.
- Fold and take home.
