MEMORY VERSE: 1 Samuel 16:7 "... but the LORD looketh on the heart."
BOOK TO REMEMBER: Review all 66 books of the Bible.
PRAYER: May we trust God and love Him always. He will take care of His children.
SPECIAL SONG: God Called Samuel (see March - Songs We Sing In Bible Class #3 on this blog).
VISUAL AID: Large Activity to tell story (see Activity below)
LESSON POINTS:
- The LORD spoke to Samuel and asked him, "How long are you going to grieve for Saul?" God was not with King Saul anymore because Saul had rejected God's commandments and had done things his own way instead of God's way. God told Samuel to fill up his horn with oil and go to Jesse's house in Bethlehem and anoint a new king. Samuel was nervous and asked God how could he go anoint a new king because when King Saul found out about it, he would kill Samuel. God told Samuel to take a young cow with him and tell whoever would ask that he was going to sacrifice to the LORD. When Samuel arrived at Jesse's house, he should call Jesse to the sacrifice and then God would tell Samuel what to do and then he should anoint the one that God would tell Samuel to anoint. Samuel did as God told him to do.
- When Samuel arrived in Bethlehem, the leaders or elders of the city were nervous and asked him if he came peaceably to Bethlehem. Samuel said he had come peaceably and that he was going to sacrifice and that they should come with him.
- Finally, the sacrifice was ready and Samuel called Jesse and his sons. As the sons came to Samuel, he looked at Eliab, one of Jesse's sons, and thought that he would be the one the LORD would choose as king, but the LORD told Samuel not to look on the outside. God looks differently at a person because he looks at the heart of man.
- Jesse called son after son until all seven sons had passed by Samuel and had not been chosen. Samuel asked Jesse if these were all his children. Jesse said that the youngest son was out watching the sheep. Samuel told everyone to go get the youngest because they would not sit down until all the sons had come to the house.
- When Jesse's youngest son, David, came in, he was handsome and pleasant. The LORD told Samuel to get up and pour the oil on David's head in the middle of all of his brothers . From that day forward, the Spirit of the LORD was upon David.
- Out of all the sons of Jesse, it is interesting that the youngest son, David, was chosen to be king over all Israel. God can use young people as well as older people to serve Him. We shall see in future studies how David grows in his love for the LORD even when he does things wrong.
Materials needed: one 12" x 18" any color piece of construction paper, one 12" x 18" white construction paper, one 7" x 12" tan construction paper, scissors, crayons, marker, stapler, staple.
- Hand out white paper.
- Fold paper in half, in half again, then in thirds. The result: 12 squares.
- Draw Samuel, Jesse, a cow, and the 8 sons of Jesse in each white square.
- Color everything on the white paper.
- Cut everything out or, if that is too much cutting for young students, cut into squares, not around each person, etc.
- Set everything aside and throw away trash.
- Hand out tan paper.
- Fold tan paper into fourths to make a house.
- Draw a door on house, touching the bottom edge.
- Cut door, so it opens. (Should only be two cuts.)
- Write "Jesse's house in Bethlehem" on house.
- Hand out any color 12" x 18" paper.
- Fold large paper in half.
- Staple up two sides. This is the pocket everything goes in to go home with students.
- Write "David Is Anointed King!" and "1 Samuel 16" on outside of stapled pocket.
- Students can retell this story again and again by using these characters.
