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PREPARE CRAFT FOR SUNDAY ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT- MAKE CROWNS:
REVIEW LAST WEEK’S LESSON
MEMORY VERSE 1 SAMUEL 12:24 “Only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.”
ATTENTION GRABBER!
Pick a King
Have the children sit in a circle and ask them the following questions.
What kind of a king would you like to have?
(Example: handsome, strong, fearless…!)
Now ask them what kind of king would they like to serve.
(Example; good, kind, big-hearted…!)
What kind of king is God?
Isn’t He the best king to serve?
In today’s lesson, we will learn about a time when the nation of Israel rejected God AS KING OVER THEM
to have a man rule over them.
LESSON TIME!
NOTE TO TEACHERS:
This section of scripture is very long. You will want to review the chapters and decide how to best present the material to your children. You could possibly have the children act out certain portions. Don’t feel like you have to present everything. As you pray this week ask the Lord for one or two areas to emphasize as you work within the general theme of obedience to God and His Kingship over us. God bless you in your ministry to the children!
In this portion of scripture, we will see how God answers the people’s cry for a king by giving them, Saul.
It is God who instructs Samuel to appoint the king over the nation and it is God who shows Samuel whom He has chosen to be their king.
As we study, we will see that Saul did not want to be the chosen king, nor was Saul the choice of Samuel to be king.
Saul was chosen by God to be the king over His people.
1 Samuel 9: NLT
Saul Meets Samuel
1 There was a wealthy, influential man named Kish from the tribe of Benjamin. He was the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 His son Saul was the most handsome man in Israel—head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land.
3 Kish’s donkeys strayed away one day, and he told Saul, “Take a servant with you, and go look for the donkeys.” 4 So Saul took one of the servants and traveled through the hill country of Ephraim, the land of Shalishah, the Shaalim area, and the entire land of Benjamin, but they couldn’t find the donkeys anywhere. 5 Finally, they entered the region of Zuph, and Saul said to his servant, “Let’s go home. By now my father will be more worried about us than about the donkeys!” 6 But the servant said, “I’ve just thought of something! There is a man of God who lives here in this town. He is held in high honor by all the people because everything he says comes true. Let’s go find him. Perhaps he can tell us which way to go.”
7 “But we don’t have anything to offer him,” Saul replied. “Even our food is gone, and we don’t have a thing to give him.” 8 “Well,” the servant said, “I have one small silver piece. We can at least offer it to the man of God and see what happens!” 9 (In those days if people wanted a message from God, they would say, “Let’s go and ask the seer,” for prophets used to be called seers.)
10 “All right,” Saul agreed, “let’s try it!” So, they started into the town where the man of God lived.
11 As they were climbing the hill to the town, they met some young women coming out to draw water. So, Saul and his servant asked, “Is the seer here today?” 12 “Yes,” they replied. “Stay right on this road. He is at the town gates. He has just arrived to participate in a public sacrifice at the place of worship. 13 Hurry and catch him before he goes up there to eat. The guests won’t begin eating until he arrives to bless the food.” 14 So they entered the town, and as they passed through the gates, Samuel was coming out toward them to go up to the place of worship.
Here we have the genealogy of Saul.
He came from the tribe of Benjamin,
one of the smallest tribes in all of Israel.
From a tribe that seems to have little significance,
Saul was the first King of Israel.
What’s his name?
Saul means “prayed for”
and it was said, he was young and handsome.
He was a tall man
Size and beauty were highly valued by rulers as signs of manly strength.
But, remember God does not look at outward appearance as man does;
He looks at a person’s heart.
1 Samuel 16:7 says “But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’”
WHY?
In 1 Samuel 13:14, God told Saul through Samuel He sought for Himself a man after His own heart.
Saul had been sent out by his father to search for his donkeys that had strayed.
He went with his servant through the mountains of Ephraim and all over the countryside looking for them.
He finally went through the land of Benjamin and never found the donkeys.
Then when they reached the land of Zuph,
he decided to go back home because he was afraid that his father might become worried about them.
His servant tells him that there is a “man of God” in the city that could help them.
This man was Samuel, whose heart was to serve the Lord with total commitment.
Remember before Christmas we studied Samuel?
What are some things we said about him?
Saul hesitated because they had no present to bring to the man of God.
The bread was gone,
but the servant told him he had a quarter of a shekel to give.
The loss of the donkeys is a “disaster,”
which God would use to bring Saul to Samuel.
Though Saul had nothing to give to Samuel, God provided a shekel through his servant.
God was in control of every circumstance.
We can trust God to be in control of every circumstance in our lives too.
He will lead us and take care of all our needs.
15 Now the LORD had told Samuel the previous day, 16 “About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him to be the leader of my people, Israel.
He will rescue them from the Philistines, for I have looked down on my people in mercy and have heard their cry.” 17 When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said, “That’s the man I told you about! He will rule my people.” 18 Just then Saul approached Samuel at the gateway and asked, “Can you please tell me where the seer’s house is?” 19 “I am the seer!” Samuel replied. “Go up to the place of worship ahead of me. We will eat there together, and in the morning, I’ll tell you what you want to know and send you on your way. 20 And don’t worry about those donkeys that were lost three days ago, for they have been found. And I am here to tell you that you and your family are the focus of all Israel’s hopes.” 21 Saul replied, “But I’m only from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel, and my family is the least important of all the families of that tribe! Why are you talking like this to me?”
Before Samuel and Saul met, the Lord had told Samuel that the man was coming to him whom he was to anoint as king over his people.
God had heard the cries of his people.
We can be assured that when we pray, the Lord, hears us.
When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord told him that this was the man He had chosen to be king over Israel.
Remember God did not want to give the Israelites a King (1 Samuel 8),
He was their king; however, the people were insistent.
They wanted to be like the rest of the world—the nations around them who had Kings.
When they were told what it would be like to have a king (they would be “his servants”), they still wanted a king;
the Lord told Samuel that they would have a king.
The people did not listen to God’s warning.
When Samuel and Saul met, Samuel assured Saul that the donkeys he was searching for had been found.
Samuel revealed to Saul what God had spoken.
“The desire of Israel? Is it not on you and on all your father’s house?
Saul responded with humility, pointing out that he was a member of the least family of the smallest tribe of Israel.
22 Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall and placed them at the head of the table, honoring them above the thirty special guests. 23 Samuel then instructed the cook to bring Saul the finest cut of meat, the piece that had been set aside for the guest of honor. 24 So the cook brought in the meat and placed it before Saul. “Go ahead and eat it,” Samuel said. “I was saving it for you even before I invited these others!” So, Saul ate with Samuel that day.
25 When they came down from the place of worship and returned to town, Samuel took Saul up to the roof of the house and prepared a bed for him there. 26 At daybreak the next morning, Samuel called to Saul, “Get up! It’s time you were on your way.” So, Saul got ready, and he and Samuel left the house together. 27 When they reached the edge of town, Samuel told Saul to send his servant on ahead. After the servant was gone, Samuel said, “Stay here, for I have received a special message for you from God.”
Samuel took Saul and his servant into his house and gave them a place at the table along with those who had been invited.
There were about 30 people there,
Samuel ordered the piece of meat, which he had set aside, to be given to Saul.
The meal itself was symbolic,
for Samuel had carefully saved the shoulder, which is symbolic of government, to be given to Saul.
When the sacrificial meal was over, Samuel and Saul went down from the high place into town and Samuel talked with Saul upon the roof.
1 Samuel 10: Samuel Anoints Saul as King
1 Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it over Saul’s head. He kissed Saul and said, “I am doing this because the LORD has appointed you to be the ruler over Israel, his special possession. 2 When you leave me today, you will see two men beside Rachel’s tomb at Zelzah, on the border of Benjamin. They will tell you that the donkeys have been found and that your father has stopped worrying about them and is now worried about you. He is asking, ‘Have you seen my son?’ 3 “When you get to the oak of Tabor, you will see three men coming toward you who are on their way to worship God at Bethel. One will be bringing three young goats, another will have three loaves of bread, and the third will be carrying a wineskin full of wine. 4 They will greet you and offer you two of the loaves, which you are to accept.
5 “When you arrive at Gibeah of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is located, you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the place of worship. They will be playing the harp, a tambourine, a flute, and a lyre, and they will be prophesying. 6 At that time the Spirit of the LORD will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them. You will be changed into a different person. 7 After these signs take place, do what must be done, for God is with you. 8 Then go down to Gilgal ahead of me. I will join you there to sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings. You must wait for seven days until I arrive and give you further instructions.”
Samuel then pours oil upon Saul’s head, symbolizing that he is anointed with the Spirit of God.
When they are alone, Samuel tells Saul of his calling from God to be the king of Israel.
God confirmed His words to Saul with three signs.
The first sign was meeting two men who told him that his father’s donkeys had been found.
The second sign was that he would meet three men going to Bethel, one would be carrying three goats, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine. When they met him, they would give him two loaves of bread.
This sign would confirm what Samuel had told Saul about the donkeys and be proof that all that Samuel had spoken about Saul becoming Israel’s King was indeed true.
The third sign was to occur at the place where the Philistines, Israel’s enemy, had set up military posts. The Spirit of God was to come upon Saul and endow him with the power that was required for the position God called him to fill.
Again, God was faithful—
He showed Saul that He would help him in all that he undertook as king.
Samuel’s Signs Are Fulfilled
9 As Saul turned and started to leave, God gave him a new heart, and all of Samuel’s signs were fulfilled that day. 10 When Saul and his servant arrived at Gibeah, they saw a group of prophets coming toward them. Then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon Saul, and he, too, began to prophesy. 11 When those who knew Saul heard about it, they exclaimed, “What? Is even Saul a prophet? How did the son of Kish become a prophet?” 12 And one of those standing there said, “Can anyone become a prophet, no matter who his father is?” So that is the origin of the saying “Is even Saul a prophet?” 13 When Saul had finished prophesying, he went up to the place of worship. 14 “Where have you been?” Saul’s uncle asked him and his servant.
“We were looking for the donkeys,” Saul replied, “but we couldn’t find them. So, we went to Samuel to ask him where they were.” 15 “Oh? And what did he say?” his uncle asked.
16 “He told us that the donkeys had already been found,” Saul replied. But Saul didn’t tell his uncle what Samuel said about the kingdom.
When Saul left Samuel and returned to Gibeah, “God gave him another heart.”
Only God can change a person’s heart;
only God can transform a person.
God changed Saul’s heart to make him the man God wanted him to be.
The heart is the center of our thoughts, will, and emotions.
As we yield our hearts to God, God will transform our hearts and the result will be a life lived that pleases God.
With this sign, his anointing as king was sealed.
When he prophesied with the prophets, the people were amazed and wondered what had happened to Saul.
When Saul’s uncle asked him where he had been, he replied, "To look for the donkeys.
When we saw that they were nowhere to be found, we went to Samuel."
From Samuel, they learned that the donkeys had been found.
Saul made no mention of what Samuel had told him regarding being the king of Israel.
The Holy Spirit came upon Saul to help him do what God had called him to. God’s Spirit and power were with Saul.
Now in days, we need to accept Jesus into our hearts for the baptism of the Holy Spirit to take place.
How does a person become born again?
Pray~
MEMORY VERSE
1 SAMUEL 12:24 “Only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.”
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