The Action:
After Goliath’s death, Saul’s son and heir, Jonathan, honors David as his friend over himself and his family. Saul himself gives David command over Israel’s men of war.
Saul, though, hearing Israel’s women sing, “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his tens of thousands” (18:7), grows jealous of David and fears his taking the throne. A spirit of evil from God moves Saul twice to try to try to kill David while he’s playing the harp to soothe Saul’s nerves.
Saul next promises David that, if he’s victorious in battle, he can marry one of the king’s daughters. Saul hopes that the Philistines will kill David for him. Saul first promises David his oldest daughter, Merab, but marries her to another man. Saul then promises David Saul’s daughter Michal if David brings him proof of the death of two hundred Philistine warriors. When David and his men have killed the Philistines, he marries Michal.
As David’s successes grow, Saul tells Jonathan of Saul’s plan to kill David. Jonathan warns David of the plan and, interceding with Saul for him, arranges peace between the two. The peace, though, is short lived, as, after another victory by David, Saul again tries to kill him.
Next, when Saul sends men to surround David’s house, Michal arranges a daring escape for him. (READ Psalm 59 to learn David’s response to this incident.) He flees for protection to the prophet Samuel. When Saul tracks David and Samuel down, the Spirit of God comes onto Saul and forces him to prophesy before Samuel. David is again saved — for now.
Main Lessons:
1. What are the contrasts in the character and behavior of David and Saul?
David was obedient and behaved wisely (18:5).
Saul was angry and had murder in his...
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...a and murder of Uriah the Hittite will wreck David’s life and his whole family’s.
3. What are some thoughts on Saul’s strange behavior at this lesson’s end?
Israel of Saul’s time had a school of prophets whose gift was forth-telling (speaking clearly a word from God), not fore-telling (predicting the future). Saul had met this school before and got caught up in its revival (10:10). He had also had God’s Spirit descend on him in I Samuel 11:6. The meeting with Samuel would be the last time when Saul felt the Spirit.
In an atmosphere of music, song, and dance, Saul experienced ecstasy, a sense of standing outside of himself. This ecstasy was not necessarily salvation. As Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:21-23, not everyone who calls Him Lord or prophesies in His name will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Saul’s ecstasy was God’s means of letting David escape.
First, David’s mother gave him enough courage to keep hope his father would be all right after the Nazis arrested him. Because their own house was no longer safe from Nazi invasion, David’s family was staying with friends. However, Nazis burst into the house they were staying in on...
Loving God and hating his own mother kept David strong. David loved God, he prayed every night to God. He hated his mother so much he wanted to outthink her tricks, he did. He used different tactics like over exaggerating his pain when he got beat, putting a wet cloth over his mouth when his mother put cleaning products in a room with him. David kept counting time in his head in order to make the time pass faster.
Uncle Axel , and The Sealand lady are the three important people in David's life whose
Before actually attaining the role of king, both David and Saul must forego a number of events to have a rightful claim to the throne. First and most importantly, they are anointed by God's power, proclaimed openly, and lastly, unanimously acclaimed by the people. Because God guarantees their power on Earth, it is highly evident that these men must still obey the Lord. Adding to this, it seems as if David and Saul have a proverbial contractual agreement with God. When the rules of this proverbial contract are broken, it is God that determines the repercussions.
...t his punishments. He knows that in order to be respected, He must follow His words and teach lessons. God develops David into a better ruler, a better man and a better example through punishment and forgiveness.
However, in the first book of Samuel, Saul does not possess the quality of self awareness. This can be because Saul ...
David goes through several changes. In the beginning David was a very happy child and had a perfect family. His mom was very loving and took care of them. They would go on family trips and had a good time. Everything changed when his parents started fighting and got a divorce. His father started drinking ...
Like Moses, David was not a likely choice as a leader. David was a shepherd boy but he displayed incredible courage by killing Goliath. David had been faithful and obedient to God and God saw David’s heart. "But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature: because I have refused him: for [the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7). David had opportunities to kill Saul but, never desired to do so. David later hand many transgressions during his reign. David had many flaws; he was an adulterer and murderer. He knew he was wrong and always repented and had the desire to please God. God knew none of his people were perfect but he favors those who are obedient. David’s love for God never wavered and was always spiritual and always praised the Lord. He was committed to God. Even when no one else knows if you are faithful, God knows. God has a plan for all of us and we just have to be patient. David was anointed by God. He didn’t compromise and only showed love. Therefore, David was shown favor over Saul by God.
Another question that be discussed is, “How does David’s actions as a future king compare to the actions of kings in other nations?” In 1 and 2 Samuel we see that the king of Israel is not all powerful. Both Saul and David are shown to be under the law of God. Saul does not do what God tells him to do and God makes it so that Saul’s son will not become king.14 David has sex with another man’s wife and then has that man murdered and God kills the child conceived out of David’s adultery.15We also see that the king of Israel is under the power of God as well as the power of the law. When Solomon builds places of worship to God’s other than YAHWEW and worships at them, God makes someone else king over ten of the twelve tribes of Israel. Solomon’s son only rules over the tribes of Benjamin and Judah.16
Secondly, David is stuck in a world with religious propaganda where the Nicholas repentances becomes a re...
Ezekiel lived in a time of international crisis and conflict. Assyria was the world power in the area under the rule of Tiglath-pilesar III. In 724 B.C Israel raged war upon Assyria, and Israel was no match for Assyria. In 627 B.C the last of the able Assyrian ruler, Ashurbanipal died. Right after the death of Ashurbanipal, Babylon under Nabopolassar wanted independence from Assyria. In 612 B.C the Assyrians under Nineveh surrendered to the rising Babylonians. In 605 B.C the Babylonians were at war against the Egyptians. The Babylonians won and they established themselves as the leading power in the area. During all of this Judea allied with the Babylonians and with this Judea kept her independence. During the last century before Judea was destroyed it was ruled by four rulers and of those rulers, all but Josiah were wicked. Josiah was committed to God and led Judea to him. All the others did not heed the warnings of Ezekiel and Jeremiah from God, and the rulers of Judea chose to rebel against God. God punished Judea by sending Nebuchadnezzar’s army to crush the nation of Judea and flatten the city of Jerusalem.
David also feels separate from Joseph, his father, and Chris, his brother, who are much different from him. David is inflicted with an emotional and physical scar which is never healed because of an incident with Chris .
Uncle Axel , and The Sealand lady are the three important people in David's life whose
David is the first king that God chooses to lead His people (Saul was chosen by the Israelites). God makes a covenant with him that there will always be a descendant of his on the
As a result of David coveting another man’s wife, adulterous relationship with Bathsheba, and his successful plot to send Uriah to his death in battle, David was punished several ways (Tullock & McEntire, 2006, p. 137 – 140). To start, the child he conceived with Bathsheba out of wedlock fell ill and passed away. Second, David’s son from one of his other wives raped Tamar, David and Bathsheba’s daughter. Subsequently, causing Absalom, David and Bathsheba’s son to avenge his sister by having Amnon killed. Moreover, Absalom would later successfully conspire to overthrow David and assume the throne. Thus, initiating the final act of David’s punishment whereby Absalom is killed by soldiers loyal to David in battle. Ultimately, all of this tragedy