Archive for the ‘king’ tag
November 11, 2012: Saul Becomes King
The text for this lesson is 1 Samuel 8–10; 11:12–15.
Key Point
- Though God lets us have our own way at times, His is the way of forgiving and saving, which He did for His people of old and does for us today.
- Law: I desire all the wrong things, I crave that which will ultimately kill me, and I suffer the consequences of sin.
- Gospel: God the Father forgives my faults and sustains my hopes, for in Christ, I am His child, beloved beyond words.
Discussion Points
- When have you felt rejected? How did you respond? How did that affect your relationship with the person who refused you?
- Read 1 Samuel 8:1–10. Why does Israel want a king? Why is Samuel opposed to this?
- Read 1 Samuel 8:19–9:16. What kind of man is Saul? What office will Samuel anoint him to fill?
- Read 1 Samuel 9:27–10:9. How does God assure Saul that Samuel’s words to him are true? What does God do to prepare Saul for becoming king?
- Read 1 Samuel 10:17–27. How does Samuel demonstrate to the people that Saul is God’s choice for king, not just Samuel’s? How does Saul react to his calling?
- Read 1 Samuel 11:1–15. How does Saul earn the respect of his subjects? Whom does he credit with the victory?
- In 1 Samuel 10:19, the prophet plainly announced that in their desire for a king, Israel had rejected God. How did God react to this rejection? How does this illustrate 2 Timothy 2:11–13? How does this truth comfort us?
- How does Saul’s reaction to the people in 1 Samuel 11:12–13 echo the Lord’s love for His people? Where is this love most apparent?
David, the Shepherd Boy: June 17, 2012
The text for this lesson is 1 Samuel 16:11; 17:32–35; Psalm 23.
Key Point
- While David tended his flock, the Lord was David’s shepherd—protecting him, leading him, and providing for him.
- Law: Many jobs involve real danger, and though we are often unaware of it, Satan has the power to do us harm at any moment.
- Gospel: Our Good Shepherd walks with us even through the valley of the shadow of death, assuring us that no matter what evil we encounter, He will defend us into eternal life.
Discussion Points
- What confidence did David have while defending his flock? In what ways was God David’s shepherd?
- Read Genesis 50:1–14. What did Jacob’s family do after his death?
- Describe the importance of the vocation of shepherd in ancient society. Why is the image of a shepherd an appropriate analogy to describe God? How is Jesus the “Good Shepherd”?
- How is David a preview of Jesus? (see 1 Samuel 16:11–13)
- Agriculture and animal husbandry are significant industries in North America. God works through those engaged in these vocations as they serve the Lord by producing food products and natural fiber products—wool, cotton, flax (linen), and leather for clothing for the people in their own country and in other parts of the world. What dangers might people in these vocations face?
- Many jobs involve real danger, and, though we are often unaware of it, Satan has the power to do us harm at any moment. What are our greatest enemies? What confidence do we have while living our daily lives?
- What additional insights about the Good Shepherd do you find in Psalm 23?
November 8, 2009: Hezekiah Prays
The text for this lesson is 2 Kings 18—19.
Key Points
- Just as Hezekiah prayed in faith to God and was delivered, so Jesus, our mediator and advocate with the Father, intercedes for and with us, granting us deliverance from sin, death, and the devil.
- Law: My sin makes me proud; thinking I can be self-sufficient and don’t need God, I avoid Him.
- Gospel: My heavenly Father is always ready to hear me and my cries for help, giving me His Son for my salvation.
Context
In the late eighth century, Assyria was the world power of the ancient Near East. Led by Sennacherib, their armies went on a blitzkrieg across various lands. Ruling Judah was Hezekiah, a top-notch king. Along with Josiah, he was one of the two Israelite rulers after David who received not a word of criticism from the biblical writer (see 18:1–8). Though he initially caved in to Assyrian pres-sure, paying them tribute (vv. 13–16), Hezekiah later refused to bow to their demands. As the story in 2 Kings 18–19 recounts, Sennacherib would pay dearly for his mocking of the true God. Assyrian records echo the biblical account of his demise, that he was slain by his own sons as he knelt praying before a god who could not save (19:37).
September 20, 2009: The Wisdom of Solomon
Key Points
- Solomon, though wise, needed what we and all sinners need: Christ, Wisdom Himself, and the forgiveness He brings.
- Law: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, yet, in my sin, I fear many things more than I fear the Lord.
- Gospel: Jesus is wisdom personified, who gives to me and all who believe in Him a share of His wisdom, that is, Himself.
Context
Solomon, the second child of David and Bathsheba, was Israel’s third king. A self-described “little child” when be assumed the throne (1 Kings 3:7), he reigned forty years (tenth century BC). Right after becoming king, he settled some old political scores relating to his father’s reign (1 Kings 2:13–46); then “the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon” (1 Kings 2:46). Though the nation expanded its borders, there was money galore, the temple was built, and Israel was relatively at peace with its neighbors, all was not well. Solomon, though “he was wiser than all other men” (1 Kings 4:31), foolishly overtaxed and overworked his citizens and contracted alliances with Gentile nations. Worst of all, his pagan wives “turned away his heart after other gods” so that he “did what was evil in the sight of the LORD” (1 Kings 11:4, 6). As a result, after his death the nation split into the Northern Kingdom (Israel) and the Southern Kingdom (Judah).
September 6, 2009: David Becomes King
The text for this lesson is 1 Samuel 16:1–13; 2 Samuel 5:1–10.
Key Points
- Just as David reigned over Israel, so the God-man, Jesus, our David, reigns over the kingdom of grace, of which we are citizens.
- Law: My sinful foolishness blinds me to the wise ways of my heavenly Father.
- Gospel: God truly sees and knows what I need; He does what is good, right, and salutary for me through His Son.
Context
For the Israelites, the grass was always greener on the other side of the political fence. Not content with having God alone as their King, they wanted a man to wear the crown, like their peer nations had. (See 1 Samuel 8:19–20.) So God gave them Saul. But God also forewarned them: green grass is deceptive, as the Israelites soon discovered for themselves. Saul’s reign began well but then went downhill. Angered by Saul’s acts of insubordination, the Lord through Samuel told Saul that because he had rejected God’s Word, God had rejected him from being king over Israel (1 Samuel 15:26). The Lord would give the kingship to a neighbor of Saul’s, someone better than he (1 Samuel 15:28). As the ensuing story tells us, David was that neighbor.
November 30, 2008: David and Jonathan
The text for this lesson is 1 Samuel 18:1–30; 20:1–42.
Key Points
- Just as God filled Jonathan’s heart with love for David and David’s with love for Jonathan, so Christ fills our heart with God’s love, enabling us to love our neighbor.
- Law: Hatred and envy shatter ties, even the closest of family ties. They turn a mother against her daughter, a father against her son, as they did Saul against Jonathan. This, in turn, spawns murderous thoughts, if not murder itself.
- Gospel: “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy” (1 Corinthians 13:4). Jonathan’s love for David and David’s for Jonathan was the love of God within their hearts spilling over into each other’s lives. We love because God first loved us (1 John 4:19), giving us His Son: love enfleshed.
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November 16, 2008: Saul Becomes King
The text for this lesson is 1 Samuel 8:1—10:27; 11:12–15.
Key Points
- Though God lets us have our own way at times, His is the way of forgiving and saving, which He did for His people of old and for us today.
- Law: “Be careful what you wish for,” we’re often told. This is very good advice for sinners, since we wish—indeed, we crave—the very things that lead to our undoing. We “Israels” clamor for our own “Sauls,” no matter how much God warns us that we are like thirsty travelers begging for salty water.
- Gospel: The Lord knows what we need, both in terms of discipline and in terms of grace. As a loving Father, He upholds us, even when we bear the painful consequences of our own choices. He forgives us our faults and sustains our hopes. For in Christ, we are His children, beloved beyond words.
