Lesson Date: February 26, 2012

Focal Scripture Passage: 1 Samuel 26:5-18, 31:1-13

AIM: To lead adults to recognize that David’s trust in God enabled him to wait for God’s timing in fulfilling His promises, and to encourage them to trust God and wait for His perfect timing in their lives.

 

INTRODUCTION (Create Learning Readiness): Before class: Write or print the text of Psalm 37:5-7 on cards or slips of paper.  Prepare enough for each of your class members.  Familiarize yourself with the locations named in this lesson so you can show them to the class.

When class begins: Tell the following story (or a similar one dealing with waiting for God’s perfect timing) to the class:

Sam and Sally dated for some time and they even talked about getting married.  Since they had not yet graduated from high school and both of them planned to go to college, marriage was out of the question for now.  They were greatly attracted to each other, and strongly tempted to get involved in a physical relationship.

Sam and Sally attended the same church and heard their pastor and youth pastor talk many times about the importance of waiting for marriage to have sex.  Both men taught them that in God’s time and place (marriage), sex was a wonderful thing.  The pastors warned that sex before marriage was harmful.

Sam and Sally gave in to their temptations, and their relationship became filled with guilt.  Sally became pregnant.  Sam urged her to have an abortion in order to have a “quick fix” to their “problem,” but Sally refused.  In time, Sam broke off their relationship, and never offered to help support or raise their baby.

Read the lesson aim to the class.

 

HEART OF THE LESSON (Bible Study):

1.     Review.

a.     Remind the class that Saul failed God and was rejected from being king, but he still held the throne.

b.     David was chosen by God to replace Saul, and Saul repeatedly tried to kill David.

c.     In last week’s lesson David spared Saul’s life when Saul came into the cave in which David and his men were hiding.

2.     David had another Opportunity to Kill Saul.

a.     Tell the class that Saul learned that David and his men were hiding in Hachilah (south of En-gedi – show En-gedi and the area south of it on the map).

b.     Saul again went after David with 3,000 men, but David found out where Saul’s army was camped.

c.     Read 1 Samuel 26:5-6.

d.     Ask: “Where was Saul?” (sleeping in a trench, surrounded by his soldiers).

e.     Ask: “What did David ask his men?” (he asked for a volunteer to go with him into Saul’s camp).

f.      Read 1 Samuel 26:7-8.

g.     David’s nephew Abishai went with him into the camp.

h.     Ask the class to tell why they think Saul was surrounded by his soldiers (for protection).

i.      Ask: “What did Abishai ask David for permission to do?” (kill Saul).

3.     David Again Refused to Kill Saul.

a.     Once again, Saul was helpless and within easy reach of David.

b.     We learned in last week’s lesson that David did not want to kill Saul.  Abishai offered to kill Saul so David wouldn’t have to.

c.     Abishai could easily kill Saul and David could become king; he would no longer have to hide out in the caves.  Abishai offered David a quick and convenient solution to his problem.

d.     Ask a volunteer to read 1 Samuel 26:9-10.

e.     Ask: “Why did David refuse to let Abishai kill Saul?” (because Saul had been anointed by God).

f.      David said one of three things would happen to Saul.

g.     Ask: “What were those three things?” (either the Lord would kill Saul, or Saul would die of old age, or Saul would be killed in battle).

h.     Saul stood in the way of David’s happiness, freedom, and ascending to the throne, but David trusted God so much that he was willing to wait for Saul to die of old age.  David understood that God’s ways and timing are perfect.

i.      Ask: “Are you willing to wait for God’s timing?”

4.     David Again Proved He did not want to Harm Saul.

a.     Ask a volunteer to read 1 Samuel 26:11-18.

b.     David and Abishai took Saul’s spear and water container and left the camp.

c.     Ask: “Why were they able to sneak into and out of Saul’s camp undetected?” (God caused a deep sleep to fall on Saul’s men).

d.     David went to a hilltop and called out to Abner, the commander of Saul’s army.

e.     Ask: “Why did David say Abner deserved to die?” (because he had failed to protect Saul from intruders).

f.      Saul recognized David’s voice and David told him that he meant Saul no harm.  Saul was temporarily sorry for his actions against David, but soon got over it.  Saul became worse and worse, and David continued to hide from him.

5.     King Saul’s Death.

a.     David trusted God and waited patiently for Him to take care of Saul so he could one day become king.

b.     Read 1 Samuel 31:1-3.

c.     The Philistines and Israelites were fighting another battle.  The Philistines were winning.  Locate Mount Gilboa on the map.

d.     Ask: “What happened to Jonathan and Saul’s other sons?” (they were killed in the battle).

e.     Ask: “What happened to Saul?” (he was hit with arrows and mortally wounded).

f.      Ask a volunteer to read 1 Samuel 31:4-6.

g.     Ask: “Why do you think Saul wanted to die before falling into the hands of the Philistines?” (the Philistines hated Saul and he knew that it was common for victorious armies to torture and abuse their wounded enemies before killing them).

h.     Saul’s armor-bearer was afraid to kill him, so Saul committed suicide.

i.      In fulfillment of prophecy, Saul and his sons all died in one day (1 Sam. 28:19).

j.      Read 1 Samuel 31:7-10.  Tell what the Philistines did to Saul’s body.

k.     Verses 11-13 tell us the men of Jabesh-gilead, out of gratitude for Saul’s rescue of them many years earlier (1 Sam. 11:1-11), took the bodies of Saul and his sons and buried them.

 

PERSONAL APPLICATION: David waited for God to do His will in His time and in His way.  Ask: “Why do you think David could do that?” (because he trusted God).  Because David knew that God could be trusted, he refused to take matters into his hands.  In His way and in His time, God eliminated Saul so that David could become king of Israel.  David knew that God could be trusted to fulfill His plan for David’s life.

David did not rush in and take permanent actions to alleviate temporary problems.  Saul was the opposite of David.  He did not trust God, so he acted out of his own desires and self-interest.  David learned that he could trust God to do what was right.  Give everyone the card or slip of paper with Psalm 37:5-7 printed on it.  Have the entire class read the verses aloud.  Remind the class that David wrote those words under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.  He knew from experience what it meant to trust God.

Ask: “Which are you more like – David or Saul?”  Encourage everyone to trust God and wait for His perfect timing in their lives.  Lead a closing prayer, turning our future over to God and asking Him to help us trust Him completely.

 

CONCLUSION: Ask everyone to place the card or slip of paper containing Psalm 37:5-7 in a place where they will see it often this week.  Encourage them to memorize those verses.  Tell the class that our study of David is not over: his story continues in next quarter’s study of 2 Samuel.  Be sure everyone has a Sunday School Member Quarterly for the new quarter.  Remind them to start the Daily Bible Reading Guide tomorrow and continue it each day.