We Believe: Chapter 11
The students will learn:
God called Samuel to serve him.
Saul became Israel's first king.
God chose David to lead Israel.
David was declared the king of Israel.
Faith Words
prophet - someone who speaks on behalf of God, defends the truth, and works for justic e.
monarchy - a kingdom or empire ruled by one person, either a king or queen.
Facts
The First and Second books of Samuel, along with some other books in the Bible, represent Scripture's historical books.
As the first book of Samuel opens, we read the prayer of a woman named Hannah.
She had no children and was praying for a son.
She promised God that if he blessed her with a son, she would dedicate the child to God.
Hannah did have a son, and she called him Samuel.
Samuel was brought to the shrine at Shiloh, which is in central Israel.
It was here that Samuel grew up under the watchful eye of a priest named Eli.
When Samuel was still very young, God called to him while he was sleeping.
Israel continued to turn away from God during Samuel's time.
Israel's enemy, the Philistines, took advantage of Israel's disunity and tried to conquer all of Israel.
The Philistines were so successful that they threatened Israel's very existence.
They even captured the ark of the covenant and paraded it triumphantly through their towns.
Samuel was told by God to anoint Saul, from the tribe of Benjamin, to govern the people of Israel.
This anointing would be a symbol of Saul's consecration to God's service.
Samuel poured oil on Saul's head.
Saul became Israel's first king.
Gradually, however, Saul stopped listening to Samuel.
He was more concerned with his own interests than those of God's people.
God no longer gave Saul his blessing to be king.
God sent Samuel to a man named Jesse who lived in Bethlehem.
God told Samuel that he had chosen the next king from among Jesse's sons.
Samuel anointed David.
David entered into Saul's service.
The Philistines were again trying to overcome the Israelites.
The Israelites, however, were afraid to attack because the Philistine army was led by a giant of a man named Goliath.
When David answered Goliath's challenge, Goliath took one look at him and cursed him.
David, however, told Goliath that he came against him in the name of God and of the armies of Israel.
After the death of Saul, the people of Judah proclaimed David their king.
He immediately set out to solve Israel's problems.
David soon drove the Philistines from central Israel once and for all.
In later battles David forced them out of the rest of the country.
David dealt with another important task: taking over areas in Israel that were still under Canaanite control.
Jerusalem was captured by the king's army.
Thus, in biblical writings Jerusalem is known as the City of David.
David decided to make Jerusalem the capital of all Israel.
David set up a government in Jerusalem.
David also had weaknesses.
David wanted to marry Bathsheba, but she was already married.
David arranged to have her husband killed in battle.
David asked God's forgiveness.
Constructed Response
Name some important things that David did as king for the nation of Israel.
Drove the Philistines from central Israel.
Conquered areas in Israel under Canaanite control.
Captured Jerusalem and made it Israel's capital.
What qualities did Samuel and David have that made them great leaders?
They were chosen by God.
They had faith that God would not abandon his people.
They brought unity to the nation of Israel.