To Study: 1
Samuel 27:1-12, 29:1-11, 30:1-31.
To Read in class: 1 Samuel 30:6-17.
Memory Texts:
Younger: Titus 3:4 “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour
toward man appeared, .. he saved us.”
Older: Titus 3:4-5 “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour
toward man appeared, .. Not by works of righteousness which we have done,
but according to his mercy he saved us.”
OBJECTIVES. To teach that:
1. There are distressing consequences for those who do not seek the will of
God for guidance.
2. A leader’s mistakes have a negative effect on those around them.
3. The young Egyptian is a picture of the sinner enslaved by Satan.
4. Because the Egyptian honestly confessed his condition, he was pardoned
and treated kindly. It is the same for a sinner who confesses his sin and
comes to Christ.
5. The converted sinner begins to serve a new master, the Lord Jesus, after
having rejected the old one, Satan.
SCENE 1. VISUAL AIDS. (G-15) Outside the
royal city of Gath, figures of David and some of his men requesting of King
Achish a city in which to live. Figure of an official who accompanies the
king.
DEVELOPMENT:
- David was tired after some years of persecution by Saul, and forgot that
God had given him
protection and help.
- Fearful of dying by the hand of Saul, David fled to the land of the
Philistines.
- David asked king Achish for a city where he could live among the
Philistines with his followers,
and was given the city of Ziklag.
Cns. David did not take into account the will of God when he made his
decision.
- David lost sight of the fact that God could look after him because he
failed to have faith at this time.
- At many other times in his life, David consulted God first and he was
given guidance.
- Having taken steps independently of God’s guidance, David inevitably would
experience suffering.
Apl. What can seem like a simple and reasonable solution may not be the will
of God. At times He
will allow us to go through experiences that will teach us we have not done
the right thing.
- David had 600 men with him.
- In order to live in the land of the Philistines, David had to hide his
real activities from king Achish.
1 Samuel 27:10-12.
SCENE 2. VISUAL AIDS. (D-11) Country area
with the city of Ziklag in ruins and figures of David in prayer and his men
about him, weeping.
DEVELOPMENT:
- David’s mistake as their leader resulted in disaster for all that followed
him.
Cns. The wages of sin is death and, in this case, the wages of failing to
trust has brought about
suffering.
- God permitted the wives and children to be taken captive, but their lives
were spared.
- The men wept over the loss of their families and talked of stoning David.
- They had been in agreement with David at the beginning but very soon they
changed their minds
and blamed him.
- It was the blackest moment of David’s life.
- David recognized his part in what had happened, but he "encouraged himself
in the Lord his God." 1 Samuel 30:6. He now trusted in His mercy once again.
Cns. The quickest way to correct our mistakes is to recognize our error in
the presence of God and depend on Him once again.
SCENE 3. VISUAL AIDS. (F-1) Figures of
several of David’s men with the young Egyptian lying beside the road. Later
change this for the figure of the young man standing before David.
DEVELOPMENT:
- After consulting God, David and his men left to pursue the Amalekites.
- They found a young Egyptian in the country.
- He had been used by his Amalekite master until he became sick and was of
no further use to him.
- He was abandoned without any provision for his future.
Sug. The young Egyptian in this lesson is presented as a figure of the
sinner near death. Even though he had taken part in the evil carried out
against David, he was made an object of mercy, and then began to enjoy a new
lifestyle.
- Had someone not helped the young man, he would have died.
- They took him to David, who gave him food.
- The young Egyptian told David the story of what had happened.
- He had helped David’s enemies when they burned Ziklag, David’s city.
- He was well treated by David and became an object of his mercy. David
pardoned him.
- In the past he knew the cruelty of his old master. In the future he would
serve a kind king.
- Now a loyal friend of David, he turned against his old life-style.
- He led David’s army to the camp of the Amalekites.
SCENE 4. VISUAL AIDS. Application. Figures
of a person bowed over. Above the figure, a sign that says: "The wages of
sin is death.” Another figure of the same person kneeling to give thanks.
Above a sign that says: “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus
Christ.” In the upper part a figure that represents Christ with open arms of
invitation.
DEVELOPMENT:
Note: This scene shows the sinner’s condition under condemnation of death
and then the change that occurs when one receives eternal life.
Cmt. David showed mercy to the young Egyptian. As a result, he could live
and not die.
Sug. Stress that when a person is saved, the change in position before God
is just as radical.
Apl. The Egyptian is a figure of the sinner, abandoned to his fate by a
cruel master (the devil). They
gave the Egyptian food at the command of David (his saviour). He benefited
by the goodness of
David and the people, and changed into a faithful follower of his new
master.
- The same pattern follows when a person finds life in Christ. |
