Year B. 3rd Term. Lesson 6. Bible buddy - David

Scripture: for teacher background:  1 Samuel 16-20   2 Samuel 5,6,11

Making contact: 

Talk about the children about how tall they are and ask them if they mark their measurements at home on a cupboard..

 Exploration:

To tell this story, act it out using the children to take the parts of David and maybe some sheep, Saul, Jonathan and the Israelite army. 

Try and “borrow” a very tall adult to be Goliath and ask this person to stand on a chair.

(I worked out the height of Goliath was the same as when I stood on the very top of the piano!)

The story:

Before David became king, he spent lots of time looking after sheep. He was brave and had fought off wild animals. He was very musical and wrote beautiful songs about God and played his harp. These are Psalms, like Psalm 23. (Teach the children a couple of these wonderful songs based on David's Psalms.

When King Saul was in bad moods, David was sent for and he played his harp for the king. 

That was how David came to hear about a big problem – the Philistine enemy had set up camp to fight Israel, but instead of fighting they had a secret weapon – a huge giant called Goliath. He was over 3 meters tall and everyday jeered at the Israelites for someone to come and fight him.

 David was taking food to his brothers who were soldiers and he said, “Who is this man that he defies the armies of the living God?  I will fight him.” 

King Saul tried to lend him his armour but it was too big. 

All David needed was his sling and 5 smooth stones. When Goliath jeered at him, David said “Today God will give you into my hand and then everyone will know that there is a God in Israel!”

 He threw the stone with his sling and it hit Goliath right in the middle of his forehead and killed him instantly. The whole Philistine army ran away with the Israelite army chasing them.

David went to live at the palace and Saul promised he could marry his daughter, but he broke this promise.

David and Saul’s son, Jonathan, became best friends. The younger daughter Michal was in love with David and Saul said in order to marry her David had to kill 22 Philistines. 

Saul was sure he would get killed, but he didn’t. He won many battles. Saul was very jealous and one day while David was playing his harp for him he hurled a spear at him.

It missed, but David had to run away and hide from Saul. We can read some of the prayers he wrote during this time in the Psalms. He was afraid but he trusted in his God to help him.

David had a chance to kill Saul one day when Saul had come looking in the hills to kill him.

David was hiding at the back of a cave and Saul came inside - he didn't see David and it was a perfect opportunity to kill Saul.

But David knew it was wrong to do this, that he was the anointed king and one day he would be king without having to kill Saul. 

Well, Jonathan was killed in a battle and Saul was injured and then fell on his own sword on purpose to kill himself. David was very sad.

He was crowned as king and he took Jerusalem and made it his capital. He fought many battles and the country was the strongest it had ever been. He also had the tabernacle brought to Jerusalem and wanted to build a beautiful temple to worship God, but God said his son would do that.

 But our hero David was not always wonderful and wise. He made a huge mistake. 

One day instead of being at battle as he should have been, he was lazing on the roof and saw a beautiful woman called Bathsheba. He slept with her and she became pregnant. 

He then arranged for her husband to be killed on the battlefield. One day the prophet, Nathan came and told him how he had sinned and David repented. 

He wrote another Psalm that we could pray when we have made mistakes too. It is number 51.

The last part of David’s life was not very happy. Even though his sins were forgiven, there were consequences and things were not very happy. When he died, his son Solomon became the next king.

Application

This Bible buddy, David, was very famous.

We can learn such a lot from him. He loved God and for most of his life obeyed Him and was very brave. 

He knew how powerful and wonderful God is and he trusted Him. He was not sacred of Goliath, because He knew his God was stronger. 

Don’t tell God how big your problem is; tell your problem how big your God is. 

When David made a mistake He asked God to wash him clean and this teaches us about the wonderful gift of God's mercy and forgiveness.

Consolidation

There are 2 pages of pictures to colour in.

There is also another sheet, which must be folded into a card. It shows an upside giant. Inside is a place for the children to write or draw their problems. These are in Jesus hands. Have a time of prayer.

Memory Verse

 "David answered, “You are coming against me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty." 1 Samuel 17:45