WORD OF GOD

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Preparing the Lesson

David and Goliath

Key PointAs David struck down the giant Goliath, so David’s greater

Son—Jesus—struck down the Goliaths of sin, Satan, and death through His own death on the cross.

Law/GospelLeft to fight sin, death, and the devil myself, I would per-

ish. Jesus fights triumphantly for me against my adversar-ies of sin, death, and the devil because they are too great for me. His victory is my victory.

ContextThe Philistines, who lived along the coast of the

Mediterranean, had been Israel’s archenemy for generations before David. Gradually moving eastward, they presented more and more of a challenge to God’s people—a challenge met by such men as Samson and Saul. Their threat was not only geographical (they took Israelite land) but also religious. Wooed by the sensuality of the Philistine religion, many would fall prey to its seductive charms.

Goliath challenges the Israelite army to send out someone to fight him. This practice of two warriors from opposing sides going head-to-head against each other was not unknown in the ancient world. Each soldier embodied the army he rep-resented. Should Goliath win, all Philistia would win. Should an Israelite win, all Israel would win. At this point in the story, David is known by Saul (16:14–23), but David’s lineage is evi-dently not known (17:55–58). He has also already been secretly anointed by Samuel as the successor to Saul (16:1–13).

CommentaryIn this classic story of the under-

dog, we see a premier example of the theology of the cross. That means that God does things in very ungodlike ways—ways we ourselves deem ungodlike. He who is all-powerful chooses something weak with which to fight. He who is all-wise acts in a way that makes the world double over in laughter. God works in a way that is hidden, behind masks, so that only those who see Him through His Word really see Him at work.

Goliath, armed to the teeth and a pro at warfare, is the embodiment of everything the world considers a sure bet. Worldly experience and rational knowledge both say, “David doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in you-know-where against this Philistine Hercules.”

David describes the real weapon he wields against this ungodly giant: “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied” (17:45). His weapon is not the sling but the divine name. Just as Moses’ staff was really “the staff of God” (Exodus 4:20; 17:9), so this sling is really the sling of the Lord. It bears His name.

This event in David’s life serves as a preview of the deeds of the Son of David. As David defeated Goliath, so Jesus, the Son of David, defeated the jeering huge Goliaths of sin, Satan, and death. With what did He defeat them? His own death! What a weapon! By taking on our sin, He slew sin. By letting Satan slay Him, Christ slew him. By dying, He killed death. In the same way as David used Goliath’s own sword, so Jesus used the very stuff of His (and our) enemies against them.

1 Samuel 17

Lesson 12 Pentecost 25

November 18, 2012

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Teacher Leaflet 12 Cross Explorations™ Level 2 © 2012 Concordia Publishing House. Scripture: ESV®. 48-1223

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2

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The Armor of God

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. (Ephesians 6:13–18a)

David didn’t need armor to defeat Goliath, but we benefit from the spiritual armor God offers to guard His people against all evil. Draw arrows to “place” the armor correctly on the outline of a young Christian. Or take the sheet home. Color and cut out each piece of armor. Glue them to the Christian. Display the figure where you can be reminded daily that “the battle is the Lord’s” (1 Samuel 17:47).

TRUTH

SALVATION

READINESS

RIGHTEOUSNESS

FAITH

On the back of the Student Leaflet, the students will find a familiar Bible passage, Ephesians 6:13–18a, and illustrations of the armor of God it describes. These are God’s gifts to Christians to guard and protect us from all evil, as we pray in the Lord’s Prayer, “deliver us

from evil.” Read the passage and invite the students to follow the instructions, connecting each piece of armor to the outline, or cutting the armor out and gluing it in place. If time does not allow using this activity in class, encourage the students to explore it at home.

SAMPLE

At Home

Briefly point out the “At Home” sec-tion of the Student Leaflet and encour-age the students to share the leaflet and what they have learned in this les-son with their fami-lies, especially the questions printed there.

Direct students to the inside of the Student Leaflet. Review the instructions about marking the descriptions on the leaflet as applying to either David or Goliath. Then read aloud, or invite volunteers to read aloud, 1 Samuel 17:1–11.

AskWho was the Philistine’s champion? Goliath. What was remarkable

about Goliath? He was very large, more than 6 cubits [about 9 feet] tall, and able to fight with very heavy armor and weapons—sword, spear, and javelin—indicating great strength. Have students guess at the weight of Goliath’s armor [1 Samuel 17:5]. A shekel is about two-fifths of an ounce, so five thousand shekels would have been the equivalent of 125 pounds. What challenge did Goliath make? He taunted Israel, offering to fight one-on-one any man in Saul’s army.

SayIn 1 Samuel 17:12–30, we see a description of how David happens

to come to the battlefield, delivering food to his brothers. David hears Goliath’s taunts. Saul and his army have lost faith in God’s willingness or ability to give them victory. Not David. David is upset that no one has accepted Goliath’s challenge.

Read 1 Samuel 17:31–47a.

ReadLook

Get Ready

Read 1 Samuel 17; review the Key Point and Law/Gospel Points.

Read Preparing the Lesson.

Review and adapt the activi-ties suggested in this leaflet to suit your students and the time you have available.

Pray that God blesses the stu-dents through His Word.

Bible Memory Verse

Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57

When your students have assembled, begin with these questions:

AskWhat is the biggest challenge you have faced in your life so far? What

helped you the most in that situation? Allow students to ponder the ques-tion. Then invite volunteers to share. Be prepared to share your own respons-es to the questions to get things started, if necessary. Affirm that support in challenging times can come from many places. Christians have a guaranteed source of support in a God who loves us and sent His Son to be our Savior.

SayGod regrets ever having made Saul king of Israel (1 Samuel 15:35). Saul

had not obeyed God’s instructions nor listened to the words of God’s prophet Samuel. In 1 Samuel 16, God instructs Samuel to go to Bethlehem to anoint a new king. Remind the students that Bethlehem is well known to us as the birthplace of Jesus. That birth would take place about one thousand years after the events in our text.

The new king will be the youngest son of Jesse, David (Ruth’s great grandson). God does not yet reveal His choice of a new king to King Saul or to His people. Saul will rule for twenty more years. In our Bible account today, King Saul meets this “secret king” David for the first time.

Distribute Student Leaflet 12. Read, or have a student volunteer read, the introduction on page 1 of the Student Leaflet.

Start

Review the lesson and look more closely at the comparison between David and Jesus by completing this activity. Read the introductory para-graph. Give the students a few moments to write the names of the pictured items. They are cross, armor, shield, valley, paw, tent, Bible, lion, and sling. The highlighted letters revealed Jesus’ final victory: salvation.

Take a moment to read the Bible Memory Verse from the front of the Student Leaflet.

SayOur Bible Memory Verse echoes David’s words of conviction when he

gave God credit for the victory over Goliath and the Philistines. God gives us the victory through faith in His Son.

AskWhat did David offer to do? He volunteered to fight Goliath (v. 32). How

did David convince King Saul he could prevail over Goliath? He shared his encounters with wild beasts while a shepherd and testified to his faith in God (v. 37). With what weapons did David face Goliath? A staff, a sling, and five smooth stones; the armor Saul offered proved too cumbersome for him (vv. 38–40). What did David call Goliath? “This uncircumcised Philistine,” that is, one who did not trust in the one true God (v. 36).

Read 1 Samuel 17:47b–50.

AskWho did David say would triumph over Goliath and the Philistines?

“The battle is the Lord’s.” How did David kill Goliath? With one smooth stone thrown with his sling Review the attributes on the Student Leaflet with the students. They could

have marked them as follows:

D (David): Handsome, young, worked for King Saul, played lyre, from Bethlehem, son of Jesse, killed lions and bears, anointed as future king of Israel, shepherd, youngest of eight sons

G (Goliath): More than 9 feet tall, carried heavy weapons, Philistine, wore heavy armor, fierce soldier

Not marked: Savior of all nations, only-begotten Son of God, won victory over sin, death, and the devil. These describe Jesus.

SAMPLE