UPPER GRADES Lesson 12 Preparing the Lesson …sites.cph.org/sundayschool/pdf/GIC_Lesson12/Upper Grades/L12_UG... · Preparing the Lesson David and Goliath ... and the devil myself,

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UPPER GRADES

Preparing the LessonDavid and Goliath1 Samuel 17

Pentecost 25 November 18, 2012Lesson 12

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 underdog, 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.

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BeginHave the Bible Review Cards from previous lessons (1–88), along with the rules for

various Bible Review Games (Reproducible Pages 15A–C near the end of this guide), available for the students to use as they arrive. You might also have copies of previ-ous Growing in Christ Puzzles available.

Have the CD from your Teacher Tools playing in the background, especially track 26, Ephesians 6:13, the Bible Words for this lesson.

WorshipLead your class in making the sign of the cross as you begin with the Invocation.

Say In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Point out that this time of the Church Year, the Scripture readings (pericopes) and theme focus on the final return of Christ as our Judge and King. Remind your students that Christ reigns now at God’s right hand, protecting His Church, God’s children.

Sing the hymn “O Little Flock, Fear Not the Foe” (LSB 666; CD 12) or “Have No Fear, Little Flock” (LSB 735; CD 7). Then, lead your students in prayer.

Pray Lord God, heavenly Father, send forth Your Son, we pray, to lead home His bride, the Church, that with all the company of the redeemed we may finally enter into His eternal wedding feast; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (LSB Altar Book, p. 941)

David and Goliath1 Samuel 17

Lesson 12 Pentecost 25 November 18, 2012

(10 minutes)

Teacher ToolsPoster C—Exodus to David CD Copies of Growing in Christ Puzzle 12

Student StuffBible Exploration Guide Lesson Leaflet 12

Teacher ToolsPoster A—The TimelinePoster C—Exodus to David

Student StuffLesson Leaflet 12

Teacher ToolsBible Review Cards 1–88 CD Poster A—The Timeline

Other SuppliesCopies of Reproducible Pages 15A–C (TG), Hymnals or song sheets, Copies of Reproducible Page 12 (TG), Copies of Growing in Christ puzzles from previous lessons

Teacher ToolsBible Review Cards 89–96, (1–88 optional) CD

Student StuffBible Exploration Guide (optional)

Other SuppliesCopies of Reproducible Page 12 (optional)Hymnal or song sheetsBible concordance

Connections

Bible WordsTherefore 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. Ephesians 6:13 (CD 26

Faith Wordsshekel, javelin, uncircumcised

HymnO Little Flock, Fear Not the Foe (LSB 666; CD 12) Have No Fear, Little Flock (LSB 735; CD 7)

CatechismLord’s Prayer: Third Petition

26

12, 7

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Lesson 12

Sing a New SongRead Moses’ song from Exodus 15:1–18. Point out the nations mentioned in

verses 14–15: Edom, Moab, and Canaan. Explain that the battle that will be described in today’s lesson had its roots centuries before. Show the date of the exodus, 1446 BC, on Poster A, The Timeline.

Say There are many songs and psalms like this in the Bible where people express their praise and thanks to God for what He has done. As the United States prepares to celebrate a national day of thanksgiving this Thursday, let’s write some new songs of praise. You may wish to use one as your table prayer for Thanksgiving dinner.

Divide students into groups of two or three. Provide each student with a copy of Reproducible Page 12 (found at the end of the lesson or in the PDF file on the teacher CD). Invite the groups to use the tune from this favorite hymn and write a song of praise. Here is an example you may share with your students to help them get started:

We thank You, Lord, for all You give:Your grace, a gift that we might live.We praise You for our daily bread.In Christ, our souls are truly fed. Amen.

Encourage each group to share their completed song with the class.

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Lesson 12

The Crowd Went Wild!Distribute Lesson Leaflet 12. Have the students study the biblical art and read, or

have a volunteer read, the text on the front to introduce the lesson. Display Poster A, The Timeline, and note the approximate date for this event in Israel’s history as well as its relationship to the other lessons this quarter.

Before reading the account of David and Goliath, it will be helpful to your stu-dents to learn about Saul’s rejection and David’s anointing as the next king of Israel.

Say As 1 Samuel 15 ends, God regrets ever having made Saul king of Israel. Saul had not obeyed God’s instructions nor listened to the words of God’s prophet Samuel. God instructed Samuel to go to Bethlehem to anoint a new king.

Note to teacher: If your Bible study time does not accommodate detailed study of the entire text, consider ways to save time: (1) Read the passages yourself or even summarize the content of some sections. (2) Focus on the important sections of 1 Samuel 17, especially verses 1–11 and 31–50.

Read or summarize 1 Samuel 16:1–13.

Ask Where does God send Samuel to look for Israel’s next king? (In Bethlehem; Bethlehem, of course, is also the city in which Jesus, our Savior, would be born about one thousand years later.) Samuel thought the oldest and best looking would be God’s choice, but God does not look at outward appearances as people do. What does God look at in choosing His leaders? (The heart)

Read or summarize 1 Samuel 16:14–23.

Ask What unique skill does David possess with which to serve Saul? (He plays the lyre, a stringed instrument like a small harp.) What is unusual about this arrangement? (Like the anointing of Saul in 1 Samuel 10:1, David’s anointing by Samuel remains a secret for a time. Saul is being served by his successor, but he doesn’t realize it. )

Read, or have volunteers read, 1 Samuel 17 in sections, discussing the following questions after each section is read. The questions are written as if addressed to David. You can direct the students to answer by saying, “How do you think David would answer?” Or, you might ask each student to summon up his or her “inner David” to address the issues, handing a small stone to each student when it is his or her turn to role-play.

1 Samuel 17:1–11:

Ask David, who was the Philistine’s champion? (Goliath) What was remarkable about Goliath? (He was very large, more than six cubits [about nine 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, and five thousand shek-els would have been the equivalent of 125 pounds). David, what challenge did Goliath make? (He taunted Israel, offering to fight one-on-one any man in Saul’s army.)

Point out on Poster C, Exodus to David, the approximate location of the valley of Elah in which the encounter between David and Goliath took place.

(20 minutes)

Faith Wordsshekel—originally a

measure of weight,

about two-fifths of an

ounce; later the shekel

became a common

coin.

javelin—a weapon;

long, thin, and sharp

like a spear, but

designed for throw-

ing, while a spear was

designed for holding in

one’s hands and thrust-

ing at the enemy

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Lesson 12

1 Samuel 17:12–18:

Ask David, why did you come to the battlefield? (He brought food, following his father’s instructions.) Remind the students from their study of Ruth that the ephah (1 Samuel 17:17) is about three-fifths of a bushel, or twenty-two liters.

1 Samuel 17:19–30:

Ask What was your reaction, David, to Goliath’s taunts to Israel? (He is appar-ently dismayed and believes Goliath can be defeated [v. 26].)

1 Samuel 17:31–40:

Ask David, what did you offer to do? See verse 32. (He volunteered to fight Goliath.) How did you convince King Saul you could do this? (He shared his encounters with wild beasts while a shepherd and testified to his faith in God [v. 37].) With what weapons did you face Goliath? (A staff, a sling, and five smooth stones; the armor Saul offered proved too cumbersome for him.) What did you call Goliath? (“An uncircumcised Philistine,” that is, one who did not trust in the one true God [v. 36])

1 Samuel 17:41–50:

Say If this battle had occurred in our time, it might have been captured on film. David’s great shot would have been billed as one of the greatest moments in history. The TV news programs would replay it over and over again. Athletic coaches would use it as an example of never giving up. David posters, trading cards, and T-shirts would flood the market. (Encourage the students to imagine some other modern-day things that might have happened. For example, David would be interviewed and would later be asked to endorse his own line of slingshots; action-packed video games would be developed.)

1 Samuel 17:51–57:

Ask David, what happened after you killed Goliath? (Israel triumphed over the Philistines, killing many of them and taking their possessions.)

If time permits, choose a student to be David and have other students interview him with other questions they might have. Use rolled-up pieces of paper as imaginary microphones.

Read 1 Samuel 17:45–47 again.

Ask David, who did you say would triumph against Goliath and the Philistines? (Four times David makes clear that it is God, the Lord, who would win the day.)

Say David was not interested in being a superhero. He wanted God to get all of the credit. Just as David defeated the giant Goliath, likewise, a descendant of David—God’s Son, Jesus—defeated the jeering Goliaths of sin, Satan, and death with the weapon of His own death. That’s something about which we can be thankful and something to proclaim to everyone!

Faith Wordsuncircumcised—indi-

cating a pagan, an

unbeliever, one who

does not believe in the

one true God; circumci-

sion was a sign of God’s

covenant with Isreal.

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Lesson 12

That All the Earth May KnowDirect the students’ attention again to Poster C, Exodus to David, to point out

Israel’s location on the Mediterranean Coast.

Ask How would their location be an advantage? (Good farmland on the central plains) A disadvantage? (Enemies to the east had no access to the sea except by going through Israel.)

Direct the students to the article “Israel’s Enemies” in the Bible Exploration Guide. Note the locations of the many tribes or nations that opposed Israel on the map. Read about as many of them as you have time for, but especially the Philistines.

Read the verses from Psalm 83 and the accompanying commentary from the back of the leaflet. Complete the suggested exercises circling words such as “do not hold your peace” (v. 1), “make them like whirling dust” (v. 13), and similar phrases. In this short excerpt, God is addressed four times (vv. 1 [twice], 13, and 16).

Read again David’s words in 1 Samuel 17:45–47.

Ask What is David’s purpose in facing Goliath according to these verses? ([1] “That all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel” and [2] “all this assembly [Philistines and Israelites] may know that the Lord saves”) How does the Lord save? (“Not with sword and spear” [v. 47], but with David’s sling and “in the name of the Lord of hosts” [v. 45])

The Third PetitionContinue with this section on the back of the Lesson Leaflet. Then play the songs

related to the Third Petition of the Lord’s Prayer using your teacher CD, tracks 32–33. Encourage the students to sing along. Repeat as necessary to aid in memorization.

Say The devil schemes to cause us to sin. In 1 Peter 5:8, the devil is described as a roaring lion on the prowl looking for someone to devour. We should not take lightly the danger and death that come from our sin. Left to fight Satan ourselves, we will perish. Jesus is the One who fights triumphantly for us against our adversaries of sin, death, and the devil because they are too great for us. His victory is our victory!

Distribute copies of Growing in Christ Puzzle 12, and allow sufficient time for the students to complete it. Then, review the Bible Words, inviting students to repeat them several times as they memorize the verse. Listen to Ephesians 6:13, the Bible Words Song, on track 26 of the teacher CD, and encourage the students to sing along.

Point out the “God at Work in Our World” section at the bottom of the leaflet and encourage the students to visit the Web site this week.

(15 minutes)

Teacher TipMusic can be a great

memory tool. Also,

some of your students

who are kinesthetic

learners may learn best

if they can create body

movements to accom-

pany the songs.

26

32-33

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(5 minutes)

ReviewPlay a review game using Bible Review Cards 89–96 and other cards chosen ran-

domly from previous lessons. Divide the class into two teams. Roll a number cube to decide which team will go first. Spread out the cards with the backs showing. Allow the first student on the first team to choose a card and give it to the teacher without seeing the questions. Read any question from that card for the student to answer. Alternate turns between the two teams. Award ten points for each correct answer.

WorshipAgain, briefly look at the lyrics of the hymn “O Little Flock, Fear Not the Foe” (LSB

666; CD 12). Have students locate the phrases in the hymn that point to Jesus’ victory. Sing the hymn.

Close with a prayer asking for God’s protection for any students who may be trav-eling over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

EvaluationDid the activities hold the students’ attention? Did they enjoy the songwriting, or

was it frustrating?

Lesson Expanders■■ Gather the songs your students created using Reproducible Page 12. Make

copies and create a songbook for your students and, perhaps, others in your Sunday School. Ask your students to work together to create a cover.

■■ Revisit the Bible Exploration Guide for a closer look at “Israel’s Enemies.” Use a Bible concordance to locate encounters the people of God had with one or more of the enemy tribes.

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Psalms are songs from the Old Testament that express the psalm-ist’s feelings about God’s presence and impact in his or her life. Here’s your chance to write a new song of thanksgiving and praise on the lines below. Use the meter—and tune—of one of the most familiar hymns of praise, “Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow” (tune: Old Hundredth). This hymn is itself loosely based on Psalm 150.

The meter of the hymn is “long meter,” eight syllables each in four lines, followed by an “Amen.”

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;Praise Him, all creatures here below;Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host:Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.(LSB 805)Write your own words; or complete the lines

that have been started for you.

We thank You, Lord, for . . . ____________________________________________________________________________Your grace, a gift . . . _________________________________________________________________________________We praise You . . . ___________________________________________________________________________________In Christ, . . . _________________________________________________________________________________ . Amen.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sing a New Song!

Reproducible Page 12Teacher: This page is also available on the CD in your Teacher Tools.Growing in Christ ® Upper Grades © 2008 Concordia Publishing House. Hymn text: LSB © 2006 Concordia Publishing House. Reproduced by permission.

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