Saul
SAUL
Objectives:
- Students should be able to identify Saul and the first king of Israel and Samuel who anointed Saul.
- Students should know the story of Saul’s disobedience to God.
Possible Lesson Plan:
- Open with prayer.
- Scripture Reference: I Kingdoms/I Samuel 9:15-10:8, 13:1-15, 15:10-28.
- Learning Game: 20 Questions. Put the names Saul, Jonathon, Samuel, Benjamin, and Philistines in a hat. Have a student draw one. The other students will ask “yes” or “no” questions until they identify the person. Benjamin is included because he was the son of Israel to whose tribe Saul belonged.
Discuss forms of government: How is our country governed? How was Israel governed in its early years? (with prophets and judges chosen by God for a specific task) Who were some of the people God used to lead His people? (Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, etc.) Review their stories briefly. Why would people want a king? Did other countries have kings? Is it easier to trust a good-looking king or to trust the invisible God? What was Saul’s downfall? Samuel said to Saul, “to obey is better than sacrifice”. What does that phrase mean? Why does God prefer obedience to sacrifice?
- Make a king’s crown for the Jesse Tree: Cut a crown shape out of heavy gold paper. Decorate with sequins, etc. Use a piece of string or thread as a hanger.
- Close with prayer. Pray for our government and rulers.