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LIKE UNTO ALL THE NATIONS
ICEBREAKER
For an icebreaker, I like to show my students the following picture and ask them if they can find the smart sheep in the picture? Can you find it? It’s right here. And what makes him so smart? He’s the only one going in the right direction, the safe direction. All the rest are running in direction of the cliff. Now, you can imagine that it might be kind of hard to be that sheep—going against the grain. It’s very possible that the other sheep might give him a hard time, throw some disgusted glances his way, ask him what he thinks he’s doing and try to convince him to turn around because, well, everybody else is doing it. But that sheep knows, the results of following the flock would be disastrous. So he’s taking the harder, but safer way. The way that doesn’t end in disaster. I’ve shared with you some of my Dad’s experiences as a young man while working on a cattle ranch in Nevada. You may recall the “Don’t Lick Grass” lesson from a few weeks ago. There was another saying he used to quote to us as well. He’d say “Don’t leap with the sheep” which also came from a personal experience he’d had. One day as they were out on the range, they came across six lambs that had strayed from their flock. They were wild and about one year old. They decided to try to catch them and take them back to the ranch, to take care of them. However, the sheep were resistant to the idea of being led and for over an hour my Dad and the others ran around trying to get a hold of them, but to no avail. Then they got an idea to use the edge of a nearby cliff as a natural barrier so they would have less of a perimeter to try to corral them in. This seemed to work for a time, but unfortunately, as they were closing in on them, the biggest sheep in the group turned and ran for the edge of the cliff and instead of stopping, leaped over the edge, and plummeted to his death. When the boys saw this, they backed off to give the other lambs some room, but to their horror, the other five also raced to the edge of the cliff and one by one jumped to their deaths in the exact same location the first had gone.
Mankind is a lot like those sheep unfortunately. We may give a lot of lip service to originality and doing our own thing, but we seem to have a human need to fit in or go with the crowd. Even those who consider themselves rebels against society and convention, usually rebel in the exact same way with the same styles, attitudes, and actions as others in their group. Sadly, most of our society is currently jumping off a moral cliff edge. Sometimes, all it takes is for some of the “bigger sheep”, the popular, the influential, the rich and successful, to jump over the edge of the moral cliff, to get the more naïve or susceptible to jump too. You can understand how this strategy would make sense to Satan. If he can get the leader, he can often get the entire flock.
TRANSITION
Well the children of Israel are going to face just such a decision in 1 Samuel chapter 8. Within the first 10 verses of that chapter, can you find the worldly desire they’re wrestling with? What is it?
They wish to have a king “like all the nations”. See, up to this point, Israel had no earthly king. They had a prophet, and they had the Lord. But that doesn’t seem to be enough for them. They want to be like everybody else.
SEARCH
To help us understand this story on a deeper level, I’d like to invite you to fill out this study guide. As a teacher, you could hand this out to your students to work individually or in partnerships. Then, as you correct it, you could lead a discussion on the truths the story teaches. All of the answers can be found by reading 1 Samuel chapter 8. So here we go.
1. Samuel made his two sons judges over the people. TRUE/FALSE This is true according to verses 1-2.
2. His sons followed their father’s righteous example and were honest judges over the people. Sadly, that statement is false. Verse 3 tells us that they took advantage of their position and accepted bribes and perverted judgment.
3. What two reasons did the people give for desiring to have a king? Pick two.
a. Because they were worried about Samuel’s two corrupt sons would not lead in righteousness once he died.
b. Because they had no leader
c. Because they wanted to be like all the other nations
d. Because they needed a representative to work with Egypt.
The answers would be a and c. Because they were concerned about Samuel’s sons and because they wanted to be like all the other nations. Now of those two reasons, which do you think is the biggest factor in their desire? Interestingly enough, the concern with his sons is never mentioned again, but funnily enough, they do bring up the other nations argument yet again. B would not be a correct answer because the people DID have a leader. In fact, they already had a king. God was their king. The king of kings. And they had Samuel. A spiritual leader was all that they really needed at this point. The Lord would take care of them, as long as they were righteous.
4. The Lord was pleased with their desire to be ruled by a king. True/False That would be false. This desire displeased both Samuel and the Lord. You can see that in verses 6 and 7.
5. What principle could best be taught from verse 7?
a. The scriptures contain the solutions to life’s problems.
b. When we reject the prophets, we are really rejecting the Lord.
c. Answers to prayer often come after great effort.
d. God requires a broken heart and a contrite spirit.
The answer would be B. The Lord explains to Samuel that by rejecting him, they are really rejecting their God. Perhaps we comfort ourselves at times in dismissing a prophet’s counsel because “they’re just men.” It’s a lot easier to say, “Well, I don’t agree with President Nielsen on that one” than, “Well, I don’t agree with God on that one.” But they’re not just men. They are the Lord’s mouthpiece. Rejecting them is rejecting the Lord.
6. The Lord agrees to allow the people to have a king. True/False. And the answer is true. The Lord does allow them to have a king. Which seems surprising, which leads us to our next question.
7. Short answer: Why do you think the Lord allows this? A couple of things to consider here. This reminds me a bit of the story of Balaam, where God does allow him to go, so that he could learn a lesson. Also, if the Lord had rejected their desire to have a king, would their rebellion have become even worse in the end? Sometimes you have to give people a little bit of their leash lest they pull completely away in resentment.
8. Before the Lord has Samuel call a king, he instructs him to do some other things first. Mark all the answers that apply.
a. He honored their agency and allowed them to choose
b. He offered a sacrifice on their behalf
c. He let them know in a very serious manner how opposed he was to their decision
d. He carefully explained the probable consequences of their decisions.
e. He rent his clothes and called upon God to curse them for their disobedience
Sometimes parents may need to make this same kind of choice with their own children, especially as they get older and are facing adulthood. What do you do when confronted with the unwise desires of your children? Maybe there is a pattern here shown by the Lord. One, he does respect their agency. Even though he knew the final outcome would be less than desirable, he grants them the freedom to choose. Second, the Lord instructs him to “protests solemnly” against their desire. He wanted to make sure that they understood clearly how much he was opposed to their intentions. Then third, he explains all the negative consequences that were sure to be the outgrowth of that decision. Verses 10-18 list all those undesirable outcomes. He promises them that their king would take their sons to work in his fields, their daughters to work in his bakeries. He would tax their increase and demand their goods to sustain a lavish lifestyle. He warns them that they will eventually “cry out in that day because of [their] king”. Samuel follows all of these instructions.
9. Fill in the blank of the most tragic phrase of the entire story. “Nevertheless the people ___________ to obey the voice of Samuel”. Unfortunately the word that goes in that blank is “refused”. They refused to obey the voice of Samuel. Oh I wish it were a different word though. I wish the word we could put in that blank was the word “resolved”, or “pledged”, or “promised” to obey the voice of Samuel. Sadly they didn’t.
10. Eventually, the people did regret their decision to crown a king (1 Samuel 12:19). TRUE/FALSE. The answer is TRUE. And I believe that’s going to be true of any that choose to disregard the voice of God and his servants. They may not feel that regret immediately, but it will come. For these people it was just four short chapters later that they come to the same conclusion that Samuel had come to long before. And the rest of the history of the Old Testament testifies to the fact that Samuel was right. We’re going to see each of the first three kings of Israel fall apart in one way or another. Then when the kingdom divides, we’ll see two long strings of mostly wicked kings, and very few righteous ones. Who knows how different the Bible narrative might have been had the people listened to Samuel and the Lord.
Still, even after this realization, there is a fourth thing that Samuel does for the people in chapter 12 after they have realized their mistake. He says:
20 And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart;
21 And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain.
22 For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people.
23 Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:
So this is good counsel for us as well as parents or leaders. Even when children or people go astray, parents and leaders should continue to pray for those they love and continue to strive to teach them the good and right way. God didn’t forsake his people even though they insisted on crowning a king. When an absolute “no” will not satisfy their will, this four-step plan may be the only thing that can still save them. The hope is that someday they will learn to trust the more mature wisdom that comes from experience instead of giving in to their foolish desires. Last question, which is a short answer question.
11. In your opinion, what’s the danger in wanting to be “like all the nations”? Or in other words, wanting to adopt the styles, trends, entertainment, and culture of the world around you?
I believe it's very easy to get caught up in and seduced by the trends and the ways of the world, and I admit, that many of those trends are not necessarily matters of right and wrong. Sometimes the styles of our time are just silly, but the attitude is what’s dangerous. It may not seem like that big of a deal to sport a popular extreme hairstyle or fashion fad of the day. I think back to some of the silly things my generation did in the late 80’s. Pegged pants, duck tales, Girbaud jeans, and girls with big bangs were just some of the trends of my day. None of these things were “bad” on their own terms, but if we get so concerned and fixated on following the world and matching it's behaviors, what will we do when a matter of right and wrong DOES come along. What will I do when I’m invited to the alcohol and drug parties? What will I do when immoral and delinquent behavior is encouraged? What will I do when social media and the intellectual gurus and celebrities preach messages of anti-faith and self-indulgence? I will become so used to traveling in that direction with everyone else, that I will not have the fortitude nor the courage to turn around and walk back through the surging crowd. I will simply leap with the rest of the sheep.
Perhaps the best quote I could refer you to comes from a talk given years ago by President Spencer W. Kimball that just happens to be based on this very Old Testament chapter. It’s a little lengthy but it’s power speaks for itself. He said:
"Samuel called the people together and explained to them that the people of the Lord should be different, with higher standards. 'We want to be like other peoples' they demanded. 'We do not want to be different.'
"Not so different are we today! We want the glamour and frothiness of the world, not always realizing the penalties of our folly. … Others … indulge in their social drinking—'we must also have a king like unto other nations!'
"Styles are created by the vulgar and money-mad and run from one extreme to the other to out-date present wardrobes and create business for merchants. We cannot be different. We would rather die than be 'not up to date.' If the dress is knee length we must go [a] little above the knee. If shorts are short we must have the shortest. … [I]f bathing suits are skimpy, we must have the skimpiest. 'We must have a king like unto other nations!'
"When, oh when, will our Latter-day Saints stand firm on their own feet, establish their own standards, follow proper patterns and live their own glorious lives in accordance with Gospel inspired patterns. … Certainly good times and happy lives and clean fun are not dependent upon the glamorous, the pompous, the extremes“
Spencer W. Kimball
(“Like All the Nations,” Church News 15 Oct. 1960, 14).
Well stated President Kimball.
TRUTH
When I choose worldly ways, I reap worldly consequences.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
Ask yourself the following question and ponder your own personal response. Are there any worldly ways I need to let go of?
CONCLUSION
My warning to all would be a plea to not leap with the sheep. Find the strength and pride to pick your way against the grain and current of society. Because I believe that if we strive to “stand firm on our own feet” as President Kimball counseled, then we’ll be able to avoid the cliffs and the pitfalls of the world.
THE CALL AND FALL OF SAUL
ICEBREAKER
Now regardless of their bad decision to crown a king, Samuel and the Lord still did their best to try and call them the best kind of king that they could considering the situation. Samuel explained that if they had to have a king, then that king would be chosen by God. Since the Israelites were meant to be a different kind of people, they should also have a different kind of king. In the Old Testament, Israelites kings were anointed with oil when they were chosen. Well there are only two other kinds of people that are anointed in the scriptures. Priests and prophets. Oil was a symbol of the Spirit suggesting that prophets, priests, and kings were to be led and guided by the Spirit. Well, who was the first man to have the distinction of being called as king of Israel? A man named Saul, and he has some important lessons to teach us. As an icebreaker, a simple challenge. Can they figure out the title of the lesson. The title of the lesson goes like this: The _______ and _______ of ________. You, as the teacher are only going to give them one of the blanks, and a clue. The blank you’ll provide them with is the last one. The word is Saul. The name of the first king of Israel. The clue? The other two blanks rhyme with Saul. Do you think you can figure them out? Well let’s see if you can as we start studying his story.
SEARCH
The first thing we need to establish is: what kind of a man was Saul? To discover this, number your students from 1 to 6 and have them read their assigned verses and come up with a word or words that they would use to describe Saul based on what they read.
Read the following verses and choose the words that you feel best describe him.
Choice, Goodly, what does goodly mean? If you look in the footnotes, we discover that that meant he was talented. And we also know that he tall. From his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people. (1 Sam 9:2)
When we first meet Saul, what is he doing? He’s looking for donkeys. His father’s donkeys are missing, and he sends his son Saul out to find them. And look at how hard he works. Verse 4 tells us all the different lands they pass through trying to find those dumb donkeys. But what does that tell us about him? He was trustworthy and diligent (1 Sam 9:3-4)
In these verses we see Saul suggest that they go and ask the prophet for help. What does that teach us about him? He was faithful. He had faith in the prophet of God. (1 Sam 9:9-10)
This is one of my favorite qualities of Saul. Once Samuel has told him that he’s been chosen to be the King of all Israel, look at how he responds. 21 And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me? He’s not prideful. He’s not arrogant. He wonders why on earth the Lord would choose him, of all people, to lead the nation. He’s a Gideon, not a Samson. Then in 10:16 when he comes back to his father, he doesn’t tell him about his new calling. And then, I love this, on the day of his coronation—when he is to be presented to the entire nation as their king, they are about to start the ceremony and there’s no Saul. Samuel has to actually enquire of the Lord as to his whereabouts and the Lord says “Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff”. So he’s hiding. He doesn’t really want to be king. He’s the opposite of Simba. But they run and find him and bring him out to the people to see. And they all shout “God save the king!” What quality does Saul exemplify here? Humility. He was incredibly humble. He was not hungry for power. (1 Sam 9:21,10:16, 10:21-24)
He was worthy to be born again and have a change of heart. He even began to prophesy with the prophets. So he was worthy, and full of the spirit. (1 Sam 10:6,9-10)
In these verses, we see that there was a contingent of the people who weren’t thrilled with having Saul be their king. Some asked “How can this man save us?” They had no faith in him and refused to support him. Well, in the very next chapter, the Israelites are being threatened by an army of Ammonites. So Saul gathers up an army, attacks, and wins the battle! So he proves himself as an effective leader. And some of the men of the army feel that those who initially doubted Saul should be killed. And that might be tempting thought for some. There may be some bitterness or resentment for those who refused to believe in him. It would have been easy for Saul to go along with this. But, what does he say: 13 And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day: for to day the Lord hath wrought salvation in Israel. So he doesn’t do anything to them. He pardons them. Why would he punish someone for doubting his ability when even he doubted himself. What quality can we ascribe to him here? He was forgiving and merciful(1 Sam 10:27; 11:13)
TEST #1
So we can see that Saul was a very, very, good man. He has so much going for him. No wonder the Lord chose him to lead Israel. But all leaders must be tested. All leaders must demonstrate courage and resolve in the face of opposition. So in chapter 13, Saul will face a test. A test of obedience. God needed to make sure that he had called a king that would respect the priesthood and obey his prophet. So here’s how the story is set up.
The Israelites are under threat again, but this time from the Philistines. Now before you went to battle, the prophet was to offer a burnt offering to call upon the Lord for help. This was a religious ceremony meant to be held before any type of conflict. Samuel has told Saul to wait for him seven days, and then he would return and offer the sacrifice. Well, seven days go by and still no Samuel. And the people are starting to disperse. They’re afraid, they’re uncertain. Verse 6 tells us that the people were distressed. Some are hiding in caves and pits. They’re trembling. I’m sure that many are still not convinced that Saul can save them as their king. So what does Saul do? He offers the sacrifice. But he’s not authorized to do this! He does not have the proper authority to take this action. I suppose it would be like the Relief Society president coming forward to bless the sacrament because the priests haven’t shown up yet. And what happens next? Verse 10. 10 And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.
“AS SOON AS”. Oh sad. IF he just could have held on a little longer, the rest of the story just may just have turned out differently.
11 And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash;
12 Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the Lord: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.
13 And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.
Don’t you love that response. When I saw all these things happening, “I forced myself” and made an offering. It doesn’t sound like Saul is willing to own up to his mistake here. He’s trying to justify his disobedience. I knew I shouldn’t have done it—I didn’t want to do it, but I had to! I forced myself to do it. Samuel calls Saul foolish for doing this. A fool is someone who does not keep the commandments of God. What is wisdom? Wisdom is obedience to the commandments. This was a foolish thing for Saul to have done. He needed to be a leader in this instance, but he was afraid of the people and what they would think. He sensed he was starting to lose their support and confidence, and so he acted impulsively and foolishly.
Do we ever do the same kind of thing. Do we disobey the Lord’s commandments because we’re afraid of what other people will think? Are we pressured into styles, language, entertainment, opinions, and habits because we’re afraid of the social consequences? Or are we more concerned with respecting the commandments and standards of the Lord. Sometimes I feel we too may need a little more resolve in our obedience when it seems that a promised blessing is not forthcoming. We’ve just got to hang on until the Lord’s promises are fulfilled. I’ve known a number of people who gave up on their faith or obedience because some blessing had not yet appeared in their lives, or it didn’t seem like there was a blessing attached to the commandment. But we’ve just got to remember that sometimes the promised blessings take time to arrive. I know there were standards that I didn’t see the importance of as a teenager but can really see how important they are now. The blessings for obedience to those things came later in life. And who knows how close we may be to having the promise be fulfilled. It might be just around the corner, and all we need to do is stay faithful a little longer. If Saul had waited just an hour or two more, everything would have been ok. It reminds me of this old proverb from the American West. “When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.” Saul was so close to passing the test. Samuel even tells him that if he had just passed this test, the Lord would have established his kingdom forever. Saul simply needed to have a little more of that patient “Abraham and Sarah waiting for a baby” kind of faith to get him through. But he failed. Now I know that Samuel says that Saul will now lose his kingdom over this, but I don’t take that at face value. What I think Samuel is saying is “Saul, I can see where this kind of thing can eventually lead you. We need to fix this now or else you will lose your kingdom in due time. You can’t be afraid of the people. You can’t make decisions based on what they are doing or saying. As king. As an anointed king of God’s people, you’ve got to be strong enough to respect the Lord over them. Not the people over the Lord. Well, we too have got to do this. We’ve got to have the strength of character to respect the Lord over our peers. God’s commandments over the pressure of the world.
TEST #2
Now, don’t forget, we believe in a gracious Father in Heaven that offers second chances. And he does offer Saul a second chance. That chance comes in 1 Samuel 15. He’s going to give him a second test. And what do think the subject of the test is going to be? What’s he going to test Saul on? The exact same issues, right? Obedience, strength to resist the people, and taking responsibility. Is he going to pass? Let’s see how Saul does this time.
To teach this story, I have my students do a readers theater. There are six different parts that can be assigned to students. You need someone to be a Narrator. Someone to play Saul. Someone to play Samuel. Someone to play the voice of the Lord, and then you can have one person play the sheep, and the other to play the oxen.
You can even hang placards with the names of the different characters around the necks of the selected students. Each person will be given a script with the different parts highlighted in different colors. The narrator’s part is in yellow. Saul’s part in blue. Samuel’s in green. The Lord’s voice in red, and the sheep and oxen in orange. There is, of course, no dialogue for the sheep and oxen, but there is a special instruction for them right after verse 12. This is when they should start making animal sounds while the dialogue continues between Samuel and Saul. Have them read the story and encourage them to put some feeling and voice into the narration. Instruct them to not be boring or do it without any feeling.
While the reader’s theater is being performed, encourage the class to focus on the following question: Does Saul pass the second test?
Now for times’ sake, I’m not going to read through the entire chapter, but I invite you to do so and come up with an answer our question. And if you did that, you’ll find that, no, Saul does not pass this second test. He fails on all accounts. And I don’t think the Lord could have been any more obvious that this was going to be a test of his obedience. Samuel even hints at this fact in verse 1 when he says, “now therefore HEARKEN thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord.” The commandment. Go destroy the Amalekites. Destroy everything. Don’t leave anything alive. But what does Saul do? He only half performs part of the commandment. They spare the king and the best of the sheep and oxen. So he doesn’t follow through. He disobeys the Lord’s clear instructions. The Lord informs Samuel of this and has him confront Saul when he returns. And at the outset, Saul is not entirely forthcoming. He’s not initially willing to take responsibility. He says, “Blessed be thou of the Lord; I have performed the commandment of the Lord”. But he hasn’t. So Samuel calls him on it and says “What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?” It’s obvious he hasn’t. So, caught red-handed, Saul starts to confess a bit, but he’s still holding back. He’s not quite ready to accept full responsibility for his failure to keep the commandment of the Lord. We’re going to see him try to justify himself here and make excuses.
15 And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God (yeah, that’s it, to sacrifice them to God); and the rest we have utterly destroyed.
Interesting that he uses the word “utterly” in that sentence. Because doesn’t “utterly” mean “everything,” not just some. And I’m not so convinced that they were sparing the livestock to sacrifice to God. I’m pretty sure they were probably planning on keeping them to themselves. Samuel hints at this in verse 19 when he says that Saul “didst fly upon the spoil”. He greedily coveted the spoil and took for himself. I think this is just Saul trying to put a more positive spin on an uncomfortable confrontation.
Samuel then has some admonition for Saul. Verse 17. And Samuel said, “when thou wast little in thine own sight”. Samuel is revealing here what one of Saul’s problems is. He’s starting to lose his humility a bit. Pride is creeping in. He’s no longer “little” in his own sight. Perhaps that’s part of the reason he’s disobeying the prophet, and therefore, the Lord. “Well, I’m the king here, sure, let’s spare some of the best of the sheep and oxen.” But, he still recognizes Samuel’s seership and begins to take a bit more responsibility in verses 20-21.But he’s still trying to excuse his disobedience, AND he’s still blaming the people.
20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and have gone the way which the Lord sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed (all right, there’s a bit of ownership finally), to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal.
Then we have Samuel’s great teaching moment.
22 And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
So Saul, you failed the same test again. What do you think is more important to God? Sacrifices or obedience? You’ve been selectively obedient. You flew upon the spoil. You caved to the pressure of the people. You obeyed the part of the commandment you wanted to obey and disregarded the rest. We too may be tempted at times to pick and choose our commandments. Obey the ones we like or find easier to keep. But what might we do with the more challenging ones? Do we overlook them, justify ourselves in disregarding them, or secretly hope that God will “look the other way”? In our story, Samuel then basically names Saul’s two major problems. “Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.” What are his problems? Rebellion and stubbornness. Now Saul may think that his rebellion and stubbornness aren’t that bad compared to things like witchcraft and idolatry, but Samuel is telling him it’s just as bad. We too may make that kind of rationalization. We may think that we’re justified in breaking certain commandments because we don’t think they’re that serious. We pride ourselves on keeping the Word of Wisdom, but are rebellious when it comes to clothing, language, or entertainment standards. We pat ourselves on the back for condemning pornography, prejudice, and gambling, but we justify ourselves in neglecting callings, tithing, or keeping the Sabbath day holy. What Samuel here is saying, is that disobedience on any front is rebellion. Stubbornness in doing things our own way is rejecting the Lord. It’s all wrong. Sin is sin, rebellion is rebellion, and pride is pride no matter what sins we are indulging in.
And with that explanation, Saul is now finally ready to take responsibility for his actions.
24 And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.
And that’s what it all comes down to. He was afraid of what the people would think. He caved to their pressure. They wanted the livestock, and so he gave in and allowed them to take it. God cannot afford to have a king who is led by the impulses and greed of the people. He needs a leader. A king that leads by example. Saul failed that test, and so Samuel tells him that God is going to call someone else. And he does. David is going to be that new king. In 16:13-14 we literally see that transition.
13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
14 But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit (which was not of) the Lord (JST) troubled him.
Now it seems that at the end of chapter 15 that Saul is repentant, but that repentance is apparently short-lived because look at 16:1-2. The Lord instructs Samuel to go and anoint a new king, but Samuel is afraid to do this because “If Saul hear it, he will kill me.” It’s very, very hard to remove someone from power once they have it. What’s the famous saying? All power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Well, that’s the case with Saul. And if you know the rest of the story of his life, he really falls apart after this. He doesn’t let go of his kingdom willingly and he just sinks further and further as time passes. Now I think it’s important to note that at this point in the story, after the second test, that God is not saying that Saul has lost his exaltation. He’s not abandoning him to Satan. He’s just saying he’s lost the kingship. Saul’s descent into evil was not inevitable. He chose it. He still could have gone on to live a righteous life. But he doesn’t. Eventually, he’s willing to kill a prophet. He tries to kill David with a javelin a number of times out of jealousy. He tries to kill his own son when he stands up for David. And sadly, because he’s lost the spirit, later in the book of 1 Samuel he turns to witchcraft in order to try and make a connection with Samuel who at that point in the story had died. In the end, he, and his sons are killed in battle and David becomes the new king. Saul loses his crown, both earthly and heavenly. And why? Because he feared the people, rebelled against God, and lifted himself up in pride. The story of King Saul is a tragic one.
TRUTH
One of the great truths Saul’s life teaches us: When we fear “the people” over “the Lord” and his servants, we make foolish choices and may lose our celestial crown.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
How much do I allow the world to “lead me”?
Do I strive to be fully obedient to God’s commandments? Where might I be selectively obeying?
CONCLUSION
Saul allowed disobedience, pride, jealousy, and blame ruin his chances for greatness. He started with such promise but ended with such pain. So let’s return to our initial question. What title would you give this lesson? The ________ and ________ of SAUL. In the first half of the lesson we learned about the CALL of Saul. And in the second half, what happened? We witnessed the FALL of Saul. The Call and Fall of Saul has a lot to teach us. Perhaps most critically: Don’t lose your crown! Your celestial crown. Choose obedience over acceptance. Choose the Lord, over your peers.
DAVID AND GOLIATH
ICEBREAKER
All right, on to one of the most well-known and loved stories in the entire Old Testament. David and Goliath. Now the icebreaker this week does take some time to prepare, but I’ve found to be well worth it and very effective at teaching the lesson. It requires you to create a life-sized drawing of what Goliath may have looked like. The way to do this requires you to have access to some kind of projector and a large sheet of butcher paper. This is available at most hobby or office supply stores. Be sure you measure at least 10 feet before cutting it. Then, you can take the following picture or one of your own finding and project it up on a wall with the piece of paper taped to it. You may have to accomplish this in sections as you move the paper and the projected image up or down to complete the entire image. Be sure that the image, when complete, measures about nine feet, nine inches or just about fills in the entire length of the piece of paper. Tell your students that this is perhaps what Goliath would have looked like if we take the scriptures literally. Also, Goliath’s armor alone would have weighed around 150 pounds. If you wanted to bring in some weights from a weightlifting set, you could display how much 150 pounds would be. Then, it says the end of his spear weighed six hundred shekels which would have been between 12 and 20 pounds in weight. You could attach a 15-pound weight to the end of stick and challenge someone to try and lift it from the other end. That would be very difficult to nigh impossible for anyone in your class. Well, this should help them to visualize just how massive an opponent Goliath would have been and just how intimidating it must have been to face him. No wonder all the Israelite men were too afraid to go out and face him. Now to consider what David used to face Goliath doesn’t appear like much. Now I have a sling that I bought in Israel when I visited years ago and five smooth stones that are from the actual valley of Elah where David fought Goliath that I like to show. You probably don’t have that option, but what you can do is either make your own sling out of cloth or leather and some string, or you could purchase one fairly cheaply on Amazon if you prefer. I’ll put a link to that in the video description below if you’re interested. (https://amzn.to/3xhIXQI)
TRANSITION
But with that as an icebreaker you can introduce the story. The Israelites at this time are arrayed in battle against the Philistines. The Israelites were encamped on one hill overlooking the valley of Elah while the Philistines were camped on the other hill. Every day, the Philistine giant named Goliath would come down into the valley to taunt and slander the Israelites and their God. He would say, “Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.
9 If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us.
10 And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.”
And how did this taunting make the Israelites feel? Verse 11 tells us that they were dismayed and greatly afraid. Now to make this lesson more relevant to ourselves, can we imagine something that makes us feel the same way in our own lives? More than likely, we’re never going to have to face 9-foot-tall giants armed to the teeth, but we will face giant problems and challenges that may dismay us and make us greatly afraid. We’ll all face Goliath’s in our lives. They’re certainly out there. And to make this lesson more meaningful, I want all of you to identify at least one Goliath you are facing right now. Is there anything in your life at this point that intimidates you, challenges you, or seems impossible to overcome.
Some possible answers to that question:
Temptation
Health issues
Persecution
Mental health issues
Addiction
Strained relationships
Doubts
Financial problems
Depression
or
a challenging calling or task.
Whatever your Goliath may be, today, we’re going to learn some giant slaying skills from the great giant killer himself. David.
SEARCH
Now the story of David and Goliath has so many powerful principles in it, that it almost seems impossible to narrow it down to just one or two. So I gave up trying to choose which ones to prioritize and instead have created an activity that allows you to cover many principles and lets your students choose which ones they wish to ponder and apply most. You can do this lesson as an activity as well. Put the following slide up on the screen or write the following principles on the board and then allow your students to choose which principle best matches the message of those verses. You could even throw out a treat to the student who identifies the principle correctly first.
Principle #1-1 Samuel 16:7
The Lord does not judge on the outward appearance, but the heart. So should we.
After Saul fails his two tests of obedience, the Lord directed Samuel to choose a new king from amongst Jesse’s sons. Now when Samuel comes into Jesse’s home he immediately assumes that his oldest son Eliab would be the obvious choice. But the Lord stops him and says:
7 But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.
What’s the principle: Giant slayers are not chosen based on their outward appearance, but on their hearts.
That’s a profound truth for us all to consider. In a world where image is everything, and a person’s value, especially for women, is often calculated by the outward appearance, God reminds us that that just doesn’t matter to him. He is not bound by some worldly judgment of beauty or attractiveness. It’s the content of a person’s character that matters. That’s what he means by the heart. And while we often use this scripture to make the point that we should not judge a person negatively based on perceived unattractiveness from a worldly perspective. However, this situation is just the opposite of that. We should also be careful not to judge a person positively based on an attractive outward appearance. Someone who appears attractive to us on the outside may be spiritually dangerous or harmful to us on the inside. A striking physical presence does not indicate value any more than an average physique indicates insignificance. The outward appearance is not what matters. A great example of this the Red Sea. I had the opportunity to visit the resort city of Elat at the southernmost point of Israel that sits right at the northernmost tip of the Red Sea. Now the landscape surrounding the beach is desolate, barren, and brown. You couldn’t imagine a more lifeless scene. However, how amazed I was when I donned a snorkeling mask and some diving fins and submerged my head just a few inches below the surface of the water. An entire world of color and life teemed in the coral reef right there just hiding beneath the surface. It was astounding. People can be like that too. There is an entire world of complexity, uniqueness, and magnificence hiding in their character. We just have to look past the surface to find it. We should also be careful about judging ourselves by our outward appearance. Love your spirit and character for what they are, and be grateful for the body that houses them, regardless of how worldly eyes may value or view it.
Principle #2-1 Samuel 17:14, 33, 42, 49.
Anyone can defeat a Goliath. It doesn’t matter who you are.
I chose this particular chain of verses to make the point that anyone can defeat a Goliath. It doesn’t matter who you are or what it appears you can do. David was the youngest of the boys in his family. He was but a youth. He was not a man of war. He was of a fair countenance. In other words, he looked too boyish to be considered a warrior. In fact, the only responsibility his father felt comfortable in trusting him with at this point was to deliver cheese to his brothers. But David is the one that gains the victory that day. Anyone can defeat a Goliath. Don’t count yourself out.
Principle #3-1 Samuel 17:25
There are great rewards from our Heavenly King for defeating our Goliaths.
The men of Israel tell David that whoever is able to defeat Goliath will be enriched with great riches and will get an opportunity to marry the king’s daughter. There are also rewards to any individual who defeats their spiritual Goliaths. Our Heavenly King will enrich him with the riches of eternity and the treasures of heaven. Oh, and an eternal companion too!
Principle #4-1 Samuel 17:26
If we are motivated by pure motives and our love for God, we will be more likely to have the strength to face our Goliaths.
This acts as a balancing principle to the last. Should the rewards of conquering be our main motivation for fighting evil or choosing the right? Hopefully not. The men of Israel were definitely focused on the rewards for defeating Goliath because it’s the first thing they bring up when asked. On the other hand, David is more concerned with God’s good name and the Philistine’s audacity to defy the armies of the living God. We too are more likely to have the strength to face our Goliath’s when we do the right things for the right reasons.
Principle #5-1 Samuel 17:28
Don’t listen to the skeptics or let them cause you to give up.
Realize that in your fights with Goliath, that not everyone will always be on your side. There are certain to be those who doubt your abilities, suspect your motives, and mock your determination. Don’t listen to the naysayers. They may call you a goody-goody, a holier-than-thou, or an idealist, but just ignore them. Usually those that are trying to put you down are only doing it because they themselves wish they had the courage to try what you are trying.
Principle #6-1 Samuel 17:29 Have a cause worth fighting for.
Speaking of motives. What’s yours? What gets you up in the morning? What gives you the strength to fight? Is there not a cause in defeating your Goliath? I love Joseph Smith’s rousing words in Doctrine and Covenants 128:22 where he exclaims: “22 Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice and be exceedingly glad.” As disciples of Christ, and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have the greatest causes of all to fight for. The building up of Zion in preparation for the return of Christ. The gathering of Israel. Exaltation in the presence of our Father in Heaven. Eternal families. The redemption of the dead. And so on. The slaying of your Goliath can only add to the glory of God’s kingdom here on earth. Find courage in the cause!
Principle #7-1 Samuel 17:32-37 Earlier, smaller decisions and experiences provide the strength needed for future, larger battles.
I also call this principle, “Facing the lion and the bear first”. Where did David get his courage to face such a foe as Goliath? He had had previous experiences with smaller challenges that gave him the confidence to face the giant. He had defeated a lion and a bear while watching his father’s flocks. Well, which would you rather face first? A lion or a Goliath? God had shown David that he was able to deliver him from such things. David basically says, “God helped me once, and I know he can do it again.” How does this relate to us? I take this as a reminder that there is no such thing as a “small” commandment. The adversary suggests that small deviations from the strait and narrow path don’t matter. However, those early memories and victories provide a foundation for later challenges and strengthen us against future, larger temptations. Somebody may call into question the importance of daily scripture study or prayer, following the dating standards of the church, dressing modestly, treating others kindly, or expressing gratitude, but keeping these “smaller” commandments can make it far easier to keep the “bigger” ones. Paying your ten-cent tithing on your dollar allowance as a child may seem trivial but can help to form a foundation that will makes it far easier to continue to give 10% as an adult when the sums are much larger. Helping our children to choose good media in their youth can help them to avoid pornographic and overly violent content when they are older. Not dating before you are 16 may seem like an insignificant bit of counsel. But if youth can maintain their integrity with that instruction, they are more likely to conquer the Goliath of immorality as they grow. Some feel that the lion and the bear choices are not that critical. But following these seemingly smaller commandments provides us with confidence and strength needed for future battles with greater Goliaths. Strength can also come in the form of spiritual experiences or answers to prayers. These experiences don’t have to be grand or miraculous to have strength. Some of the simple answers to prayers that came in my youth have helped to create a foundation of faith from which greater understanding and conviction could be built. Lion and bear experiences can also come in the form of scripture or family stories from parents, grandparents, or ancestors. The experiences of one generation can provide strength to future generations. So let’s be sure to pass those things on.
Principle #8- 1 Samuel 17:40 God Provides us with seemingly small and simple weapons that truly have the power to defeat Goliaths.
Alma taught us that “by small and simple things are great things brought to pass” (Alma 37:6) God’s weapons may appear simple, but they can have a profound effect on our spiritual success. What are some of our smooth stones? Daily prayer. Scripture study. Church attendance. Seminary. Temple worship. Love. Humility, just to name a few. These may not seem like much to the world, but they have a devastating effect on evil and temptation. I know we seem to make a lot out of David using a slingshot to kill Goliath and stand in awe of that fact. That’s probably because we consider a slingshot to be more of a child’s toy than anything. However, the fact of the matter is that back in David’s day, the sling was indeed a formidable weapon. Those who were skilled in its use could sling a stone up to 200 mph and kill from hundreds of yards away. Some slingers could kill a bird in flight. Maybe we view the small and simple weapons that God has given us with the same skepticism. Oh, those things are for children. I’m more mature now and need more complicated solutions. Not so. These things are profoundly effective in their own right. Don’t underestimate the power of our small spiritual stones.
Principle #9-1 Samuel 17:45-51 Trust in the Lord. With God on your side, you can’t lose, no matter how big or intimidating the problem.
Notice who David gives all the credit to as he faces Goliath. He says he comes not representing himself but in the name of the Lord of hosts. He says that this day will the Lord deliver him into his hands. He says that God will give him the victory so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. This whole thing is not about David. He doesn’t really care about his own reputation, or strength, or success. It’s all about God and his glory. If we approach our problems with that same kind of faith and trust in God, no giant stands a chance against us.
Principle #10-1 Samuel 17:52 Defeating your Goliaths can provide strength and courage to others to face their own.
As soon as David defeats Goliath, the rest of the army of Israel rallies behind him and chases after the Philistines in attack. And they defeat them. I believe they had the power in them to do this all along, but they just needed some inspiration. They needed a good example. David gave them that. When they saw what God could do through this young shepherd boy, they had the strength and courage to face their own battle. Sometimes all that is needed in a peer group is a David to inspire the rest. Courage is contagious.
TRUTH/LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
Well, these are just some of the truths that this incredible story can teach us. As you ponder that list of principles, which stands out to you as the most critical in facing your own giant you identified earlier?
Take a moment to write down how you would conclude the following sentence. Because of this lesson, I will . . . If you have a scripture journal, write it down there. If not, perhaps teachers, you could provide your students with a piece of paper to write down their thoughts and encourage them to place it in their scriptures in 1 Samuel 17.
CONCLUSION
David did not defeat Goliath that day with a rock and a slingshot. He defeated him with faith, courage, obedience, purity of intent, and most importantly, the power of God. The Lord was with him, and therefore it didn’t matter how big Goliath was, God was bigger. It didn’t matter how strong he was, God was stronger. It didn’t matter how great a warrior he was; God was greater. The conclusion of that dispute was a foregone certainty. God wins. Goliath loses. I bear witness that that same power lies within you to overcome all the trials, doubts, challenges, and difficulties you may face in your life. Put your trust in God and his smooth stones, and you too will one day stand victorious over your giants!
