Children’s Bible Program – Level 1: Lesson 47 “God Chooses a New King”
Featured Passage: 1 Samuel 16
King Saul made some very poor decisions and disobeyed God’s directions. God no longer wanted Saul to be king and Samuel told Saul what God had decided. Though Saul did not know it, God already had a new king in mind. God told Samuel to go to Bethlehem, a small town where a man named Jesse lived. Jesse had eight sons, and God had picked one of them to be anointed as king of Israel. Samuel looked at Jesse’s tall and handsome sons and thought he could guess who God picked. But God sees characteristics we do not see, and he had a perfect choice in mind that no one ever expected.
Discuss:
- When Samuel saw him, he was sure that Eliab was the one God had chosen. What was it about Eliab that made Samuel feel this way? How did God respond?
- Why was Samuel having a feast? Was David invited?
- David was a young lad when he was chosen to be the next king of Israel. What do you think it would be like for him to be told he would be the next king at such an early age?
- David was the youngest of his brothers, and he tended his father’s sheep. What lessons do you think David learned from being a shepherd? Do you have any responsibilities at home? What is it like to have that responsibility?
- What instrument did David play while he was caring for the sheep? Why was David given the job of playing music for Saul? God often uses us for the skills that we develop. What skills are you working on or would you like to master as you grow up? In what ways do you think God could use those skills?
Memory Challenge:
1 Samuel 16:7
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
