Bible Stories for Adults

Israel's First King

1 Samuel 4-11

Next Week - God Chooses David (1 Samuel 13, 15-17)
Bible Words to Remember:
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." Isaiah 30:21

What major loss did Israel experience at Ebenezer?
1 Samuel 4:10-11 = Major defeat by Philistines, ark taken
What happened when the Philistines put the ark beside their god Dagon in Ashdod?
1 Samuel 5:4, 6 = Dagon fell facedown to the ark; Plague of tumors & rats
What did the Philistines do after the ark also caused tumors in Gath and Ekron?
1 Samuel 6:8 = Returned the ark to Israel with guilt offerings of gold tumors & rats
How did the Israelites in Beth Shemesh respond to the return of the ark?
1 Samuel 6:14 = They used the cart & cows to sacrifice to God
Why did the men of Beth Shemesh send the ark to Kiriath Jearim?
1 Samuel 6:19-21 = 70 died from looking into the ark

What did Samuel tell the people to do to be delivered from the Philistines?
1 Samuel 7:2-4 = Get rid of idols & worship God alone
How did God then deliver His people?
1 Samuel 7:5, 10 = Samuel & people sacrificed at Mizpah, P's attacked, Israel won
Did Israel have peace under Samuel as they had under other judges?
1 Samuel 7:13-14 = Regained towns, Philistines subdued, peace with Amorites
How long did Samuel serve as judge and from where?
1 Samuel 7:15-17 = All his life, Based in Ramah, made annual circuit

How did Samuel try to continue his leadership even beyond death?
1 Samuel 8:1 = He appointed his sons as judges
How had judges been appointed for Israel?
Judges 2:16 = God raised them up, not appointed by men nor inheritance
What had been the opinion about rulers during the time of the judges?
Judges 8:22-23 = The Lord is our king
What happened when one of Gideon's sons set himself up as king?
Judges 9:22-23 (1-57) = Abimelech & people turned against each other
What kind of judges were Samuel's sons?
1 Samuel 8:3 = Not like Samuel, Were dishonest, took bribes, perverted justice

What did Israel ask of Samuel?
1 Samuel 8:4-5 = Appoint a king to lead us
How did Samuel respond to the thought that his sons weren't fit as judges?
1 Samuel 8:6 = He was displeased, prayed to God
How did God respond to Samuel's feelings of rejection?
1 Samuel 8:7-9 = They're not rejecting you, they're rejecting me as usual

How did Samuel try to change the people's minds about wanting a king?
1 Samuel 8:10-18 = He warned Israel how a king would tax & burden them
Why did Israel really want a king?
1 Samuel 8:19-20 = With a king we'll be like the other nations

Did God oppose appointing a king?
1 Samuel 8:21-22 = Listen to them & give them a king
Is God against government?
Romans 13:1-7 = Authorities established by God, rulers are God's servants
As a Roman citizen, Paul might be more accepting of Roman rule. What did Peter say?
1 Peter 2:13-14 = Submit yourselves to the authorities instituted by God
So how should we respond when we disagree with those in authority?
1 Timothy 2:1-3 = Pray for your rulers, Ask God for peace, Thank God for them

What do we first learn about Saul?
1 Samuel 9:1-2 = From tribe of Benjamin, well-to-do family, big & tall
Why did Saul go wandering through Ephraim and Benjamin?
1 Samuel 9:3-4 = Looking for his father's donkeys

What idea of last hope did Saul's servant suggest?
1 Samuel 9:6 = Let's go to the man of God and ask where the donkeys are
Did Saul agree with this idea? Who was the man of God?
1 Samuel 9:10, 14 = Yes. Samuel.

How was Saul unknowingly fulfilling a prophesy to Samuel?
1 Samuel 9:15-17 = God told Samuel He would send His choice for king
How did Samuel answer Saul's questions even before they were asked?
1 Samuel 9:18-20 = Donkeys found. You have been chosen for something great
How did Saul respond to the idea that he was chosen for something special?
1 Samuel 9:21 = I'm just a nobody, the least of the least

How many people were present when Samuel anointed Saul as king the next day?
1 Samuel 9:27-10:1 = Only Saul and Samuel
How would Saul know that he really was the Lord's anointed leader?
1 Samuel 10:2 = Two men at Zelzah will say donkeys are found & dad is worried
1 Samuel 10:3-4 = 3 men going to Bethel will give bread at the great tree of Tabor
1 Samuel 10:5-7 = Will meet & join prophets at Gibeah
Did these signs occur?
1 Samuel 10:9-10 = Just as Samuel had said
What did those who knew Saul think when they saw him with the prophets?
1 Samuel 10:11 = Is Saul also among the prophets?
Did Saul tell others what had happened?
1 Samuel 10:14-16 = No

Why did Samuel gather the people of Israel at Mizpah?
1 Samuel 10:17-19 = God will choose a king (Mizpah was national meeting place)
How did Samuel show that this king was chosen by God?
1 Samuel 10:20-21 = They drew lots for tribe, clan, family & man
How eager was Saul to be presented as the first king of Israel?
1 Samuel 10:22-23 = He hid among the baggage and had to be brought out

Was this feeling of inadequacy rare for those chosen by God?
Exodus 3:11 (13; 4:1, 10, 13) = Moses' 5 excuses why he wasn't the one
Judges 6:15 (17, 36-40) = Gideon said he was nobody & asked for signs
Jeremiah 1:6 = Jeremiah said he was only a child, couldn't speak
Luke 5:8 = Peter told Jesus to go away, I am a sinful man
Ephesians 3:8 = Paul said he was less than the least of all God's people
How were these inadequate men able to become great leaders of God's people?
Exodus 4:11-12 = God was with them and told them what to do
What should we remember when we feel inadequate to share our faith with others?
1 Corinthians 2:13 = We don't come up with the words, God tells us what to say
What should we remember when we feel inadequate to do the work God has for us?
2 Corinthians 12:9 = My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness.

Did the people accept their new king? = Some troublemakers opposed him
1 Samuel 10:24, 27 = They shouted, Long live the king!
What did Saul do after this momentous historic event?
1 Samuel 10:25-26 = He went home

What provided the occasion for Saul to begin acting as king?
1 Samuel 11:1-3 = Ammonites besieged Jabesh Gilead
How did Saul learn of this attack? = Had not taken kingship seriously
1 Samuel 11:4-5 = Heard from messengers after coming in from working in fields
How did Saul react to this news?
1 Samuel 11:6-8 = Cut apart oxen & sent through Israel to raise 330,000 soldiers

What did Saul do with the army God brought to him?
1 Samuel 11:11 = Slaughtered the Ammonites
Now that Saul had proven his leadership, how did he handle those who had opposed him?
1 Samuel 11:12-13 = He forgave them
How did Israel celebrate their victory?
1 Samuel 11:14-15 = They went to Gilgal & confirmed Saul as king
How old was Saul when he became king?
1 Samuel 13:1 = 30 years old