DAVID AND GOLIATH BIBLE BASIS I Samuel 17:4-58 LESSON AIM That the children will learn that David knew that God was with him and that the child will know that God is with him, too. SCRIPTURE INSIGHT The story of the young Shepherd boy David's victory over the Philistine giant Goliath is one which has been a favorite throllp;hollt HlP ages. Murh of the (Jj1j1P(J] of this story lies in the victory of good over evil as the result oj a young boy s fajth and trust In (;od. In those days, the Philistines "'ere a teared enemy at the people 01 Israel, and the armies of (he two countries were camljed on either sick of a vahey, Daily, Goliath had come into this valley,to taunt the Israelites and to challenge someone to come out and fight him. When Vavid visited the Israelite camp on an errand from his father, he was dismayed to discover that Goliath's chahenges against the army of the living God had gone unanswered (I Samuel 17:26). Because David had experienced God's power in the trials he had faced as a shepherd and because he was confident that God would deliver him, he answered the cha11enge. David looked to (;od alone for the strength to fight and was not dauntedbv the fear so pvidpnt in hir own people (v. ~4)' or the insult or his hrother (v. :1B-4()), DaVId kne\v the victory would not rest on his strength, v., isdom or resources, We would do well to remember Ua\'jcj's word to Coliath as he prep<lred to fight him: "All 01 the earth and the whole world wi11know that there is a God in IsraeL All those gathered here win know that it is not by the sword or spearthat the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give a11of you into our hands" (I Samuel 17:47). David knew that his battles were actua11y the Lord's. Has this truth become real in your life? Are you wi11ing to trust God for victory not only in the small problems you face but also in the large ones? The lions and bears that David had faced and defeated in God's strength and with His help were David's preparation. to meet Goliath. GREETING Greet your children this morning with a large paperdo11 puppet of Goliath and a sma11 paperdo11 puppet of Da~id. (See craft pattern). You will want to tape the puppet on sticks. Have the following conversation (while holding the puppets behind your back): "Good Morning, ("child', name"). I have a very special boy from the Bible behind my back. Here he is! His name is David, the shepherd boy. He's just a boy, and he had to fight this big man. His name is Goliath. (Bring the Goliath puppet out.) David was so sma11. Goliath was so big. But David knew God would help him fight the big Goliath. Did you know that God is always with you? He is." Guide the child to the center with the least children. 1. David's Walk With God CENTER TIME The purpose of this activit), is to teach the child the Bihle story of David and Goliath and to stress the fact that God was with David. You will need a Goliath puppet on a stick (standing in a ba11of Playdo), a David puppet (not on a stick) and armor for both puppets. (See craft patterns and center #1 patterns.) You wi11also need a sling shot made from sticks taped together with a strip of elastic, fabric or a rubberband attached and five small rocks in a pouch or a baggie.. Draw three circles on your butcher paper covered table. The first circle win have Goliath in it. In the second circle draw King SauL In the third circle, draw a house and a sheep. Number the circles as shown on the next page.
Place your chain:.dll un one side of the table in a semicircle if necessary. Each child will take a turn walking David the shepherd boy from circle to circle as you narrate the story as follows: (Place Goliath in circle #1 and start your narration with David in circle #2.) "The Bible says that Goliath was a big man. He wanted to hurt David's friends." Circle #2 - David the shepherd boy went to talk to the king. He said, 'Can 1fight the big giant, Goliath?' The king said, 'You are too small. Go home and watch the sheep.''' (Direct the child walking the paperdoll David to circle #3). Circle #2 - "The Bible says David went back to the king." (Have the child move David back to circle #2.) "He said, 'J can fight the big Goliath. God is with me.' The king said, 'OK, you can fight the big Goliath. You can wear my special clothes.''' (Place the armor on David.) "David says, 'I don't need your special clothes, king. God is with me. I am going to take the clothes off.'" Circle #1 - "David goes to the big Goliath." (Have the child walk David to circle #1.) "David was not afraid of Goliath because David knew God was with him. David pulled out his sling shot." (Demonstrate the following using the sling shot and pouch of stones.) "He picked a rock from his bag and put the rock into the sling shot. He pulled it back and knocked Goliath down." (Have the child knock Goliath down.) "God was with David!" Let each child pretend to be David and move the paperdoll from circle to circle. Applaud for each child. Close your time in prayer thanking God for being with David, the shepherd boy and for being with us. 2. God Is With Me The purpose (~(this aciici(y is to teach the child the Bible st01yof David and Goliath and that God was with David and He is with the ch.ild. Place a sheet of butcher paper on the wall. Draw a big Goliath and a small David on the butcher paper. (Draw an enlarged version of the craft patterns.) Cut out of construction paper three or four pieces of armor for the children to put on Goliath. Also cut a sling shot and one stone out of construction paper. Youwill need one Jesus sticker (or a small picturt:' of Jesus) for the mura1. Have the children sit down at the table facing the mural. Lay Goliath's armor, David's sling shot and stone and the Jesus sticker on the table. NOTE: There are two parts for this center.
Part 1- Begin your center with an open Bible. Have the following conversation: "Today, 1 am going to tell you a true story from the Bible about David the shepherd boy and Goliath. See this big man. (Point to Goliath on the mural.) He wanted to fight David's friends. He was a mean man. He wore a lot of big clothes to keep him from getting hurt. Let's dress Goliath in all his clothes." Assign each or the children a different piece of Goliath's armor to tape onto Goliath.. "Now, look at David. He wanted to fight big Goliath. But some people thought David was too little. David was not afraid of Goliath, because God was with him. Let's see what David wore." Have the children tape the sling shot and stone onto the mural. Point out Goliath's sword and David's sling shot. Then have the child place the Jesus sticker on the mural near David. Remind the children that God was with David, and He is with us. Part I I - Now. have the children sit around the table. Have small squares of construction paper cut out and write each ch.ild s name on one. Have a large circle drawn in the center ot your hutcher paper covered table. Draw pictures.j( places thl children will recognize. such ~is: child with babysitter, rain, car, ~. ~ the house, [{::>-OJ bed, r"... j These are all places the child related to Jesus being with him. Place a Jesus sticker in the center of the circle. Let each child place his construction paper name-tag on one of the pictures inside the circle. As you point to the Jesus sticker, remind the child that Jesus is always with him no matter where he is. Close your center time in prayer thanking God for always being with you. 3. We're Going Places (Home Center) The purpose of this activit), is to engage the child in routine activities and remind him that Jesus is with him. You will want to,do this activity in or near your home center if you have one. If not, you will only need four or five chairs set up in a comer of your room. Line up four or five chairs for a pretend car. Youmay even want to make a steering wheel by shaping a coat hanger into a circle and wrapping it with foil or taping fabric around it. Pack a small suitcase with a Bible, a toothbrush, soap, washcloth, pajamas or an adult housecoat, a fork or spoon and a pair of tennis shoes. Conversation: "1 have my suitcase packed. Let's all get into my car and go on a trip." (You will want to let several children hold the steering wheel and pretend to drive the.car after you have demonstrated for them.) "Let's stop on the side of the road and see what is in my suitcase. Here's a toothbrush." (pretend to brush teeth.) Do. you know God is with you and me when we brush our teeth?" (Give each child an item from the suitcase and have them tell you what they have. Remind them that God is with them when they take a bath, play outside in their tennis shoes, etc.) If you have a home center, you will want to save the housecoat or pajamas and the fork and spoon for your return trip home. If not, give out all the items in the car. On your return trip, remind the children that Jesus is..with them even,though they cannot see Him. You will want to pretend to stop the car or the "driver" stop the car and tell the children you forgot to show them something in your suitcase. Pull out your Bible and open it. Tell them the Bible tells us that Jesus is always with us. When you return "home," put your housecoat on and have a bite to eat with your fork. As you crawl into the bed in your home center with your Bible, remind them (as they watch you) that you know Jesus is with you because the Bible tells you so. "Good night!" I (.~\1,S:\;, FOR CHILDREN 24 MONTHS OLD AND UNDER 1. "Even Though I Can't See Jesus... " The purpose of this activity is to think about Jesus being with him throughout can't see Him: his day even though he Cut out of construction paper the following items: a house, a bed, a small paperdoll, a car, a bath tub, a swing set (see center patterns). Cut along the dotted lines (shown on patterns) to make a slit in which to fit the paperdoll. Tape each item onto the butcher paper on the wall. Be sure to leave plenty
-,-c:z~~--------------------. /.J I 3ts~~FOR CHILDREN 24 MONTHS OLD AND UNDER (cont.'d) of space between items, This will allow room for several children to work. Also, have several paperdolls cut out to hand each child. Place your Bible beside you. Conversation: " (Child's name), the Bible tells me right here (Matt. 28:20) that Jesus is always with me. Let's pretend this paperdoll is you." (Hand a paperdoll to the child.) "FiI,ld the house and put yourself into the house." (You will need to guide the child.) "There's (same child's name) in the house." "Now, take a bath. Jesus is with you in the bath tub!" Repeat this conversation with each item on the mural. *This can be done with two children and two paperdolls at the same time. 2. Raggedy AIm's Suitcase The purpose of this activity is for the child to learn that Jesus is zdith him all day as he goes through the day's activities with Raggedy Ann. Bring a large Raggedy Ann or any large doll. Set the doll in a small chair. Have Raggedy Ann's suitcase packed with a toothbrush, pajamas, soap and a wash cloth; Bible, a pair of children's tennis shoes and a child's hair brush. Let one child at a time reach into the suitcase and pull out an item. You may need to guide each child as he performs the appropriate action with the doll. If the child picks the tennis shoes, guide him in putting them on the doll's feet as you remind him that God is with him when he plays outside in his tennis shoes. *Be sure to have your Bible beside you and refer to it. If you think your children will enjoy this activity, you may want to use two dolls.. 1. Supplies Needed STORY TIME Bible; a picture of David, the shepherd boy; Goliath on a stick in Playdo from Center #l;a paperdoll puppet of David on a stirk: a paperdol1 puppet of the King on a stick (same pattern as David. with a crown added); Saul's armor for David to put on: a sling shot and five small rocks in a pouch; construction paper circles. yarn, and Jesus stickers for necklacp<;. *NCITE - Make the necklaces ahead of time. Punch a hole in the top of the circle and run yarn through the circle. Then tie the yarn. Write - is with me at the bottom of the circle. You will put the Jesus sticker in the center of the circle as you put the necklace on the child. 2. Preparation For Story Ease the children to your story circle by singing your transition song. Once the children are seated, sing' 'Where is?", act out monthly rhyme, say monthly Bible verse and begin with prayer. *BIBLE LEADER - Have one child come up and read (repeat after you while he is holding the open Bible), "The king said to David, 'Go and may the Lord be with you.'" I Samuel 17:37b 3. Outline For Story Open your Bible. "I want to tell you a true story from the Bible about a boy named David." (Showa picture of David.) "David loved God very much. He knew that God was always with him. David knew that God helped him." "The Bible says there was a big man named Goliath. (Stand Goliath up.) Goliath was not a very nice man. He wanted to hurt David's friends." "So David went to the king. (Stand the king up and walk David toward the king.) 'Mr. King,' David said, 'Can I fight the big Goliath? I don't want Goliath to hurt my friends.''' "Mr. King said, 'No, David, you are too small. Go home, David, and watch over the sheep.''' "David went home. (Walk David over to the side.) David thought about God. David knew God would help him fight Goliath." (Walk David back to the king.) "David went right back to the king, and he said, 'Mr. King, I want to fight the big Goliath.' The king said, 'OK David. You can fight Goliath, but you must wear my armor.' David put on the king's armor." (Lightly
stick the armor onto the David paperdoll using tape.) "But David said, 'I don't need this armor. The Lord is with me.'" (Remove armor.) "Then David leaned down and picked up five rocks and put them in his bag." (Youlean down and pick up five rocks from the "ground" and put them in a bag.) "David picked up his sling shot. He put a rock in his sling shot and pulled it back, then let go. David hit the big man, and Goliath fell over." (Demonstrate by using the sling shot and then pushing the paperdoll Goliath over.) "Now Goliath would never be mean to David and his friends again." Stand David 'beside Goliath or use the mural from Center #2. "Even though David was only a boy and he was smaller than Goliath, God helped David. David knew that God was with him." "Do you ~now that God is with you, too. Even though you are just a child, God is always with you." Place a Jesus sticker on each necklace above the words is with me. As you give the necklace to each child, call him by name and say, "Jesus is with (child's name) " Close in a prayer thanking Jesus for always being with us..../...1 r. -:]I! <W');:------------------------ FOR CHILDREN 24 MONTHS OLD AND UNDER ~~ ' 1. Supplies Needed Bible; supplies from Center #1 for younger children; Goliath paperdoll on a stick and David paperdoll on a stick (see patterns); a king paperdoll on a stick (use same pattern as David, with a crown added); pictures of children. anywhere. 2. Preparation For Story Ease the children to your story circle by singing your transition song. Once the children are seated, sing "Where is?", act out monthly rhyme, say monthly Bible verse and begin with prayer. *BIBLE LEADER - Have one child come up and read (repeat after you while he is holding the open Bible), "The King said to David, 'Go and may the Lord be with you.''' I Samuel 17:37b 3. Outline For Story Have your Bible open. "The Bible says Jesus is always with me.". Let's pretend this paperdoll is you." (Hold up the paperdoll from Center #1 and move over to the wall mural.) "Let's put you in the house. Youcan't see Jesus in your house, but He is with you wherever you are.". "Now, 'let's take ar bath. (Move paperdoll to the bath tub.) Jesus is with you in the bath tub." Repeat this conversation with each item on the mural (bed, car, swing, etc.) Pick up your Bible and then sit on the floor in front of your story circle. Open your Bible and place it in your lap. "I want to tell you a true story from the Bible about a boy named David." (Show David paperdoll.). "David loved God very much. He knew God was always with him. David knew God would help him." There was a big man named Goliath." (Stand Goliath up.) "Goliath was not a very nice man. He wanted to hurt David's friends." "David went to the king." (Stand the king up and walk David toward the king.) "David said, 'Mr. King, I want to fight the big Goliath.' The king said,'ok, David. Youcan fight Goliath, but you must wear my armor.' So David put on the king's armor." (Lightly stick the armor on the David paperdoll.) "But David said, 'I don't need this armor. God is with me.' (Remove armor.) ''Then David picked up a rock and put the rock in his sling shot. David pulled the sling shot back and hit the big Goliath! The big Goliath fell over!" (Demonstrate by using the sling shot and pushing the paperdoll Goliath over.) "Now Goliath would never be mean to David and his friends again." "God helped David fight the big Goliath. David knew God was with him." (Stand David beside Goliath.)
----.-/:-- '---{"&1V I J ( (ft5~5-':;for CHILDREN 24 MONTHS OLD AND UNDER (cont.'d) ~'God heiped David fight the big Goliath. David knew God was with him." (Stand David beside Goliath.) Using the pictures of children in various places (ex. in the yard, in the bed, at the grocery store), remind the children that God is with them when they are playing outside, etc. Close with prayer thanking God for always being with us. MUSIC TIME Sing "Jesus Loves Me" as the children arrive. Have an adult teacher and a child stand up front. Give the adult a shield and a sword made from poster board. (A shield can be a large triangle cut from poster board with a' piece of tape across the back to hold on to.) Give the child the sling shot (The one used at story time). Ask the group of children if they know who the teacher is pretending to be and who the child is pretending to be. Remind them that God was with David. Sing the following song to the tune of "Mary Had A Little Lamb": David fought the big Goliath, big Goliath, big Goliath. David fought the big Goliath, God was with him, too! Remove the sword and the shield from Goliath and the sling shot from David. Remind the children that Jesus is with big people (point to the adult) and Jesus is with little children, too (point to the child). Also sing: "Zaccheus," "Praise Him, Praise Him," "Jesus Loves The Little Children" and "When I Pray." CRAFT TIME 1. Before Sunday make the background sheets by gluing 1112 sheets of construction paper together as shown on the craft sample page. Then cut out Goliath, his arms and David. Note: Depending on the age of your children, glue two, three or all four pieces of armor on Goliath. 2. Have the child glue Goliath onto the background and say, "The big Goliath wanted to fight David's friends." Then have the child glue on the armor you have not already glued onto Goliath. "Goliath carried a sword and a shield tqfight David's friend's." Next, have the child glue David onto the background and say, "David said,. 'I can fight Goliath.''' Then have the child place the Jesus sticker close to David. "David knew God was with, him. God helped him fight the big Goliath." NUfE TO PARENTS The following points might be included in your note to the parents: 1. Advise them of the story and activities taught that day. 2. The craft can be used by the parent to review this lesson. 3. Remind the parent that he can emphasize to his child that Jesus is always with him by taking him from room to room in his house. This can be done in a "Follow the Leader" game. As the parent enters each room, he can tell the child that Jesus is with him. The parent will also want to have this conversation outside as the child is swinging or riding in the car.
EXPANDED SESSION DAVID AND GOLIATH - Supplement We suggest that your four and five year olds do center #1 and part 2 of center #2 in opening group time. We also suggest that the children make the necklace as described under story time. The story should be told as described on page 125 and 126 in the curriculum.