HIGH SCHOOL Preparing the Lesson David and Goliath 1 Samuel 17 Key Point As David slew the giant Goliath, so David s greater Son Jesus slew the jeering Goliaths of sin, Satan, and death with the weapon of His own death. Law/Gospel The devil is a roaring lion, and I must not belittle him or the foes of sin and death. Left to fight them myself, I would perish. Jesus fights triumphantly for me against my adversaries of sin, death, and the devil because they are too great for me. His victory is my victory. Context The Philistines, who lived along the coast of the Mediterranean, had been Israel s archenemy for generations before David. Gradually moving eastward, they presented more and more of a challenge to God s people a challenge met by such men as Samson and Saul. Their threat was not only geographical (they took Israelite land) but also religious. Wooed by the sensuality of the Philistine religion, many would fall prey to its seductive charms. Goliath challenges the Israelite army to send out someone to fight him. This practice of two warriors from opposing sides going head-to-head against each other was not unknown in the ancient world. Each soldier embodied the army he represented. Should Goliath win, all Philistia would win. Should an Israelite win, all Israel would win. At this point in the story, David is known by Saul (16:14 23), but David s lineage is evidently not known (17:55 58). He has also already been secretly anointed by Samuel as the successor to Saul (16:1 13). Commentary In this classic story of the underdog, we see a premier example of the theology of the cross. That means that God does things in very ungodlike ways ways we ourselves deem ungodlike. He who is all-powerful Lesson 12 Pentecost 25 November 18, 2012 chooses something weak with which to fight. He who is all-wise acts in a way that makes the world double over in laughter. God works in a way that is hidden, behind masks, so that only those who see Him through His Word really see Him at work. Goliath, armed to the teeth and a pro at warfare, is the embodiment of everything the world considers a sure bet. Worldly experience and rational knowledge both say, David doesn t have a snowball s chance in you-know-where against this Philistine Hercules. David describes the real weapon he wields against this ungodly giant: You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied (17:45). His weapon is not the sling but the divine name. Just as Moses staff was really the staff of God (Exodus 4:20; 17:9), so this sling is really the sling of the Lord. It bears His name. This event in David s life serves as a preview of the deeds of the Son of David. As we sing in one of our Easter hymns, As David, so our David too The jeering huge Goliath slew. Alleluia! Oh, sing with festive voices! (LW 146:2). Our David slew the jeering huge Goliaths of sin, Satan, and death. With what did He slay them? His own death! What a weapon! By taking on our sin, He slew sin. By letting Satan slay Him, Christ slew him. By dying, He killed death. In the same way as David used Goliath s own sword, so Jesus used the very stuff of His (and our) enemies against them. SAMPLE71
David and Goliath 1 Samuel 17 The Giants (10 minutes) Welcome your students as they enter your classroom, and ask them about their week. When ready, start with prayer. Pray Dear heavenly Father, temptation and evil surround me. I am battered on all sides. I cannot fight the enemies of sin, death, and the devil alone. Without You, I am sure to perish. Remain with me, fight my enemies, and remind me of the victory I have in Your Son. Amen. Say Yes, we are under attack. The devil, a roaring lion, seeks to devour us, but he often does it in the subtlest of ways. Ask What are some ways Satan tries to turn you from God? Answers will vary. Satan uses temptation, illness, natural disasters, persecution, doubt, and a variety of other instruments to lead Christians away from Christ. Hand out copies of Student Page 12, and give students a few minutes to complete The Giants. Say Sometimes we might feel like we re battling giants every day. These giants stand between us and Christ, trying to block out His goodness and love and lead us astray. Ask Which of these giants might lead you or your friends away from Christ? Are there other giants we should add? Allow discussion. All the people and items listed have the potential to lead an individual away from Christ. Say Satan s attacks seem overwhelming sometimes. They become giants, but we don t need to fear them, because Christ defeated them for us when He conquered sin, death, and the devil. Today, we ll read about a real giant, Goliath, and how God used David to defend His people. 5 wonline a fresh, current alternative for your opening cph.org/w5 (20 minutes) 72 A Jeering Giant Remind students that last week they read about Saul becoming king. Though Saul initially served God, he soon fell away SAMPLE and disobeyed God s commands. God
rejected Saul s kingship and prepared another (see 1 Samuel 15 16). The story of David and Goliath begins late in Saul s reign. Read 1 Samuel 17:1 11 and discuss these questions. (These are not printed on Student Page 12.) Note that Socoh was about fifteen miles from Bethlehem. David would have traveled this distance the day he fought Goliath. Say The Philistines always caused problems for the Israelites. You may remember Samson s struggles with them. At the beginning of this narrative, the Philistines were ready to invade. They presented their champion, Goliath, and called for someone to fight him. Ask Why was Goliath intimidating? He was tall, six cubits and a span, or about nine feet. He wore heavy armor all over his body and carried a large javelin. Say It was typical of the ancient Greeks to decide which side won a battle by simply pairing up the champions from each side. Israel s champion was intimidated and would not fight Goliath. No one else volunteered. Ask What does this tell us about Israel s faith? Like Saul, their king, the people of Israel had forgotten God s promises to them. What did Goliath promise would happen if he was defeated? If Goliath failed, the Philistines would become slaves to the Israelites. Read 1 Samuel 17:12 23. Say David s brothers went off to war, but he was needed at home to tend the sheep. When his father asked him to get news of his brothers, David was eager to go. Ask How many days had Goliath made his challenge by this time? Why hadn t he been answered? Goliath had made his challenge for forty days. The Israelites were full of fear. Read 1 Samuel 17:24 40. What gifts were to be given to the man who defeated Goliath? Saul had promised great wealth and the hand of his own daughter to the victor. Why might Eliab have been angry at David? David spoke with confidence that God would be the victor. This probably made Eliab feel guilty and ashamed for not having the same confidence. Did Saul have confidence in David s ability? Saul told David that he could not fight Goliath because he was only a youth. How did David respond to Saul s comments? David told Saul that he had killed lions and bears with his own hands. Read 1 Samuel 17:41 58. Say Goliath was insulted when the Israelites sent out David, a mere youth, without protection. Despite his age and inexperience on the battlefield, David killed Goliath and cut off his head. Ask What made David so confident? What enabled him to win? David told Goliath that he came in the name of... the God of the armies of Israel (v. 45). He believed God would deliver Goliath into his hands. Faith gave him confidence. Did the Philistines become slaves to the Israelites? No, the Philistines ran away in fear. SAMPLE73
Teacher Tip The stones David used were likely larger than baseballs and could be thrown at close to one hundred miles per hour. David s aim evidently rivaled that of the Benjaminites, who could sling a stone at a hair and not miss (Judges 20:16). Liturgy Link We sing Zechariah s testament of faith in the Benedictus in the Morning Prayer and Matins services. Shadows of Christ (15 minutes) Say Just like in the Old Testament account today, God doesn t sit on the sidelines and allow fear to immobilize His people. He reminds us that the battle has been won, and He continues to forgive and strengthen us. Like David, Christ, our defender, has won the battle for us. David is often considered a shadow of Christ, which is a figure that portrays many of Christ s attributes. Have students complete the chart found on the Student Page that shows the similarities between David and the ultimate Savior, Christ. Possible answers: Jesus was born in Bethlehem, obeyed His Father s will, is the chosen and anointed King, was not the Savior many expected, and is called the Good Shepherd. David battled Goliath and won, confessed that God is Lord, saved the Israelites from the Philistines, and used an unlikely weapon a slingshot to kill a giant. The following questions are not on Student Page 12. Say Earlier, we talked about giants that Satan tries to use to lead us away from God. Just as God helped David defeat Goliath of Gath, He helps us defeat our giants. Though we may struggle and at times may even be afraid, we are not alone. God never forsakes His people. Ask Faced with giants in life, we are often tempted to react like Saul and doubt God s goodness. Why is this? Our sinfulness causes us to question God s good work in our lives. Despite our sinful condition, God continues to work in our lives. He gives us the same faith David had, one that trusts in God s goodness. When did He give you this faith? For most of us, God gave us faith at our Baptism. For those not baptized as infants, faith comes through God s Word. What else did God give you in Baptism? God gives forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation in Baptism. We also receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, who empowers us to live the Christian life. Moved by faith, how do we serve God in our daily lives? We serve God when we serve others. God is served when we fulfill the work of our vocations. Show Poster D-1 to the class. Though used in earlier lessons, this is a good time to review with your class that the gifts they received at Baptism were earned on the cross. At Baptism, the old Adam in us died and we were raised to life a new creature. 74 SAMPLE
(5 minutes) Close with the following prayer: Pray Dear God, through Christ s saving work on the cross, we are enabled to serve You. However, sometimes we are filled with doubt and worry as we face giants in our own lives. Enable us to meet these challenges with confidence that You will never forsake us. Remind us that victory is ours through the work of Your Son, in whose name we pray. Amen. If You Have Extra Time If there is time, have students turn to the Benedictus in the Morning Prayer or Matins service. Again, point out God s plan for salvation. When we sing this canticle, we are confessing faith in God and His plan as well as faith in Christ s salvific work. Teacher Tip A vocation is a calling in life. These callings include our familial roles, our careers, and our positions in society. We serve God when we serve others in our vocations. SAMPLE75
David and Goliath 1 Samuel 17 The Giants Which of these giants in life might lead you or your friends away from Christ? Money Sex Clothing Cars Image Gossip Sports Movies Music Boyfriend/girlfriend Parents Alcohol Cliques Parties Education Friends Teachers Are there other giants we should add? Shadows of Christ Fill in the spaces in the columns below that show a connection between David and Christ. David Christ Came from Bethlehem Obeyed his father and sought his brothers Chosen and anointed king Looked like an unlikely winner A shepherd of sheep Battled Satan and won Confessed that God is Lord Saved His people Used an unlikely weapon death to defeat His enemy SAMPLE Student Page 12 Growing in Christ High School 2008, 2012 Concordia Publishing House. Reproduced by permission.