Life of David: Discipleship Lessons from 1 and 2 Samuel Handouts for Group Participants If you’re working with a class or small group, feel free to duplicate the following handouts at no additional charge. If you’d like to print 8‐1/2” x 11” or A4 size pages, you can download the free Participant Guide handout sheets at: www.jesuswalk.com/david/david‐lesson‐handouts.pdf Discussion Questions You’ll typically find 3 to 4 questions for each lesson, depending on the topics in each lesson. Each question may include several sub‐questions. These are designed to get group members engaged in discussion of the key points of the passage. If you’re running short of time, feel free to skip questions or portions of questions. These notes also contain key maps and charts to help your students understand David’s life. Introduction to the Life of David 1. Samuel Anoints David as King (1 Samuel 15‐16) 2. David and Goliath: Bold Faith (1 Samuel 17) 3. Jonathanʹs Friendship, Saulʹs Jealousy (1 Samuel 18‐20) 4. David Flees from Saul (1 Samuel 21‐23) 5. David Spares the Lordʹs Anointed (1 Samuel 24‐28) 6. David Strengthens Himself in the Lord (1 Samuel 29‐2 Samuel 1) 7. David Becomes King and Conquers Jerusalem (2 Samuel 2‐5) 8. David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6) 9. The Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7) 10. Davidʹs Rise, Fall, and Punishment (2 Samuel 8‐12) 11. Rape, Murder, and Conspiracy in David’s Family (2 Samuel 13:1‐15:13) 12. David’s Exile from Jerusalem (15:13‐20:26) 13. The Legacy of David (2 Samuel 21‐1 Kings 2) David’s Psalms of Repentance (Psalms 51 and 32, optional) This series of lessons is based on Life of David: Discipleship Lessons from 1 and 2 Samuel by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson (JesusWalk, 2012), 280 pages. It is available for sale in paperback, Kindle, and PDF versions. http://www.jesuswalk.com/books/david.htm If you’re the teacher or facilitator for a small group or class, it is strongly recommended that you get a copy of this book for yourself and the assistant leader. It contains a huge amount of background information about David’s life and times that will help you interpret David accurately to your class. 120728 rfw Life of David: Discipleship Lessons. Handouts for Group Participants 2 Introduction to the Life of David Date for David’s 40‐year reign from about 1010 to 970 BC. Archaeological inscriptions pointing to the historicity of King David’s reign: 1. Inscription from an Old Aramaic stela in Tell Dan (dated about 840 BC) refers to the “House of David” in the context of a king. 2. Inscription on the stela of Mesha King of Moab also refers to the “House of David” in about the same period. 3. An inscription at Karnak by Pharaoh Shoshenq I records a victory over Rehoboam and Jeroboam in 926/925 BC referring to a place name in the Negev or south Judean area as the “heights of David,” an inscription carved within 50 years of David’s own lifetime. Composition and Authorship of Samuel and Chronicles Our primary source material for the study of David’s life is found in 1 and 2 Samuel and the first chapter of 1 Kings, with some supplementary information in 1 Chronicles. First and Second Samuel are actually part of one book in the Hebrew Bible, along with 1 and 2 Kings. Composition is seen as the work of one or more editors, perhaps first in the time of Josiah and then again during the exile. They drew on ancient source documents. 1 and 2 Chronicles were probably written sometime after the return from exile, as early as 527 BC and perhaps up to a century later. Who Were the Philistines? The Philistines apparently immigrated from the Aegean area in the early to mid‐twelfth century BC. They settled primarily along the southwestern coastal strip of Canaan, the name “Palestine” deriving from the name “Philistine.” They seem to have been a loose confederation of five city‐states: Ashdod, Ashkelon, Ekron, Gaza, and Gath (Joshua 13:3b). For the most part these city‐states waged war singly, but on occasion they gathered together to wage a common battle. Gath is probably to be identified with Tell es‐Safi. From Ralph F. Wilson, Life of David: Discipleship Lessons from 1 and 2 Samuel (JesusWalk, 2012). Copyright © 2012, Ralph F. Wilson <[email protected]>. All rights reserved. http://www.jesuswalk.com/books/david.htm Permission is granted to make copies of these participant handouts, one set for each member of a local group, at no charge, with copyright info on each page. Life of David: Discipleship Lessons. Handouts for Group Participants 3 Approximate Chronology of David’s Life Date David’s Age Event Reference 1040 BC ‐ David born 2 Samuel 5:4 ~15‐20 David and Goliath 1012 ~25‐30 David is a fugitive from Saul 1010 30 David becomes king at Hebron 2 Samuel 5:4‐5 1003 37 David becomes king over all Israel and 2 Samuel 5:4‐5 conquers Jerusalem ~37‐47 Palace built, Philistine and Aramean campaigns ~47 David’s kingdom established ~47 David sins with Bathsheba ~45‐50 Amnon rapes Tamar ~47‐52 Absalom kills Amnon, flees to Geshur, stays 2 Samuel 13:38 3 years ~52‐57 Absalom returns to Jerusalem 2 Samuel 14:28 ~54‐59 Absalom sees David’s face after 2 years in 2 Samuel 14:28 Jerusalem ~56‐61 Absalom wins the hearts of Israel over 4 2 Samuel 15:7 years ~61 Absalom becomes king in Hebron, David flees Jerusalem ~62 Absalom killed ~62‐63 Sheba’s rebellion ~65‐67 David becomes exhausted in Philistine battle 2 Sam 21:15 ~69 Adonijah and Solomon vie for the throne. 970 70 David dies 2 Samuel 5:4‐5; cf. 1 Kings 2:11 From Ralph F. Wilson, Life of David: Discipleship Lessons from 1 and 2 Samuel (JesusWalk, 2012). Copyright © 2012, Ralph F. Wilson <[email protected]>. All rights reserved. http://www.jesuswalk.com/books/david.htm Permission is granted to make copies of these participant handouts, one set for each member of a local group, at no charge, with copyright info on each page. Life of David: Discipleship Lessons. Handouts for Group Participants 4 1. Samuel Anoints David as King (1 Samuel 15-16) Q1. (1 Samuel 15:22‐23). What is rebellion? In what way is rebellion as bad as witchcraft or occult practices? What does rebellion have to do with arrogance? What can we do when we find rebellion against God in our hearts? What happens if we do nothing? Q2. (1 Samuel 16:3‐12) How does this story teach us the importance of listening carefully to God’s voice? What is our instinctive way of discerning? How is God teaching us to discern? How do we learn to listen to the Spirit? Q3. (1 Samuel 1:13) What is the significance of Samuel anointing David? What is the significance of the Holy Spirit coming upon David? How does this explain his success? How is the Holy Spirit upon us vital for our own success as disciples? Q4. (1 Samuel 16:14‐23) From Saul’s perspective, why is David summoned to court? From God’s perspective, what seem to be the reasons for this service in Saul’s court? What things tend to prevent us from learning from God in the midst of the circumstances in which we find ourselves? What might make us more teachable? Discipleship Lessons 1. Obedience. Negative lesson from Saul: as we grow as disciples, we must outgrow our tendency to self‐will and Detail of Jewish kinnor player rebellion. is found in a bas-relief in the palace of Assurbanipal (705- 2. Listening. From Samuel we learn the importance of listening 681 BC) at Nineveh, carefully to the voice of the Spirit. portraying the fall of the Judean city of Lachish. 3. The Holy Spirit. From David: Being responsive to the Holy Spirit is the key to success as a king or a prophet – or in any venture God calls us to. 4. God’s Arrangements. God uses “chance” opportunities to work out his will. Question shouldn’t be: “Why, Lord?” but “What do you want me to learn here?” Key Verses “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.” (1 Samuel 15:22‐23a) “The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7b) “So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came upon David in power.” (1 Samuel 16:13) From Ralph F. Wilson, Life of David: Discipleship Lessons from 1 and 2 Samuel (JesusWalk, 2012). Copyright © 2012, Ralph F. Wilson <[email protected]>. All rights reserved. http://www.jesuswalk.com/books/david.htm Permission is granted to make copies of these participant handouts, one set for each member of a local group, at no charge, with copyright info on each page. Life of David: Discipleship Lessons. Handouts for Group Participants 5 2.