ASSEMBLIES OF GOD CHILDREN’S SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL FOR SUNDAY, 5TH MAY, 2024.

BIBLE TEXT: 1 Samuel 17:1-53

OBJECTIVES:

During and after the lesson, each child will show that he or she understands the lesson by:

1. Mentioning things that make children afraid.

2. Demonstrating with others how David killed Goliath.

3. Praying with others that God would help them trust Him like David in times of difficulty.

OUTLINE:

1. Goliath Challenges the Israelites – 1Sam17:1-16

2. David Is Sent to See His Brothers – 1 Sam 17:17-22

3. David Offers to Fight – 1 Sam 17:23-40

4. David Defeats and Kills Goliath – 1 Sam 17:41-53

INTRODUCTION:

Last week, we saw how Samuel anointed David to become the king of Israel. But, David did not become King immediately. He was still young and Saul was still ruling Israel. It was not God’s time for him yet. David still remained with his parents. He continued to take care of their sheep. It was at this time the enemies of Israel, the Philistines came to Israel. His three elder brothers had to join Saul’s army. But David was too young to go.

We shall see in this lesson how David the young shepherd went and fought with the captain of the Philistine army and won.

1. Goliath Challenges the Israelites – 1Sam17:1-16

The Israelites were engaged in a battle with the Philistines. The Philistine army lined up on one side of the hill with a man named Goliath as their captain. Saul, the king of Israel, with the army of Israel, lined up on the opposite hill with a big valley between them. Goliath, the captain of the Philistines was a very tall man. He was nearly nine feet tall. He wore a special dress that was made of hard metal such that no sword or spear can wound him. He had a fearful sword and hung a tough metal javelin over his shoulders.

This Philistine giant covered his head with a thick metallic helmet. And there was always another junior soldier following him and carrying his spare weapons.

Every morning and evening, Goliath came out and challenged the Israelites to send someone to come and fight with him. When Saul and his men heard this, they became afraid and ran away. This happened for forty days.

2. David Is Sent To See His Brothers — 1 Sam 17:17-22 David’s brothers were soldiers serving in the army of Israel and Saul was their captain. One day Jesse, David’s father sent David to the battle field to take some food items to his brothers. David left his sheep in someone’s care and went to give food to his brothers as his father directed. When David arrived the battle ground, he met his brothers and met many other soldiers of the camp of Israelites. He could look just beyond the valley and saw the line-up troops. He saw Goliath, tall and huge, like a mighty wrestler, well armed walking in front of them and boasting loudly, “choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us”.

3. David Offers to Fight Goliath – 1 Sam 17:23-40

When David heard the boasting of Goliath, and saw how the children of Israel were hiding, he was not happy. He was challenged. He trusted that God who always helped him to kill the lions that come always to attack his father’s sheep could give him victory over this Philistine captain.

He immediately offered to go and fight Goliath. When his brothers heard it they rebuked him. But, other soldiers took David to king Saul. David told Saul that he was offering to go and fight Goliath. King Saul did not believe David could fight Goliath because David appeared too young to face such a terrible giant. David told King Saul how he used to fight with lions that came to attack his father’s sheep. He convinced King Saul that the God who gave him the victory over wild beasts would give him victory over Goliath. When King Saul saw David’s boldness and faith he allowed David to go.

David refused to put on any piece of the soldier’s armour. He selected five stones from the valley, took his shepherd’s catapult, and went out to meet Goliath. When Goliath saw David coming out, a little boy, without any form of protection, Goliath began to laugh at David. But David was very serious. He trusted that God would make him kill Goliath.

4. David Defeats and Kills Goliath – 1 Sam 17:41-53

David walked up and Goliath came out to meet him. Goliath said to David, “Today, I will kill you, this little boy and the vultures will eat your dead body.” But David said to Goliath, “You come to me with sword and javelin and shield, but I come to you in the name of the Lord God of Israel whom you are insulting”. At once, he flung the stone from his catapult and straight away, the stone hit Goliath right at the forehead and he fell down. David quickly ran to the giant and took Goliath’s sword and cut off his head. When the Philistine soldiers saw this, they started to run away but the Israelite soldiers ran after them and killed very many of them.

APPLICATION:

The race was about to begin. The boys lined up waiting for the whistle. Okon was the first on the row. He was a big boy and much bigger and older than Dele who was next to him. Okon looked scornfully at Dele and wondered how the small boy could even think of competing with him in a race. He boasted that Dele was not a match for him.

When the signal was given, Okon took off. He ran so fast that when he looked back, he could not see any of the other runners. But suddenly he fell down. Before he could get up again, the others ran up with the small boy, Dele in front. They ran past where Okon was.

He started running again to meet up. He ran as fast as he could but he could not meet the others. The small boy Dele was already at the finishing line as the first. When Okon ran up, he was ashamed that he boasted that Dele was not a match for him. Dele had won because, like David, he trusted God to give him victory. And God did.