Jim Batterton - That night, January 9, 1989, I paced around my room. All of the memory verses I had ever learned were racing through my mind. I knew I really needed to be saved, and as I became increasingly more upset, I was realizing that I really didn’t know how to be saved...
Memory Verse: Isaiah 32:1 Memory Verse Text: A king shall reign in righteousness.
Point 1: The battle against the Philistines went badly; many of the Israelites fled and many died. After Saul was mortally wounded by an arrow, he tried to get his armor bearer to kill him, but when he would not, Saul fell on his own sword and killed himself. He had finally come to his end in a dishonorable way; David did not kill him. Point 2: Saul's head was removed and his body was hung in a hall in order that he might be further shamed. However, brave men risked their lives to take down the bodies (Saul's and his three sons') and to give them a proper burial. Point 3: David grieved when he heard of Saul's and Jonathan's deaths and only spoke well of them both. David never forgot Jonathan. When the Amalekite told him that he had killed Saul, he punished him by having the Amalekite's life taken (2 Sam. 1). After Saul's death, David was accepted as King in increasing parts of the land and he did not take revenge on Saul's family, even though they feared that he would. In fact, he avenged the death of Saul's son, Ish-bosheth, who had been slain by those who wanted to gain favor with David, the new King. Point 4: David had acted righteously and fairly through it all and now he was able to come into the fullness of his kingdom. God was with him to establish him over all. When his old enemy, the Philistines, came up against him, he fought against them at the Lord's urging, and the Lord delivered them into his hands.
This Sunday School Curriculum guide is part of a 254 Sunday School Lesson Book available at www.gospelhall.org. See the Downloads Section of the site for a complete copy.
Jim Batterton
