1 Chronicles 10-11

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

The Death of King Saul; The Enthronement of King David

BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

  1. King Saul did not prosper because the Lord was against him.

  2. King David did prosper because the Lord was with him.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

  1. Be known by our Lord for your spiritual warfare and your spiritual worship.

QUESTIONS

  1. How did the Philistines dishonor Saul’s body?

  2. Why were the Jabesh-Gileadites willing to march into Philistine territory to recover the bodies of Saul and his sons?

  3. When did Saul disobey the word of the Lord?

  4. When did David move his capital city to Jerusalem? Who controlled Jerusalem before that time?

  5. Review the story of the three mighty men who brought water to David (1 Chronicles 11:17-19). What is the spiritual picture?

ANSWERS

  1. They cut off his head and put it in the temple of their god Dagon in recognition of their belief that Dagon had given them the victory.

  2. King Saul had rescued Jabesh Gilead from the Ammonites years before at the beginning of his reign (1 Samuel 11).

  3. We know of twice that Saul deliberately disobeyed the word of the Lord. Once when God directed him through the prophet Samuel to wait at Gilgal, Saul wrongly conducted a public sacrifice by himself (1 Samuel 13). Later Saul was to eliminate the Amalekites who were the enemy of God’s people, but he deliberately practiced partial obedience and tried to excuse himself (1 Samuel 15). Saul also sinned by consulting a witch (1 Samuel 28).

  4. We know from 2 Samuel 5 that David reigned from Hebron for 7 ½ years over the tribe of Judah. After all the tribes recognized David as the rightful king he moved the nation’s capital to Jerusalem. Jerusalem had been in the hands of the Jebusites. Joab got into the city by climbing up a watershaft and making a way for David and the army of Israel to take the city.

  5. These mighty men risked their lives to bring refreshment to the heart of their king by bringing him water from the well of Bethlehem. David elevated this act of courage and valor by pouring the water out before the Lord. Their sacrifice is a picture of worship, which the Lord remembers and honors.

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

  1. King Saul deliberately disobeyed God and practiced sin, which ultimately led to his death. Read 1 John 5:16. Discuss the biblical truth that certain sins can lead to a believer’s death. How is this ultimately a loving thing for God to do?

  2. King Saul did not prosper because the Lord was against him, but King David did prosper because the Lord was with him. Discuss how believers prosper under the Lord’s favor today. This is not the prosperity gospel, so think broadly.

CHALLENGE

  1. Review the stories of David’s mighty men at the end of 1 Chronicles 11. These are part of the spiritual picture of the spiritual warfare and worship of believers of our King, the greater David, the Lord Jesus Christ. Which story is your favorite?

KEY VERSES

  • “Therefore [the Lord] killed him, and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.” 1 Chronicles 10:14

  • “So David went on and became great, and the LORD of hosts was with him.” 1 Chronicles 11:9

  • “So the three broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless David would not drink it, but poured it out to the LORD.” 1 Chronicles 11:18

1 Chronicles, Old Testament, TalksRon Reid1 CHRONICLES 10-11