The BIBLE STORY
Israel Demanded a King
1 Samuel 8–10
Samuel was a judge over Israel. At this time, Israel had no king, but
they wanted a king.
Samuel had two sons, Joel and Abijah. Because Samuel was getting
old, he let his sons be rulers over Israel. There was a problem, though.
Joel and Abijah were not good judges like their father was. Joel and
Abijah weren’t fair in how they judged. They were dishonest.
The leaders of Israel went to Samuel. “You were a good judge,” they
said, “but your sons have not followed your example. We don’t want
them to lead us; we want a king!” The other nations around Israel had
kings, and the Israelites wanted one too.
Samuel wasn’t sure how to respond, so he prayed to God.
“Samuel, give the people what they want,” God said. “They are not
rejecting you; they are rejecting Me as King. Give them what they want,
but make sure you warn them what it will be like to have an earthly
king.”
Samuel explained to the Israelites what rights an earthly king would
have. A king could make their sons serve in the army, he could make their
daughters work for him, or he could take away their fields and servants.
Samuel warned the people that they would regret asking for a king,
but the Israelites didn’t care. “Give us a king!” they replied.
Meanwhile, a wealthy man named Kish was looking for some of his
donkeys that had wandered off. Kish told his son Saul to take a servant
with him and search for the missing animals. Saul stood out among his
peers; he was taller and more attractive than any of the other Israelites.
Despite his search, Saul was unable to find the donkeys. He was ready
to give up.
“Wait,” his servant said. “There is a man of God in this city. Let’s
talk to him; maybe he knows where we could find the donkeys.” Saul and
his servant found the man of God—it was Samuel!
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Older Kids Leader Guide
Unit 11, Session 1
Copyright 2013
LifeWay
“Don’t worry about the donkeys,” Samuel said. “They have been
found.” Samuel invited Saul to have dinner with him. The next morning,
Samuel told Saul that God had chosen Saul to be the king of Israel.
Saul was surprised because he was from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest
tribe in Israel.
Samuel used oil to anoint Saul. “You will be king!” Samuel said.
Samuel gave Saul some instructions and sent him home. The Spirit of
God was with Saul.
Some time later, Samuel gathered the Israelites to present Saul,
their new king. But where was Saul? They couldn’t find him. God said,
“There he is, hidden among the supplies.” The people ran to get Saul,
and Saul stood among all the people. “Long live the king!” they said.
Christ Connection: The Israelites demanded a king, so Samuel anointed
Saul. God intended for a heavenly king to rule over them, but the Israelites
didn’t trust God’s plan. God had a plan to one day send His Son, Jesus,
to rule the entire world. Jesus would be the perfect King who would bring
peace and salvation to the world.
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Saul and David
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UNIT 11 • Key Passage Poster (NIV)
Psalm 51:10
Saul and David
Create in me a pure
heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast
spirit within me.
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© 2013 LifeWay Christian Resources.
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UNIT 11 • Session 1 • Big Picture Question
Saul and David
God planned to send
a perfect king.
What kind of king
did God plan to give
Israel?
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E __ __ __ __ __ __
D __ __ __ __ __ __
C __ __ __ __ __ __
B __ __ __ __ __ __
A __ __ __ __ __ __
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D O Q
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I W O S
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© 2013 LifeWay Christian Resources.
UNIT 11 • Session 1 • Older Kids Activity Pages
Instructions: Using the X/Y grid,
discover who will be the next leader of
Israel. Create your own X/Y grid for
Samuel’s name.
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A K B
1
__
C2
__
B3
__
C4
__
E1
__
E3
__
D5
Saul and David
S A M U E L
__ __ __ __ __ __
__
B6
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A1
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© 2013 LifeWay Christian Resources.
UNIT 11 • Session 1 • Older Kids Activity Pages
WITH FRIENDS
AT SCHOOL
Saul and David
AT HOME
Instructions: Write below each picture a way you can trust God in each situation or
location. In the empty box, draw a time or situation you need to remember to trust God.
Saul and David
UNIT 11 • Session 1 • Israel Demanded a King
© 2013 LifeWay Christian Resources.
OK TO PRINT
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