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MIDDLE GRADES

Preparing the LessonDavid and Goliath

Key PointAs David struck down the giant Goliath, so David’s greater

Son—Jesus—struck down the Goliaths of sin, Satan, and death through His own death on the cross.

Law/GospelLeft to fight sin, death, and the devil myself, I would per-

ish. Jesus fights triumphantly for me against my adversar-ies of sin, death, and the devil because they are too great for me. His victory is my victory.

ContextThe Philistines, who lived along the coast of the

Mediterranean, had been Israel’s archenemy for generations before David. Gradually moving eastward, they presented more and more of a challenge to God’s people—a challenge met by such men as Samson and Saul. Their threat was not only geographical (they took Israelite land) but also religious. Wooed by the sensuality of the Philistine religion, many would fall prey to its seductive charms.

Goliath challenges the Israelite army to send out someone to fight him. This practice of two warriors from opposing sides going head-to-head against each other was not unknown in the ancient world. Each soldier embodied the army he rep-resented. Should Goliath win, all Philistia would win. Should an Israelite win, all Israel would win. At this point in the story, David is known by Saul (16:14–23), but David’s lineage is evi-dently not known (17:55–58). He has also already been secretly anointed by Samuel as the successor to Saul (16:1–13).

CommentaryIn this classic story of the underdog, we see a premier

example of the theology of the cross. That means that God

does things in very ungodlike ways—ways we ourselves deem ungodlike. He who is all-powerful chooses something weak with which to fight. He who is all-wise acts in a way that makes the world double over in laughter. God works in a way that is hidden, behind masks, so that only those who see Him through His Word really see Him at work.

Goliath, armed to the teeth and a pro at warfare, is the embodiment of everything the world considers a sure bet. Worldly experience and rational knowledge both say, “David doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in you-know-where against this Philistine Hercules.”

David describes the real weapon he wields against this ungodly giant: “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied” (17:45). His weapon is not the sling but the divine name. Just as Moses’ staff was really “the staff of God” (Exodus 4:20; 17:9), so this sling is really the sling of the Lord. It bears His name.

This event in David’s life serves as a preview of the deeds of the Son of David. As David defeated Goliath, so Jesus, the Son of David, defeated the jeering huge Goliaths of sin, Satan, and death. With what did He defeat them? His own death! What a weapon! By taking on our sin, He slew sin. By letting Satan slay Him, Christ slew him. By dying, He killed death. In the same way as David used Goliath’s own sword, so Jesus used the very stuff of His (and our) enemies against them.

1 Samuel 17

Pentecost 25 November 18, 2012Lesson 12

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As students arrive, encourage them to take turns playing the game of checkers. Teach the basics of the game for students who don’t know how. Understanding how checkers is played may help them understand the illustration of the battle later. Make the Bible Discovery Guides available for students to explore, especially page 15, which describes the armor and weapons used by David and Goliath. If students haven’t completed Reproducible Page 4 from Lesson 4, give them time to do so now.

When all of the students have gathered, recognize baptismal anniversaries or birthdays if it is your habit to do so. Light the candles on the altar, make the sign of the cross, and say the Invocation.

Say In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.Play and sing the hymn “O Little Flock, Fear Not the Foe” (LSB 666; CD 12). Discuss

the words of the hymn, identifying God’s people as the flock and Satan as the foe.

David and Goliath1 Samuel 17

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Connections

Bible WordsTherefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Ephesians 6:13 (CD 26)

Faith WordsChurch Militant, Church Triumphant, champion, victory

HymnO Little Flock, Fear Not the Foe (LSB 666; CD 12)

CatechismFirst Commandment

Pentecost 25

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Teacher ToolsBible Review Cards 88–96

Student StuffLesson Leaflets

Other SuppliesReproducible Page 12 (TG)Craft magnets (optional)Luther’s Small Catechism

Teacher ToolsPoster A

Student StuffBible Discovery GuideLesson Leaflets

Other SuppliesCheckerboard with extra checkersWhite king chess pieceResource Page 1A/B (TG)

Teacher ToolsCD

Student StuffBible Discovery Guide

Other SuppliesGame of checkersResource Page 1A/B (TG)Hymnals

Teacher ToolsGrowing In Christ—The Game (optional)Bible Review Cards 1–108CD

Other SuppliesHymnals (optional)Resource Page 7 or 10 (TG) (optional)Resource Page 1A/B (TG)

Prepare to TeachPrepare for teaching by reading carefully the account of David and Goliath from

1 Samuel 17 and locating a checkers game. In teaching today’s lesson, you will be reading a summary story to the students. Knowing the details from Scripture will help you answer questions and fill in details the students may request. You may also want to practice telling the story, manipulating the checkers as described. If possible, have extra checkers available, one per student. (Checkerboards with backgammon on the reverse usually come with extra checkers.) You will also need a white king chess piece. Keep this out of sight until the “We Live” section of the lesson.

Faith Word Cards for this lesson are found on Resource Pages 1A/B. The page may be removed from the Teacher Guide and the words cut apart. It would be better to copy the words onto heavier card stock paper before cutting apart.

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Keep the Faith Word Cards handy throughout the lesson to use where indicated for further explanation and understanding. Allow students to assist with their usage.

Position the empty checkerboard in the center of the table so it is visible to all students.

Gather students around it if they ordinarily sit in rows, or you may all wish to sit in a circle on the floor. Have your Bible open to 1 Samuel 17 as you tell the story. Distribute the Lesson Leaflets. Ask students to identify the story either by the artwork or by reading the lesson title on the cover of the leaflet.

Say Today’s story is one you may already know. It’s about a very famous battle between David and Goliath that we read about in 1 Samuel 17. Listen while I tell you the story.Encourage students to look at the list of characteristics on page 2 of the Lesson

Leaflet. As you introduce David, have them write a D on the line of characteristics belonging to David.

Say Meet David. Hold up a red checker. David is a young shepherd. He has seven other older brothers, and his father’s name is Jesse. David lives with his family at Bethlehem. What is familiar about the name Bethlehem? Students will recognize it as the birthplace of the Savior. Show Bethlehem on the map on pages 8–9 of the Bible Discovery Guide. David lived about a thousand years before Jesus was born. Indicate this on the timeline poster, Poster A. Even though David is young, he’s very brave and strong. He’s killed lions and bears that attacked his flock. He’s also very handsome.

Continue David was a musician and played an instrument called a lyre. By the time our story takes place, David had worked for Saul, the king of Israel. David was Saul’s armor-bearer, and he played his lyre to make Saul happy.

Add Oh, one more thing. David has been chosen by God! David was anointed by Samuel the prophet to show that God had chosen David to be the next king of Israel! That means David will replace Saul. But the only people that know this so far are David, his father, and his brothers. Put the David checker

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Though Satan may seem to win in this life, the ultimate victory belongs to God through His Son, Jesus. The students may also recall the story of Gideon from Lesson 7 of this quarter, referred to in stanza 2. Note that the hymn is found in the “Church Militant” section of Lutheran Service Book. Use the Faith Word Card Church Militant to explain the meaning. Turn a few more pages in the hymnal to find hymns with the heading “Church Triumphant.” Use the Faith Word Card Church Triumphant to explain the meaning and compare the two. Take a moment to have students look at the lyrics of a hymn or two in each section to see how they reflect the meaning of the Faith Words.

Pray Dear heavenly Father, we know that the devil is a very real enemy. Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to win the battle over sin, death, and the devil through His death on the cross and His resurrection. According to Your Word and by Your Sacraments, You have made us Your own children. We look forward to eternal life in heaven. Open our hearts now to receive Your Word. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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aside, apart from the other checkers. Check that the students have marked off David’s characteristics in the Lesson Leaflet activity. Responses will be handsome, shepherd, young, son of Jesse, youngest of eight sons, plays lyre, worked for King Saul, anointed as future king of Israel, from Bethlehem, and killed lions and bears.

Say Meet Goliath. Hold up two or more black checkers, stacked together like a checkers king. Encourage students to listen for Goliath’s characteristics and mark them with a G in the Lesson Leaflet. Goliath was fighting for the Philistines, who were from Philistia. Indicate Philistia on the map. He was from the area of Gath. Indicate Gath on the map. Goliath was also a very tall man—“six cubits and a span.” If we estimate a cubit to be eighteen inches and a span to be nine inches, that’s more than nine feet tall, or nearly as tall as a basketball hoop!

Continue Goliath was a soldier. He was their champion, their best fighter. Read the definition of Faith Word Card champion. He was fierce and wore a bronze helmet and very heavy protective mail, or armor, on his body and on his legs. His mail weighed about 125 pounds. He had a huge javelin. The head of his spear weighed more than 15 pounds all by itself! A servant carried a shield for his defense. Check for responses marked with a G in the Lesson Leaflet activity: Philistine, more than nine feet tall, fierce soldier, wore heavy armor, and car-ried heavy weapons.

Begin to set up the checkerboard on black squares as you would for a checkers game while you tell the next part of the story. The black checkers will represent the Philistines. The red checkers will represent the Israelites.

Describe The Philistines and the Israelites are at war. Goliath is fighting for the Philistines. Place “Goliath” on a black square near the middle of the board in the third row of squares, leaving two back squares empty, if necessary. The other Philistines are lined up behind Goliath on one side of the Valley of Elah. Have a student locate the valley on the map as you set up the black checkers. On the opposite side of the valley are the Israelites. Set up the red side of the checker-board, leaving the David checker and three others off the board for now, and back squares empty.

Introduce the last three checkers as David’s brothers.

Say David’s brothers—Eliab, Abinadab, and Shammah—went to battle to fight with the Israelites. David (indicate checker) went back to watch his father’s sheep. Hand the David checker to a student to hold. Place the last three checkers in the back row, leaving the corner square empty for David’s arrival later. Visually, it should be evident that the Philistines have the advantage, with a double checker, Goliath, in the front row and all of the black spaces filled, while the Israelites have an open square.

Describe There wasn’t much action in the battle yet. Every day for forty days, the two armies each stayed on their own side of the valley. Every morning, Goliath would come forward and taunt the Israelites. Move the Goliath checker forward one black square, as if you were playing checkers. He’d say things like, “Come out and fight!” and “How can you really think you’ll win?” Then he’d go back to join the rest of the army on the hill. Move Goliath back into the row. Then he’d come out again in the evening. Move Goliath forward to a different square. He’d shout more insults, and the Israelites were very afraid. Goliath would go back to his army. Move the checker back again.

Continue Every day, Goliath would tell the Israelites, “Send out one man to fight with me! If he wins, the Philistines will be your servants. If I win, the

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Israelites will be our servants!” The Israelites didn’t say anything, because they were afraid. They didn’t have a champion like Goliath.

Explain Meanwhile, David’s father, Jesse, was wondering what was happening in the battle. He asked David to take some grain and bread to his brothers, and some cheese to the commander of the Israelite army. He asked David to bring back some kind of a token, or a souvenir, from his brothers, so that Jesse would know they were safe.

Say David did as his father asked. Early the next morning, he left the sheep with another shepherd, and he took the provisions his father sent. When he arrived at the Israelite camp, he left the gifts with the baggage keeper and found his brothers. Have the David checker come forward and move him among the other red checkers, pausing as if he were talking to others. While David was there, Goliath came out. Move Goliath forward as before. David heard how Goliath was speaking about the Israelites, and David became angry.Read or have a volunteer read verses 24–27 to hear the exact words of the text.

Say David couldn’t believe that none of the Israelites were brave enough to fight Goliath. Goliath was insulting the God of Israel, and no one stopped him. David didn’t care that King Saul was offering a reward, only that the Philistine was saying bad things about God and the Israelites. David said that the Israelites should be embarrassed. His brothers became angry with him for saying this, and some of the others told King Saul what David was saying. Saul called David to him.

David said, “Let me fight the Philistine! I’m not afraid. I’ve killed bears and lions as I protected my flock. This Philistine isn’t any tougher than a bear or a lion. He’s making fun of God’s people. Surely, God will protect me from this person.”

Saul agreed that David could fight, but he made David put on Saul’s own armor. David looked ridiculous! The armor was too big and too heavy, and David wasn’t used to fighting in it. He took it off. Instead, he took five smooth stones from the brook, put them in his bag, took his staff and sling, and went to meet the Philistine Goliath.Manipulate the checkers so that David stands near Goliath.Have a volunteer read 1 Samuel 17:41–44. Note that Goliath curses David by his

false gods (v. 43). David is not afraid. Read 1 Samuel 17:45–47.

Comment David showed great faith in God. He knew that this battle didn’t depend on physical strength but upon what God had in mind. David knew that God would defeat the entire army of the Philistines. Read verse 47 again: “All this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with the sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hand.” David was willing to be the champion of the Israelites because God was in control. Use Faith Word Card champion, if necessary.

Ask What happened next? Students should be able to describe David slinging a stone to hit Goliath in the forehead, Goliath falling down, and David cutting off his head with Goliath’s own sword. Use Faith Word Card victory at this time. If the stu-dents are unsure of what happened next, have them read verses 48–51.

Conclude The Philistines were so frightened by the death of their champion that they ran away. Sweep the black checkers off of the board. The Israelites chased them. God won the battle and defeated the Israelites’ enemy. Sweep the red checkers onto the Philistine side of the board.

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As you review the facts of the story, use the checkers to prompt responses. Use the red David checker and the two black checkers when discussing Goliath. The Bible Review Cards for this lesson may be used to help recall facts.

Discuss What was David’s weapon in the battle against Goliath? (The name of God; David trusted in the living God and knew that God would be triumphant against the enemies of Israel. He declared plainly, “The battle is the Lord’s!”) What was Goliath’s focus? (His own strength; he also cursed the Israelites by his false gods.) Whose focus was correct? (David’s)

Invite students to say the First Commandment with you: “You shall have no other gods. What does this mean? We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.” Discuss how David trusted God, even when the other Israelites failed to do so. David was faced with outrageous odds, but his God-given faith sustained him, and God was victorious over Goliath.

Say Who are we like in this story? (The Israelites) Encourage each student to place a red checker on the Israelite side of the checkerboard. Utilize the squares that aren’t black too, if you have more than twelve students. Instead of Goliath and the Philistines, who are our enemies? (Sin and its consequences, death, and Satan) To battle with our enemies on our own would be hopeless; we are sure to lose.Encourage each student to take a black checker and think of a sin or evil that

children or adults face. If students feel comfortable doing so, ask them to name that sin or evil as they place a black checker on the Philistine side of the checkerboard. Examples might be selfishness, greed, arguing with siblings, bullying, sickness, death, temptation to tell lies or steal, not respecting parents or teachers, losses of job, home, or possessions, and others. These are Goliaths we face in our lives.

Indicate the Faith Word Cards Church Militant and Church Triumphant.

Ask Which of these two Faith Words describes how our checkerboard is set up right now? (Church Militant) We are in constant struggle with sin, death, and the evils of Satan. We are faced with earthly challenges. All people have problems. We think we have to figure things out on our own. But we have a source of strength and power beyond anything we can do. David knew that.

Ask Who is our champion? (Jesus) Reveal the king chess piece and put it in the middle of the checkers. Jesus, our perfect King, conquered sin, death, and the devil when He died on the cross and rose again. By ourselves, we can’t win against sin. If we fight the Goliaths alone, we will perish. Jesus fought our giant enemies of sin, death, and the devil. He won the victory for us. Sweep away all of the black checkers, leaving the chess piece and red checkers in place. Use Faith Word Card victory.

Ask How do we know the victory is ours in our everyday lives? (Armed with God’s Word and Sacraments, we are strengthened in our faith and equipped to deal with challenges in this life. We will fall short because of sin. But, in spite of our shortcomings, the battle is already won by Jesus’ death and resurrection. Jesus has secured our salvation for us.) Even our final enemy—death—is defeated, and we will live triumphant with God in heaven after we die.

Ask Which of these two Faith Word Cards describe our checkerboard then? (Church Triumphant) In heaven, we will sing praises to God forever because

(15 minutes)

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Conclude the lesson by reading some of David’s psalms, in which he acknowl-edges from where his help for all of life’s battles and challenges comes. David knew God was his source of strength. Some choices are Psalm 18:2; 98:1; 124:2–3, 6, 8. If time permits, play “Faith Words Football,” “Growing in Christ—The Game,” or another review game; directions are found in Resource Pages 6–10 of the Teacher Guide. You may wish to sing the hymn “O Little Flock, Fear Not the Foe” (LSB 666; CD 12) again. Close with prayer.

Pray Dear Lord Jesus, You are our champion! Through Your death on the cross, You have won the victory over sin, death, and the devil! Through Baptism, the Holy Spirit has given us faith to believe in You and share this vic-tory. You have destroyed death by dying for us, and we have the gift of eter-nal life. Thank You for this precious gift. In Your name we pray. Amen.

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the struggle of this life is over. We eagerly await the joys of heaven.Redirect students’ attention to the “Who’s Who?” activity on page 2 in the leaflet.

Students should recognize that the remaining characteristics belong to our cham-pion, Jesus Christ. Tell them to mark them with a cross.

Review God’s victory over Goliath was the entire Israelite army’s victory over the Philistines. Jesus’ victory over sin, death, and Satan is our victory too. We receive the blessing of that victory when we are baptized into God’s fam-ily and we receive faith. A Christian’s faith is strengthened when he or she hears God’s Word and receives the body and blood of Christ in the Sacrament of the Altar. Because of what Jesus has done for us, having victory doesn’t depend on us. The battle is the Lord’s!

The Armor of GodRead the Bible Words on page 4 of the Lesson Leaflet. Distribute copies of

Reproducible Page 12. Have students read Ephesians 6:13–18a on the reproducible page aloud. Explain that we Christians are equipped to live lives of faith by trusting in God through the faith He has given us.

Point out that the Weekly Devotions on page 4 of the Lesson Leaflet utilize the reproducible page. Encourage students to make use of both this week. You may wish to supply a small craft magnet to glue to the back of the figure to display on the refrigerator or metallic surface.

Students may complete the puzzle activity “The Victory Is Won” on page 3 of the Lesson Leaflet, if time permits, or it may be completed at home. The correct words are cross, armor, shield, valley, paw, tent, Bible, lion, and sling. The highlighted word is salvation.

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Reproducible Page 12 Growing in Christ® Middle Grades © 2008 Concordia Publishing House. Scripture: ESV®. Reproduced by permission. This page is available on the Teacher CD.

The Armor of God

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and hav-ing done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. Ephesians 6:13–18a

God prepares His people to guard against all evil. Use this sheet along with the Weekly Devotions on page 4 of the Lesson Leaflet. Each day, color and cut out the piece of armor discussed in the devotion and glue them to the Christian. Display the figure where you can be reminded daily that “The battle is the Lord’s” (1 Samuel 17:47).

TRUTH

SALVATION

READINESS

WORD OF GOD

RIGHTEOUSNESS

FAITH

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