Saturday

27 April

1 Sam 16-18; Ps 51; Acts 9

1 Samuel 16: Who was Jesse? What service did David render to Saul?

1 Samuel 17: What reward did Saul offer for defeating Goliath? Consider David’s confidence in the Lord – how did David feel he had prepared for this situation? How did he kill Goliath?

1 Samuel 18: What did Jonathon give to David and why? What caused Saul’s attitude to change toward David?

Acts 9: What happened to Saul, what did Jesus say to him? Who was trying to kill Saul? What miracles occurred in this chapter? What was the result?

Journal Prompt: Reflect upon Saul’s conversion and his actions that followed. How has your life changed since you accepted Jesus as your Savior?

Answers:

1 Samuel 16: Jesse was a descendant of Perez, son of Judah and Tamar (Gen. 38:29), and a grandson of Ruth and Boaz (Ruth 4:18–22). Bethlehem is in Judah, about 10 miles (16 km) from Ramah. David played the lyre to calm Saul and he became his arm-bearer. 

1 Samuel 17: Saul offered a reward of wealth, marriage to his daughter (making him a member of the royal family), and examption from taxes. David was bold and brave and so confident of the Lord’s provision – he basically said to Goliath, “how dare you threaten Israel and our God.” He felled David with a pebble, and then David cut his head off with Goliath’s own sword.

1 Samuel 18: Jonathon recognized David as the true king and made a covenant of friendship and protection with David by giving him his cloak, his tunic, his belt, his sword and his bow. Pride, insecurity and jealousy caused Saul’s attitude toward David to change. The women of the cities of Israel gave more credit to David for the victories of the armies. 

Acts 9: Jesus confronted Saul as he was on his way to Damascus to try to round up Christians to be imprisoned or even murdered. Jesus simply told Saul that He was Jesus, and that Saul was to go to Damascus and wait further instructions. This encounter as recorded here doesn’t give us a lot of information about Saul’s conversion, but it is evident that at once Saul believed and was obedient to Christ. (Pay special attention to verse 40). 
The first miracle was Jesus appearing to Saul and causing him to be blind. Aeneas, a bedridden and paralyzed man was healed by Peter and “all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him and they turned to the Lord”!!. Dorcas (Tabitha) was raised from the dead in Joppa. The result was that many believed!!!