Week of June 26, 2016: David Was Anointed and Fought Goliath

Bible Passage: 1 Samuel 16–17

Big Picture Question: Who gave David power to defeat Goliath? God gave David power to defeat Goliath.

Key Passage: Psalm 51:10

Unit Christ Connection: God provided the first kings to rule His people Israel; Christ, the final King, rules over all people as Savior. Through David’s family, God sent Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

God sent Samuel to Bethlehem to meet Jesse and his sons. God had chosen one of Jesse’s sons to be Israel’s king.

Jesse had many sons. Eliab was Jesse’s oldest son. When Samuel saw Eliab, he thought, “This must be the one God has chosen!” Eliab was likely tall and good-looking. Why wouldn’t God choose someone like that? But God doesn’t make decisions like people do. 

Jesse’s sons took turns passing before Samuel, one by one. Samuel was probably eager to hear which son God had chosen to be Israel’s next king! 

Jesse had one more son; his youngest, David, was out tending the sheep. David came in and God said, “This is he.” Samuel anointed David, and the Spirit of the Lord took control of David.

David was still a youth and was not yet king when he found himself at the battle where the Philistines had gathered to fight the Israelites. The story of David and Goliath is one of the most well-known accounts in the Old Testament. When the Israelites cowered in fear, David stepped up and defeated the enemy with just a sling and a stone.

Apart from Christ, we are powerless before our enemies of sin and death. David reminds us of Jesus, the greatest hero, who came to save us. When we look