STORY OF REDEMPTION: 1 SAMUEL 24 By Naomi Wilson and Cassidy Dubber

BACKGROUND INFORMATION The philistines were attacking Juda. King Saul was waited seven days for Samuel to come and preform a sacrifice to the Lord to gain his favor for battle. Saul’s men became terrified while waiting for Samuel arrival, they began to scatter. King Saul was becoming impatient and instead of waiting he preformed the sacrifice on his own. Right after he did this Samuel arrived! Samuel rebuked him of his actions and disobedience to God. Because Saul did this he lost the favor of God and his kingdom. God then looked to a man after his own heart named David. God showed great favor to David and anointed him as future king. David was continually protected by God. Saul became jealous of David and tried to kill him on many occasions.

SUMMARY: 1 SAMUEL 24 Saul returned from fighting the philistines and was told David was near by. Saul immediately took three thousand men to purse David. They came to a cave and Saul went in to relive himself little did he know that David and his men were hiding in the cave. David’s men advised him to kill Saul but David chose other wise and spared his life. David cut a piece of Saul’s robe and then should Saul what he had done for him. Saul was immediately thankful and felt redemption and asked David to forgive him he realized he would one day be king and asked for his family to be spared.

HOW DOES GOD REVEAL HIMSELF IN THIS SITUATION? WHO IS GOD HERE? WHAT DOES HE DO? God revels himself through David’s actions by letting Saul live and giving him a 2 nd chance. Even though Saul had disobeyed God many times and had become corrupt with his power over Jerusalem. In this story God is merciful because he allows Saul to live but he is also just because David had every right to kill Saul but chose not to. God spares Saul through David.

WHO ARE THE HUMAN CHARACTERS IN THIS SITUATION? HOW DO THEY RESPOND TO GOD? We see Saul, David, and David’s men in this story. Saul responds to the situation by being very thankful towards David for letting him live but also felt redemption for what he had done to David. He realizes that David will one day rule over Jerusalem in his place and asked David to spare his family. David recognized in this situation that he had the choice to do with Saul as he pleased. David did not choose to kill Saul because he respected and knew that Saul was Gods anointed one. So instead of killing Saul he cut a piece of his robe and then showed Saul he had spared his life. David’s men responded by telling David that this was his chance given by God to kill his enemy and become king over all of Jerusalem. David rebuked them though and showed his character by sparing his enemy’s life.

HOW DOES THIS SITUATION FORESHADOW WHAT GOD DOES THROUGH JESUS CHRIST? David forgave Saul just as Jesus forgives us of our sins because even though we deserve death, we our undeserving of a 2 nd chance. This story foreshowed what Jesus did by how Saul deserved to die because he was disobedient towards God, but God still spared his life though David.