December 14, David

Day 15, December 14
Persons: David
Theme/Event: A Shepherd for the People
Symbol: Harp
1 Samuel 16:1-23, 17:1-58, 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 7:1-17

The first king that Samuel anointed was Saul. But, Saul disobeyed God and God told Samuel to anoint a new king. God told Samuel to anoint a boy named David, who was a shepherd. David had to wait many years between the time that he was anointed king and the time that he actually became king. But, David was a man who loved God and He did not disobey God’s laws to become king before God’s time. He trusted God and waited on Him. He knew that God was taking care of him the way that David used to take care of his father’s sheep.

Psalm 23
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.

David wrote many of the Psalms and songs of praise to God that we have in the Old Testament. God used David’s years of waiting to prepare David’s character and to bring glory to God through David’s writings. God fulfilled His plan and David became a great king over Israel. David pointed to Jesus by being a king that glorified God and worshipped Him.

There is another way that David pointed to Jesus. Jesus described Himself as the ‘good shepherd’ who would ‘give His life for the sheep’ (John 10:11). Jesus is our King, but He is a King who loves us and cares for us so much that He gave up His life for us. What a wonderful King!

Questions:
What did David do before He became king?
Did David wait for God’s timing to become king?
What things do you have to wait for?
Prayer: Dear God, help us to always wait for Your timing. Thank you for being our shepherd and taking such good care of us.

December 13, Samuel

Day 14, December 13
Persons: Samuel
Theme/Event: The Beginning of the Kingdom
Symbol: Crown
1 Samuel 3:1-21, 7:1-8:22, 9:15-10:9

God raised up Gideon and other judges to guide and rule over the people of Israel. God had promised the Israelites that He would be their King and that He would raise up a king for them (1 Samuel 2:10), but the Israelites did not want to wait for God’s king in God’s timing. So they demanded a king so that they could be like the other nations around them.

1 Samuel 8:4-9, 19-22
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, 5 and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.” 6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to the LORD. 7 And the LORD said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. 8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day—with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also. 9 Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.” …19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No, but we will have a king over us, 20 that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” 21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the hearing of the LORD. 22 So the LORD said to Samuel, “Heed their voice, and make them a king.” And Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Every man go to his city.”

We should always be content with the provisions that God has made for us in our lives. God has placed authorities and circumstances in our lives to glorify Him and to train us for His purposes for our lives. When we look to other people and their circumstances and wish to be like them, we will not please God and we will get into trouble. We must make sure we are waiting for God’s timing and not trying to rush ahead and take care of things on our own.
All of the kings of Israel were to point to Jesus as the King of Kings, so that when Jesus came the Israelites would recognize Jesus as their King. Jesus is the perfect King who came in God’s perfect time. We must always serve and obey Jesus as the King in our lives.

Questions:
Who was to be the King for the Israelites?
Who is the King of Kings?
How can we show that Jesus is King of our lives?
Prayer: Dear God, help us to not look to others, but be content with what you have given us. Thank you for being our perfect King of Kings.

November 30, Jesse Tree

We decided to post the first day a little early, in case any one wanted to read ahead. :)

Day 1, November 30
Introduction of the Jesse Tree
Symbol- The Tree
Isaiah 11:3-10, 1 Samuel 16:1-13 (David being anointed king)- these are Scriptures for additional reading

This is a very exciting time! Can you think of the special people in your life that you call Granna and Grandy, Grandma and Grandpa? They are all part of your family tree, your ancestors. Jesus had ancestors too, and we are going to spend the next month learning all about Jesus’ ancestors. The Bible tells us all about them in the Old Testament and the stories of their lives all point to Jesus and God’s plans from the beginning.
Tonight is the first night and tonight we are going to set up our tree. We will call it a Jesse Tree. Its name comes from these verses.

Isaiah 11:1-2
The Reign of Jesse’s Offspring
1 There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse,
And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.
2 The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him,
The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The Spirit of counsel and might,
The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.

These verses talk about Jesse’s son, David, who was a great king over Israel. But, they also point forward to Jesus, who was also a descendant of Jesse, who is the King of Kings. This was all part of God’s wonderful plan for us.
This season of Advent is about waiting and preparing our hearts for our King. David waited 40 years after he was anointed king before he became king. People waited many years for Jesus, our Savior, to come to earth. We wait expectantly now for Christmas to come, the day we celebrate Jesus’ birth. We also wait expectantly for Jesus to come again. Let’s use the time that God has given us to prepare our hearts to worship Him and serve Him with gladness.

Questions:
What will we call our tree?
Who was David?
What are we waiting for?

Prayer: Dear God, help us to obey you as we wait patiently. Thank you for your wonderful plan.