Saul, David, Solomon, Elijah and the promise of the Messiah

When God asks Solomon to request anything he wants from God, what does he ask for?

wisdom to govern God's people

The story that illustrates Solomon's wisdom is...

Two prostitutes have babies and live in the same house. One mother rolls over her baby and tries to steal the other woman's child, yet Solomon is able to determine which woman is the rightful mother.

How does Solomon determine who the true mother is?

He suggests cutting the living child in two and giving each mother half. Although, he doesn't really mean it. He intuits that the real mother would never want harm to come to her child even if it meant he would grow up calling another woman mom. He is correct in his sense. The false mother is bitter and says, "Yes, divide him! But the real mother says, "No. Do not kill him. Please give him to her." Solomon determines who the true mother is from this.

Solomon's greatest accomplishment was...

building the great Temple for the Lord

The Temple would house what?

The Ark of the Covenant.

In addition to building the Temple, Solomon accomplishes what?

making Jerusalem a great and glorious city

Solomon gains funds to create the Temple, palace complex to make Jerusalem great by...

Taxing the people and also gaining wealth through his marriages

How does Solomon misuse marriage?

He marries 1000 women to make political allies with neighboring kingdoms and also to gain $

Solomon's downfalls include...

overtaxing the Israelites, marrying 1000 women, and giving into idolatry of his wives foreign gods

Because Solomon gives into idolatry, the Lord punishes him by...

dividing the kingdom of Israel in half when his son (Rehoboam) comes to power

The kingdom of Israel is permanently divided by which year?

915B.C.

The Northern Kingdom is called ____________________ and the Southern part of the Kingdom is called _________________.

Israel; Judah

The kings of the North (Israel) abandon faith in God (Yahweh) to follow false gods (Baal). One of the worst recorded kings of Israel (869-850 B.C.) was a man by the name of _______________ who has a man killed so to take his vineyard away from him.

Ahab

King Ahab's wife is even more ruthless than he is. She has all the prophets of God executed unless they bow down and worship the god of the Canaanites (Baal).

Jezebel

One man has the courage to stand up against Jezebel and her threats of execution. This man is...

Elijah

God communicates with Elijah that a drought then famine is coming to shake Ahab out of his rebellion and defiance. Elijah is provided miraculously with food by ___________________ that bring him bread and meat. (Sort of like St. Benedict!)

ravens

A special person helps to feed Elijah with a small cake using the last remaining flour and oil available before starvation from the famine sets in.

a Widow

Because of her kindness, a miracle happens for the widow. What is it?

Whenever she goes to the container of flour there is always a little bit more. In fact, she never runs out for a year! It is enough to bring her to the end of the famine!

God gives Elijah, like He gave to Moses, courage to single handedly approach the evil king Ahab. Elijah challenges him to a duel of sorts to see which god will produce _____________ to end the drought. Will Yahweh (God) win or the god of the Canaanites (Baal)? After the 450 priests of Baal call on their god, slash themselves and pour their blood on the altar they build for Baal. Elijah humbly invokes the name of Yahweh and God shows up with fire that consumes the altar and the surroundings and then the ________________ comes.

rain

How does Elijah feel God's presence when he leaves to escape Ahab after the duel between the gods?

not in the earthquake or the strong tornado force winds, but in the still gentle breeze

Who becomes Elijah's successor, requesting a double portion of his spirit?

Elisha

Elijah's departure from the world is really very unique. How does he depart?

The Jews held the firm belief that Elijah never died but was carried away by a mysterious flaming chariot into the heavens.

The Jews believed that Elijah would come back from the heavens at which point?

They believed he would return to announce the coming of the Messiah.

Where is this prediction about Elijah found in the Bible?

The very last page of the Old Testament before the New Testament in the book of Malachi.

In fact, when Jesus is engaged in His ministry in the NEw Testament, who do many people believe is Elijah return from Heaven?

John the Baptist

Explain the relationship between David and his father Jesse.

Jesse doesn't seem to value David; he wasn't important enough to be included in the special dinner with Samuel.

What is the important verse in 1 Samuel which is God's direction to Samuel about what to look for in the new anointed king?

God does not see the way man sees; Man sees the outside appearance but God sees the heart.

How does David gain recognition as a warrior?

He defeats Goliath

How does Saul first meet David?

He is hired to play the harp for him

What is David given credit for composing?

The Psalms in the Bible

Where does David establish the capital city for the Israelites?

Jerusalem

What does David bring to Jerusalem that is the very presence of God in their midst?

Ark of the Covenant

An accomplishment of David that was an initial reason why the Israelites wanted a king in the first place.

unifying all the 12 Tribes of Israel

David's 2 fold sin is...

adultery and murder

The child that he first conceived with _____________________ dies but he would take her as his wife and bear other children.

Bathsheba

The consequences of David's sins include...

in fighting among his children and violent competition; death and even sexual abuse.

Who is sent to confront David on his sins?

Nathan

Explain the story that the prophet Nathan gives to David to make him recognize his sins.

There was a rich man who has many sheep while a poor man has one ewe lamb he loves as a daughter. The rich man takes the poor man's sheep to make a meal with his friend instead of his many sheep. David gets angry about it and Nathan says, "You are that man."

What does Nathan tell David, "You are that man?"

He had everything he could ever want and yet he had to go and take Uriah's only wife that he loved and then have him killed.

God promised to give David a house. How is this promise fulfilled in two different ways?

His son Solomon would build a physical house for God, but the deeper and fuller meaning is that a a Royal house (dynasty) would come from David's line that would continue and go on forever!

Why is it significant that Jesus is called "Son of David?"

It shows us that he was related to David in his family line and the promise that the Messiah would come from David's family tree is fulfilled!

A secondary feature of the Davidic covenant is the role of the ________ _______________. For Solomon it would be fulfilled with Bathsheba. For Jesus it is fulfilled in Mary.

Queen Mother

The ___________ ____________ functioned as the king's right hand man. The one who literally held the keys to the whole Kingdom (buildings, exterior wall, etc.) Peter fulfilled this role for Jesus.

Prime Minister

In worship David replaces the sin offering with an offering of bread and wine known as the "thank offering" or ____________________ in Greek!

Eucharistia

The number of times David is mentioned in the later part of the Old Testament is a lot! In fact his name is mentioned over ___________ times!

1000

Saul was chosen as the first king by

Samuel

Saul is chosen as king because

He looks good from the outside

The anointing of Saul is removed by God when he makes these two serious mistakes.

He doesn't wait for Samuel to make a sacrifice, acting as a priest when he is not. ANd he takes loot from the conquered people, failing to carry out the ban.

Saul's action that ends up getting him killed the next day.

Hiring a witch to bring Samuel back from the dead

Saul had some positive accomplishments, like

defeating many of the Israelites enemies as a brave warrior

Saul suffers with

emotional instability, jealousy for David, depression