Many children think that if they act good on the outside, then it doesn’t matter what’s going on in their hearts on the inside. But God cares quite a bit about the heart. In this Anointing King David object lesson, children will learn that God sees their hearts and they have to decide what they want Him to see.
Scripture Focus: 1 Samuel 16:1-13
Materials: Candy box filled with yucky treats (onions, stinky socks, banana peels…); a clear candy or cookie jar; yummy treats (optional)
{I bought a Whitman’s Sampler for the box and Heller and StraussTutti Frutti candies for the fruit shaped candy and glass jar. I spent more money on this object lesson than I normally do, but when I found the candy jar, I couldn’t resist!! It worked pefectly!}
Geography: Israel, David’s kingdom
Background: The people of Israel told Samuel that they wanted a king so they could be like “all of the other nations.” Saul, who was literally a head taller than everyone else, had been given the keys to a kingdom. He had the opportunity to lead the people of God and help Israel become a great nation. Instead he would have the kingdom ripped from his grasp. He made selfish, disobedient decisions, and Samuel told Saul that God had rejected him as king.
Anointing King David Object Lesson:
{Show the box with the yucky stuff hidden. Keep the clear jar hidden.}
- What is this? [Allow for answers]
- What comes inside a box like this? [yummy candy]
- What is your favorite kind of candy from boxes like this? [Allow for answers; be sure to discuss the many different types of candy and react in such a way that shows you LOVE eating this candy.]
This box looks brand new. I bet the candy is brand new. Let’s open the box!
{Show the stinky, yucky stuff and make an awful face when you smell the trash.}
- Ugh! What is this? [Allow for answers]
- But the box looked SO nice and new! Are you surprised by what we found inside? [Allow for answers]
- Can you always trust that you will find the correct thing inside a labeled box? [Most of the time, but not this time!]
Everything about the outside of the box tells me the inside should be good…but it wasn’t
Anointing King David Bible Lesson:
Saul knew that God would take the kingdom away from him eventually. Saul became suspicious and unruly. The scriptures say that the Spirit of the Lord left Saul and there were times when God allowed an evil spirit to enter into Saul.
God sent Samuel to anoint the new king. Samuel was scared of King Saul and asked God how he could get away with anointing another king while Saul was still alive and could catch him. God gave specific instructions to Samuel that would cover and protect his reason for going to Bethlehem. Samuel followed God’s directions and took a heifer with him to Bethlehem in order to sacrifice there.
He asked Jessie, of Bethlehem, the tribe of Judah, to sacrifice with him. [Jessie’s grandmother was Ruth!!] Samuel began to look through all of Jessie’s sons. “Surely THIS is the one, God?” Samuel would pray.
The first son was handsome, strong, and looked like a king! “No. Do not look at his appearance or physical stature…the Lord does not see as man sees-the Lord looks at the heart,” answered God. After all the boys had passed before Samuel, he asked if there were any others. Jessie sent for his youngest son, David.
When David was brought to Samuel God said, “THIS is the one!” Samuel anointed David as king. David was a young shepherd boy…and he probably went right back into the fields after being anointed!
Fifteen years pass. During this time period David fought Goliath. He played the harp for Saul. Saul tried to kill him and David was on the run. Eventually Saul, and his son Jonathan, died in battle.
David was king of Judah for 7.5 years, then he became king of Israel for 33.5 years. During his reign, Jerusalem became the capital and Israel became a GREAT NATION. The tabernacle was brought to Jerusalem, as well as, the ark of the covenant. During his reign, David realized that He had a grand palace in which he lived, but that the Lord only had a tent. He wanted to build a temple to the Lord, but was stopped and told, “No.” David was told by God that his son would build a temple BUT David’s throne would be established forever.
David’s kingdom grew. “David became greater and greater because the Lord of hosts was with him.” (2 Samuel 5:10) David had “victory everywhere he went.” (2 Samuel 8:14)
Life Application of Anointing King David:
{Show the candy box of trash.}
The outside of this box looked perfect for it’s job. It was supposed to hold yummy chocolates. But it failed because the outside hid the trash that was on the inside.
- What type of yucky stuff do people hide inside themselves? [Sin]
- What is sin? [Anything that we think, say, or do that does not please God.]
- What types of sin can go on inside of you that people looking at you would never know about? [Allow for answers, lead the children to list sins such as jealousy, envy, hate, selfishness, pride, and other sins that might exist, but never be acted upon.]
- Does God know your sins that happen inside of you? [Yes]
David was known to have a whole heart for God, to be a “Man After God’s Own Heart.” If you study David’s life, you know he made a LOT of mistakes. So we know he wasn’t perfect.
- What did God see in David? [Allow for answers]
- What is repentance? [Knowing you did wrong and choosing to not do that wrong thing again.]
Whenever David sinned against God whether in only his heart or outwards toward others, he always accepted the fact he had wronged God. He agreed with God he had done wrong and then repented of it.
David truly desired to please God with his whole heart. He was completely committed to God and repentant when wrong.
Is the Bible a realistic book? Absolutely. The Bible is honest about the sin men can create and it shows how God uses imperfect people to bring about His perfect plans. David was not perfect. He committed many sins, including murder. But every time God pointed out his sin, David was humble, he repented, and he accepted the punishment and consequences for his actions.
{Show the clear jar.}
God sees straight into your heart. He knows what you think and why you choose to do certain actions. He knows if you are wanting to please Him or if you want to please just yourself.
This is why God sent Jesus. He sent Jesus because He knows how yucky our hearts are without Him.
When you desire to please God with your thoughts, words, and actions, then you will produce good fruit. That means you will help God build His Kingdom here on earth. That means you are seeking God’s ways and not your own. If you are producing good fruit, then that is proof that Jesus is Master of your heart.
{Show the yucky box.}
We can’t hide our hearts from God. This is what happens when WE are master of our hearts.
{Show the clear jar.}
Every person is clear to God. He sees what is inside you. When you ask Jesus to clean your heart, He takes all the yuckiness away. He forgives us or our sins. And Jesus fills you with the Holy Spirit. And if we ask, He will continue to fill us with the Holy Spirit.
- Do we still sin though? [Yes]
- What you have to decide is what you want God to see. Do you want new trash in your clear jar? [Allow for answers]
- Or do you want fruit? [Allow for answers]
The Holy Spirit can help you produce fruit if you let Him.
Fruit is sweet. And when you produce fruit, not only does it produce a sweet offering to the Lord, but you show Christ-like behavior towards others.
What can we learn from the anointing of King David? People see the outside, but God sees our hearts. We can either fill our hearts with trash and sin, or we can try to stay clean with the help of the Holy Spirit and please God so we can produce fruit.
