Lesson
86: 1 Samuel 16
Introduction
After
rejecting Saul as the king of Israel, the Lord sent Samuel to Bethlehem to find
a new king among the sons of Jesse. The Lord inspired Samuel to anoint David as
the next king of Israel. David was chosen to be Saul’s armor-bearer and to play
music on a harp when Saul was troubled by an evil spirit.
---Before
class, decorate two small paper bags in different ways. Put something valuable
in one bag and something of little value in the other (such as a piece of candy
in one bag and just the candy wrapper in the other). Show the class the two
bags, and explain that one
---Without seeing what is inside, which
bag would you choose?
---Why would you make that
choice?
---Today
we will learn a truth about making judgments based on outward appearances.
---Read
1 Samuel
16:1
aloud and look for what the Lord told Samuel to do after He rejected Saul as
king.
---What did the Lord tell Samuel
to do?
---Read
1 Samuel
16:2–5
aloud looking for how Samuel responded to the Lord’s command to anoint one of
Jesse’s sons as the next king of Israel.
---What was Samuel worried
about?
---What did the Lord tell Samuel
to do so Saul would not be suspicious?
---Invite
students to read 1 Samuel
16:6
silently, looking for what Samuel thought when he saw one of Jesse’s sons. Ask
students to report what they find.
---Read
1 Samuel
16:7
aloud looking for what the Lord told Samuel after Samuel thought that Eliab
should be the next king.
---Why did God tell Samuel not
to look at Eliab’s height or physical appearance as a way to decide whether he
should be the new king?
---What does this verse teach us
about how God sees and judges us? (God judges us by our hearts rather
than our outward appearance.)
---What do you think it means
that God judges us by our hearts?
Provide
each student with a copy of the following statement by Elder Marvin J.
Ashton of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Invite a student to read it aloud,
and ask the class to follow along and look for additional insights into what it
means to be judged by our hearts.
“When
the Lord measures an individual, … He measures the heart as an indicator of the
person’s capacity and potential to bless others.
“Why
the heart? Because the heart is a synonym for one’s entire make-up. …
“The
measure of our hearts is the measure of our total performance. As used by the
Lord, the ‘heart’ of a person describes his effort to better self, or others,
or the conditions he confronts” (“The Measure of Our Hearts,” Ensign, Nov.
1988, 15).
---According to Elder Ashton, what does
the Lord measure when He judges us by our hearts?
---Why is it important for you
to know that God judges you by your heart and not your physical appearance?
---Although
God judges us by our hearts, He still expects us to take care of our bodies and
be neat and clean in our physical appearance. Our dress and grooming can be a
reflection of our hearts.
---Show
the class the two bags from the beginning of the lesson. Ask a student to come
to the front of the class, look inside the bags, and report to the class what
they contain.
---How might this example relate
to the principle written on the board?
---What problems might we
experience if we make a judgment without knowing what is inside a person’s
heart?
---Think
about a time when you judged someone based on his or her physical appearance
but realized later that you had judged the person incorrectly.
---Does anyone want to share your
experiences with the class?
---You
may also want to share an experience.
---Think
about whether you are currently judging someone based solely on their physical
appearance.
---Make
an effort to discern the hearts of these individuals.
---Read
1 Samuel
16:8–13
and look for what happened as Samuel continued seeking for a new king among
Jesse’s sons.
---Invite
students to report what they find.
---Why did Samuel anoint David
as the next king?
---Read
1 Samuel
16:14
aloud and look for what happened to Saul. Point out the Joseph Smith Translation in verse 14,
footnote c.
Point out that the Joseph Smith Translation makes a similar change in verses 15,
16, and 23.
---What happened to Saul?
---Remember
that Saul had seriously offended God by disobeying His commandments. Because of
his sins, he felt troubled.
---Read
1 Samuel
16:15–16
silently, looking for what Saul’s servants suggested could help Saul feel
better.
---What did the servants suggest
could help Saul feel better?
---Read
1 Samuel
16:17–18
aloud looking for the person who one of the servants suggested should play
music for Saul.
---Who did one of the servants
suggest should play the harp for Saul? (A son of Jesse. If needed, explain that
the servant was referring to David.)
---Summary
of 1 Samuel
16:19–22:
Saul sent messengers to Jesse and requested that David be sent to the king.
David went with the king’s servants and was presented before the king. David
became Saul’s armor-bearer, which was a person selected by the king to carry
his armor and to stand by the king in times of danger. Hence David was
introduced into the palace and the future seat of power he had been ordained to
succeed (see 1 Samuel
16:13).
David was following God’s plan, and thereby God’s design for him was unfolding
according to the divine timetable.
---Read
1 Samuel
16:23
aloud and look for what effect David’s music had on Saul. Remind students that
the Joseph Smith Translation changed the phrase “an evil spirit from God” to an
evil spirit “which was not of God” (1 Samuel
16:23, footnote b).
---What happened when David
played music for Saul? (The evil spirit departed.)
---What kind of music do you
think has the power to drive away evil influences?
---Although
Saul may have temporarily felt better by listening to spiritually uplifting music, the only way Saul could have found
lasting peace was by repenting.
President
Boyd K. Packer:
“If
you can control your thoughts, you can overcome habits, even degrading personal
habits. If you can learn to master them you will have a happy life.
“This
is what I would teach you. Choose from among the sacred music of the Church a
favorite hymn, one with words that are uplifting and music that is reverent,
one that makes you feel something akin to inspiration. … Go over it in your
mind carefully. Memorize it. Even though you have had no musical training, you
can think through a hymn.
“Now,
use this hymn as the place for your thoughts to go. Make it your emergency
channel. Whenever you find these shady actors have slipped from the sidelines
of your thinking onto the stage of your mind, put on this record, as it were.
“As
the music begins and as the words form in your thoughts, the unworthy ones will
slip shamefully away. It will change the whole mood on the stage of your mind.
Because it is uplifting and clean, the baser thoughts will disappear. For while
virtue, by choice, will not associate with filth, evil cannot tolerate the
presence of light.
“In
due time you will find yourself, on occasion, humming the music inwardly. As
you retrace your thoughts, you discover some influence from the world about you
encouraged an unworthy thought to move on stage in your mind, and the music
almost automatically began”
For
the Strength of Youth states:
“Music
can enrich your life. It can edify and inspire you and help you draw closer to
Heavenly Father. Music has a profound effect on your mind, spirit, and
behavior.
“Choose
carefully the music you listen to. Pay attention to how you feel when you are
listening. Some music can carry evil and destructive messages. Do not listen to
music that encourages immorality or glorifies violence through its lyrics,
beat, or intensity. Do not listen to music that uses vulgar or offensive
language or promotes evil practices. Such music can dull your spiritual
sensitivity.
“Learn
and sing the hymns. Hymns can lift your spirit, move you to righteous action,
and help you withstand the temptations of the adversary” (For the Strength of
Youth [booklet, 2011], 22).
---Invite
the class to recite together the last half of 1 Samuel
16:7,
starting with “the Lord seeth.”
---To
help students apply the doctrine taught in 1 Samuel
16:7,
read aloud the following scenarios and ask them to discuss how they might use
what they learned from 1 Samuel
16:7
to help change their thoughts and actions if they were in these situations.
Applications:
1.
You wish you looked like some of your peers at school. You feel like you are
not as attractive as others.
2.
You make fun of a classmate because his or her clothing is not as nice as that
of the rest of your classmates.
3.
You have a neighbor who drinks alcohol and smokes cigarettes. You do not think
he or she would be interested in learning more about the Church.
Commentary and
Background Information
1 Samuel
16:7. “But the Lord looketh on the heart”
President
Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the First Presidency explained how the Lord views
His children:
“Heavenly
Father’s interest in you does not depend on how rich or beautiful or healthy or
smart you are. He sees you not as the world sees you; He sees who you really
are. He looks on your heart [see 1 Samuel
16:7].
And He loves you [see 1 Peter
5:6–7]
because you are His child” (“Your Wonderful Journey Home,” Ensign or
Liahona, May 2013, 128).
Right margin
extras:
PowerPoint: Old
Testament lesson 86—1 Samuel 16
Measure of Our Hearts (1:08)
Elder Marvin J. Ashton of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explains how the Lord measures us and our contributions to His kingdom. Instead of having a student read Elder Ashton's statement, consider showing this video.
Elder Marvin J. Ashton of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explains how the Lord measures us and our contributions to His kingdom. Instead of having a student read Elder Ashton's statement, consider showing this video.
The
Song of the Heart (2:52)
Marissa, a young woman from Hawaii, loves music not only because singing and dancing are her passion but also because music has brought her closer to Heavenly Father. Consider showing this video as an example of someone who is aware of the influence music has on her.
Marissa, a young woman from Hawaii, loves music not only because singing and dancing are her passion but also because music has brought her closer to Heavenly Father. Consider showing this video as an example of someone who is aware of the influence music has on her.
Student
quotes:
“When
the Lord measures an individual, … He measures the heart as an indicator of the
person’s capacity and potential to bless others.
“Why
the heart? Because the heart is a synonym for one’s entire make-up. …
“The
measure of our hearts is the measure of our total performance. As used by the
Lord, the ‘heart’ of a person describes his effort to better self, or others,
or the conditions he confronts” (“The Measure of Our Hearts,” Ensign, Nov.
1988, 15).
1.
You wish you looked like some of your peers at school. You feel like you are
not as attractive as others.
2.
You make fun of a classmate because his or her clothing is not as nice as that
of the rest of your classmates.
3.
You have a neighbor who drinks alcohol and smokes cigarettes. You do not think
he or she would be interested in learning more about the Church.
President
Boyd K. Packer:
“If
you can control your thoughts, you can overcome habits, even degrading personal
habits. If you can learn to master them you will have a happy life.
“This
is what I would teach you. Choose from among the sacred music of the Church a
favorite hymn, one with words that are uplifting and music that is reverent,
one that makes you feel something akin to inspiration. … Go over it in your
mind carefully. Memorize it. Even though you have had no musical training, you
can think through a hymn.
“Now,
use this hymn as the place for your thoughts to go. Make it your emergency
channel. Whenever you find these shady actors have slipped from the sidelines
of your thinking onto the stage of your mind, put on this record, as it were.
“As
the music begins and as the words form in your thoughts, the unworthy ones will
slip shamefully away. It will change the whole mood on the stage of your mind.
Because it is uplifting and clean, the baser thoughts will disappear. For while
virtue, by choice, will not associate with filth, evil cannot tolerate the
presence of light.
“In
due time you will find yourself, on occasion, humming the music inwardly. As
you retrace your thoughts, you discover some influence from the world about you
encouraged an unworthy thought to move on stage in your mind, and the music
almost automatically began”
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