Interact Handout 66 - 1 Samuel 29 to 31

Recap:
Saul is in a difficult situation and God is not speaking to him. So he decides to call the pyschic hotline. Suddenly in the midst of the apparent seance, Samuel appears and basically tells Saul that his kingdom is finished and so is he. Fear grips Saul completely. His last supper is some veal, eaten with a medium while his enemies wait some 8 miles up the road. This passage reminds us of the reality of the afterlife; sin untreated will lead to damaged lives and damned souls. In addition we can learn some lessons about interpreting God’s silence in our lives.

Understanding:
In Chapter 29, Why were the leaders of the Philistines displeased with Achish?
Describe the relationship between David and King Achish
What did David discover as he returned to Ziklag?
How did the men react?
Was Ziklag a 'wakeup call' for David? Discuss.
What good signs do we see in David's spiritual life in this crisis?
Why do you think he sent gifts to some villages in Judah?
In the final chapter Saul is killed by whom?
What prompted the act of heroism from the men of Jabesh Gilead?

Reflection:
1. How does deception entangle us further and further so that our options are limited and we seem unable to extricate ourselves?
2. Why does Achish use expressions that sound like he has some type of affinity with
the God of David? cf. ““ As the Lord lives ”” (:6) ““ like an angel of God ”” (:9)
3. Why was there such a strong difference in perception as to how David was viewed? What was blinding Achish’’s eyes to the truth?
4. How did the discovery of the sacking of Ziklag burst David’s bubble of feeling that everything was going his way? Have we ever needed a drastic wake- up call?

5. How quick is God to respond positively to David once David turns from reliance upon the flesh to seek after Him with his whole heart? What does this teach us about God’’s patience and grace and forgiveness?
6. How does David overcome the pettiness and selfishness of those who participated in the victory by pointing their attention to giving God the glory?
7. Why did the Lord allow Jonathan to be killed despite his loyalty to David?
8. How can you explain David's willingness to forgive Saul so much?

Sources:: P G Apple Bible Notes 2003, Living Word Library