Saul follows his own way

 

Last time we saw how Saul started out humble, and was blessed by God. Unfortunately, he didn't maintain this good attitude.	introduce Saul (wears crown)
Samuel had already started to have doubts about whether God was going to let him continue as king.	introduce Samuel (in red paper robe)
Today, Samuel commands Saul: Here is the command of the Lord: King Agag and his people the Amalekites are both your enemies and mine.	introduce King Agag (also in crown), and two or three others near him (then they can sit back down)
You must go to battle against them, and whatever has breath, be it man, woman, child, ox, sheep, camel, or donkey, must be utterly destroyed.	Have a paper with these categories listed; have child (ü)each one as named
Saul led the Israelites out to battle against Amalek.	Saul and 2-3 others fight with Amalek.
Suddenly, Saul says—wait a second. Let's not kill the king; how much more satisfying will it be to capture him and make him our slave!	They stop. One Israelites wraps string around Agag.
And another thing, says Saul: Let's not kill ALL the sheep and oxen. If we take them back and offer them as sacrifices to God, surely He will be pleased with us!	Second Israelite takes sheets of paper with herd of cattle and flock of sheep.
Was this a good idea?	(ask all)
Now they can all go home, but first Saul sets up a monument to himself commemorating the victory.	Put up paper "pillar" and have kids put up the words 掃羅這裏得勝 (Saul had victory here)
Now, Samuel comes looking for Saul. Is he happy?	(ask all)
Samuel says: God is very upset with your behavior today. You had best confess your sin quickly, or you will surely be punished. But Saul responds: what did I do wrong? I did exactly what God commanded!
But even as he is saying this, they here the sound of cattle and sheep. Samuel asks what that sound is.	Have all make moo and baa noises
Saul says, Oh that? Well…the people wanted to spare the best of the animals to sacrifice to the Lord.
Samuel responds: Do you really think the Lord would be more pleased to have you kill the animals as sacrifices at the altar instead of right here on the battlefield like he told you to? Saul says: Sure, why not?
Samuel is very angry!	grabs Saul and shakes him
Saul says, what is the big deal? I obeyed the Lord! I captured the king, and killed all the people, and all the animals except these ones we planned to offer to the Lord. So what's the problem?
Samuel says, WHAT? The king is still alive? Bring him here right now!	have someone bring out King Agag
Sameul grabs a sword and kills King Agag	kills Agag
Samuel says to Saul: That is how the Lord deals with his enemies. And today you, Saul, have become His enemy. Be sure you shall be punished! He turns to leave.	Samuel turns to leave
But Saul doesn't want him to go; he grabs him by his robe and it tears.	Saul tears Samuel's robe
Samuel turns and says—this is a sign from God! Just as you have torn my robe, so your kingdom will be torn from you and given to someone else more deserving! He leaves.	Samuel leaves

The story didn't go super smoothly this time. Too much monologue, not enough action. I think everyone followed it though. We had a little trouble convincing Samuel to keep his robe on, but everyone else cooperated okay!

The game turned out to be too hard. I might like to try something similar sometime, because it was a fun idea. The adults could do it and seemed to quite enjoy it! And at least one boy couldn't do it because he was laughing too hard, so he at least thought the idea was funny! The idea was ("unlike Saul") to leave nothing behind. We had 8-10 2"x2" paper sheep in the first child's bowl (on a stool). He was supposed to move them to the next child's bowl a few steps away by sucking at it with a straw. Child #2 would then move it to the next bowl while child #1 was moving the next sheep to bowl #2, etc., around the circle. Problem was, when I tried this to see how it would work, I was using a small piece of lightweight paper. The sheep were just too heavy. It wasn't impossible, but the lighter paper would have been much better. Live and learn.

For a craft, each child had a picture of "Samuel in his underwear" and, as Saul had torn his robe, they had to tear out an entire robe for Samuel, trying to follow the drawing on the back of colorful wrapping paper. At first at least one parent protested it would be too hard, but then as they got into it, it turned out fun.

Bible study was on Proverbs 14:12—"There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death."