Saul's Sad End

The first time through this unit, we included a story about David and Jonathan, where David hides in the field and Jonathan sends him a “coded message” via the arrows he has his servant boy retrieve for him.  We skipped that this time in order to be ready to switch units starting with a special meeting next Sunday.  So, lots to roll into one story today!

So, we began by reminding everyone how David had killed Goliath in our last story.  Was Saul happy about this?  Surely!  We had a “mouthless” king face and had one of the boys draw in a smile.  Yes, Saul was so happy that he brought David back with him and made him the leader of his army.  And because God was with him, David had great success.  Everyone loved him, and the girls would dance and sing songs about him:  Two girls got “tambourines” (foil pie plates with bells tied around the edges) and together we all chanted: Soulòh saatséi CHÌN CHÌN; Daaihwàih saatséi MAAHN MAAHN.  I.e., Saul has killed thousands, thousands, David has killed ten thousands, ten thousands—it’s got great rhythm in Cantonese!

But did this make Saul happy?  Hardly!  So we had someone try and draw a frown on another king face.  That was harder; I think they learn smiley faces in school but not frowny faces! Anyway, Saul was so unhappy that it affected his mind.  He would get depressed and nothing could help him but David playing the harp for him.  (Saul sits on fancy desk chair, David sits in front of him on stool playing his harp.)  But sometimes, even this wasn’t enough.  At least once when David was trying to soothe him with music, Saul tried to spear him! (Saul grabs spear and chases David away.)  So David stays away, and now Saul is more miserable than ever.

And the Philistines are still making war with Israel.  What’s Saul supposed to do?  In the “good old days,” Samuel gave him advice.  (Introduce Samuel, in prophet’s mantle).  But Samuel is dead. (Push Samuel back down into chair.)  Also back in the “good old days,” when Saul was trying to please God instead of himself, he had banished all the mediums and sorcerers from Israel.  But now he’s so messed up he wants to consult one himself!  His servant tells him there is one in the town of Endor.  So Saul takes off his crown, puts on an ordinary robe, and goes in disguise to see the medium. 

 

 She waves her hands over her crystal ball (she really got into the role!) and says, “I see an old man—he is very angry!  He says, who has dared to bother me?  That person is so wicked, he is sure to die by tomorrow!”  Whoa, Saul hears that and he’s half dead from fright already.  He leaves.

The next day, he is out with the army, fighting the Philistines.  (Saul & several others fight with swords.)  Saul is badly injured and afraid that the enemy will prolong his death with torture, so he “falls on his sword” (which our Saul flat out refused to do, but he was willing to “stab himself,” at least). 

So now with no king, Israel is worse off than ever.  Finally someone says, we really should install David as king!  So they go and get David, crown him, and everyone applauds.

I’d really wanted Saul to fall on his sword because the game was about tossing plastic rings to have them “fall on a sword” tied to a stool.  The game was fun anyway!

We made copies of David’s little harp for a craft.