OT 59 Jonathan Helps David Escape

This week, we read about how Jonathan helped his best friend, David, escape from murderous King Saul!

Click "Read more" below to view the Story Notes, Important Ideas, Memory Verse, and Download Links for this week's lesson!

Story Notes

1. Saul promised Jonathan that he wouldn't kill David.
2. Saul tried to kill David with a spear, but David escaped.
3. David's wife, Michael, put a statue in David's bed to help him escape.
4. David didn't go to the New Moon Feast to test whether Saul wanted him dead.
5. Jonathan promised to shoot arrows to signal to David how Saul felt.
6. Saul threw a spear at his own son because he thought he'd helped David.
7. Jonathan shot arrows to secretly signal to David that Saul wanted him dead.
8. Before David ran away, Jonathan and David shared a tearful goodbye.

 Important Ideas

1. A true friend loves in good times and bad.
2. Jesus showed his love for his friends by dying to save them.

Memory Verse

Proverbs 17:17, ESV - A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity.

• Friend – hook your index fingers together twice, switching which finger is on top (the ASL sign for "friend")
• Loves – form a heart shape using your hands (thumbs pressed together, first knuckles of other fingers together
• Times – tap your wrist, pretending to point to your watch
• Brother – put your arm around a neighbor
• Born – pretend to cradle and rock a baby
• Adversity – put your fists up, like you're ready to fight
  

Review Questions

• What promise did Saul make to his son, Jonathan? // Not to harm David
• How did Saul try to kill David the first time in this story? // Threw a spear at him as he played the harp
• How did Michal help David escape from Saul? // Used a statue and goat hair to make it look like he was in bed
• Why didn't David go to the New Moon feast? // To see how Saul reacted and find out if it was safe to return
• What was Jonathan going to use to secretly signal David about how Saul acted at the feast? // Arrows
• Why was Saul angry with Jonathan at the feast? // He thought he was on David's side, not his
• What did Saul do to Jonathan because he was angry? // Threw a spear at him
• How did Jonathan secretly signal to David that it wasn't safe to return? // Shot an arrow far and yelled to his servant boy, "The arrow is far beyond you!"
• Who cried more when Jonathan and David said goodbye? // David
• How is Jesus the greatest friend of all time? // He was willing to die to save his friends

Download Links

Please download the helpful Lesson Format Guide (PDF) to understand how you can use these lessons in your church's children's ministry.

• OT 59 Lesson - Jonathan Helps David Escape (PDF)
• OT 59 Resources (PDF)
• OT 59 Presentation File (LibreOffice, PowerPoint)
• OT 59 Devotional (PDF)

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