Here are the images you need for the hero’s attributes linked to ‘Wanting a King (1 Samuel 8) ‘- where the people demand a king and Saul is crowned.
Each hero set contains a high quality graphic of the character, a take home bible card and a colouring page.
The images are displayed small here, click on the image you wish to have, then save the image that loads. (These images are not copyright free, they are for personal/classroom use only.)
Large image for illustrating the story or putting on a large screen.
There is something that draws you into pictures that pop, and this picture with its 3D crown really does just that. Saul’s head and a crown, both plain enough to let your budding artists go to town.
To make this craft, you will need the 1-page template printout, a glue stick and scissors. I’ve also listed coloured pens, though any decorative materials would work, from crayons, to stamps, to sequins.
Decorate first, those letters are deliberately empty on the template and the crown could use some jazzing up! Then cut out the crown and the head by following the dotted line.
Concertina fold the crown along the dotted lines. TIP: If you are in a rush, fold every other line!
Glue the crown into place, angling the ends slightly so it curves. Talk about how he might feel being the first King of Israel?
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The need to be just like those around you is strong and even though the Israelite’s had a prophet leader they wanted a king. Poor Samuel needs reassuring by God as the request leaves him feeling outright rejected. God knows that creating a King of Israel is going to spell trouble, and he’s right, so he makes the pitfalls of having a monarch known and yet, the people are stubborn.
This retold version of the Bible passage is supplied for inspiration, feel free to omit or embellish to give it your personal voice.
Main Passage : 1 Samuel 8 (does reference other passages)
I wonder – have you ever felt a bit lost on what to do and wished somebody would come and give you some instructions? God’s people started like that in this story.
They saw other people who had kings, and all they had was a prophet called Samuel. Now, having a prophet was awesome. God told the prophet what to do, and the prophet told the people. But sometimes God didn’t seem to say anything, or sometimes the people wished they could hear God’s instructions themselves, and sometimes, sometimes it felt like nobody was leading them. Mostly they missed having a king when they had to fight. Samuel was really good at giving them advice about God, but he wouldn’t lead them into battle like a king would when people attacked.
They went to Samuel and asked if he could choose a king for them. Samuel thought it was a bad idea, a really bad idea.
Samuel thought they were saying he wasn’t enough, that he wasn’t good enough. So, he talked to God about it. God told Samuel that the people weren’t rejecting Samuel as a prophet but rejecting God as their king. Then Samuel went back to the people and told them what God had said.
“You don’t want a king!” said Samuel. “A king will take your sons for his army. He’ll take your daughters for his palace. He’ll take your grain and your wine for his household. Do you really, really want a king?”
But no matter what Samuel said, the people still asked for a king. So Samuel agreed. Who would you choose as a king? What would they be like?
God promised He would send a man to Samuel to be king. When Samuel saw the man God had chosen, all became clear. Saul looked like a king. Saul was big and strong and brave. Saul was a good fighter and good at giving instructions.
Samuel told Saul that he would be king and that God had chosen him. Some days later, all the people gathered and Saul was chosen. He put on his new robe and new crown, and everybody cheered. Saul gathered the army and went out to battle the bad guys, and Saul won the battle. God’s people were very happy.
They may have a new king, but they still had a prophet. Soon, the two would fall out as Saul started to listen less and less to God’s instructions. That kingly robe would be torn, and Saul would not get to choose who wore the crown next.
If ever a lesson needed you to get the fabric out it’s this one. While you can make your own capes quite easily I recognise that’s a bit more fabric than many groups want to be working with, so here is a super simple cape to make for King Saul.
This worksheet about King Saul looks at the cloak he wore and how it came to represent his kingship, both the blessings he received and the failures he encountered. It’s a sheet designed to use in small groups though it would be possible to complete independently. The sheet gets the kids to identify, describe, discuss, ponder and finally decode the fun puzzle at the end.
To complete the worksheet you will need something to write and draw with.
The PDF can be downloaded by clicking on the image.
Saul’s story is huge and in this condensed lesson we have loads of themes that could be used for play activities, these games concentrate on the idea of a torn robe and a wilful king. Saul isn’t a bad character,simply put he tries to use his own logic rather than follow instructions, and when God ‘leaves’ him he knows his downfall is on the cards.
Peg tag – This traditional group game combines chase with the idea of taking part of someone’s clothing, a theme that ties nicely into Saul and the torn robes. Peg 3-5 spring loaded clothes pegs to the back of each child’s top. the aim is to get as many pegs as possible without losing your own. captured pegs can either be added to your own (sit first to show you can’t be caught) or dropped into your ‘teams’ bowl.
This King Saul craft focuses on his robe being torn first by Samuel and the by David, it’s a really quick and simple craft with a lot of printout options so you can tailor it to your group. The craft works simply by making the edge of the robe tear away and reappear in the hands of whomever took it.
If you want the teachers page then please click on the image for the pdf.
Today’s hero is Saul because he shows us the gift of TEARING.
Essential Teachers notes:
Saul is a strange character, he’s impressive visually, he’s chosen by a prophet and given the honour of being the first Israelite king, but despite the new status of the kingdom and his success in battle he is both impatient and wilful. Eventually his logic is his downfall as the prophet Samuel tires of his inability to follow instructions. Though the ramifications of his decisions may not be seen immediately his actions echo down though other biblical stories such as Esther.
