Purpose: To encourage class members to be true to their friends, as Jonathan and David were, and avoid being consumed by jealousy and hatred, as Saul was.
Jeffrey R. Holland, “Real Friendship,” New Era, Jun 1998, 62
David and Jonathan
Aristotle said once that friendship is a single soul dwelling in two bodies. No definition of friendship could better describe the relationship of David and Jonathan in the Old Testament. Jonathan, the son of King Saul, was a valiant soldier in his own right and a worthy young prince in Israel. But when David came onto the scene fresh from his mighty victory over Goliath, having already been anointed by the prophet Samuel, it was he, not Jonathan, who would be successor to the increasingly disobedient Saul.
To a lesser man—or a lesser friend—than Jonathan, David would have been a terrible threat, a natural rival. But he wasn’t. We don’t know that Jonathan expected to succeed his father as king, but he certainly could have foreseen that possibility. What we do know is that “the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul” (1 Sam. 18:1). So great was their devotion to one another that they “made a covenant” of loyalty. As a symbolic token of his devotion to the newly anointed king, Jonathan stripped himself of the princely robe he wore “and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle” (1 Sam. 18:4).
When Saul’s transgressions brought hostility between him and young David (“and Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, and was departed from Saul” the scripture says), Saul privately commanded his officers to kill David (1 Sam. 18:12). But the ever-faithful Jonathan warned his friend, helped him hide out of Saul’s view, and continually spoke to his father of David’s virtues. He was so successful in praising David that Saul repented and made a vow that David’s life would be preserved. “And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as in times past” (1 Sam. 19:7).
But Saul was so overcome by evil at this stage of his life that he could not keep his word and once again tried to kill David. In a daring escape David fled to Jonathan, who again pledged his love and his protection, saying to David, “Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee” (1 Sam. 20:4).
Jonathan’s protection of David, of course, raised Saul’s anger against his own son. In a rage Saul threw a javelin at Jonathan—just as he had done to David earlier. Jonathan escaped, telling David he must flee for his life. Their sorrow over this circumstance was so deep and their love for one another so great that they “wept one with another, … And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, The Lord be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever” (1 Sam. 20:41–42).
Although Saul continued to seek David’s life, Jonathan secretly assisted David and gave him encouragement, promising that “the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee” (1 Sam. 23:17). And always they renewed their covenant of friendship and loyalty (see 1 Sam. 23:18).
Unfortunately Jonathan was killed when the Philistines attacked Saul’s forces on Mount Gilboa, but David, who was now king, never forgot the friendship and protection of his beloved friend Jonathan. His lamentation over Jonathan’s death is one of the loveliest psalms in the Old Testament (see 2 Sam. 1:26–27).
1 Samuel 18–20; 23–24
Study the following scriptures:
a. 1 Samuel 18:1–16. Jonathan and David make a covenant of friendship (18:1–4). David is honored by the Israelites for his success in battle (18:5–7). Saul becomes jealous of David and tries to kill him (18:8–16; note that the Joseph Smith Translation of verse 10 indicates that the evil spirit that came upon Saul was not from God).
b. 1 Samuel 18:17–30; 19:1–18. David fights the Philistines in exchange for the right to marry Saul’s daughter, unaware that Saul is hoping David will die in battle (18:17–25). David triumphs over the Philistines and marries Saul’s daughter Michal (18:26–28). Jonathan tells David to hide and tries to convince Saul not to kill him (19:1–7). Saul fails in another attempt to kill David (19:9–10). Michal saves David from another of Saul’s attempts on his life (19:11–18).
c. 1 Samuel 20. Jonathan and David renew their covenant of friendship and peace. When Saul again tries to kill David, Jonathan warns David.
d. 1 Samuel 23–24. David continues to fight the Philistines and flee Saul. David finds Saul and spares his life.
• Why do you think Jonathan was not jealous of David or threatened by him? (1 Samuel 18:1, 3.)
• What prompted Saul to turn against David? (See 1 Samuel 18:6–9.) Why is it sometimes difficult to be happy about the success of others? How do jealousy and pride affect our spiritual well-being?
• How did faith in God influence the friendship of Jonathan and David? (See 1 Samuel 20:23.) How does our love of God affect our love of others?
• What does David’s example teach us about revenge? (See 1 Samuel 24:6–15.)
Additional reading: 1 Samuel 14:1–16; 2 Samuel 1.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Lesson 22: “The Lord Looketh on the Heart
Purpose: To encourage class members to trust in the Lord rather than their own understanding.
The scriptural chapters that we will discuss next week make for another another great lesson! Do you face challenges in your life that are big and scary? Dare I ask if some of the challenges you face seem enormous? I've included a talk given by President Hinckley addressing some of the Goliaths that we face in our lives. I hope you enjoy it.
President Gordon B. Hinckley, “Overpowering the Goliaths in Our Lives,” Ensign, Jan 2002, 2
As we study the Old Testament this year, we will come to realize that the story of David and Goliath is a wonderful example of what we can learn from the pages of this great book of scripture. I recount only a portion of the story, for I am confident you are already familiar with it. It is the story of David, the son of Jesse. As you recall, the army of Israel under the leadership of King Saul was engaged in a deadly war with the army of the Philistines. One army poised on one hill, the other on an opposite hill, with a valley in between. Now, the Philistines had among their number a great giant of a man named Goliath of Gath. His height was six cubits and a span. If I have figured correctly, that would put him somewhere in the neighborhood of nine feet tall. What a basketball center he might have made!
Clad in his armor, he came down to the valley and called out to the army of Israel: “Choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. “If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us. “… I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together” (1 Sam. 17:8–10). When Saul and the army of Israel looked at this giant and heard his chilling challenge, they were frightened because they had no one of their own of such stature.
Now, while all of this was going on, Jesse, David’s father, asked his young son to take some food to his three brothers in the army. When he arrived at the battleground, Goliath came out again, issuing the same challenge, which David heard. There was fear throughout the army of Israel. David, who was no more than a boy, said to the king (and I paraphrase his language): “King, why are you so afraid of this giant? I will go and fight him.” Saul replied, “Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he [is] a man of war [trained] from his youth” (1 Sam. 17:33).
David Armed with Faith
David then persuaded Saul to let him try. He told the king of how he had fought with a lion and a bear to save his father’s sheep and concluded by saying that the Lord would deliver him out of the hand of the Philistine. Saul, possibly thinking that one more life lost would not be serious among the great losses they had already sustained, said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with thee” (1 Sam. 17:37). Saul then placed armor on David until the boy could scarcely walk. David said to the king, “I cannot wear this,” and he took the armor off. He then “took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had … ; and his sling was in his hand” (1 Sam. 17:40). This stripling of a boy, with only a sling and five stones, and without any armor other than the armor of faith, went down into the valley to face Goliath.
Goliath Armed with Sword, Spear, and Shield
“And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance. “And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves?” And Goliath swore at David, saying, “Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.” Then David spoke these great words: “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.
“This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel” (see 1 Sam. 17:42–46). That was brave talk for a boy who stood against a nine-foot giant.
In anger Goliath came at him. Then David, running toward the giant, “put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth” (1 Sam. 17:49).
Evil Giants in Our Lives
I would like to apply this story to our lives. There are Goliaths all around us, hulking giants with evil intent to destroy. These are not nine-foot-tall men, but they are people and institutions that control attractive but evil things that may challenge and weaken and destroy us. Included in these are beer and other liquors and tobacco. Those who market these products would like to enslave you into their use. There are illegal drugs of various kinds which, I am told, are relatively easy to obtain. For those who peddle them this is a multibillion-dollar industry, a giant web of evil. There is pornography, seductive and interesting and inviting. It has become a giant industry, producing magazines, films, and other materials. It is available on the Internet and, if you allow, it will intrude into your home via your television. It is designed to take your money and lead you toward activities that utterly destroy. The giants who are behind these efforts are formidable and skillful. They have gained vast experience in the war they are carrying on. They would like to ensnare you. It is almost impossible to entirely avoid exposure to their products. You see these materials on all sides. But you need not fear if you have the slingshot of truth in your hands. You have been counseled and taught and advised. You have the stones of virtue and honor and integrity to use against these enemies who would like to conquer you. When they challenge you, you can hit them “between the eyes,” to use a figurative expression. You can triumph over them by disciplining yourself to avoid them. You can say to the whole lot of them as David said to Goliath, “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.” Victory will be yours. There is not a person in this Church who needs to succumb to any of these forces. You are a child of God. You have His power within you to sustain you. You have the right to call upon God to protect you. Do not let Goliath frighten you. Stand your ground and hold your place, and you will be triumphant. As the years pass, you will look back with satisfaction upon the battles you have won in your individual lives. When temptation comes your way, name that boastful, deceitful giant “Goliath!” and do with it as David did to the Philistine of Gath. I humbly pray that God will bless each of you.
Guard Your Homes
Let me give you a parable. A man built a beautiful home and furnished it with the very best of carpets, furniture, appliances, all that money could buy. Within its walls he kept his fine automobiles and his expensive jewelry. Then, fearful of intruders who might enter and rob him, he had installed expensive dead-bolt locks so that he had to use a key to get out as well as to get in. He put bars on the windows and doors and was like a prisoner looking out of his own home, as one might do out of a jail. He installed costly electronic surveillance devices to turn on lights and set off sirens should any unwelcome intruder enter. He landscaped largely without trees or shrubbery so there would be no place for a thief to hide. And he smugly said to himself, “Now I am secure.” But what he did not realize is that neither bars nor dead bolts, neither lights nor sirens nor anything of the kind would have the slightest effect on intruders of another variety who could destroy his life and the lives of his family. He found himself to be his own prisoner, locked in a cell of despair and misery. He allowed the Goliaths of his life to overpower him.
I know it is an old subject and one that has been dealt with much. But I repeat it again: Guard your homes. How foolish it seems to install bars and bolts and electronic devices against thieves and molesters while more insidious intruders stealthily enter and despoil. Avoid pornography as you would a plague. I recall an assignment some years back to restore the blessings of a man who had been excommunicated from the Church because of his sin. He came to my office with his wife. I spoke with them individually. I asked him how it all began. He held a responsible position in the Church. He was likewise a professional man with high responsibility in the community. His trouble began, he said, when he picked up a pornographic magazine to read on the plane. It intrigued him. It appealed to him. He found himself buying more of these things. Then he sought out movies which titillated him and excited him. Knowing his wife would be a party to none of this, he went alone. He found occasion to leave town and go to other cities where he could more easily indulge his desires. He then found excuses to stay late at his office and asked his secretary to stay with him. One thing led to another until he succumbed. With tears rolling down his cheeks, he sat across the desk from me and cursed the day he had read that first magazine. He spoke of his love for the wife who had forgiven him and remained true to him. He spoke of his love for his children, who had been shamed and embarrassed by his actions. He told of the hell through which he had walked from the time of his excommunication. He spoke of his love for the Church and his desire to enjoy again its full blessings. In the presence of his wife, I placed my hands upon his head and in the authority of the holy priesthood restored his priesthood, his temple endowment, his temple sealing, and all other blessings which he had formerly held. This strong man sobbed like a baby under my hands while his wife, with her hand in his, wept like a child. At the conclusion of that blessing, they embraced one another and he asked her to forgive him. She said she had forgiven him and that she loved him and always would. They were happy when they left, happier than they had been in years. And I was happy too. But I thought of the terrible price he had paid and of the price he had exacted of his family through his foolishness and transgression.
Guard Against Your Goliaths
Unfortunately, there is not always that kind of happy ending. In many cases there is divorce with bitterness and rancor. What was once love has turned to hate. Children’s lives are blighted. Hopes become as ashes. So often there is only misery and loneliness and regret. Brethren and sisters, keep your affections within marriage. Regard as your most precious possession in time or eternity the person with whom you joined hands over the altar in the house of the Lord and to whom you pledged your love and loyalty and affection for time and all eternity. Your companion, your children, and you yourself will then know and feel a security far greater than any that can be bought with hardware and gadgetry. God bless you, that the watch-care of the Lord may be over you, that you may stay close to Him and be deserving of His preserving hand, that you may overpower the Goliaths in your lives.
Study the following scriptures:
a. 1 Samuel 9–11. Saul seeks guidance from Samuel (9:1–14, 18–24). The Lord reveals to Samuel that Saul is to be king (9:15–17). Samuel counsels Saul and anoints him as Israel’s first king (9:25–27; 10:1–8). Saul is spiritually reborn, and he prophesies (10:9–13). Samuel presents Saul to the people (10:17–27). Saul leads Israel to victory in a battle (11:1–11). He refuses to punish the men who had doubted his ability to lead the people (11:12–15).
b. 1 Samuel 13:1–14. Saul offers a burnt offering without the proper authority.
c. 1 Samuel 15. Saul is commanded to destroy the Amalekites and all their possessions, but he saves some of their animals for a sacrifice (15:1–9). The Lord rejects Saul as king, and Samuel tells Saul that obedience is better than sacrifice (15:10–35).
d. 1 Samuel 16. The Lord chooses David to succeed Saul as king (16:1–13). The Holy Spirit departs from Saul, and an evil spirit takes possession of him (16:14–16; note that in the Joseph Smith Translation these verses show that the evil spirit was not from God). Saul chooses David to play the harp for him and to be his armor bearer (16:17–23).
e. 1 Samuel 17. David slays Goliath in the strength of the Lord.
• How did Samuel respond to Saul’s explanation for saving the Amalekites’ animals? (See 1 Samuel 15:22.) How can Samuel’s words apply to us?
• What did Samuel learn while he tried to determine which of Jesse’s sons should succeed Saul as king? (See 1 Samuel 16:6–7.) What does 1 Samuel 16:7 teach about how the Lord evaluates us? What does the Lord look for in our hearts? How can we improve our ability and commitment to see beyond the outward appearance of others and look on the heart?
• How did David get the courage to fight Goliath? (See 1 Samuel 17:32–37, 45–47.) How has the Lord helped you overcome “Goliaths” that you have encountered?
The scriptural chapters that we will discuss next week make for another another great lesson! Do you face challenges in your life that are big and scary? Dare I ask if some of the challenges you face seem enormous? I've included a talk given by President Hinckley addressing some of the Goliaths that we face in our lives. I hope you enjoy it.
President Gordon B. Hinckley, “Overpowering the Goliaths in Our Lives,” Ensign, Jan 2002, 2
As we study the Old Testament this year, we will come to realize that the story of David and Goliath is a wonderful example of what we can learn from the pages of this great book of scripture. I recount only a portion of the story, for I am confident you are already familiar with it. It is the story of David, the son of Jesse. As you recall, the army of Israel under the leadership of King Saul was engaged in a deadly war with the army of the Philistines. One army poised on one hill, the other on an opposite hill, with a valley in between. Now, the Philistines had among their number a great giant of a man named Goliath of Gath. His height was six cubits and a span. If I have figured correctly, that would put him somewhere in the neighborhood of nine feet tall. What a basketball center he might have made!
Clad in his armor, he came down to the valley and called out to the army of Israel: “Choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. “If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us. “… I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together” (1 Sam. 17:8–10). When Saul and the army of Israel looked at this giant and heard his chilling challenge, they were frightened because they had no one of their own of such stature.
Now, while all of this was going on, Jesse, David’s father, asked his young son to take some food to his three brothers in the army. When he arrived at the battleground, Goliath came out again, issuing the same challenge, which David heard. There was fear throughout the army of Israel. David, who was no more than a boy, said to the king (and I paraphrase his language): “King, why are you so afraid of this giant? I will go and fight him.” Saul replied, “Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he [is] a man of war [trained] from his youth” (1 Sam. 17:33).
David Armed with Faith
David then persuaded Saul to let him try. He told the king of how he had fought with a lion and a bear to save his father’s sheep and concluded by saying that the Lord would deliver him out of the hand of the Philistine. Saul, possibly thinking that one more life lost would not be serious among the great losses they had already sustained, said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with thee” (1 Sam. 17:37). Saul then placed armor on David until the boy could scarcely walk. David said to the king, “I cannot wear this,” and he took the armor off. He then “took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had … ; and his sling was in his hand” (1 Sam. 17:40). This stripling of a boy, with only a sling and five stones, and without any armor other than the armor of faith, went down into the valley to face Goliath.
Goliath Armed with Sword, Spear, and Shield
“And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance. “And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves?” And Goliath swore at David, saying, “Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.” Then David spoke these great words: “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.
“This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel” (see 1 Sam. 17:42–46). That was brave talk for a boy who stood against a nine-foot giant.
In anger Goliath came at him. Then David, running toward the giant, “put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth” (1 Sam. 17:49).
Evil Giants in Our Lives
I would like to apply this story to our lives. There are Goliaths all around us, hulking giants with evil intent to destroy. These are not nine-foot-tall men, but they are people and institutions that control attractive but evil things that may challenge and weaken and destroy us. Included in these are beer and other liquors and tobacco. Those who market these products would like to enslave you into their use. There are illegal drugs of various kinds which, I am told, are relatively easy to obtain. For those who peddle them this is a multibillion-dollar industry, a giant web of evil. There is pornography, seductive and interesting and inviting. It has become a giant industry, producing magazines, films, and other materials. It is available on the Internet and, if you allow, it will intrude into your home via your television. It is designed to take your money and lead you toward activities that utterly destroy. The giants who are behind these efforts are formidable and skillful. They have gained vast experience in the war they are carrying on. They would like to ensnare you. It is almost impossible to entirely avoid exposure to their products. You see these materials on all sides. But you need not fear if you have the slingshot of truth in your hands. You have been counseled and taught and advised. You have the stones of virtue and honor and integrity to use against these enemies who would like to conquer you. When they challenge you, you can hit them “between the eyes,” to use a figurative expression. You can triumph over them by disciplining yourself to avoid them. You can say to the whole lot of them as David said to Goliath, “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.” Victory will be yours. There is not a person in this Church who needs to succumb to any of these forces. You are a child of God. You have His power within you to sustain you. You have the right to call upon God to protect you. Do not let Goliath frighten you. Stand your ground and hold your place, and you will be triumphant. As the years pass, you will look back with satisfaction upon the battles you have won in your individual lives. When temptation comes your way, name that boastful, deceitful giant “Goliath!” and do with it as David did to the Philistine of Gath. I humbly pray that God will bless each of you.
Guard Your Homes
Let me give you a parable. A man built a beautiful home and furnished it with the very best of carpets, furniture, appliances, all that money could buy. Within its walls he kept his fine automobiles and his expensive jewelry. Then, fearful of intruders who might enter and rob him, he had installed expensive dead-bolt locks so that he had to use a key to get out as well as to get in. He put bars on the windows and doors and was like a prisoner looking out of his own home, as one might do out of a jail. He installed costly electronic surveillance devices to turn on lights and set off sirens should any unwelcome intruder enter. He landscaped largely without trees or shrubbery so there would be no place for a thief to hide. And he smugly said to himself, “Now I am secure.” But what he did not realize is that neither bars nor dead bolts, neither lights nor sirens nor anything of the kind would have the slightest effect on intruders of another variety who could destroy his life and the lives of his family. He found himself to be his own prisoner, locked in a cell of despair and misery. He allowed the Goliaths of his life to overpower him.
I know it is an old subject and one that has been dealt with much. But I repeat it again: Guard your homes. How foolish it seems to install bars and bolts and electronic devices against thieves and molesters while more insidious intruders stealthily enter and despoil. Avoid pornography as you would a plague. I recall an assignment some years back to restore the blessings of a man who had been excommunicated from the Church because of his sin. He came to my office with his wife. I spoke with them individually. I asked him how it all began. He held a responsible position in the Church. He was likewise a professional man with high responsibility in the community. His trouble began, he said, when he picked up a pornographic magazine to read on the plane. It intrigued him. It appealed to him. He found himself buying more of these things. Then he sought out movies which titillated him and excited him. Knowing his wife would be a party to none of this, he went alone. He found occasion to leave town and go to other cities where he could more easily indulge his desires. He then found excuses to stay late at his office and asked his secretary to stay with him. One thing led to another until he succumbed. With tears rolling down his cheeks, he sat across the desk from me and cursed the day he had read that first magazine. He spoke of his love for the wife who had forgiven him and remained true to him. He spoke of his love for his children, who had been shamed and embarrassed by his actions. He told of the hell through which he had walked from the time of his excommunication. He spoke of his love for the Church and his desire to enjoy again its full blessings. In the presence of his wife, I placed my hands upon his head and in the authority of the holy priesthood restored his priesthood, his temple endowment, his temple sealing, and all other blessings which he had formerly held. This strong man sobbed like a baby under my hands while his wife, with her hand in his, wept like a child. At the conclusion of that blessing, they embraced one another and he asked her to forgive him. She said she had forgiven him and that she loved him and always would. They were happy when they left, happier than they had been in years. And I was happy too. But I thought of the terrible price he had paid and of the price he had exacted of his family through his foolishness and transgression.
Guard Against Your Goliaths
Unfortunately, there is not always that kind of happy ending. In many cases there is divorce with bitterness and rancor. What was once love has turned to hate. Children’s lives are blighted. Hopes become as ashes. So often there is only misery and loneliness and regret. Brethren and sisters, keep your affections within marriage. Regard as your most precious possession in time or eternity the person with whom you joined hands over the altar in the house of the Lord and to whom you pledged your love and loyalty and affection for time and all eternity. Your companion, your children, and you yourself will then know and feel a security far greater than any that can be bought with hardware and gadgetry. God bless you, that the watch-care of the Lord may be over you, that you may stay close to Him and be deserving of His preserving hand, that you may overpower the Goliaths in your lives.
Study the following scriptures:
a. 1 Samuel 9–11. Saul seeks guidance from Samuel (9:1–14, 18–24). The Lord reveals to Samuel that Saul is to be king (9:15–17). Samuel counsels Saul and anoints him as Israel’s first king (9:25–27; 10:1–8). Saul is spiritually reborn, and he prophesies (10:9–13). Samuel presents Saul to the people (10:17–27). Saul leads Israel to victory in a battle (11:1–11). He refuses to punish the men who had doubted his ability to lead the people (11:12–15).
b. 1 Samuel 13:1–14. Saul offers a burnt offering without the proper authority.
c. 1 Samuel 15. Saul is commanded to destroy the Amalekites and all their possessions, but he saves some of their animals for a sacrifice (15:1–9). The Lord rejects Saul as king, and Samuel tells Saul that obedience is better than sacrifice (15:10–35).
d. 1 Samuel 16. The Lord chooses David to succeed Saul as king (16:1–13). The Holy Spirit departs from Saul, and an evil spirit takes possession of him (16:14–16; note that in the Joseph Smith Translation these verses show that the evil spirit was not from God). Saul chooses David to play the harp for him and to be his armor bearer (16:17–23).
e. 1 Samuel 17. David slays Goliath in the strength of the Lord.
• How did Samuel respond to Saul’s explanation for saving the Amalekites’ animals? (See 1 Samuel 15:22.) How can Samuel’s words apply to us?
• What did Samuel learn while he tried to determine which of Jesse’s sons should succeed Saul as king? (See 1 Samuel 16:6–7.) What does 1 Samuel 16:7 teach about how the Lord evaluates us? What does the Lord look for in our hearts? How can we improve our ability and commitment to see beyond the outward appearance of others and look on the heart?
• How did David get the courage to fight Goliath? (See 1 Samuel 17:32–37, 45–47.) How has the Lord helped you overcome “Goliaths” that you have encountered?
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
A little TRIBUTE, because I can...
I am the sole administrator of this blog. That means that I get to post whatever I want. I am taking the liberty to post a little tribute, because I can. This Sunday is Father's Day! It is one of my very favorite days, EVER. I just love it.
I can honestly tell you that I am who I am because of my parents, and because of my Dad. Without hesitation I can tell you that my testimony of our Father in Heaven is solid and strong in part (large part) because of the relationship that I share with my Dad. His confidence has sustained me through some of the best times and through some of the most challenging times in my life.
I also have to acknowledge and pay tribute to my love, Jon. He is the father of our Little Miss, Madeline! They are a tight pair, these two. I am a lucky lady indeed!
So, with that
I can honestly tell you that I am who I am because of my parents, and because of my Dad. Without hesitation I can tell you that my testimony of our Father in Heaven is solid and strong in part (large part) because of the relationship that I share with my Dad. His confidence has sustained me through some of the best times and through some of the most challenging times in my life.
I also have to acknowledge and pay tribute to my love, Jon. He is the father of our Little Miss, Madeline! They are a tight pair, these two. I am a lucky lady indeed!
So, with that
Happy Father's Day!
This little video is super. It made my heart and eyes overflow with gratitude for the
simple perfection that lies in the ordinary of every day.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Lesson 21: God Will Honor Those Who Honor Him, Old Testament Class Member Study Guide, 14
I came across this article on lds.org. While it is long, I think that it is worth posting here as it provides good background on the chapters we are studying this week. The purpose of our lesson this week is: To help class members understand the blessing of honoring and pleasing the Lord above themselves, others, or the world. The article by Paulo Grahl addresses the responsiblity of being a parent.
Paulo R. Grahl, “Eli and His Sons,” Ensign, Jun 2002, 18
Tragedy resulted when this priest and judge of Israel honored his children more than the Lord.
Should parents be responsible for the unrighteous acts of their children? The Lord has said that parents have a duty and are accountable before Him to “bring up [their] children in light and truth” and “to set in order” their families (see D&C 93:40–43). The story of this Old Testament family reminds us that no matter how well we may perform our duties in the Church, sorrow will come if we neglect to correct our children in righteousness.
Of the House of Aaron
Throughout most of the approximately 450-year period of leadership by judges over Israel (between Joshua and Saul), the descendants of Eleazar, Aaron’s oldest son, presided as high priests at the tabernacle and represented Israel before the Lord. With the ordination of Eli, however, the Lord passed the office of high priest to a descendant of Ithamar, the fourth and youngest son of Aaron (see Num. 3:2). Eli was a devoted high priest who served 40 years as judge of Israel, the first of priestly descent also to regulate the affairs of the people (see 1 Sam. 4:18; Bible Dictionary, “Eli,” 663).
Eli was a good man who gave kind consideration to Hannah in her hour of great agony (see 1 Sam. 1:1–18; 1 Sam. 2:20–21) and paid careful attention to the upbringing and spiritual training of Hannah’s son Samuel (see 1 Sam. 1:24–28; 1 Sam. 2:18, 26; 1 Sam. 3:1–19).
Eli had two sons, Hophni and Phinehas. Together the three of them labored as priests at Shiloh in the tabernacle, where the ark of the covenant was housed (see 1 Sam. 1:3). In keeping with the requirements of the law of Moses, all Israelite males were required to appear before the Lord yearly on each of the great national festivals: Passover, Pentecost, and the Feast of the Tabernacles (see Bible Dictionary, “Feasts,” 672–74). At Shiloh, Eli also officiated in the judgment seat (see 1 Sam. 1:9). Hophni and Phinehas’s role as priests was to function as mediators between God and His people in their worship and offering of sacrifices (see Bible Dictionary, “Priests,” 753–54).
Sons of Belial
“Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the Lord” (1 Sam. 2:12). The term Belial means “worthless” or “wicked” (see Bible Dictionary, “Belial,” 620). They were men of greed and lust. They used their authority as priests to extort from the people the best of the meat brought before them for sacrifice (see 1 Sam. 2:13–16). In essence they were taking their portion before giving a portion to God! They were also committing immoral acts with the women who gathered at the tabernacle (see 1 Sam. 2:22). Eli knew what they were doing, and when the people saw that the priesthood at Shiloh was corrupt, they “abhorred the offering of the Lord” (1 Sam. 2:17). What was a father to do?
Eli confronted his sons, “Why do ye such things? … Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the Lord’s people to transgress” (1 Sam. 2:23–24). Hophni and Phinehas ignored the pleading words of their father. They continued in their evil ways; Eli’s warning was too late, and Eli did nothing to remove them from office.
The Lord Warns Eli
A man of God soon visited Eli at Shiloh and delivered a stern rebuke from the Lord: “Why kick ye at [treat with scorn] my sacrifice? … Honourest thy sons above me? … Them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. … And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, … in one day they shall die both of them” (1 Sam. 2:29–34). The Lord had spoken plainly to Eli: restrain or remove your sons or they will die. So did Eli act? No. He continued to allow his sons to work at the tabernacle (see 1 Sam. 4:1–5).
Samuel, who was being reared by Eli to serve in the tabernacle, soon became a young man and Eli grew old. The Lord called to Samuel in the night, directing him to deliver another warning to Eli. It was a sacred moment for Samuel who “did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed to him” (1 Sam. 3:7). Samuel was to tell Eli the Lord was profoundly dissatisfied with the vile acts of Hophni and Phinehas, and since Eli had failed to use his parental and judicial authority to curb them, the Lord would remove them (see 1 Sam. 3:11–14).
The following morning Samuel was apprehensive and “feared to shew Eli the vision” (1 Sam. 3:15). At Eli’s insistence, Samuel told him everything. Eli assured and calmed Samuel, saying, “It is the Lord: let him do what seemeth him good” (1 Sam. 3:18). There is a sense of resignation and submission to God in these words. Eli knew he had sinned and that the fate of his sons was certain. Eli also now knew the Lord had chosen Samuel, not one of his sons, as the new prophet for Israel (see 1 Sam. 3:19–21).
Death Visits the House of Eli
The army of the Israelites soon went out to war against the Philistines. In the first battle Israel was severely beaten, losing “about four thousand men” (1 Sam. 4:2). The elders of the people, apparently including Eli, supposed that the presence of the ark of the covenant on the field of battle would save them. The ark was brought to the battlefront by its caretakers, Hophni and Phinehas, from Shiloh, a distance of about 20 miles, 1 and “all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again” (1 Sam. 4:5). A new and tenacious battle ensued. Israel fled in defeat, suffering the death of 30,000 footmen and the capture of the ark. Hophni and Phinehas were also killed (see 1 Sam. 4:10–11).
A messenger was sent to Shiloh with the terrible news. From his chair by the gate of the tabernacle, Eli heard an uproar in the distance and feared for the safety of the ark, for there was great risk in removing the ark from the tabernacle except when directed by the Lord (see Ex. 26:34; Josh. 18:1). “What is there done, my son?” Eli asked the messenger. “Thy two sons … are dead,” the messenger replied. Then when Eli heard that the ark had been lost, “he fell from off the seat backward,” breaking his neck, and died (see 1 Sam. 4:16–18).
Parental Accountability
The unhappy events that befell Eli and his sons can be instructive to parents today. It is a case of parental negligence by one who had the sacred and nontransferable responsibility to teach, encourage, correct, and restrain his children in righteousness. Eli gave Hophni and Phinehas the freedom to commit serious sins without the necessary corrective action. The results of this omission were disastrous for him, his sons, and the nation.
The Lord has placed on the shoulders of fathers and mothers the primary responsibility to rear their children. King Benjamin taught the parents of his day: “Ye will not suffer your children … that they transgress the laws of God … and serve the devil. … But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness” (Mosiah 4:14–15).
Some fundamental ways to make parental teaching effective are (1) constant and caring communication between parents and children, with parents being aware day by day of what their children do and learn; (2) regular and well-prepared family meetings, such as family home evening, councils, prayer, and scripture study; (3) frequent family activities; (4) careful supervision and vigilance concerning the contents of movies, television programs, the Internet, books, magazines, music, and other materials so that children can be alerted and guided past the ambushes and dangers found in the media.
A colleague from work told me that not long ago he was driving his car along a busy avenue when he heard another driver behind him honking his horn and flashing his lights. Thinking it was just another impatient driver, he continued down the road. Soon the other driver pulled up beside him and, shouting, asked him to pull over because he had something important to tell him. When they had both stopped, the stranger pointed to the bumper sticker in the back window of my friend’s car and said, “I know that that is true!” The bumper sticker read, “No other success in life can compensate for failure in the home.” 2 In tears this man proceeded to tell my friend how he had compromised his values, neglected his family, and lost what he now knew was the most precious blessing in his life.
Help for Parents
Like the ancient children of Israel who journeyed to Shiloh to worship and find spiritual strength and renewal, we may also turn to the Savior, our “Shiloh” (see Bible Dictionary, “Shiloh,” 773), for mercy, patience, and long-suffering in our imperfections as parents. By diligently seeking to know Him through scripture study, prayer, pondering, Church meetings, and temple attendance, our knowledge and wisdom as parents will be expanded. Our desire to “live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God” (D&C 84:44) will enable us to make Jesus Christ the center of our lives and the model for all our choices, actions, and reactions as parents. Just as the ark of the covenant was a symbol for the presence of the Lord among the Israelites of old, the Holy Ghost will be with us as an evidence that God is near, that He is attentive to and interested in our happiness, and that He will help us succeed with our children.
1 Samuel 2–3; 8
Study the following scriptures:
a. 1 Samuel 2:12–17, 22–25. The sons of Eli commit transgressions and are counseled by their father.
b. 1 Samuel 2:27–36; 3:12–14. A man of God warns Eli about the consequences of the wickedness in his family.
c. 1 Samuel 3. The Lord calls Samuel, and Samuel responds.
d. 1 Samuel 8. The Israelites want a king so they can be “like all the nations.” Samuel warns them about the dangers of such a choice.
• What did the actions of Eli’s sons suggest about whom they chose to honor? (See 1 Samuel 2:12–17, 22–25.) In what areas of our lives do we sometimes honor and please ourselves rather than the Lord?
• A man of God came and chastised Eli, saying that Eli honored his sons more than God (1 Samuel 2:27–29). In what way had Eli honored his sons more than God? How do we sometimes honor other people more than God?
• How did Samuel honor the Lord? How did the Lord honor him? (See 1 Samuel 3:19; see also 1 Samuel 2:30.) How do you think the Lord will honor us if we honor Him?
Paulo R. Grahl, “Eli and His Sons,” Ensign, Jun 2002, 18
Tragedy resulted when this priest and judge of Israel honored his children more than the Lord.
Should parents be responsible for the unrighteous acts of their children? The Lord has said that parents have a duty and are accountable before Him to “bring up [their] children in light and truth” and “to set in order” their families (see D&C 93:40–43). The story of this Old Testament family reminds us that no matter how well we may perform our duties in the Church, sorrow will come if we neglect to correct our children in righteousness.
Of the House of Aaron
Throughout most of the approximately 450-year period of leadership by judges over Israel (between Joshua and Saul), the descendants of Eleazar, Aaron’s oldest son, presided as high priests at the tabernacle and represented Israel before the Lord. With the ordination of Eli, however, the Lord passed the office of high priest to a descendant of Ithamar, the fourth and youngest son of Aaron (see Num. 3:2). Eli was a devoted high priest who served 40 years as judge of Israel, the first of priestly descent also to regulate the affairs of the people (see 1 Sam. 4:18; Bible Dictionary, “Eli,” 663).
Eli was a good man who gave kind consideration to Hannah in her hour of great agony (see 1 Sam. 1:1–18; 1 Sam. 2:20–21) and paid careful attention to the upbringing and spiritual training of Hannah’s son Samuel (see 1 Sam. 1:24–28; 1 Sam. 2:18, 26; 1 Sam. 3:1–19).
Eli had two sons, Hophni and Phinehas. Together the three of them labored as priests at Shiloh in the tabernacle, where the ark of the covenant was housed (see 1 Sam. 1:3). In keeping with the requirements of the law of Moses, all Israelite males were required to appear before the Lord yearly on each of the great national festivals: Passover, Pentecost, and the Feast of the Tabernacles (see Bible Dictionary, “Feasts,” 672–74). At Shiloh, Eli also officiated in the judgment seat (see 1 Sam. 1:9). Hophni and Phinehas’s role as priests was to function as mediators between God and His people in their worship and offering of sacrifices (see Bible Dictionary, “Priests,” 753–54).
Sons of Belial
“Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the Lord” (1 Sam. 2:12). The term Belial means “worthless” or “wicked” (see Bible Dictionary, “Belial,” 620). They were men of greed and lust. They used their authority as priests to extort from the people the best of the meat brought before them for sacrifice (see 1 Sam. 2:13–16). In essence they were taking their portion before giving a portion to God! They were also committing immoral acts with the women who gathered at the tabernacle (see 1 Sam. 2:22). Eli knew what they were doing, and when the people saw that the priesthood at Shiloh was corrupt, they “abhorred the offering of the Lord” (1 Sam. 2:17). What was a father to do?
Eli confronted his sons, “Why do ye such things? … Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the Lord’s people to transgress” (1 Sam. 2:23–24). Hophni and Phinehas ignored the pleading words of their father. They continued in their evil ways; Eli’s warning was too late, and Eli did nothing to remove them from office.
The Lord Warns Eli
A man of God soon visited Eli at Shiloh and delivered a stern rebuke from the Lord: “Why kick ye at [treat with scorn] my sacrifice? … Honourest thy sons above me? … Them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. … And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, … in one day they shall die both of them” (1 Sam. 2:29–34). The Lord had spoken plainly to Eli: restrain or remove your sons or they will die. So did Eli act? No. He continued to allow his sons to work at the tabernacle (see 1 Sam. 4:1–5).
Samuel, who was being reared by Eli to serve in the tabernacle, soon became a young man and Eli grew old. The Lord called to Samuel in the night, directing him to deliver another warning to Eli. It was a sacred moment for Samuel who “did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed to him” (1 Sam. 3:7). Samuel was to tell Eli the Lord was profoundly dissatisfied with the vile acts of Hophni and Phinehas, and since Eli had failed to use his parental and judicial authority to curb them, the Lord would remove them (see 1 Sam. 3:11–14).
The following morning Samuel was apprehensive and “feared to shew Eli the vision” (1 Sam. 3:15). At Eli’s insistence, Samuel told him everything. Eli assured and calmed Samuel, saying, “It is the Lord: let him do what seemeth him good” (1 Sam. 3:18). There is a sense of resignation and submission to God in these words. Eli knew he had sinned and that the fate of his sons was certain. Eli also now knew the Lord had chosen Samuel, not one of his sons, as the new prophet for Israel (see 1 Sam. 3:19–21).
Death Visits the House of Eli
The army of the Israelites soon went out to war against the Philistines. In the first battle Israel was severely beaten, losing “about four thousand men” (1 Sam. 4:2). The elders of the people, apparently including Eli, supposed that the presence of the ark of the covenant on the field of battle would save them. The ark was brought to the battlefront by its caretakers, Hophni and Phinehas, from Shiloh, a distance of about 20 miles, 1 and “all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again” (1 Sam. 4:5). A new and tenacious battle ensued. Israel fled in defeat, suffering the death of 30,000 footmen and the capture of the ark. Hophni and Phinehas were also killed (see 1 Sam. 4:10–11).
A messenger was sent to Shiloh with the terrible news. From his chair by the gate of the tabernacle, Eli heard an uproar in the distance and feared for the safety of the ark, for there was great risk in removing the ark from the tabernacle except when directed by the Lord (see Ex. 26:34; Josh. 18:1). “What is there done, my son?” Eli asked the messenger. “Thy two sons … are dead,” the messenger replied. Then when Eli heard that the ark had been lost, “he fell from off the seat backward,” breaking his neck, and died (see 1 Sam. 4:16–18).
Parental Accountability
The unhappy events that befell Eli and his sons can be instructive to parents today. It is a case of parental negligence by one who had the sacred and nontransferable responsibility to teach, encourage, correct, and restrain his children in righteousness. Eli gave Hophni and Phinehas the freedom to commit serious sins without the necessary corrective action. The results of this omission were disastrous for him, his sons, and the nation.
The Lord has placed on the shoulders of fathers and mothers the primary responsibility to rear their children. King Benjamin taught the parents of his day: “Ye will not suffer your children … that they transgress the laws of God … and serve the devil. … But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness” (Mosiah 4:14–15).
Some fundamental ways to make parental teaching effective are (1) constant and caring communication between parents and children, with parents being aware day by day of what their children do and learn; (2) regular and well-prepared family meetings, such as family home evening, councils, prayer, and scripture study; (3) frequent family activities; (4) careful supervision and vigilance concerning the contents of movies, television programs, the Internet, books, magazines, music, and other materials so that children can be alerted and guided past the ambushes and dangers found in the media.
A colleague from work told me that not long ago he was driving his car along a busy avenue when he heard another driver behind him honking his horn and flashing his lights. Thinking it was just another impatient driver, he continued down the road. Soon the other driver pulled up beside him and, shouting, asked him to pull over because he had something important to tell him. When they had both stopped, the stranger pointed to the bumper sticker in the back window of my friend’s car and said, “I know that that is true!” The bumper sticker read, “No other success in life can compensate for failure in the home.” 2 In tears this man proceeded to tell my friend how he had compromised his values, neglected his family, and lost what he now knew was the most precious blessing in his life.
Help for Parents
Like the ancient children of Israel who journeyed to Shiloh to worship and find spiritual strength and renewal, we may also turn to the Savior, our “Shiloh” (see Bible Dictionary, “Shiloh,” 773), for mercy, patience, and long-suffering in our imperfections as parents. By diligently seeking to know Him through scripture study, prayer, pondering, Church meetings, and temple attendance, our knowledge and wisdom as parents will be expanded. Our desire to “live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God” (D&C 84:44) will enable us to make Jesus Christ the center of our lives and the model for all our choices, actions, and reactions as parents. Just as the ark of the covenant was a symbol for the presence of the Lord among the Israelites of old, the Holy Ghost will be with us as an evidence that God is near, that He is attentive to and interested in our happiness, and that He will help us succeed with our children.
1 Samuel 2–3; 8
Study the following scriptures:a. 1 Samuel 2:12–17, 22–25. The sons of Eli commit transgressions and are counseled by their father.
b. 1 Samuel 2:27–36; 3:12–14. A man of God warns Eli about the consequences of the wickedness in his family.
c. 1 Samuel 3. The Lord calls Samuel, and Samuel responds.
d. 1 Samuel 8. The Israelites want a king so they can be “like all the nations.” Samuel warns them about the dangers of such a choice.
• What did the actions of Eli’s sons suggest about whom they chose to honor? (See 1 Samuel 2:12–17, 22–25.) In what areas of our lives do we sometimes honor and please ourselves rather than the Lord?
• A man of God came and chastised Eli, saying that Eli honored his sons more than God (1 Samuel 2:27–29). In what way had Eli honored his sons more than God? How do we sometimes honor other people more than God?
• How did Samuel honor the Lord? How did the Lord honor him? (See 1 Samuel 3:19; see also 1 Samuel 2:30.) How do you think the Lord will honor us if we honor Him?
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Lesson 20: All the City … Doth Know That Thou Art a Virtuous Woman
The Purpose of our lesson this week is to encourage class members to emulate the righteous qualities of Ruth, Naomi, and Hannah.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland,of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gave a talk titled, "Real Friendship" in 1988. He spoke of "A sweet friendship outlined in the Old Testament is that of Naomi, the Israelite, and Ruth, her Moabite daughter-in-law.
In the days of famine Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and their two sons had left Bethlehem in the land of Judea and had gone into the gentile country of Moab for a period of 10 years, obtaining food and refuge in that place. When her husband and sons had died, Naomi determined to return to Judea, hearing that the Lord had lifted the famine there and blessed the people with food.
To her two Moabite daughters-in-law, she said, “Go, return each to [your] mother’s house: the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead [their husbands], and with me” (Ruth 1:8).
Weeping at the thought of leaving these daughters-in-law behind, Naomi kissed them and bid them farewell. When the girls protested, asking to go with her, Naomi encouraged them to stay with their own parents and relatives in Moab in the only home land they had ever known. Perhaps here they would marry again, have children, and once more be happy.
One daughter-in-law, Orpah, wept, kissed Naomi good-bye, and returned to her Moabite family.
But Ruth refused to go—she “clave unto” her mother-in-law. Naomi tried earnestly to get her to follow Orpah, “Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law” (Ruth 1:15).
But Ruth said with equal urgency, “Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
“Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me” (Ruth 1:16–17).
When Naomi sensed the true depth of Ruth’s love and loyalty, she consented and the two made their way back to Bethlehem. There, through the mediating role of Naomi, Ruth met Boaz, “a mighty man of wealth” (Ruth 2:1), and they married. From this union came a son named Obed, who fathered a son named Jesse, who fathered a son named David, the greatest king in Israel’s history. Thus Ruth’s love for and loyalty to Naomi not only brought gospel blessings to Ruth, but ultimately blessed the entire Israelite nation."
Hannah
Elkanah lived in Israel during the time of the judges. Hannah, one of Elkanah’s wives, did not have any children. Each year when Elkanah took his family to the tabernacle, Hannah prayed and asked God to bless her with a child. Finally, Hannah promised the Lord that if he would bless her with a son, she would give that son back to serve the Lord all his life.
The next year, Hannah had a son and named him Samuel. When Samuel was a young child, Hannah took him to the tabernacle and had him stay there and live with the high priest Eli. Samuel grew up in the tabernacle.
One night, as Samuel was going to sleep, he heard a voice call his name.
He thought that it was Eli. He jumped out of bed and ran to see what Eli wanted. Eli told Samuel that he had not called him and told him to go back to bed. This happened three times. Finally Eli realized that it was the Lord that was calling Samuel. He told Samuel that the next time the voice called he should say, “Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth.” Samuel did so. It was then, in his youth, that Samuel received the first of many revelations he received throughout his life. Samuel became a great Old Testament prophet.
Study the following scriptures:
a. Ruth 1–2. After her husband dies, Ruth goes to Bethlehem with her mother-in-law, Naomi. In Bethlehem, Ruth works in the fields of Boaz, who treats her kindly.
b. Ruth 3–4. Ruth lies at the feet of Boaz, and he promises to marry her. They marry and have a child.
c. 1 Samuel 1; 2:1–2, 20–21. Hannah is blessed with a son, whom she lends to the Lord as she promised. She is later blessed with more children.
• What did Ruth give up by going to Bethlehem with Naomi? What did Ruth gain by going with Naomi? (The gospel of Jesus Christ; see Ruth 1:16.) What can we learn from Ruth about making sacrifices for the gospel?
• How do you think Hannah felt about giving Samuel to the service of the Lord? What does the Lord ask us to give him? What should our attitude be about giving to him?
• What righteous qualities did Ruth, Naomi, and Hannah exemplify?
We can emulate the righteous qualities demonstrated by Ruth, Naomi, and Hannah. By developing these qualities we will undoubtedly draw closer to our Savior, Jesus Christ and will have greater peace and happiness.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland,of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gave a talk titled, "Real Friendship" in 1988. He spoke of "A sweet friendship outlined in the Old Testament is that of Naomi, the Israelite, and Ruth, her Moabite daughter-in-law.
In the days of famine Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and their two sons had left Bethlehem in the land of Judea and had gone into the gentile country of Moab for a period of 10 years, obtaining food and refuge in that place. When her husband and sons had died, Naomi determined to return to Judea, hearing that the Lord had lifted the famine there and blessed the people with food.
To her two Moabite daughters-in-law, she said, “Go, return each to [your] mother’s house: the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead [their husbands], and with me” (Ruth 1:8).Weeping at the thought of leaving these daughters-in-law behind, Naomi kissed them and bid them farewell. When the girls protested, asking to go with her, Naomi encouraged them to stay with their own parents and relatives in Moab in the only home land they had ever known. Perhaps here they would marry again, have children, and once more be happy.
One daughter-in-law, Orpah, wept, kissed Naomi good-bye, and returned to her Moabite family.
But Ruth refused to go—she “clave unto” her mother-in-law. Naomi tried earnestly to get her to follow Orpah, “Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law” (Ruth 1:15).
But Ruth said with equal urgency, “Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:
“Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me” (Ruth 1:16–17).
When Naomi sensed the true depth of Ruth’s love and loyalty, she consented and the two made their way back to Bethlehem. There, through the mediating role of Naomi, Ruth met Boaz, “a mighty man of wealth” (Ruth 2:1), and they married. From this union came a son named Obed, who fathered a son named Jesse, who fathered a son named David, the greatest king in Israel’s history. Thus Ruth’s love for and loyalty to Naomi not only brought gospel blessings to Ruth, but ultimately blessed the entire Israelite nation."
Hannah
Elkanah lived in Israel during the time of the judges. Hannah, one of Elkanah’s wives, did not have any children. Each year when Elkanah took his family to the tabernacle, Hannah prayed and asked God to bless her with a child. Finally, Hannah promised the Lord that if he would bless her with a son, she would give that son back to serve the Lord all his life.
The next year, Hannah had a son and named him Samuel. When Samuel was a young child, Hannah took him to the tabernacle and had him stay there and live with the high priest Eli. Samuel grew up in the tabernacle.
One night, as Samuel was going to sleep, he heard a voice call his name.
He thought that it was Eli. He jumped out of bed and ran to see what Eli wanted. Eli told Samuel that he had not called him and told him to go back to bed. This happened three times. Finally Eli realized that it was the Lord that was calling Samuel. He told Samuel that the next time the voice called he should say, “Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth.” Samuel did so. It was then, in his youth, that Samuel received the first of many revelations he received throughout his life. Samuel became a great Old Testament prophet.Study the following scriptures:
a. Ruth 1–2. After her husband dies, Ruth goes to Bethlehem with her mother-in-law, Naomi. In Bethlehem, Ruth works in the fields of Boaz, who treats her kindly.
b. Ruth 3–4. Ruth lies at the feet of Boaz, and he promises to marry her. They marry and have a child.
c. 1 Samuel 1; 2:1–2, 20–21. Hannah is blessed with a son, whom she lends to the Lord as she promised. She is later blessed with more children.
• What did Ruth give up by going to Bethlehem with Naomi? What did Ruth gain by going with Naomi? (The gospel of Jesus Christ; see Ruth 1:16.) What can we learn from Ruth about making sacrifices for the gospel?
• How do you think Hannah felt about giving Samuel to the service of the Lord? What does the Lord ask us to give him? What should our attitude be about giving to him?
• What righteous qualities did Ruth, Naomi, and Hannah exemplify?
We can emulate the righteous qualities demonstrated by Ruth, Naomi, and Hannah. By developing these qualities we will undoubtedly draw closer to our Savior, Jesus Christ and will have greater peace and happiness.
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