Bible Reading Challenge – 1 Samuel Activities

If you would like ideas for activities and extensions for your Bible Readings, this Bible Reading Challenge is for you!  Below you will find a challenge sheet filled with a variety of activities.  Some activities may be particularly suited for children and families, while others may be suited for adults and teens – there is something for everyone.  Each activity collects a certain number of points with a goal of 1000 points.

One of the best parts of a challenge is doing it together.  Share your thoughts, favourite verses, quotes, reviews, photos, artwork, etc. in “Sisters Bible Study” on Facebook or “readthebiblechallenge”on Instagram with the hashtag #genesistojob and #2020readthebiblechallenge!

To see all of the challenges go to: www.magnifyhimtogether.com/bible-reading-challenge.

Badgebook and Badges

Print out the Badgebook (print front and back), Badgebook Cover, and badges (Avery22808 Color Stickers or Avery22808 black and white stickers).  You can also order the Badges as magnets at Christadelphian Book Supply (see: www.magnifyhimtogether.com/2020/01/22/books-of-the-bible-magnets-now-available/)

1 Samuel Challenge Sheet

1 Samuel Challenge –  see below for details for each of the activities.

 

Details for the Challenge Sheet Activities

READ

Using the Bible Reading Companion, read every chapter of 1 Samuel.  You can download the digital photo of the reading list (save it on your phone and use your photo editing to check off the boxes you have read), or print the less colorful version.

1-Samuel Printable 1-Samuel digital
BIBLE JOURNAL

Use a notebook or a Bible Reading Journal to take notes while you read. You can download a page of suggestions (Bible Journal suggestions) to paste in your notebook if you wish. Share your thoughts or favourite verses.  This is the link for the 1 Samuel to Job Bible Reading Journal.

BIBLE ART

1.  Choose a verse from the 1st book of Samuel that exhorts or encourages you during your bible readings.

Some examples might be: I rejoice in thy salvation  (1 Sam 2v1).  Stand and see this great thing which the LORD will do before your eyes (1 Sam 12v16).  Only fear the LORD and serve Him in Truth with all your heart for consider how great things he hath done for you.  (1 Sam 12v24).  For man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks the on the heart (1 Sam 16v7).  And all this assembly shall know that the LORD save the not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’s… (1 Samuel 17v47).

Create a piece of art, a journal page or bible journaling to help you remember the encouragement & hope this verse gives you.

2.  Choose a beautiful characteristic that you would like to work on from one of the characters in 1 Samuel.

Create a piece of art, a journal page or bible journaling to remind you to surrender your will and and have more of this beautiful characteristic.

For example: Hannah: prayerful, Jonathan: faithful…

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1393428964180459

BIBLE MARKING

As you are reading, underline the words: “enquired of the LORD” or “asked of the LORD”. If we want to be like David, this is something to take note of.

BOOK (or LITERATURE)

Read one of the following books:

Jonathan the Greatest King Israel Never Had (Jonathan Cope)

The Man David (Harry Tennant)

Share a quotation or a review on social media.

DRAMA

Keep a box for drama objects.  For 1 Samuel item suggestions include:a crown, robes, 5 smooth stones, rod and honey, bow/arrow, sword, waterjug, scrap of cloth, witch of Endor hat.

DIG DEEPER

Investigate the ancient town of Shiloh where the Bible tells us the tabernacle was set up:  Archaelogical Discovery at Shiloh Matches Biblical Altar. Print out and read the first Letter from Israel about Shiloh: Letters from Israel: Letter #1 Shiloh – Magnify Him Together

FOOD

The land God promised his people was to be a land of milk and honey. Did you know that honey bees are responsible for pollinating 80% of agricultural products (Beehive in a tree)?  Honey can look and taste quite differently depending on what plants the nectar comes from. Archaeologists have found beehives from around 900 BC in Israel (3000 year-old beehives found in Israel). Try some honeycomb if you are able to, or if you have an Apiary near you, see if you can find some different kinds of honey and do a taste test. Make some Lekach (the traditional Israeli honey cake for Rosh Hashanah).

QUIZ

Sometimes a question to find the answer to can be helpful to keep little ones engaged. Aquila N. Priscilla has done an excellent job preparing lots of questions to ask before or after reading – you can find their book for purchase here: Know Questions: Genesis to Job. Alternatively you can download a page of questions – one for each chapter here: 1 Samuel Quiz

MEDIA

Listen to “Jonathan” by Jason Hensley (search for it on christadelphianbibletalks.com).  Share a thought or review on social media using #genesistojob

TIMELINE

Illustrate the following outline as you read through the book of 1 Samuel: 1 Samuel Timeline

 

MEMORY VERSE

Learn these five verses by heart:  1 Samuel 2:2, 1 Samuel 12:16, 1 Samuel 16:7, 1 Samuel 23:16 and 1 Samuel 25:29You can print out a set of three of these bookmarks to help you memorize them.  You can also color them, use them as bookmarks, or use them as a template to journal into your Bible margin.

LANGUAGE

1 Samuel 18 says that Jonathan’s soul was “knit” to the soul of David.   Spend some time researching the word “knit”.  This link explains how to do a word study including a template that may help: How to Do a Bible Word Study – Template Included.  Share what you learn!

OUR WORLD

Not too many of us get the opportunity to experience being a shepherd. However, it was an occupation that several important characters in the Bible were involved in. How many can you think of? What life lessons do you think being a shepherd would teach you? Investigate sheep. http://www.sheep101.info/index.html Share what you discover. Read about what it is like to be a shepherd: http://www.trutharchive.net/phillip-keller—a-shepard-looks-at-psalm-23

HYMN STUDY

Spending time with a hymn related to the Bible passage that you are reading can enrich what you are reading.  You can approach a hymn study in many ways.  This month’s hymn is Hymn 146 – Hushed was the Evening Hymn.

Option 1) If you don’t know the hymn already, you can learn to play and sing it.  This website provides piano music for each of the hymns that you can sing along with.  This is another beautiful rendition of this hymn: Hymns Reimagined (Aletheia Burney): Hymn 142

Option 2) Sing it daily for a week.

Option 3) Write out the hymn (you can use this template!), and write Bible passages that relate to the different lines from the hymns along the side (you can also mark this right into your hymnbook to make the hymn more meaningful the next time you sing it).

PRAYER

Use the words of Hannah’s song as the basis to write your own prayer of thanksgiving and praise for God’s power to save (Hannah’s Prayer Templates).

 

ART PROJECT

Make a flock of sheep out of fimo clay. Maybe you could create a little diorama of Psalm 23. Sheep – Polymer Clay Tutorial

THE HEART

Build strength of character.

From “Conviction and Conduct” by Islip Collyer.

The Bible does not give us an exact age for David when he was anointed to be the next king, but it is thought that at least 15 years went by before he actually became king. The fact that King Saul knew God had chosen him resulted in a difficult life for David, and yet he never lost faith in God. Like him, learn to endure patiently and faithfully the trials that come your way.

“If we seek illustrations of individuals who have been prepared through suffering, we might take the case of David as a special example. He was called to a position of exceptional honour and responsibility in mortal life, and he had to pass through a period of much affliction and trial by way of training. The beginning of his reign shows how well this tribulation prepared him, and his later transgression furnishes a remarkable illustration of the dangers of prosperity. David was sent to the hard school of adversity for a second time to prepare him for the higher position to which he was called.

Other characters might be mentioned whose lives illustrate the same principle, and whose example has often been cited; but it would only be to repeat the lesson already given. Men of strong faith, who make a proper use of the very varied Scriptures God has given us, will not be purged out from the commonweath of Israel by tribulation. Though they may not understand why certain troubles come, they will determine to be rightly exercised by them, in order that, like Job, they may come out of the furnace of affliction like silver refined. It may seem that their abilities are fettered, but they remember that God knows all the circumstances, and He will be just. They will continue the work of building even though the enemy presses so hard that they only have one hand wherewith to labour; their troubles will become their tutors, and disappointment — to borrow a fine idea from Henry Kirke White — will be like a gentle nurse to wean them from the world.”

 

Thank you to all the contributors for this Bible Reading Challenge: Julie S, Bailey M, Karen P, Sharon K, Susanna L!!!

 

For more Bible Reading ideas check out the following links:

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