1 Samuel Bible Reading Challenge

Challenge yourself to achieve 1000 points by completing your choice of the following activities. Each activity has a certain number of points depending on how challenging it is. Some activites may be particularly suited for children and families, while others may be more suited for adults and teens. One of the best parts of a challenge is doing it together. Find another family to do it with, or involve your Sunday School or CYC.

Read - 400 Points

Read through all of 1 Samuel for 400 points! Below you can find a printable tracker for each chapter so you can check them off as you go!

Bible Journal - 500 Points

Use a notebook or a Bible Reading Journal (Link for journal) to take notes while you read. You can download a page of suggestions below to paste in your notebook if you wish. Share your thoughts or favourite verses with your friends and family or on Social Media.

Bible Art - 500 Points

1. Choose a verse from the 1st book of Samuel that exhorts or encourages you during your bible readings. For example, Stand and see this great thing which the LORD will do before your eyes (1 Sam 12:16). 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. Share here: Bible Art Facebook Group

Bible Marking - 100 Points

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.

Language - 150 Points

1 Samuel 18 says that Jonathan’s soul was “knit” to the soul of David. Spend some time researching the word “knit”. You can find a worksheet below that explains how to do a word study. Share what you learn with your friends and family or on Social Media.

Literature - 200 Points

Read through any of the following books and share a quote or two with family and friends or on Social Media. Links to Booksellers below.

Jonathan, the Greatest King Israel Never Had by Jonathan Cope.
The Man David by Harry Tennant.

Media - 300 Points

Search for this talk on Christadelphian Bible Talks and Exhortations:

Jonathan by Jason Hensley.

Write a short review to share what you learn.

Memory Verse - 250 Points

Learn at least one of these selections by heart:

1 Samuel 2:2
1 Samuel 12:16
1 Samuel 16:7
1 Samuel 23:16
1 Samuel 25:29

You can print out a set bookmarks to help you memorize them three of them. You can also color them, or use them as a template to journal into your Bible margin.

Dig Deeper - 400 Points

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 a Letter from Israel about Shiloh below.

Our World - 100 Points

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.

Listen to the book A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23.

Hymn Study - 100 Points

Hymn 146: Hushed was the Evening Hymn.

Sing this hymn. You can find a link below for the music. Write out the hymn (worksheet below), and see if you can find Bible passages that relate to this particular hymn.

Listen to this beautiful rendition by Alethia Burnley: Hymns Reimagined.

Prayer - 100 Points

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. A worksheet is provided below.

Timeline - 300 Points

Create an illustrated timeline of 1 Samuel while you read through it. Use the worksheet below if you want.

Quiz - 150 Points

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 – below.

Art Project - 150 Points

Make a flock of sheep out of fimo clay. Maybe you could create a little diorama of Psalm 23.

Sheep – Polymer Clay Tutorial

Food - 250 Points

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).

Drama - 200 Points

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.

Act out a scene from 1 Samuel and capture it on video to share with family and friends.

The Heart - 300 Points

T H I N K ON T H I S :

Build strength of character.

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.”

From “Conviction and Conduct” by Islip Collyer.