Bible Searchers: 1990

1. David and Saul - 1 Samuel 18: September 1990

2. Elijah - 1 Kings 18: September 1990

3. David and Saul - 1 Samuel 23: October 1990

4. Elijah and Elisha - 2 Kings 2: October 1990

5. David and Saul - 1 Samuel 23: November 1990

6. Elisha - 2 Kings 2: November 1990

7. David and Saul - 1 Samuel 24-31: December 1990

8. Elisha - 2 Kings 4: December 1990

David and Saul - 1 Samuel 18: September 1990

As we continue with our study of David and Saul, we continue to see more and more of the flesh in action in Saul’s life. We want to remember that Saul is a picture to us of man in the flesh. At every test Saul has failed just as the flesh fails at every test. But we now begin to see David (a wonderful type of Christ as well as a type of the new man that constitutes a believer’s life) come on the scene. The more we see of David and his ways, the more we think of our blessed Lord Jesus.

We also want to see that David is a very good example of the way in which the new man reacts to the situations that he faces. Every real believer is a new creation in Christ. He has the Spirit dwelling within him and he possesses the very life of Christ. The eternal life acts in a very different way than the flesh.

We will see more examples of Saul’s reaction against David. There is fear, guile and enmity to good. All are the result of the flesh’s enmity with the new life.

1. When Saul realized that the Lord was with David after he (Saul) had tried to kill him, Saul became afraid of David, the one who had saved his life from the Philistines. What was the reaction of the Gadarenes after the Lord Jesus had healed the man possessed by the demons? Mark 5:___

2. What was the reaction of the soldiers at the tomb of the Lord Jesus when He arose from the dead? Matt. 28:___

3. Saul offered to allow David to marry his daughter Michal. But he really intended to use her as the means by which David would be killed. (See 1 Sam. 18:20-27.) What did the Jews pretend to do to the Lord Jesus when in fact they were really trying to find something with which to accuse Him? Luke 11:___

4. When Saul realized that the Lord was with David, the Word of God tells us that he “became David’s enemy continually.” When the Jews saw the miracles that the Lord Jesus did, they had very strong reactions against Him. Find one of these. Mark 3:___

5. Finally, when all else had failed, Saul openly commanded his servants to kill David. What did the Jews finally resort to when they could not stamp out the testimony of the Lord Jesus among the people? Mark 3:___

Elijah - 1 Kings 18: September 1990

The Israelites had quit worshipping God. Instead they worshipped wicked idols. This made Elijah feel very bad. One day he called the people together along with the prophets who worshipped these wicked idols to meet him on Mount Carmel.

There Elijah told them he was going to show them who the true God really was. He told the wicked prophets to build an altar to their gods. He would build one to Jehovah the true God. Then they were to offer a sacrifice upon each of their altars. If fire fell from out of heaven and burned up their idolatrous sacrifice, then the people would know that they were worshipping the true God. But if it burned up the sacrifice of Elijah, then it was to be a sign that they should turn back to Jehovah, the true God of Israel, whom they had given up.

The fire did indeed fall on Elijah’s altar and sacrifice rather than the idolatrous prophets’ altar. It even burned up the stones and the water around the altar. The wicked prophets were put to death and the people turned back to Jehovah, the true God of Israel.

We will continue our journey through the Bible after you find the following verses:

1. The Christians in the city of Thessalonica turned away from believing in their ____________ and began to believe in the true God. 1 Thess. 1:___

For

2. The Lord Jesus said that eternal life was to know the ____________ and Jesus Christ, sent by God. John 17:___

And

3. The heathens (idol worshippers who did not know about the true God) had an ____________ which was for worship of the “unknown God.” Acts 17:___

For

4. The wicked men who had taken the Lord Jesus to crucify Him made a ____________ to warm themselves, and Peter tried to stand with them and also get warm. John 18:___

And

5. The Lord is pleased when believers do good. These are like pleasing ____________ to Him. Heb. 13:___

But

David and Saul - 1 Samuel 23: October 1990

As we continue with our study of David and Saul we see more and more of the flesh in action in Saul’s life. We want to remember that Saul is a picture to us of man in the flesh. At every test, Saul has failed just as the flesh fails at every test. But we now begin to see David (a wonderful type of Christ as well as a type of the new man that constitutes a believer’s life) come on the scene. The more we see of David and his ways, the more we think of our blessed Lord Jesus.

We also want to see that David is a very good example of the way in which the new man reacts to the situations that he faces. Every real believer is a new creation in Christ because he has the Spirit dwelling within him and he possesses the very life of Christ. This eternal life reacts in a very different way than the flesh.

Saul has progressed in his path away from the Lord so much that now he has been actively seeking to have others kill David. Any that he perceives are for David he immediately considers his enemy. We see that this even happens in his own house among the servants of God.

1. When Jonathan spoke on David’s behalf, Saul rebuked his son and tried to kill him with a spear. Although they did not try to kill Nicodemus, what was the reaction of the Jews when he tried to speak to them on the Lord’s behalf? John 7:___

2. What was the Jews’ reaction when the blind man who had been healed rebuked them for their unbelief in the Lord Jesus? John 9:___

3. What was the Jews’ reaction toward anyone who would openly confess that Jesus was indeed the Christ of Israel? John 9:___

4. Saul’s hatred of David caused him to go so far as to have the priests of Jehovah killed because he thought that they were supporting David. Why was the Apostle Paul warning the Ephesian elders to be very watchful over the assembly of God after he was taken from them? Acts 20:___

5. Before he was saved, what had the Apostle Paul (Saul of Tarsus) been occupied in doing? Acts 9:___

Elijah and Elisha - 2 Kings 2: October 1990

After a while God told Elijah that He was going to take him home to heaven. But before that happened Elijah had some more things to do for God. One of them was to anoint (prepare) another man to serve in his place. The name of the man who would take Elijah’s place was Elisha.

Elisha followed Elijah until they came to the river Jordan. There Elijah struck the waters with his mantle (cloak) and the waters parted and allowed them to pass over. After this a very wonderful thing happened. Elisha saw a chariot and horses of fire which separated him from Elijah. A whirlwind caught up Elijah into heaven and Elisha saw him no more.

When Elisha returned to Jordan he took Elijah’s mantle and struck the waters. They parted just as they had when Elijah had done this. This was God’s sign that He had chosen Elisha to carry on Elijah’s work.

Before we learn more of Elisha, we will stop and rest on our journey while you find the following verses:

1. After Jesus was baptized in Jordan, the people heard a voice from ____________ saying something about the Lord Jesus. Matt. 3:___

And

2. What had Peter given up in order to ____________ the Lord Jesus?

Mark 10:___

Then

3. Peter stood with the men who had taken the Lord Jesus to crucify Him, and when they made a ____________ he stood there to get warm with them. Luke 22:___

And

4. The Jews asked Jesus for a ____________ to prove that what He had told them about Himself was true. John 6:___

They

5. The Lord Jesus was not able to do very many wonderful ____________ in His own country because the people did not believe in Him. Mark 6:___

And

David and Saul - 1 Samuel 23: November 1990

As we continue with our study of David and Saul we continue to see more and more of the flesh in action in Saul’s life. We want to remember that Saul is a picture to us of man in the flesh. At every test, Saul has failed just as the flesh fails at every test. But we now begin to see David (a wonderful type of Christ as well as a type of the new man that constitutes a believer’s life) come on the scene. The more we see of David and his ways, the more we think of our blessed Lord Jesus.

We notice now that in Saul’s mad rush to destroy David he has so lost his courage and discernment that he is unable to act without the help of others.

1. When Saul heard that David had come to Engedi with his followers, he felt sure that God had delivered him into his hand in order to kill him. What did the Jews desire to do to the Lord Jesus? Matt. 26:___

2. Saul did not have courage to face David alone. He had to call “all” the people to go with him. What did the officers and chief priests send with Judas to Gethsemane in order that he might bring back the Lord Jesus as a prisoner? John 18:___

3. David had the ephod (the means by which the mind of God might be known) with him so that he could know what he should do. He was warned of the plans of Saul and thus escaped. What promise did the Lord Jesus make to those who followed Him in truth? John 7:___

4. When Saul was in a cave he was so far away from God in his heart that he did not realize that David was near him. How did the Lord Jesus characterize the religious leaders who had rejected Him? Matt. 15:___

5. David refused to kill Saul though he had it within his power to do so. What are Christians taught about vengeance upon those who persecute and misuse us? Rom. 12:___

Elisha - 2 Kings 2: November 1990

Elisha began to do many wonderful miracles because God had sent him to be a testimony to the rebellious ten tribes of Israel who had turned away from God and begun to worship idols.

One time he came to Jericho (which had a curse of God pronounced upon it) and was told by the people who lived there that the water was bitter and they could not drink it. Now Jericho was a very nice looking place. But that did not make the water taste good.

Elisha told the men of the city to do something very strange. He asked them to bring him a new cruse (container) with salt in it. He then took the container of salt and cast it into the springs of water which tasted bad.

Elisha told the men that God had healed the waters. When they tasted it they found that the water tasted very good. Now we will rest in our journey while you find the following verses:

1. Herod had wanted to see Jesus for a long time. But it was because he had heard about the ____________ that Jesus had done. Luke 23:___

And

2. The wise men came to Jerusalem looking for the Lord Jesus because they wanted to ____________ Him. Matt. 2:___

Saying

3. When the Lord Jesus had given instruction for His disciples to follow, He told them that they were to look for a man who was carrying a pitcher of ____________ . Mark 14:___

And

4. Achsah was the name of a godly young woman who, after she was married, asked her father to give her ____________ of water to water the fields that she owned. Josh. 15:___

Who

5. Many people with many different kinds of diseases and problems came to the Lord Jesus to be ____________ by Him, and not one was disappointed. Matt. 4:___

And

David and Saul - 1 Samuel 24-31: December 1990

In this final study of Saul we see how he is unable to keep his word of peace with David, how he resorts to witchcraft because the Lord does not speak to him, and finally how he falls in battle. A sad end to the man, but it is a striking picture of the flesh in all its pretensions and final failure to stand.

1. Saul pretended to be sorry for the way he had treated David. (See 1 Sam. 26:21.) But he does not really seem to own David as the rightful king over Israel. What did the Jews pretend to do in order to try to trap the Lord Jesus? Luke 20:___

2. When the Philistines came up against Israel to battle, Saul asked the Lord what He should do, but the Lord did not answer him. The Lord Jesus had a strong indictment against those who opposed Him and yet pretended to know how to lead Israel. What did he say about them? John 9:___

3. At one time Saul had put all the witches to death in Israel, but when he could not get an answer from God he turned to witchcraft for guidance. What does the Lord have to say about the condition of one who is delivered from this power and then turns back to it again? Luke 11:___

4. Saul, his sons and those who followed him were all slain by the Philistines, the enemy of God’s people. In viewing Saul as a picture of the flesh, what warning does Paul give to those who, though Christians, walk according to the flesh? Rom. 8:___

5. All who were with Saul fell with him and died. What happened to Judas and all that were with him when the Lord Jesus told them who He was?

John 18:___

Elisha - 2 Kings 4: December 1990

One time a widow who had two sons came to Elisha with a very serious problem. She had no money to pay her bills and the man who had loaned her some money wanted to have the debt paid. Since she had no money he told her that she would have to give him her two sons to work for him as slaves. If this happened she would die, for no one could care for her.

When Elisha heard that all she had in the house was one pot of oil, he told her to go to her neighbors and to borrow many vessels (pots and bowls). When she had brought them to her house she began to pour oil from the bowl into them. As long as there were bowls to fill, she filled them with oil. When she had no more bowls the oil stopped.

She sold all the extra oil, paid the man she owed money to, and with the rest she and her sons were able to live. Let’s rest a while so that you can find the following verses:

1. The Lord Jesus commended the poor ____________ who gave all the money she had to God. Mark 12:___

And

2. The rich man showed great kindness to his servant who could not pay his ____________ when he forgave the servant all that he owed. Matt. 18:___

Then

3. When the Lord Jesus prayed to His Father, He said that He had finished the ____________ which the Father had given Him to do. John 17:___

4. The Lord Jesus said that the man who built his ____________ on the rock was wise. Matt. 7:___

Therefore

5. The man whose little daughter was sick and about to die knew that if the Lord Jesus would come she would ____________ . Mark 5:___

And