These wonderful, fully dramatized recordings bring the Bible to life by realistically portraying your favorite Old and New Testament stories. Designed for use by families of all Christian faiths, these recordings are non-doctrinal and inter-faith in nature. Complete with sound effects and music. Enacted by a professional cast. Exciting, educational, and entertaining.
24 stories including: Dangers in the Desert; The Ten Commandments; Miriam the Great; The man of Patience; The Unfaithful Prophet Part 1 & 2; The Thief Who Defeated an Army; The Longest Day in History; Conquering Canaan; Mighty Gideon; The Champion of Champions; The Story of Ruth; The Wayward Sons; The Youngest Priest; Two Battles at Aphek; The Tall, Strong, and Handsome Young Man; King Saul Saves a City; The Crown Prince on a Secret Mission; The Boy and the Giant; The Deadly Plot; The Sword of Goliath; David Escapes; King Saul and a Cave; A Wick Rich Man. 12 CDs.
Saul made a good beginning as Israel’s first king. We talked
about his great humility at first, how he could not believe God had actually
chosen him. Later when the time came to meet the people, he was so shy he hid
behind some baggage. Saul was also forgiving toward those who rebelled against
him. He knew having peace was more important than taking revenge. Knowing these
good things about Saul’s early years makes his sad ending hard to understand.
The bad times started when the Philistines came up against Israel again, this
time at Michmash near Gilgal. Israel’s army was weak and had poor weapons. All
of the blacksmiths had been captured earlier, only Saul and his son Jonathan had
iron swords and shields.
The Philistines had 30,000 iron chariots, along with 6,000 horsemen and too many
foot soldiers to be counted. How do you think that made the Israelites feel?
Most were terrified and hid out in pits and caves around the countryside.
Some finally came trembling to join Saul at Gilgal for the battle, but there was
a problem there, too. Samuel had promised to meet Saul and offer a sacrifice
before the attack. Yet they waited seven days and Samuel did not come. Saul
began to get worried. What should he do now? He didn’t want to fight without
asking God’s help, but he was not supposed to offer a sacrifice himself. Only
men from the tribe of Levi were supposed to do that, and he was from the tribe
of Benjamin.
When his men began to get restless and leave, Saul decided to go on and offer
the sacrifice anyway. “Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me,”
he offered. Then, soon as he had finished with the burnt offering, Samuel came.
The old prophet was horrified and demanded, “What have you done?” Saul tried to
explain what had happened, but Samuel would not listen. “You have done
foolishly!” he exclaimed. “You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your
God which he commanded you.”
God spoke through Samuel to tell Saul he would take the kingdom away from him.
The he would raise up for himself a man after his own heart, one who would obey
him. For the time being, though, God allowed Saul to go on being king over
Israel.
Saul should have learned from his mistake, but he didn’t. Sometime later he
disobeyed God again. This time he was fighting against the Amalekites, the
fierce desert nation which had attacked Moses at Rephidim, to stop the
Israelites from going into Canaan.
Because they had fought his people then, God wanted Saul to destroy the
Amalekites now and everything they had. By this time Israel had a large army and
they defeated the Amalekites easily. However, Saul didn’t obey God’s command to
completely destroy them. Instead, he saved their king Agag, along with the best
sheep and oxen.
How foolish Saul was to disobey God! What would happen now? God told Samuel what
Saul had done, saying he was sorry he had ever made him king. This upset Samuel
so much he cried to God all night because of Saul’s disobedience.
Sick at heart, Samuel went out to meet Saul the next day. Imagine his surprise
when Saul acted as if everything were fine! “Blessed are you of the Lord!” Saul
greeted Samuel. “I have performed the commandment of the Lord!” Of course Saul
wasn’t telling the truth. “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears
and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?” Samuel wanted to know.
Saul quickly began to make excuses, blaming the people for bringing back King
Agag and saving the best animals to sacrifice.
But Samuel told Saul obeying the Lord was more important than any sacrifice. On
that very day God had taken the kingdom from him and given it to another man who
was better than Saul. And Samuel would not pray for Saul any more.
