House of David Season 1 Episode 1 Bible Study & Discussion Guide

Kevin Keating
Sep 3
4 min read

Updated: Oct 5

When House of David premiered back in February, I wasn't sure whether the series would merit a set of in-depth Bible studies and discussion guides like the discussion guides I produced for The Chosen Seasons 1-5, and so I focused primarily on producing reviews and analysis of the show. By the end of Season 1, however, it was clear that House of David was not only an excellent show but a great springboard for in-depth Bible study and discussion. Over the past few months, I've been producing and sharing studies with my monthly/annual supporters on Buy Me a Coffee, but now that Wonder Project has announced that House of David Season 2 will premiere on October 5, I'd like to share an abridged form of my first two discussion guides more publicly for any churches, small groups, or youth ministries that want to dig into House of David Season 1 before the release of Season 2.

Below is a set of Bible study and discussion questions from my guide for House of David Episode 1 ("A Shepherd and King"). This episode depicts the events of 1 Samuel 15:1-35, including Saul's defeat of the Amalekites, his disobedient decision to spare Agag and keep some of the Amalekite spoils, the prophet Samuel's confrontation Saul, and the announcement that the Lord has rejected him as king over Israel. The episode also provides backstory for David's claim that the Lord helped him kill a lion (1 Samuel 17:34-37). However, I've decided to focus the study on Joshua 1:1-9, a biblical passage that is discussed by characters in the episode and draws out some of the key themes that Episode 1 explores.

More House of David Season 1 Resources

More House of David Season 2 Resources

Stephen Lang as Samuel in Episode 1 of House of David Season 1 — Stephen Lang as Samuel in Episode 1 of *House of David* Season 1

Before Viewing House of David Season 1 Episode 1: Bible Study & Discussion Questions

Before watching Episode 1, it helps to take a moment to offer your group members a brief explanation/reminder of what House of David is and to prime them to understand and reflect on its key biblical and theological insights.

Introduction: What is House of David?

House of David is a multi-season streaming series, loosely adapting the story of Saul and David,

originally told in 1 Samuel 15 – 2 Samuel 24. While the core characters and major events are drawn

from the original biblical story, the show also includes many fictional characters and events as well as

details drawn from later Jewish legends.

Bible Study: Be Strong & Courageous

Through the leadership of Moses, the Lord brought the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt and to the

edge of the Promised Land of Canaan. After Moses died, the Israelites prepared to enter Canaan

under the leadership of his assistant, Joshua. But taking over for Moses was no small matter. The

Israelites had rebelled against Moses’ leadership multiple times and even tried to stone him. In the

face of such challenges, the Lord offered Joshua a powerful word of encouragement.

Read Joshua 1:1-9

Discuss:

Joshua’s mission is to lead the people into the Promised Land. What must he do for his mission to be prosperous and successful? Why?
Why does Joshua need strength and courage? What challenges and fears does he face?
What promises does God offer to help Joshua find strength and courage?
What is the mission of God’s people today? How can we successful in that mission?
Why do we need strength and courage? What challenges and fears do we face?
How can God’s promises help us find strength and courage?

David (Michael Iskander) in Episode 1 of House of David Season 1 — David (Michael Iskander) in Episode 1 of *House of David* Season 1

After Viewing House of David Season 1 Episode 1: Discussion Questions

After watching the episode, I think it helps to have a more general, open-ended discussion. While I've provided a handful of questions, don't feel like you need to finish all of them. If one question sparks a fruitful conversation, I would stick with that, even if it means you don't get to some of the later questions.

Discuss:

o What stuck out to you about the show? What could you connect with personally?

o Did you have any questions about what happened? Was anything confusing?

o Which characters reflected the truths we discussed earlier? Which characters did not?

o What’s your biggest takeaway from today’s discussion?

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