Children’s Bible Program- Level 2: Lessons 46-49 Packet: Joshua
Includes the lessons:
- Lesson 46 “Moses’ Mistake”
- Lesson 47 “Joshua: The Courage to Lead”
- Lesson 48 “Rahab”
- Lesson 49 “Israel Crosses the Jordan”
Archive for month: June, 2020
Children’s Bible Program- Level 3: Lessons 46-49 Packet: Prophets in Judah
Includes the lessons:
- Lesson 46 “Isaiah and the King”
- Lesson 47 “Huldah”
- Lesson 48 “Jeremiah”
- Lesson 49 “Jeremiah and the Captivity”
Children’s Bible Program – Level 1: Lesson 49 “David and King Saul”
Featured Passage:1 Samuel 18-20
Saul knew that God had rejected him from being king and that David was eventually going to be king instead of him. After God helped David defeat Goliath, King Saul was grateful and proud of David and brought him to live with him and his family. David soon became the best of friends with Jonathan, Saul’s son, and the people treated him as a hero. However, Saul began to get extremely jealous of David because of all the attention the people were giving him. Even though David was becoming like part of his family, King Saul began to plot in his heart to destroy David.
Discuss:
- David had developed a relationship with God at a very young age (Psalms 71:5) What does it mean to have a relationship with God? How can someone your age begin to seek a relationship with God?
- What does the scripture mean when it says, “the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David”? Do you have any close friends? Why is it important to have good friends?
- What was the message of the song that the people were singing about David and Saul? How did Saul respond when he heard it?
- Saul sent David on dangerous missions. When God gave David victories the people loved David even more. What was Saul’s reaction to David’s successes?
- Whom did Saul allow David to marry? Do you think Saul was happy about this marriage?
- Saul made it clear to Jonathan that he intended to kill David. What did Jonathan do about it?
Memory Challenge:
1 Samuel 18:14
And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the Lord was with him.
Children’s Bible Program – Level 3: Lesson 50 “Ezekiel the Watchman”
Featured Passage: Ezekiel 1-11, 33, 40-48
After the Kingdom of Israel was taken into captivity, you’d think it would have been too late for a prophet to warn the people. After all, what is the point of warning someone of something that has already happened? Well, God had a very special message of warning for Israel through His prophet Ezekiel. Ezekiel was told to be a “watchman” for the house of Israel. At the time, Ezekiel was living among the captives of the Babylonians. God gave him some very unique instructions, signs that he should perform to reinforce the warning message he proclaimed. So who was the message for? It was for the house of Israel in the future, at the Time of the End—today.
Discuss:
- What is the role of a watchman? Why did God give him this job?
- Why did God tell Ezekiel to build a clay model of Jerusalem? What do you think the people thought of Ezekiel for setting up the model?
- Even though God was warning of punishment for Israel, what did God tell Ezekiel He would do in the end? What does it mean when God says He will give the people a “Heart of flesh”?
- The final chapters of Ezekiel describe the temple complex in the Millennium. What parts of what he describes stand out to you the most? What are you most looking forward to seeing?
- According to Ezekiel 47, what will happen to the Dead Sea in Israel during the Millennium?
- What will be the name of the city during the Millennium period? Why do you think God will choose that name for it?
Memory Challenge:
Ezekiel 11:19-20
Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.
Children’s Bible Program – Level 2: Lesson 50 “Joshua and the Battle of Jericho”
Featured Passage: Joshua 6
After the Israelites made it across the Jordan River, they prepared to meet the next obstacle – the great walled city of Jericho. The men who Joshua sent to spy out the city had come back with important information, but now Joshua needed a plan. Joshua knew that God was the one who would give Israel the victory, but he needed some directions. And, guess what? The Commander of the Army of the Lord Himself came to deliver them. On top of that, the directions He gave were not ordinary battle plans. These plans required a little bit of patience and a whole lot of faith!
Discuss:
- All the people of the land had heard of the children of Israel. How do you think the people of Jereicho felt when they heard that the Israelites had crossed over the Jordan into their territory? Do you think the people of Jericho felt safe inside the city walls?
- What were the directions that God gave to Joshua? What was unusual about them? What do you think the people of Jericho were thinking when they saw the Israelites following the directions they were given?
- How was the instruction for the army different on the seventh day than on the other days? Who did God protect in the city?
- Why do you think God planned the Battle of Jericho the way He did?
Memory Challenge:
Joshua 6:2
And the Lord said to Joshua: “See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor.
Children’s Bible Program- Level 1: Lessons 46-49 Packet: David and Saul
Includes the lessons:
- Lesson 46 “Saul and Jonathan”
- Lesson 47 “God Chooses a New King”
- Lesson 48 “David and Goliath”
- Lesson 49 “David and King Saul”
Children’s Bible Program – Level 3: Lesson 51 “Zerubbabel”
Featured Passage: Ezra 1-7
The people of Judah had been in captivity for nearly 50 years. Some had longed to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple of God and worship there once again, but they were not allowed until a man named Cyrus, King of Persia came to power. This Cyrus wrote a decree that told the people of Judah they could return to Jerusalem to rebuild God’s house – the temple. The returning captives followed a man named Zerubbabel who led them back to their homeland. The people were excited to return and get started on their rebuilding projects, but they didn’t know they were about to face some very challenging obstacles. Their faith was about to be tested, but through it all one man wasn’t about to give up on what they had set out to accomplish.
Discuss:
- Why did Cyrus, the king of Persia, decide to make his proclamation? What does this teach us about how God works with people and leaders in the world?
- What was one of the first things Zerubbabel did when they arrived in Jerusalem? What does this show us about his priorities? What can we learn from his example?
- What was the first big obstacle the people faced when they began working on the temple?
- After the work on the temple discontinued for a while, how did it start back up again?
- Who gave the people the official decree that they could finish their work on the temple? What did the people do when the temple was finally finished?
Memory Challenge:
Ezra 1:3
Who is among you of all His people? May his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel (He is God), which is in Jerusalem.
Children’s Bible Program – Level 2: Lesson 51 “Moving the Ark”
Featured Passage: 1 Samuel 4-6
When Israel finally came into the land God promised them, under Joshua’s leadership each of the tribes were given different territories where they could build their homes and families. During their wanderings in the wilderness, God had led them with the ark of the covenant and the tabernacle to represent his presence. Upon entering the new land, Joshua and the people set up the tabernacle in Shiloh where the ark would stay for many years, long after Joshua was gone. For a long while the ark was undisturbed and kept by the Levites in the tabernacle, but the people were forgetting why it was important. One day, when the Israelites were desperately preparing to go out to battle against their enemies, they made a rash decision. If they were to bring the ark of the covenant into battle with them like in the days of Joshua, surely God would protect them, right?
Discuss:
- Why was the ark of the covenant so important? What did it represent?
- Why do you think the Israelites decided to bring the ark into battle with them? Why didn’t their plan work?
- What did the Philistines do with the ark when they first captured it? What happened to their idol when the ark was put in their pagan temple? What message do you think God was trying to send?
- Why did the Philistines decide to give the ark back to the Israelites? How did they do it?
- Where was the ark kept after the Philistines sent it back?
- The next person to move the ark of the covenant was King David (2 Samuel 6). Why did David move it? What happened when he tried?
Memory Challenge:
1 Samuel 4:22
And she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”
Children’s Bible Program – Level 1: Lesson 50 “David and Abigail”
Featured Passage: 1 Samuel 25
David was on the run from King Saul, and with God’s help he and his mighty men managed to stay at least one step ahead of the jealous king. They hid in caves, fought against the Philistines, and always stayed on the lookout for Saul and his men. Though King Saul did not like it, most people knew who David was and that he was in line to be the next king of Israel, so they would help David with whatever he needed. One day, David and his men were hungry, so they stopped at the home of a wealthy man named Nabal who they knew would have plenty of extra food to spare. But, instead of helping them out, Nabal turned the men away and refused to share anything. Angry at Nabal’s foolish decision, David told his men to get their swords ready. David and his men headed down to the household, swords in hand, when suddenly they were met by someone on the way who had an urgent request.
Discuss:
- Who was Nabal? What does his name mean? Why do you think David and his men chose to stop at Nabal’s house to get food to eat?
- Why do you think Nabal refused to share with David? Why was David so upset by Nabal’s response?
- Who was Abigail? How did Abigail find out what was going on? What did she do when she found out what Nabal had done? What can we learn from Abigail’s actions?
- How did Abigail act when she made her request? What did David do when she did?
- What happened to Nabal? What did David do when he found out?
Memory Challenge:
1 Samuel 25:32
Then David said to Abigail: “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me!”
Children’s Bible Program – Level 1: Lesson 51 “King David”
Featured Passage: 2 Samuel 5-8
After many years of running from his enemy, David learned that King Saul and three of his sons, including David’s beloved friend Jonathan, had died in a battle. Instead of rejoicing at the death of his enemy, David was very sad and mourned for Saul and for Jonathan. Though David was sad, God’s promise finally came true and David became King of Israel. When David first became king, he ruled from a city called Hebron. David had his eye on another city where he wanted to set up his capital and build his palace. The name of it was Jerusalem which means “City of Peace”. Jerusalem sat on a small mountain called Zion where David would build his city and where the King of Kings will one day return and build His own city of peace.
Details of artist on Google Art Project, Gerard van Honthorst – King David Playing the Harp – Google Art Project, marked as public domain, more details on Wikimedia Commons
Discuss:
- How old was David when he began to reign as king of Israel? How many years did he rule as king?
- David made a tabernacle for the ark of God. What was the ark and why do you think it was so important to David?
- How do you think David felt when he was finally able to bring the ark into the tabernacle in Jerusalem? What did he do? What are some ways that we can worship and praise God?
- David wrote a song about the ark being brought to the tabernacle (Psalm 105). Can you find the hymn we sing at church that is based on this psalm?
- God promised David that his throne would be established forever. What does this mean? What will David be doing in the kingdom?
Memory Challenge:
2 Samuel 7:26
So let Your name be magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts is the God over Israel.’ And let the house of Your servant David be established before You.