Children’s Bible Program – Level 3: Lesson 49 “Jeremiah and the Captivity”

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Featured Passage: Jeremiah 39-44, 52

After the death of Josiah, the people returned to their pagan ways. Therefore, God had allowed Egypt to subdue them. Soon, Egypt was conquered by the great empire of Babylon which meant that soon all of Judah would be under Babylon’s control. Jerusalem had not yet been captured and Jeremiah and other prophets continually warned Judah of impending doom if they did not repent. The people refused to listen. Since God’s temple was in Jerusalem they felt God would not allow the beloved city to be destroyed. Just as Jeremiah warned, God had enough of Judah’s evil practices. He knew that it was time to teach His rebellious people a hard lesson. 

Discuss:

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  • Who was King of Judah when the city of Jerusalem was captured by the Babylonians? What did the Babylonians do to him? 
  • What did King Nebuchadnezzar do with Jeremiah when Jerusalem was captured? What did God say He would do for Ebed-Melech? Why do you think God protected Jeremiah and Ebed-Melech from being killed by the Babylonians?
  • Judah was taken in stages. Who was taken In the first wave of captives? Who was left behind to stay in the land? What did Nebuchadnezzar do to the temple? 
  • What scheme did the remaining people in Judah present to Jeremiah in order to ask his advice? Did they listen to Jeremiah’s advice? What did the group of people end up doing? 
  • What happened to the remnant of Israelites who went to Egypt? Does the Bible indicate what happened to Jeremiah? In what other places in the Bible can you read about the fall of Jerusalem and the captivity of Judah?

Memory Challenge:

Jeremiah 40:3 

Now the Lord has brought it, and has done just as He said. Because you people have sinned against the Lord, and not obeyed His voice, therefore this thing has come upon you.

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Children’s Bible Program – Level 2: Lesson 49 “Israel Crosses the Jordan”

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Featured Passage: Joshua 3-4

The spies that Joshua sent returned safely from Jericho with important information that Joshua needed to attack the city. However, before the Israelites could capture the city they had to make it past the first big obstacle—the Jordan River. The river flowed from the north in Galilee to the Dead Sea and at the time was a broad, wide river, filling its banks to the brim. How was Joshua supposed to get all the people safely across to the other side? Joshua trusted that God had a plan. The Ark of the Covenant would be carried down to the river and the people were to follow after it. But, how would they get across? God was about to perform another miracle before His people, this time intending to remind the people that Joshua had been chosen as Israel’s leader after Moses.

Discuss:

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  • The Israelites had been camping for three days near the Jordan River. How were the people supposed to know that it was time for them to move?
  • What is the Ark of the Covenant? What did it represent? Why do you think God wanted the Ark to lead the people? 
  • What miracle did God perform to help the people cross the Jordan River? How was it similar to or different from the crossing of the Red Sea? 
  • Why did the twelve tribes set up memorial stones after crossing the river? Where did the stones come from? What did they mean? 

Memory Challenge: 

Joshua 3:5-6 

And Joshua said to the people, “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” Then Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, “Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over before the people.” So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people.

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Children’s Bible Program – Level 1: Lesson 49 “David and King Saul”

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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:

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  • 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.

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Children’s Bible Program – Level 3: Lesson 48 “Jeremiah”

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Featured Passage: Jeremiah 1, 34-38

King Josiah had worked hard to get Judah back on track to serve and worship the Eternal, but God knew that soon the people would be right back into their old ways of worshiping idols and practicing evil. He needed to send another messenger to warn the people that if they didn’t fully turn to Him they would soon go into captivity like the Kingdom of Israel did. God had picked out a particular young lad named Jeremiah. One day, God came to tell Jeremiah of the plans He had for his life. At first, Jeremiah was nervous and felt like he was too young for the job, but God assured him that He would help him – and He certainly did! 

Discuss: 

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  1. What was Jeremiah’s biggest concern about being a prophet? What was God’s answer to Jeremiah’s concerns?
  2. Josiah and Jeremiah were both very young men when they began to serve God. What kinds of lessons can we learn from their examples? 
  3. Which of God’s commands did King Zedekiah disobey when he made a covenant with the people in Jerusalem? Why was God angry with Zedekiah? 
  4. What did the princes do to Jeremiah for warning the people that Jerusalem would be captured (Jeremiah 38)? Who rescued him?
  5. What compassionate act did Ebed-Melech do when he went to pull Jeremiah out of the pit? What can we learn from the story of Ebed-Melech?
  6. Where was Jeremiah when the city of Jerusalem was captured? 

Memory Challenge:

Jeremiah 1:7-8 

But the Lord said to me: “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you, you will speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you,” says the Lord.

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Children’s Bible Program – Level 2: Lesson 48 “Rahab”

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Featured Passage: Joshua 2

Joshua was preparing to lead the Israelites into the land God promised them. He knew it wasn’t going to be an easy task, and there would be obstacles along the way. There were two big obstacles right from the beginning—the Jordan River and the great, walled city of Jericho. In order to cross over the river and take the city, Joshua would need a plan. So, he selected two men to be spies to go look around the city and bring important information about it back to him. The spies went into the city and found a place to stay in the house of a woman named Rahab. Unfortunately, someone had seen the spies and suspected what they were up to. The two men were in great danger, and Rahab had a risky decision to make.

Discuss: 

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  1. Why did Joshua send spies into the city of Jericho? Why was it important that they go secretly?
  2. What did Rahab tell the men who came to capture the two spies? 
  3. Where did Rahab hide the spies? Why was it dangerous for her to do this? 
  4. Why did Rahab want to help Joshua’s spies? What was her request to them? 
  5. It would have taken Rahab a lot of courage to do what she did in hiding the spies and requesting that they allow her and her family to be unharmed in the upcoming battle. What does it mean to have courage? As Christians, how can we gain courage? 

Memory Challenge: 

Joshua 2:11

“And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.”

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Children’s Bible Program – Level 1: Lesson 48 “David and Goliath”

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Featured Passage: 1 Samuel 17

David had been anointed king of Israel, but he was still just a young shepherd.  Though King Saul invited David to his court to be his armorbearer and to play the harp,  to his family, he was still just the youngest brother who cared for the sheep. Now, around this time, the Philistines came to fight against the Israelites in a battle. The Philistines brought out their champion warrior and wanted to make a deal. When the Israelites saw that the Philistine warrior was a giant, they were very scared and ran to hide! Even King Saul hid in his tent. When David saw the situation, he knew someone had to do something about it – and that something could only be done with God’s help.

 Discuss:

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  • What was the deal the Philistines wanted to make with the Israelites in the battle? Why did no one want to take up the challenge?
  • How tall was Goliath?
  • Why didn’t David take Saul’s armor? What things had David done to protect his sheep that let him know God would be with him? 
  • What was Goliath doing every day? Why do you think David was so upset by the things he heard Goliath saying? 
  • What do you think David was thinking about when he went out to fight Goliath? Do you think he was afraid? What should we do when we are feeling afraid? 
  • What did David take with him to defeat Goliath?  After Goliath was dead, what did the armies of Israel do?

Memory Challenge: 

1 Samuel 17:47

“Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.”

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Children’s Bible Program – Level 3: Lesson 47 “Huldah”

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Featured Passage: 2 Kings 22-23

 When Josiah became king of Judah, God’s beautiful temple in Jerusalem had been neglected and the people were worshiping idols. They had forgotten God’s law. It was during this time that a woman named Huldah was serving as a prophetess in Judah. King Josiah had instructed the priests to repair the damages done to the temple, and while working on it the workers found the book of the Law which they quickly brought to the king. Josiah, deeply distressed upon learning God’s expectations for His people, told his men to seek out the word of the Lord to discover what God was planning to do to Judah because of their sins. And to whom did the men go? To Huldah the prophetess, of course!

Discuss:

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  • What is the purpose of prophecy? How does God usually present prophecy to His people? 
  • Can you name any other prophetesses mentioned in the Bible? (There are several women called prophetesses in both the Old and New Testaments)
  • How do you think the king knew where to find Huldah? 
  • What did God reveal to Huldah to tell King Josiah?
  • How did King Josiah react to Huldah’s prophecies? Why was Judah’s punishment delayed? What can we learn from Josiah’s example?
  • Josiah and Huldah served God in different ways. What are some ways we can prepare to serve God?

Memory Challenge: 

2 Kings 22:19 

“…because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they would become a desolation and a curse, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you,” says the Lord.

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Children’s Bible Program – Level 2: Lesson 47 “Joshua: The Courage to Lead”

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Featured Passage: Deuteronomy 31-34, Joshua 1

The Children of Israel had been wandering in the wilderness for forty years and it was finally time to go into the land God promised them. Moses was now one hundred and twenty years old! He had lived a long and very exciting life, but God would not allow him to enter the Promised Land. It was time for Moses to sleep and await the resurrection. God gave Joshua the charge to lead Israel, but before Joshua could take on his new role, God had a few things to say to him.

Discuss:

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  • God is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33). What did God tell Moses to do to ensure an orderly transition of leadership? (Numbers 27 gives some more details about this as well)
  • What jobs did Joshua have over the forty-year period which trained him for leading Israel? 
  • What was one of the last things Moses told Joshua before he died?
  • What is courage? Does being courageous mean we are never afraid? What does it mean to be strong and courageous? From where do we ultimately get our strength?

Memory Challenge: 

Deuteronomy 31:7 

Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it.”

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Children’s Bible Program – Level 1: Lesson 47 “God Chooses a New King”

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Featured Passage: 1 Samuel 16

King Saul made some very poor decisions and disobeyed God’s directions. God no longer wanted  Saul to be king and Samuel told Saul what God had decided. Though Saul did not know it, God already had a new king in mind. God told Samuel to go to Bethlehem, a small town where a man named Jesse lived. Jesse had eight sons, and God had picked one of them to be anointed as king of Israel. Samuel looked at Jesse’s tall and handsome sons and thought he could guess who God picked. But God sees characteristics we do not see, and he had a perfect choice in mind that no one ever expected.

 Discuss:

Richard Gunther (www.lambsongs.co.nz) | FreeBibleImages.org
  • When Samuel saw him, he was sure that Eliab was the one God had chosen. What was it about Eliab that made Samuel feel this way? How did God respond?
  • Why was Samuel having a feast? Was David invited?  
  • David was a young lad when he was chosen to be the next king of Israel. What do you think it would be like for him to be told he would be the next king at such an early age?
  • David was the youngest of his brothers, and he tended his father’s sheep. What lessons do you think David learned from being a shepherd? Do you have any responsibilities at home? What is it like to have that responsibility?
  • What instrument did David play while he was caring for the sheep? Why was David given the job of playing music for Saul? God often uses us for the skills that we develop. What skills are you working on or would you like to master as you grow up? In what ways do you think God could use those skills?

Memory Challenge:

1 Samuel 16:7

 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

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Children’s Bible Program – Level 3: Lesson 46 “Isaiah and the King”

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Featured Passage: 2 Kings 15-20

Isaiah was a prophet during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah in the Kingdom of Judah. The northern kingdom of Israel had not listened to the warnings of the prophets to turn from their evil practices, so God allowed them to be conquered and taken into captivity by the mighty Assyrian empire. God told Isaiah to warn the people of Judah that if they did not give up their idolatry and fully turn to God He would allow them to suffer the same consequences that Israel had suffered. King Hezekiah was on the throne at the time when the Assyrians conquered the northern Kingdom. Though his father Ahaz had been an evil king, Hezekiah was determined to follow God. He understood that the Assyrians would soon be coming after Judah, but he also remembered God’s promises, of which Isaiah helped remind him at a most decisive moment in the history of the kingdom of Judah.    

Discuss:

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  • There is a parallel account of the story of King Hezekiah in the book of Isaiah (Isaiah 36-39). Compare the account with the one in 2 Kings. Does Isaiah add any details to the story? 
  • How was King Hezekiah different from the three previous kings of Judah? Why do you think God was with him (2 Kings 18:7)? 
  • When the Assyrian King Sennacherib threatened to destroy Jerusalem how did Hezekiah express his dependence on God? How can we use this example to put our hearts into our prayers when we talk to God?
  • What was God’s response to Hezekiah’s prayer about the armies of Assyria? 
  • What bad news did Isaiah bring to King Hezekiah? What did Hezekiah do after hearing this news? 
  • What miracle did God perform to show Hezekiah that his prayer was heard? 
  • Did Isaiah have good news for the people of Judah? What things did God charge against Judah? 

Memory Challenge:

2 Kings 18:5-7

He trusted in the Lord God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor who were before him.  For he held fast to the Lord; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses. The Lord was with him; he prospered wherever he went. And he rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him.

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