Archive for category: LivingEd – Youth

Featured Passage: Esther 1-2

After the declaration of Cyrus the Great many of the Jews who had been carried away as captives by the Babylonians, returned from captivity to Jerusalem. Under the new Medo-Persian empire some Jews, like the man named Mordecai, chose to stay in the land. Mordecai was raising Hadassah (Esther), a very beautiful young woman who had been orphaned. During this time, Queen Vashti had refused the king’s command to come to him, and King Ahasuerus was searching the kingdom for a queen to replace her.

Discuss: 

• Why was King Ahasuerus angry with Queen Vashti? What did his advisors tell him to do about it? 
• Why do you think Esther was chosen to join the other young women in the palace? What special treatment was Esther given by Hegai, the custodian of the women? 
• How did the King honor Esther as his chosen queen? 
• Why do you think Mordecai told Esther not to reveal her Jewish identity?
• What did Mordecai do to save the king’s life?

Memory Challenge: 

Esther 2:17 

The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.

Featured Passage: 1 Chronicles 15-17, 22

King David had built a house for himself in the City of David which is in Jerusalem. Though he had a beautiful place to live, he was sad because the ark of the covenant, the special box which represented God’s promises to Israel, was being kept in a man’s home at a place called Kirjath Jearim. He wanted the ark to be put in its own special house. He knew that the ark represented God’s dwelling place, so he wanted to build a house for God in Jerusalem to help show the people that God was with them. Before the house – the temple – could be built, David set up a special tabernacle in Jerusalem where the ark could be placed. He was very excited that the ark would finally come into the City of David, so he prepared a special celebration. 

Discuss:

• Who were the only ones who were allowed to carry the ark of the covenant? What was the special way the ark was to be carried? 
• What kind of instruments did David want to accompany the ark being brought into the city? What do you think the music sounded like? 
• What was David doing to worship God when the ark was brought into the city of David? What are some ways that we can worship God? 
• What did David give all the people so they could join in the celebration? (1 Chronicles 16:3)
• What is a psalm? How do we use psalms and music in church today? 
• What was the covenant God made with David about the temple that he wanted to build? 

Memory Challenge: 

2 Chronicles 15:3 

And David gathered all Israel together at Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the Lord to its place, which he had prepared for it.

Featured Passage: 2 Kings 12

After King Jehoshaphat died, the Kingdom of Judah was ruled by many other kings. Some of them tried to follow God, while others worshipped idols and turned the people away from God. The name of one of them was Ahaziah. Ahaziah was a wicked king, and his mother Athaliah was just as wicked. When King Ahaziah died, his mother wanted to take over the kingdom and get rid of anyone who opposed her. Now, Ahaziah had a son named Jehoash (sometimes also called Joash). Jehoash was just a baby when his father died, and his aunt hid him and his nurse to protect him from the evil queen. When Jehoash was only seven years old, the priest brought him out of hiding to proclaim him as king before the people. As a young king, Jehoash grew up with the priest of God as his teacher which prepared him to help the people of Judah turn back to God. 

Discuss:

• How old was Jehoash when he became king? How old are you? What do you think it would be like to be a king or queen at your age? 
• Jehoash was about the age of a first or second grade student when he became king. Who helped him with his responsibilities as king of Judah? 
• What did Jehoash do to fix the mess that the previous rulers had made in the temple? Do you think God was pleased with what Jehoash did? 
• Jehoash did well as long as he listened to Jehoiada, who was a wise priest. What happened after Jehoiada’s death? (You can read more about what happened to King Jehoash in 2 Chronicles 24)

Memory Challenge: 

1 Kings 12:2 

“Jehoash did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him.”

Featured Passage: Esther 3-4

There was a man named Haman who was part of the king’s court. Haman was an Agagite which means he was an Amalekite; the Amalekites were enemies of the Jews. Haman hated all Jews, but he especially hated Mordecai. Haman came up with a plot to kill all the Jews. He told King Ahasuerus that the Jews had different laws and that they did not obey the king’s laws. Haman said the Jews did not deserve to live, and the king agreed. What they both didn’t realize was that the new queen of Persia was also a Jew. 

Discuss:

• Why did Haman especially hate Mordecai?
• What reason did Haman give the king for destroying all the Jews throughout the kingdom? 
• How did Haman decide what day the Jews should die? What day was chosen?
• What did Mordecai do when he heard about the proclamation to kill the Jews?
• What did Mordecai ask Queen Esther to do to help her people? How did Queen Esther respond to Mordecai’s request? 

Memory Challenge:

Esther 4:14

“For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Featured Passage: Daniel 4-5

King Nebuchadnezzar had a rich kingdom that dominated much of the world in its time, and he was proud of it. He became so filled with pride that God warned him through a dream that he was going to be greatly humbled. Just as Daniel interpreted, for seven years Nebuchadnezzar lived like an animal. When he finally came to his senses, he acknowledged that God was sovereign over all. After Nebuchadnezzar died, Belshazzar became king of Babylon. Belshazzar did not learn anything from Nebuchadnezzar’s mistake. You could say that the handwriting was on the wall. 

Discuss:

• What happened to Nebuchadnezzar after he became filled with pride? Do you think Nebuchadnezzar learned anything from this experience?
• What did Belshazzar do that was considered a prideful act against God? From what example should he have learned about the consequences of pride? 
• How did God get everyone’s attention? Can you imagine how frightened people must have been? 
• What did the writing on the wall say? What did Daniel explain its meaning to be? Today, what does the expression “the handwriting is on the wall” mean? 
• How long did it take for God’s warning to become true? Who ruled Babylon after Belshazzar?

Memory Challenge: 

Daniel 4:34

And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom is from generation to generation.