Professional Documents
Culture Documents
CONSTRUCTION
The Israelites struggle to establish themselves as a nation and then a love story
emerges as Ruth and Boaz become the ancestors of the coming Messiah. A shepherd
boy slays a giant. Then the prophet Samuel anoints him as a king. He unifies Gods
chosen people into one nation. Then, in the book of Psalms, King David shows us all
how to genuinely praise this sovereign God.
Gods people are finally in place in the land of His covenant promise to Abraham. Its
a land of judges, giants, priests and kings guided by the hand of a loving God. This is
our God at work arranging all things for the arrival of His Son, Jesus, the One who will
ultimately be called the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
We praise God for your continued dedication and support. Together let us lay the
foundation for Gods Plan of Salvation as we take kids on a journey through the Bible.
CORE VALUES
Prestonwood KIDZ partners with parents to:
Develop students as Christ-followers and teach them to share their faith
Develop students as worshippers
Develop students as prayer warriors
Teach students to make wise choices according to Scripture
Teach students to treat all people equally
Support families with fun, creative ways to enhance each students spiritual journey
GPS SUMMER 2014
TABLE OF CONTENTS
June 78 Journey 1: A COSTLY COW? 3
Moses Intervenes for the Hebrews
June 1415 Journey 2: A DESIGNER TENT? 19
Israel Builds the Tabernacle
June 2122 Journey 3: DIVINE DISCIPLINE 37
Israel Wanders in the Wilderness
June 2829 Journey 4: WILL THE WALL FALL? 53
Joshua Fights the Battle of Jericho
July 56 Journey 5: A NEW JUDGE IN TOWN 71
Gideon Overcomes the Midianites
July 1213 Journey 6: A BAD HAIR DAY? 87
Samson Defeats the Philistines
July 1920 Journey 7: ORDINARY PEOPLE 103
The Love Story of Ruth and Boaz
July 2627 Journey 8: THE KING MAKER 117
Samuel: Judge, Priest and Prophet
August 23 Journey 9: A POOR EXCUSE FOR A KING 131
The Rule of King Saul
August 910 Journey 10: GIANT SLAYER 145
David Slays Goliath
August 1617 Journey 11: LONG LIVE THE KING! 159
David Is Crowned King
August 2324 Journey 12: BAD CHOICES! 173
Davids Sin and Its Consequences
August 3031 Journey 13: SING A PSALM! 189
The Book of Psalms
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JOURNEY 1
A COSTLY COW?
BIBLE BACKGROUND
Journey 1: A Costly Cow?
Moses Intervenes for the Hebrews
Key Thought:
Pray for the salvation of others and for Gods direction in their lives.
A CHANGE OF HEART
Meanwhile, back at the pyramids, old Pharaoh was having second thoughts. He had
just sent away the nations primary labor force. The consequences of such a decision
began to unsettle the old ruler. He formed a rather large posse and pursued the
liberated slaves. God was waiting to meet his hostility. As the children of Israel crossed
over the Red Sea, the sound of horses and chariots could be heard in the distance.
The walls of water that were supernaturally held back to allow the Israelites to cross
suddenly crashed. The entire Egyptian army drowned.
1
Exodus 12:37, marginal note, ESV Study Bible, Crossway Bibles, 2008, p. 164. 3
JOURNEY 1
As slaves, the Israelites never had to make decisions; now they were a free people
and had to find their own food, water and shelter. They whined like little children and
complained to Moses. Moses appealed to God on their behalf and God provided water,
quails and a sweet kind of bread called manna.
Three months after leaving Egypt, the people arrived at the foot of Mount Sinai.
God called Moses to come up to the mountain and there He gave him the Ten
Commandments and other laws that Israel was to live by. These laws were rules and
principles to guide the peoples relationship with God and with one another (Exodus
1920). They were not suggestions but commandments that had to be obeyed. Moses
came down from the mountain to share with the people the terms of this covenant
relationship. The people agreed to do all that God asked of them (Exodus 24:7).
With the two tablets of law in his hand, Moses hurried down the mountain. When
he saw the golden calf and the peoples wild, rebellious behavior, he was furious. He
threw the tablets down and broke them into pieces. The actual breaking of the tablets
was a visual picture of the people breaking the first commandment (Exodus 32:19).
How could they have forgotten the power of God who had delivered them out of the
slavery of Egypt? How could they dishonor the One who loved them more than they
4 could ever understand?
JOURNEY 1
Moses returned to speak with the Lord on behalf of the people. He offered his own life
to atone for the sins of the Israelites (Exodus 32:30). God refused to accept his blood.
There would come another who could perform this act, but not Moses. Atonement
required perfection and Moses, though a cherished servant of God, could not fulfill
this requirement. God did recognize how Moses interceded in behalf of the people,
and He was moved.
God affirmed Moses in a way that must have brought joy and relief to his heart. This
very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I
know you by name (Exodus 33:17). God had equipped Moses to lead the people on a 5
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journey that would take them home. What lay ahead of them Moses could not know,
but God did. Moses was suited for the task and more importantly, God was pleased
with him.
Moses then made a bold request: Please show me your glory (Exodus 33:18). Gods
reply revealed the awesome nature of His person as He explained that no one, not
even Moses, could behold His face and live. However, God was willing to partially
reveal His glory provided that the following conditions could be met (Exodus
33:1923).
God pointed to a rock near Him where Moses could stand.
Moses was to hide himself in a crack or crevice (cleft) of the rock.
God would cover the crevice as He passed by.
He would then remove His hand and Moses could turn to see His glory passing by,
but Moses could not see His face.
Moses did as God instructed. He caught a glimpse of where God had passed by. It
was impossible for him to see Gods face, for no man can see God as He really is apart
from Jesus Christ (John 14:9). Whatever Moses saw, he did not or could not describe.
God had chosen to show Moses grace and favor just as He does for each of us (Exodus
33:19). Yet, He still gives us the choice to respond obediently.
Gods response was to make a covenant before all the people that He would do
wonders and marvels on their behalf, but they must be obedient to His commands
and have no other gods before Him. For 40 days and 40 nights Moses neither ate nor
drank as God dictated the words of the covenant and Moses wrote them down on the
tablets (Exodus 34:28).
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When the work was completed, Moses came down from the mountain, tablets in
hand. When Aaron and Joshua saw him, his face was glowing with the radiance
of Gods own glory (Exodus 34:29). God had allowed Moses to come closer to Him
than any other sinful human being and Moses had been changed by the experience
(Exodus 34:29). Being in the presence of Holy God for 40 days had given him a radiant
appearance that could not be hidden. Now Gods plan could move forward. His chosen
people were at last marching toward the Promised Land.
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8
TEACHING PLAN
Journey 1: A Costly Cow?
Moses Intervenes for the Hebrews
Visual Aids
Blank paper for memory verse
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JOURNEY 1
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITIES
A. CONNECT the Big Room experience with the Bible story by asking
questions about how the things the students saw relate to the key
word and the key thought for the day. Use the following questions to
stimulate conversation:
What do you think about that?
Why is that important?
How would that have made you feel?
You can transition to the Bible story next. Explain how we will see in
todays study what a difference one prayer can make in the life of a
nation.
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JOURNEY 1
THE CROSSROADS
Use the following ideas to present the Gospel. SAY:
Moses had been willing to give up his own life if God would
pardon the sin of the people.
God would not permit this to happen because He had chosen
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someone else for such a task.
Until the time was right for that person to appear, God put in
place a system of sacrifices that pointed to the One who would
someday come to save the world.
Today we know who God sent to take the punishment for the sin
of others.
We know His name and we know what He did.
When we come into His presence, we are changed like Moses.
If youve never been changed by Jesus, You can be. Its as easy as
A, B, C.
Share the ABCs of Salvation and close in prayer.
HUDDLE GROUP
Make the following statements and then ask questions in Section B.
You may want to let the students share or you may want them to sit
quietly and think about how they would answer each question.
A. STATEMENTS TO MAKE
Moses prayed to God on behalf of the people.
He loved the people even though their sin grieved him.
He knew only God could change their hearts.
He asked God not to take away His presence from among them
(33:1416).
God heard his prayer and continued to lead the people toward the
land He had promised to give them.
B. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
Whom do you pray for each day?
Why do you pray for him/her?
What do you want God to do for that person?
What is one thing you could do to make your prayer life better?
Will you do that one thing this week?
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JOURNEY 1
SCRIPTURE MEMORY:
Philippians 4:6
Write the key verse on the board and ask each student to copy it on a
piece of paper.
SAY: God wants us to bring Him all of our concerns. He is the First One
we should think about when we are concerned about something. Our
key verse for today will help us understand how much God wants us to
come to Him.
HUDDLE GROUP:
A SPECIAL REVELATION
This is an interesting passage to read that describes what happened
when Moses boldly asked the Lord to show him His Glory.
SAY: In Exodus 33:1823, Moses asked to see Gods glory. God allowed
him only to see the place where God has passed through, the backside
of His glory.
Verse 18: What did Moses want to know about God?
Verses 1920: How did God respond to his request?
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JOURNEY 1
Verse 21: What did God tell him to do?
Verse 1923: How did God show Himself to Moses? [Demonstrate this
scene by putting two chairs close together and asking one of the boys to
crouch down between them. Have another student wrapped in a white
sheet walk by slowly to symbolize the backside of Gods glory. The cleft of
the rock gives us an amazing perspective on our omnipotent God.]
Gods glory passed by; Moses only saw His back, but it changed
him forever (Exodus 34:2930). The radiance of Gods glory was
reflected on the face of Moses as he came down from the mountain
(Exodus 34:29).
Moses had seen all of God a human being could see until Peter,
James, and John saw Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration.
Moses knew that God was real because He spoke to him in ways
he could understand. He answered the questions Moses asked
Him. He listened to every prayer Moses said.
Moses was sure now that Gods presence would be with him as he
led the people to the Promised Land.
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JOURNEY 1
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. How did the Hebrews end up in Egypt? (famine in Israel, Joseph
sold into slavery)
2. Who led the people out of their slavery in Egypt? (Moses)
3. How long had they been in Egypt? (400 years)
4. Where was Moses taking them? (to Canaan, the Promised Land)
5. What was the first obstacle they encountered?
(crossing the Red Sea)
6. How were they able to cross? (God split the water in to two parts
and the people crossed over on dry ground.)
7. Why did Moses go up to Mount Sinai? (God called him to come up.)
8. What did God give him there on the mountain? (Two tablets of
stone called the Ten Commandments)
9. When Moses came down from the mountain, what did he find?
(The people were worshipping a golden calf.)
10. Why had the people wanted a god made with hands? (They
wanted to be able to see God. Moses had been on the mountain for a
long time. They had little faith.) 15
JOURNEY 1
11. What did Moses ask God to do? (forgive their sin and remain in
their midst)
12. Why did God answer the prayer? (Moses had found favor with God
and God was pleased with his faith.)
13. Why does God hate sin? (because it separates us from Him)
14. What can save us from our sins? (faith in Jesus Christ)
15. What was Moses able to see on the mountain? (the back of Gods glory)
16. Like Moses, what does God ask us to do for others? (pray for others
to know Christ)
Exodus 32:18:
What did the Hebrews do while Moses
was on Mount Sinai?
Exodus 32:3032:
What did Moses pray for the Hebrews after he saw what
they did? Why was this not possible?
Exodus 33:1217:
Why did God answer the prayer of Moses in verse 16?
16
2
JOURNEY 2
A DESIGNER TENT?
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BIBLE BACKGROUND
Journey 2: A Designer Tent?
Israel Builds the Tabernacle
Key Word:
Worship
Key Thought:
Worship God privately in your heart and publicly as part of His Church.
In Exodus 25, God told Moses to have the people build Him a type of sanctuary, a
tabernacle, inside their camp where He could come and dwell among the people.
This special tent was designed by God Himself. It was a visible reminder that God had
called out these people to be holy and separate. He would dwell among them as the
cloud of His presence hung over the tabernacle structure.
This tabernacle was a portable tent erected and taken down as the people traveled
toward the Promised Land. The people contributed what they had toward the
construction of this meeting place. God asked for the following:
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JOURNEY 2
Gold, silver and bronze
Blue, purple and scarlet yarn
Fine linen
Goat hair
Ram skins dyed red and hides of cows and goats
Olive oil for the light
Spices for the anointing oil and for fragrant incense
Onyx stones and other gems
Acacia wood
This meeting place was to be built by the Israelite craftsmen and artisans according to
Gods specific pattern. Each of the 12 tribes of Israel would pitch their tents around the
tabernacle according to a specific assignment. Each time they moved to a new place,
the tabernacle was taken down, moved, and then set up again.
THE COVERINGS
The Holy Place and the Holy of Holies were covered by a tent that was 15 feet by 45
feet. The frame for the tent was made from wood overlaid with gold. The boards
rested in silver sockets. These sockets can be a reminder of the pieces of silver Judas
was paid to betray Jesus (Matthew 26:15).
The roof of the tabernacle was formed from layers of elaborate coverings.
1. The outer protective covering was made with ordinary badger skins. Jesus came
in the form of an ordinary man.
2. The next layer was made of the skins of goats, dyed red, pointing to the blood
Christ shed on the cross.
3. The third layer was made of pure white goats hair, symbolizing Christs purity
and holiness. 21
JOURNEY 2
4. The innermost covering revealed blue, purple and scarlet threads woven into
white linen, embroidered with cherubim and connected with golden clasps. The
blue represented heaven; the purple reflected the royalty of Christs kingdom and
the scarlet color symbolized the blood Christ would shed.
Next, Aaron was to lay his hands on the head of the second goat and confess aloud the
sins of the people. This act symbolized the transfer of the peoples sin to an innocent
substitute. After having done this, Aaron turned the goat over to a man standing by
who led the goat out into the wilderness and set him free (Leviticus 16:2022). This
pictured the removal of the peoples sin and Gods forgiveness as Christ became our
scapegoat. It portrayed the justification that would come at the Cross for us
(Hebrews 7:27).
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JOURNEY 2
The tabernacle and its contents were lost hundreds of years ago, but its significance
has been preserved in Christ. The writer of Hebrews explained to the early Christian
church how God used the tabernacle to prepare the people of the Old Testament
to recognize His salvation through the tabernacle, the system of sacrifices, and the
messages of the prophets (Hebrews 8:17). Today the Spirit of God lives in the hearts
of all believers. There is no more need for a tabernacle or a temple. We are Gods
temple (1 Corinthians 6:19). Therefore, we can worship Him any time and in any
place. Through Christ, we now have access to God (1 Peter 2:5, 9) because of our new
position as believers. Our sins have been forgiven and we stand justified before God
because of the Cross.
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TEACHING PLAN
JOURNEY 2: A Designer Tent?
Israel Builds the Tabernacle
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITIES
A. CONNECT the Big Room experience with the Bible story by asking
questions about how the things the students saw relate to the key
word and the key thought for the day. Use the following questions to
stimulate conversation.
What do you think about that?
Why is that important?
How would that have made you feel? 25
JOURNEY 2
B. ASK the students what the word worship means. Discuss with them
the worship experience in church that elementary-aged students are
beginning to experience. Preteens should be able to give detailed
information. To see how observant they are, ask them to do one of the
following:
1. Give each child a piece of paper and have him or her draw a
picture of the inside of your church.
2. Allow children to work in groups of twos and threes to create a
picture of the inside of the church.
3. They can tell you how to draw the church as you work on a marker
board or piece of poster board.
C. SUGGEST that they include things like the seating plan, the pulpit
area, the choir loft, the baptistery, the offering collection, the altar and
anything else that is outstanding about your church.
Once the drawings are completed, let the students share them
with the class.
Discuss the purpose of each area and how it contributes to the
overall worship experience.
Ask the students why it is important for us to come together as a
group to worship God. (to demonstrate our love and gratitude for
who God is and what He has done in our lives)
Transition to the lesson by asking the students where they think the
children of Israel worshipped in the desert after leaving Egypt since
they had to keep moving from place to place. Did they even know how
to worship since they had been slaves for more than 400 years?
THE CROSSROADS
In the tabernacle, there was a thick curtain that separated the Holy of
Holies from the Holy Place. It was a veil made of heavy woven cloth and
it served as a barrier between God and man (Exodus 26:33). Only the
High Priest could go beyond the veil. [Take three pieces of construction
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JOURNEY 2
paper and place them on top of one another and tear them very slowly
down the middle as you say the following.]
ASK: What could possibly be the connection between Jesus death and
this veil that was first put into the tabernacle and then into the temple
in Jerusalem? [Stop and wait to see if anyone responds. Then SAY:]
The tearing of the curtain symbolized that Christ had made it possible
for believers to have direct access to God through His death. No longer did
the veil separate man from God. If we believe in Christ and repent of our
sins, we can now be assured of an open relationship with God the Father.
Jesus became our mediator and now He intercedes in our behalf at the
throne of God (Hebrews 7:25) when we receive Him as Savior.
[Share the plan of salvation as you explain how to receive Christs sacrifice
personally. The veil is torn so that you might enter in. Close in prayer.]
HUDDLE GROUP
We now have the privilege of going before God, as only the high priest
could once do, to ask forgiveness of our sin. We can worship God any
place and any time because when we receive Christ, God lives within
us. He tabernacles inside our hearts and minds. Here are some ways
that our worship in church is different from that in the tabernacle, yet
in some ways is very similar. Ask the students to identify these ways as
you write them on the board.
a. We bring offerings to sustain the work and ministry of the church.
b. We offer prayers of thanksgiving and seek forgiveness of sins.
c. Our Pastor preaches from the Bible so that we may remember
Gods goodness and grace and worship Him in spirit and truth.
d. We sing praises to His name.
e. We focus on the supreme sacrifice Jesus made for all of us.
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f. We provide an opportunity for those not covered by Christs
sacrifice to make the decision to receive Him.
ASK the students to share how they feel about their own worship
experiences in church each week. Take any negative remarks and turn
them around into positive comments. Emphasize the need to join in
this corporate worship experience each and every week as the people
of God praise their God together.
Write the key verse on the board or on a poster. Ask the students
to point out the words that indicate Gods majesty and power
(worship, bow down, kneel, and the Lord, our Maker).
Have everyone kneel beside his or her chair.
Begin repeating the verse softly and then louder and then louder.
Ask for volunteers to pray as everyone is kneeling. Remind them
to express their love to God for all He is and for all He has done,
especially by sending His Son to die on the Cross.
Then, as the teacher, you should close this prayer time.
There are 17 words in the key verse. Make two sets of 17 cards and
write one word of the verse on each card. Divide the class into two
teams. The team that finds the cards and assembles the key verse first
wins. Reward the winners (and the losers) with some type of treat.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Why was it necessary to build a tabernacle? (God wanted a
place where people could worship Him. He wanted to symbolically
represent mans sin, his need for redemption and Gods provision for
his salvation.)
2. What was contained in the ark of the covenant? (Ten
Commandments, manna, Aarons rod)
3. Name two of the furnishings in the tabernacle. (the bronze laver,
the bronze altar, the lampstand, the altar of incense, the table of
showbread, the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat)
4. Name two other items in the tabernacle.
5. Where was the veil placed in the tabernacle? (between the Holy of
Holies and the Holy Place) 31
JOURNEY 2
6. What was its function? (to separate man from God)
7. What happened to the veil when Jesus died? (It was split in two
from top to bottom)
8. When we worship God, name one thing that we are
demonstrating.
9. Name something else our worship reveals.
10. Where can we worship God? (any place, any time)
11. Why is it important to worship God? (because we love Him)
32
2
The MacArthur Study Bible, Thomas Nelson, 1997, p. 134.
JOURNEY 2
THE FURNISHINGS OF THE TABERNACLE3
3
The NIV Study Bible, Zondervan Bible Publishers, 1985, p. 126. 33
JOURNEY 2
SETTING UP YOUR
TEACHING BOARD
34
3
JOURNEY 3
DIVINE DISCIPLINE
35
36
BIBLE BACKGROUND
JOURNEY 3: Divine Discipline
Israel Wanders in the Wilderness
Key Thought:
Accept discipline as a way of developing godly character.
Around the outside linen fence, the 12 tribes pitched their tents. On the northern side
were the tribes of Dan, Asher and Naphtali. To the south were the tribes of Rueben,
Simeon and Gad. In front of the gate on the western side were the tribes of Benjamin,
Manasseh and Ephraim. On the east side were the tribes of Judah, Issachar and
Zebulun. Moses and Aaron and his sons from the tribe of Levi also encamped on the
east side. They had been chosen by God to care for the tabernacle.
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named Joshua. In English, this name would be pronounced as Jesus, meaning God
is our salvation. At the time, Moses did not know that this Joshua would eventually
succeed him as the leader of Israel.
Moses ordered the 12 spies to discover six things about the land of Canaan
(Numbers 13:1720).
1. Were the inhabitants of the land weak or strong?
2. Were there only a few people or were there many?
3. Could the land be considered good or bad?
4. Were the cities like camps or were they well-fortified strongholds?
5. Was the land rich or poor?
6. Did the land contain thriving forests?
After 40 days, the spies returned to give their report. They showed the delicious fruit
taken from the landgrapes, figs, pomegranates. The land was indeed good so that
it flowed with milk and honey. However, there were some obstacles to overcome.
The people who lived there were strong. Their cities were large and well fortified.
The warlike tribes living there would have to be conquered and the Israelites had no
military training.
Caleb, one of the spies, spoke up quickly to calm the people and to assure them that
these inhabitants could be overcome. Ten other spies spoke up in fear, saying that the
inhabitants were like giants and that Israel would appear to them as grasshoppers to
be crushed.
The people told Moses that it would have been better if they had died in Egypt or in
the wilderness. They questioned why God would have brought them here only to die
by the sword. They asked Moses to let them return to Egypt (Numbers 14:34).
Moses and Aaron fell to the ground in disbelief. Joshua and Caleb appealed to the
people to trust in Gods ability to give them the victory and to stop being afraid. The
people responded by saying these two should be stoned.
Suddenly, the glory of the Lord appeared over the tabernacle and Moses went to
speak to the Lord. How long will these people despise Me and the signs and wonders
I have performed among them? (Numbers 14:11) God was prepared to strike the
people down. Moses interceded as he had done so many times before in their behalf.
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He appealed to God for the sake of His own reputation among the nations of the world
to have mercy and pardon their sin.
Moses is undeniably one of the greatest men of faith who ever lived, but he too
40 experienced Gods divine discipline.
TEACHING PLAN
JOURNEY 3: Divine Discipline
Israel Wanders in the Wilderness
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITIES
A. CONNECT the Big Room experience with the Bible story by asking
questions about how the things the students saw relate to the key
word and the key thought for the day. Use the following questions to
stimulate conversation.
What do you think about that?
Why is that important?
How would that have made you feel?
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JOURNEY 3
B. STAGE a scene to illustrate disobedience and its consequences.
Before class, ask a student to talk loudly to his neighbor as you begin
talking about the Big Room experience. Have him/her do this two
or three times. Finally, you should stop talking and just look at the
student. Then ask the student to go and sit apart from the group
because he could not obey. Beforehand, coach the student to yell at
one of his buddies one more time. Then go to the student and put him
outside the class in order not to disturb you or the other students any
longer. Watch the reaction of the class. Ask for their comments and see
if they agree that this behavior was disobedient. Ask if you should have
just ignored it and kept going. Why or why not? Explain how you set
this up before class to illustrate the key thought.
TRANSITION to the Bible story. Explain that God had to discipline the
children of Israel because they would not obey Him. He allowed them
to wander in the desert until they learned to obey and were ready to
enter the Promised Land.
Benjamin Zebulun
Reuben Simeon Gad
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SAY: After many months, the people approached the area near
the land of Canaan. There they pitched camp and awaited Moses
instructions. God told Moses to send out 12 men, one from each of the
tribes, to spy out the land. In Numbers 13 and 14, there is a dramatic
description of what happened to these 12 spies. [Pick out a few verses
for your class to read aloud.]
SAY: God did forgive them according to verse 20, but they would have
to suffer the consequences of their sin.
Everyone 20 years or older who had rejected the report of the
spies would die in the desert (Numbers 14:2930).
Their children, under the leadership of Joshua and Caleb, would
enter the Promised Land, but 40 years would pass before this
could happen (Numbers 14:34).
The people refused to accept such a punishment. Instead, they
tried to take the land by themselves without the help of Moses or
God. They were driven back by the Amalekites and the Canaanites
who currently lived in the land (Numbers 14:4445) and soundly
defeated. 43
JOURNEY 3
C. YEARS OF WANDERING (Numbers 20:713)
DESCRIBE in your own words:
The 40 years of wandering in the desert were filled with one
hardship after another. The people had to be disciplined so they
would learn to obey God.
They could not argue with God. They could not challenge Him.
They could not have their own way.
He alone was sovereign. Without His blessing, there could be no
hope of success.
Even Moses was disciplined for failing to do as God commanded
when the people needed water in the desert in Numbers 20:913.
ASK: How did God tell Moses to get water out of the rock? Did Moses
obey? What did he do instead of speaking to the rock? What would be
his punishment? (He would not be the one to lead the people into the
Promised Land.)
THE CROSSROADS
SAY: For 30 days, the children of Israel mourned the death of Moses
(Deuteronomy 34:8). They called him the prophet whom the Lord
knew face-to-face (Numbers 34:10). God used him as a great
deliverer. He was able to do miraculous signs and wonders before all
the people. He had been an intercessor for the people before God. He
cast a vision for the people of what life would be like if only they would
obey God. In so many ways, Moses was like Jesus.
Like Christ, he was a prophet, priest and kingly ruler.
Both Jesus and Moses were in danger of death as children.
Both came to be a savior for their people.
Both interceded before God in behalf of a sinful and disobedient
people.
Their leadership among those they came to save was rejected.
The life of Moses and Christ had similarities, but there was one
significant difference. Christ was the Son of God and though He, too,
would die, He would eventually bring eternal life to all who believe.
God used Moses to point to Christ through the Passover and through
the system of sacrificial offerings. Moses could not pay for the sins of
the people with his own life but Jesus could and He did.
Share the ABCs of Salvation. Invite anyone who wants to talk about
their decision to follow Christ to speak with you privately.
SCRIPTURE MEMORY:
Hebrews 12:11
For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but
later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
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JOURNEY 3
Remind the students that discipline is not fun or pleasant, but the
end result is peace with God, peace with parents and peace with
oneself. Obedience is always the best choice so that there is no need
for discipline. We should learn this lesson from the poor Israelites who
wandered through the desert for 40 years.
Bring out your fruit platter and present it to the group. Repeat the key
verse and then offer a piece of fruit to each student who will say the
verse along with you.
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JOURNEY 3
HUDDLE GROUP
ASK: After hearing this weeks lesson about discipline, lets spend
a few minutes discussing the benefits of discipline. You may ask
what benefits? but discipline is really a good thing. Read aloud the
following situations and/or assign each one of them to a different
group of students to discuss.
1. A fourth grader was caught copying the answers to some test
questions from another students paper. Why was this wrong?
What is an appropriate punishment? If you were the childs parent,
what would you say to him/her?
2. Rather than cleaning up her room, Rachel hides her clothes
and stuff in her closet so her parents cant see the mess. Why is
this wrong? What will eventually happen? How should she be
disciplined? How can discipline benefit her in the future?
3. Your little brother thinks its funny to run out in the street. What is
wrong with his lack of obedience? How should he be disciplined?
What are the benefits of disciplining him now?
4. You think its cool to hang around with the kids in school who
bully other kids. What might eventually happen when a kid is
made fun of constantly? How should a bully be disciplined? What
are the benefits of stopping the bullying for everyone involved?
5. You take money out of your moms purse so you can buy a video
game she does not want you to have. Why is this wrong? How
should you be punished? If the behavior continues, what might
happen? As a parent, what would you say to your child?
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JOURNEY 3
For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but
later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
Hebrews 12:11
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Name two things the spies were to find out. (What is land like?
Are people strong or weak? Is the land good or bad? What kind of
towns? Are they walled or unprotected? How many trees are there?)
2. What report did they bring back? (good land, one flowing with milk
and honey, but there are warlike people with fortified cities)
3. Which two spies said they could take the land? (Joshua and Caleb)
4. Whose report did the people believe? (the other 10)
5. What did the people want to do to Joshua and Caleb? (stone them)
6. What did God want to do when the people rebelled? (kill them)
7. What did Moses tell Him? (Other nations will think you could not
bring the people into the land.)
8. How did God discipline the people? (All who rebelled died in the
desert without entering the Promised Land. Their children wandered
for 40 years.)
9. When Moses died, who buried him and where? (God, somewhere
in the land of Moab)
10. How old was he? (120 years)
11. Who then assumed the leadership of the people? (Joshua)
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JOURNEY 3
SETTING UP YOUR
TEACHING BOARD
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4
JOURNEY 4
WILL THE WALL FALL?
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BIBLE BACKGROUND
JOURNEY 4: Will the Wall Fall?
Joshua Fights the Battle of Jericho
Key Thought:
Meet every challenge with confidence and courage in Christ.
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JOURNEY 4
Forty years ago, Joshua had been one of the spies sent to check out the land. Now he
stood on the edge of the Jordan River sending out his own spies into Canaan. They
discovered the city was a beautiful, tropical oasis surrounded by a huge wall. Jericho
had its own army, making it one of the strongest walled cities in the area. This is what
the two spies learned.
The people practiced the Canaanite religion which involved worshipping idols and
human sacrifice. Israels conquest of the land would be Gods judgment on the
people.
The spies stayed in a type of inn run by a prostitute named Rahab.
Word reached the king of Jericho about the spies. He sent soldiers to Rahabs house
to find them.
Rahab agreed to help the men by hiding them on the roof under stalks of flax.
She told the soldiers they had been at her house but they left just before the city
gates closed for the night. If they hurried, she said, maybe they could catch up
with them. The men left to find the spies.
She begged the men to show her and those of her household the same kindness she
had shown them. When the Israelites returned, she wanted them to spare her family
from the death and destruction she knew the rest of Jericho would experience.
The spies agreed to do as Rahab asked if she would keep secret their mission and their
whereabouts. She let them down the wall by hanging a scarlet rope out her window.
They climbed over the wall and escaped into the mountains. Before leaving, the
men told her to hang this same scarlet rope out the window when the Israelite army
returned. This scarlet rope would the symbol of the safety and protections promised to
Rahab and her household by the people of God.
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JOURNEY 4
As Joshua looked at the huge walled city, the Commander of the Lords army appeared
to him (Joshua 5:1315). This was a preincarnate appearance of Jesus. He stood
before Joshua with a sword drawn. He told Joshua to take off his shoes because he
stood on holy ground. Joshua was being commissioned to possess the land of Canaan
just as Moses had been commissioned to confront Pharaoh. Joshua knew that this was
Gods messenger and he bowed down and worshipped Him. The Lord assured him of
victory and provided a plan of attack that was quite remarkable (Joshua 6:15).
For six days, the army of Israel would march around the city once a day. Seven
priests carrying seven trumpets would march in front of ark of the covenant. The
army would follow behind.
On the seventh day, the army was to march around the city seven times in the
same manner with the priests blowing their trumpets. When the trumpet sound
was heard the seventh time, Joshua told the people: Shout, for the Lord has given
you the city (Joshua 6:16). The people would give a great shout and then the
walls would fall down.
Joshua and the people did as the Lord commanded and the walls fell down.
Jericho was a city with almost nine acres of land. It would have taken 20 to 30
minutes to walk around it once. This unusual battle plan would be another lesson
in faith for the Israelites. The ark was to be prominently displayed at all times so
that the people would know their victory was the work of the Lord.
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JOURNEY 4
The Commander-in-Chief had been present at the battle. He had overseen every
detail. The battle belonged to Him. Joshua had faithfully obeyed His every command.
The Bible says that the Lord was with Joshua and his fame spread throughout all
the country as a result of his victory at Jericho. Faith and obedience make all the
difference.
When the invasion finally came, Rahab and her family did as the spies had told her.
She hung the scarlet cord she had used for their escape out her window. Joshuas
men saw the cord and led her and her family to safety. Hundreds of years later,
Matthew recorded that Rahab, as the mother of Boaz, was one of the ancestors of
Jesus (Matthew 1:5). God had forever linked her act of faith with the scarlet cord that
connected the Old Testament with the New.
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JOURNEY 4
This plan of redemption set in motion before the foundation of the world requires
today the same simple act of faith so vividly portrayed in the life of Rahab and Joshua.
Salvation that seemed impossible to others became possible for them because they
put unwavering faith in God.
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JOURNEY 4
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TEACHING PLAN
JOURNEY 4: Will the Wall Fall?
Joshua Fights the Battle of Jericho
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITIES
A. CONNECT the Big Room experience with the Bible story by asking
questions about how the things they saw relate to the key word and
the key thought for the day. Use the following questions to stimulate
conversation.
What do you think about that?
Why is that important?
How would that have made you feel?
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JOURNEY 4
B. ASK the students to share the hardest thing they have ever had to
do. Ask them to explain why it was so hard. How were they able to
complete the task eventually? Listen for any indication that they knew
God helped them to be successful.
ASK the students to open their Bibles to the book of Joshua to see
Gods plan unfold. You may want to outline these steps on the board.
Depending on your grade level, you may want to pick and choose the
Scriptures you read aloud in class.
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JOURNEY 4
STEP 2: Joshua secured the commitment of the people to follow him.
Joshua 1:16: What did the people promise Joshua?
STEP 3: Joshua sent out two spies to get a report on the challenges to
be faced.
Joshua 2:1: Where did the spies go to gather the information?
Joshua 2:6: Where did Rahab hide them?
Joshua 2:811: Why was she willing to help the men who were about
to take over the town she lived in?
Joshua 2:1213: What did Rahab ask from them in return?
Joshua 2:1718: What would be the signal that Rahabs house was to
be spared on the day the city was invaded?
Joshua 2:24: What did the spies tell Joshua?
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JOURNEY 4
B. RAHABS SCARLET CORD
Show your scarlet cord to the class. SAY: Rahab had no idea of the
significance of her act of hiding the spies.
The scarlet cord she threw out her window had become a scarlet
cord of salvation for her and for her family.
It also symbolized Gods plan of redemption in the Old Testament
and pointed to the life of His Son described in the New.
Rahab allowed God to use her in this first attempt to secure the
Promised Land for Gods people.
She would forever be linked to Jesus through the line of Davids
ancestors. Turn to Matthew 1:5 and read who she became: the
great-great-grandmother of David.
Read aloud what Rahab said about the God of the Israelites in Joshua
2:1011.
For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea
before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two
kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og,
whom you devoted to destruction. And as soon as we heard it, our hearts
melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the
Lord your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.
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JOURNEY 4
THE CROSSROADS
There is a scarlet thread that runs from Genesis to Revelation. God
loved the world so much that He made a wonderful plan to redeem
mankind from the punishment of sin that began in the Garden. This
scarlet thread can be seen in the Bible in many ways:
In the blood of the animals killed to provide coverings for Adam
and Eve.
In the ark Noah built that preserved mankind.
In the blood of the ram Abraham sacrificed in place of Isaac.
In the blood of the lambs used during Passover.
In the blood of the animals sacrificed according to the Mosaic Law.
In the blood of Gods Son shed on the Cross.
This was the plan of redemption set in motion before the foundation of
the world. This is the plan of redemption available to us today by faith.
[Use the scarlet cord to wrap around yourself or around you Bible in order
to make it personal.] Explain how this plan involves for every person a
choice. [Share the ABCs of Salvation and ask any student who has not yet
made that decision to do so today. Then close in prayer.]
HUDDLE GROUP
Huddle up your students and discuss the following questions.
1. What makes something a challenge?
2. What do you think you need to meet the challenges you currently
face?
3. What is available to you?
4. Who knows how to make something from nothing? Who holds the
world together? Who owns all the cattle on a thousand hills?
5. What kind of a relationship do you have with this Super Creator of
the Universe? This is the place to start. You have to get connected
to Him.
6. How do you get connected?
If you are not yet a Christian, then you need to receive Jesus
as your Savior and repent of your sins.
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JOURNEY 4
If you are a Christian, you need to start digging in Gods Word
like you were hunting for gold.
You need to bring every fear, worry, anxiety, hope, dream and
plan to Him in prayer and lay it at the foot of the cross.
You need to be obedient to the truth that you know so that
God can give you more truth.
You have to want His will more than you want anything else.
7. Joshua learned this very valuable lesson from the get-go. He even
described his secret of success in Joshua 1:8:
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth,
but you shall meditate on it day and night,
so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it.
For then you will make your way prosperous,
And then you will have good success.
Genesis 8:22
Exodus 15:13
Exodus 20:12
Deuteronomy 4:29
Joshua 1:9
1 Samuel 26:23
2 Chronicles 7:14
Nehemiah 9:31
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JOURNEY 4
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. How did Joshua get to be the leader of the Israelites? (God chose
him after Moses died.)
2. What did the people promise Joshua as they prepared to cross the
Jordan River into Canaan? (whatever you tell us to do we will do)
3. What happened to the two spies he sent to search out the land?
(They were almost caught, but Rahab hid them on the roof under
stalks of flax.)
4. Why was she so willing to help the Hebrew spies? (She knew their
God was God.)
5. How did the spies escape her house without being seen? (They slid
down a scarlet rope she dropped out the window.)
6. What request did Rahab make of the spies? (to save her and her
family from death when the Israelites returned to take the land)
7. What challenge did Joshua face after he had led the people across
the Jordan River? (to take the city of Jericho)
8. Whom did Joshua meet who promised him the battle would be
won? (the Commander of the Lords armyJesus)
9. What strategy did the Israelites use? (For six days they were to walk
around the wall once with seven priests in front of the ark carrying
trumpets. On the seventh day, they were to march around the city
seven times with the priests blowing the trumpets. When they heard
a long blast on the trumpets, the people were to give a loud shout
and the walls would fall down.)
10. Was Rahab rescued with her family? (Yes, they were pulled from
their house and placed safely outside the camp of the Israelites.)
11. How does Rahab have a connection with Jesus? (She was the
great-great-grandmother of David whose descendants were Joseph
and Mary of Nazareth.)
12. Explain how the scarlet thread (cord) represents Gods Plan
of Salvation, i.e., GPS? (From Genesis to Revelation, we see the
redemption Christ brought woven into the biblical record like a
beautiful thread woven throughout a garment. It finds fulfillment in
His blood at Calvary.)
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JOURNEY 4
SETTING UP YOUR
TEACHING BOARD
Check Off
______ Challenge 1: Spy out the land.
______ Challenge 2: Get the spies back home.
______ Challenge 3: Cross the Jordan.
______ Challenge 4: Take the city of Jericho.
______ Challenge 5: Do it Gods way.
______ Challenge 6: Rescue Rahab.
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5
JOURNEY 5
A NEW JUDGE IN TOWN
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BIBLE BACKGROUND
JOURNEY 5: A New Judge in Town
Gideon Overcomes the Midianites
Key Thought:
Trust God to prepare you for the challenges life will bring.
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JOURNEY 5
God allows
Israel turns
Israels
from God enemies to
and worships
overtake
idols.
them.
THE SEVEN
CYCLES
Peace is OF SIN IN The people
JUDGES
restored and repent and
the people cry out for
prosper. Gods help.
God sends a
deliverer (a
judge) to
save them.
These cycles of sin and salvation were played out seven different times in the book
of Judges. Each time, God raised up a different leader, known as a judge, to lead the
people back to faith and obedience. In most instances, these judges acted as military
leaders to defeat the enemies of Israel who wanted the land God had given them.
The Lord Himself appeared to Gideon in the form of an angel to call him into action.
Gideon did not trust the words he heard the angel speak and asked for a sign to
validate his authority. The angel caused fire to consume food on an altar of sacrifice.
Gideon then accepted his divine commission. There in that place Gideon built an altar
to Yahweh.
Gideon and his servant approached the Midianite camp in the darkness of night.
They overheard a man describing a dream about a loaf of barley bread rolling into the
camp and causing a tent to fall. The man interpreted the dream as being the sword
of Gideon destroying the Midianite camp. Gideon was overjoyed to hear such an
interpretation and the Bible says that he worshipped upon hearing such words. Now
he was ready to go into battle.
GIDEONS BATTLE
Gideon divided his 300 men into three companies and told them to surround the
Midianites. He gave them torches and trumpets and empty pitchers. When Gideon
gave the signal, each of the men in the three companies broke their pitchers and blew
their trumpets. They waved their torches and shouted: A sword for the Lord and for
Gideon! Upon hearing such a frightening display of light and sound (shock & awe in a
biblical way), the Midianites were terrified and ran into one another thinking that the
enemy was in their midst. Finally, they ran for their lives. Gideon and his men pursued
them and drove them out of the land.
GODS VICTORY
Perhaps it was the battle cry about a sword for the Lord and for Gideon that struck fear
in the hearts of the enemy. The clanging pots, the horns and the torches convinced
them they were surrounded by the enemy. It had been so unexpected and in the
middle of the night they could not determine how many had surrounded the camp.
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JOURNEY 5
The Midianites witnessed up close and personal the power of God present among
Gideons men.
These Midianites were emotionally overwhelmed. Their idol god lay broken in pieces
but the God of Israel was alive and strong. The Israelites had gone out in the name of
the Lord. They overcame their fears and God helped them be victorious.
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JOURNEY 5
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TEACHING PLAN
JOURNEY 5: A New Judge in Town
Gideon Overcomes the Midianites
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITIES
A. CONNECT the Big Room experience with the Bible story by asking
questions about how the things they saw relate to the key word and
the key thought for
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JOURNEY 5
the day. Use the following questions to stimulate conversation.
What do you think about that?
Why is that important?
How would that have made you feel?
B. DISCUSS the key thought for the day. SAY: Todays key word is
fearless. Make a list of things that cause people to be afraid. Include the
following and add some of your own. You might even ask the students
to help you make the list.
Snakes
Thunder and lightning
Spiders
Giving a speech in front of an audience
A dark room
Shots at the doctors office
Making an F in school
Getting a spanking
Losing TV privileges
Ask the students to rank these things according to their fear factor with
10 causing the most fear and 1 causing the least fear.
ASK:
Why had God wanted such a small army? (so He would get
the glory)
What made this group of 300 well-suited for battle? (alertness to
danger, their faith in God, their trust in Gideon as a leader)
What did Gideon learn? (that God does what He says He will do)
Who got the credit for the victory? (God)
CONCLUSION
We can learn from Gideon that despite all our worries and fears about
our own abilities, God will equip us to do His will. We must develop
a fearless faith in His promise to take care of us wherever we go and
whatever we do.
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JOURNEY 5
THE CROSSROADS
We can trust God with our future because He is omnipotent,
omnipresent and omniscient.
He has shown Himself strong in behalf of those who belong to
HimNoah, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Rahab and Gideon.
He has promised to care for His own and to go before them into
any kind of a battlebe it physical, emotional or spiritual.
God the Father is in the business of taking care of His: those who
march in His army.
The question for us is: Can we be numbered in His army? Are we
on His side? Do we understand that all of lifes challenges are
under His sovereign control?
We can if we have received Jesus as our personal Lord and
Savior. Today are you sure that God can count on you as one of
His soldiers? If not, you can be sure by repenting of your sin and
asking Jesus to forgive you.
CLOSE IN PRAYER as you share the ABCs of Salvation and perhaps voice
the Sinners Prayer. Ask any student who would like to discuss this
decision with you to see you after class.
Repeat the key verse multiple times: first the boys, then the girls,
then those with blonde hair, those with dark hair, those wearing
blue or black, those wearing red or pink and then everyone.
Have the students stand and line up at attention as if in the army.
In unison have them repeat the verse twice.
Then let them make up motions for the key words as they say the
verse one or two more times.
Remind them that it is a privilege to be in Gods army. He wants us
to be His fearless warriors.
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JOURNEY 5
HUDDLE GROUP
DISCUSS the following ideas with your class as a whole or divide them
into smaller groups.
This week we learned that fear should never keep us from doing
what God commands. Have you ever been afraid to share Jesus with
someone? Ask God to give you courage to share His love this week.
Poor Gideon had trouble trusting God until he saw the sign of the
fleece. What signs do you see that God cares for you?
Gideon had to stand up to some big bullies. Have you ever had to
deal with a bully? What does Gods Word say in Isaiah 41:10 about
being afraid?
Gideon and his men prepared to fight in the battle. Did you know
that you are in a battle every day? Read Ephesians 6:1117 and
describe the type of armor you should put on every day.
Is there an area in your life where you need Gods victory? Maybe
youre dealing with a bully or math is giving you a hard time.
Share this with others and ask for their help. Ask God to give you
strength in this area.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Describe Gideons first reaction when the angel told him what
God wanted him to do. (fearful, not willing to do it, said he was not
equipped)
2. What was the first sign Gideon asked from God? (that the fleece on
the threshing floor be wet with dew and the floor be dry)
3. What was the second sign he asked God for? (that the ground be
wet and the fleece dry)
4. What god did the Midianites worship? (Baal)
5. How many men came to join the army when the call went out?
(10,000)
6. What was the test God told Gideon to use with the men to find the
ones who were most alert to danger? (He was to ask them to drink
water from the river. The men who cupped their hands and lapped
the water like a dog would be the ones God would use.)
7. How many were finally chosen? (300)
8. Describe the strategy Gideon was to use. (He would divide the
army into three sections and surround the camp of the Midianites.
When the signal was given, the army would sound their trumpets,
break their jars and light their torches. The Israelites watched as the
Midianites killed one another.)
9. Why did this strategy work? (The Midianite soldiers were so
confused when they woke up that they began killing one another.
They believed their own men were the enemy soldiers in the middle
of the camp. The Israelites watched from the surrounding hills.)
10. Name one thing we can learn from Gideons story. (God always
fights for His children. When we overcome our fears by taking action,
God blesses what we do. Gods plans done in Gods way always result
in Gods victory for His children.)
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JOURNEY 5
SETTING UP YOUR
TEACHING BOARD
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6
JOURNEY 6
A BAD HAIR DAY?
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BIBLE BACKGROUND
JOURNEY 6: A Bad Hair Day?
Samson Defeats the Philistines
Key Thought:
Avoid the consequences of sin by doing the right thing.
These Israelites lost their distinction as a holy people, set apart and consecrated to
the one true God. Their sin resulted in bondage and the promise of discipline. Yet, ever
faithful to His covenant relationship with them, God extended His grace time and
again by forgiving their sin and sending another deliverer.
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JOURNEY 6
SAMSONTHE JUDGE
(Judges 13:17; 14:114)
For 40 years, the Israelites had been tormented under the rule of the Philistines. An
angel of the Lord, a preincarnate appearance of Christ, presented Himself to a woman
who was barren and spoke of a son whom she would bear (13:35). This child was to
be consecrated to God through the Nazarite vow, meaning dedication by separation.
There were three restrictions that had to be observed if such a vow were to be kept:
1. The man could not drink wine or anything similar to it.
2. He must never take a razor to his head to cut his hair.
3. He must never touch a dead body.
This child that the angel promised the woman would deliver Israel from the
oppression of the Philistines. When the child was born, his parents called him Samson
and the Lord blessed him as he grew strong.
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JOURNEY 6
As the Philistines assembled to worship their god, Dagon, they had Samson brought
from the prison to perform for them. Samson had an idea. He asked a servant to place
him between the pillars supporting the temple (Judges 16:26). Then he begged God
to remember him and to allow his strength to return one last time. God answered
his prayer as he began to push against the pillars with all his might. He would take
down the temple and all who had come inside. He cried out: Let me die with the
Philistines! (Judges 16:2930).
Samson did indeed die that day with the Philistines under the pillars of the pagan
temple. He suffered the consequences of his own sin and his failure to honor God
with his gift of strength. However, with his own death came a great defeat for the
Philistines. As a military leader, Samson could have used his gift to make his nation
secure and to defeat its enemies for many years. However, he made poor choices:
pleasure over purity, leisure over responsibility, sin over holiness, a woman over God.
He paid for these choices with his life. Yet, in the end, this great champion of Israel
repented and turned to God for his final victory. The writer of Hebrews included him in
the list of the faithful (Hebrews 11:32).
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TEACHING PLAN
JOURNEY 6: A Bad Hair Day?
Samson Defeats the Philistines
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITIES
A. CONNECT the Big Room experience with the Bible story by asking
questions about how the things they saw relate to the key word and
the key thought for the day. Use the following questions to stimulate
conversation.
What do you think about that?
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JOURNEY 6
Why is that important?
How would that have made you feel?
B. EXPLAIN that todays Bible character loved riddles. Lets see how
good you are with riddles. Read a few of the riddles aloud and let the
students guess the answers or make up a riddle sheet and give each
student a copy.
What gets wetter the more it dries? (a towel)
What grows down when it grows up? (a goose)
What month has 28 days? (all of them)
What do sea monsters eat? (fish and ships)
What vehicle is spelled the same backwards and forwards?
(race car)
What goes up but never comes down? (your age)
How much is a skunk worth? (one scent)
What can run but never walks, has a mouth but never talks, has a
head but never weeps, has a bed but never sleeps? (a river)
If you drop a yellow hat in the Red Sea, what does it become?
(wet)
What person in the Bible was most like a doctor? (Job because he
had a lot of patience)
What did Noah use to light the ark at night? (flood lamps)
How did the Red Sea greet the Egyptians when they tried to cross
it? (It waved.)
What person in the Bible was most like an actor? (Samson,
because he brought down the house)
TELL the students that our Bible lesson today has a riddle in it. I am going
to give you the riddle but not the answer. We have to find the answer in
Judges 14. (Dont give them the answer until later.) Heres the riddle:
What is it? (Answer: Judges 14:814The bees had made a hive filled
with honey in the carcass of a lion Samson had killed with his bare hands.
He scooped out the honey with his hands and ate it as he walked along.)
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JOURNEY 6
It was during one of these times that God called a man named Samson
to serve as a judge and deliver his people from the cruelty of the
Philistines. ASK: Whats another Bible story you remember where
the Philistines were creating a problem? (David and Goliath) God had
given Samson a special gift that would benefit his people. Let find out
if Samson used his gift wisely.
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JOURNEY 6
Verses 1718: How did the young men finally figure out the answer
to the riddle?
READ ALOUD verses 1415 to see how Samson was able to kill 1,000
Philistines at one time. Where did Samsons strength come from?
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JOURNEY 6
Verses 2829: What was Samsons last prayer to God? How did God
answer the prayer?
Verse 27: How many people did Samson kill when he died?
HUDDLE GROUP
A. CONSEQUENCES
ASK: The story of Samson is one of missed opportunities. It is sad for
many reasons.
What did Samson do with the gift of strength God had given him?
How did Samson show a lack of wisdom in the choice of the
women he loved?
What physical tortures did Samson have to endure? (eyes gouged
out and a crushing death)
What was Samsons biggest failure? (not putting God first in his
life)
Discuss the meaning of the words repentance and
accountability..
To whom was Samson accountable? How did he fail God?
Did Samson ever repent? How do we know?
Did God forgive him? How do we know?
B. ACCOUNTABILITY
SAY: Every day, we make choices that reveal our commitment to God.
Just because others do things that are wrong, we do not have to join
in.
We stand accountable to God for what we do and say and think.
The life of Samson illustrates the consequences of forgetting this
accountability to God.
We may never have our eyes gouged out, but we may suffer the
loss of Gods blessing and that is the greatest loss of all.
Samson could have done so much more for the people of Israel as
Gods judge.
He let his own desires get in the way. Samson literally said: Me
first!I want what I want now.If you dont give me what I want,
you will get hurt.
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JOURNEY 6
In the end, Samson realized how shamefully he had let God down.
He was willing to die in order to fight one last battle on behalf of
Gods people. God had seen his repentant heart and allowed him one
last spurt of strength. In the end, he served God one last time, but
how much better it would have been if he had made wiser choices
throughout his life.
THE CROSSROADS
One day we will stand before God to receive the rewards of our lifes
service to Him. The desire of our heart should be to hear Him say: Well,
done, good and faithful servant. Our service for Him begins with a
single decision to receive Christ as Savior. Once our eternal destination
is secure, then we must serve Him every day through acts of kindness,
encouraging words, and behavior above reproach. ASK: Have you
repented of your sin? Is your destination set? Are you ready to stand
before Him? You can be today. [Share the plan of salvation and close in
prayer.]
Key Word(s)
& Scripture Reference
Guarding Your Heart Witnessing
Proverbs 4:23 Romans 10:910
Tithing Doing Good Works
2 Corinthians 9:7 Romans 12:2021
Speaking Obeying
Ephesians 4:29 Ephesians 6:1
Resisting Temptation Reading Gods Word
Ephesians 6:11 Psalm 119:9799
Discuss the meaning of the verse and then have the class say it
together a few times. Divide the group into two or three teams.
Give each team 15 paper cups to build a pillar of repentance. When
Samson finally repented, God was able to use him to pull down pillars
of stone on those who worshipped idols.
Have students write one word on each cup. You may put two
words on one cup to decrease the total number needed.
Ask students to stack the cups on top of one another, one right
side up, the next one upside down, and so on, until all the words
have been placed in order and can be read.
Remind the students that God is looking for people with clean
hearts who want to honor Him with lives of service. Are you one of
those people?
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. What did an angel tell Samsons mother about the son she would
have? (separated for service to God; no strong drink; nothing
unclean to eat; hair not cut)
2. What did Samson ask his mother and father to do for him? (get for
him a wife from the Philistines)
3. Why were his parents upset about this request? (They wanted a
wife from among the Israelite women for him.)
4. On the way to meet his new wife, how was Samson confronted?
(He was approached by a roaring lion.)
5. What did Samuel do to the lion and where did he leave it? (killed it
and left carcass on side of the road)
6. What did Samson find in the carcass later when he returned?
(honey)
7. What riddle did Samson make up using this encounter? (Out of
the eater came something to eat. Out of the strong came something
sweet.)
8. How did he use the riddle at his wedding? (He promised to give one
of his friends 30 changes of clothes if any of them could solve the
riddle.)
9. What did his friends do when they were unable to solve the
riddle? (They threatened to burn Samsons wife and her fathers
house if she did not get the riddles answer for them.)
10. Angered by the betrayal, what did Samson do? (killed the 30
friends and left his wife)
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11. When he finally returned to his wife, what did he find? (His father-
in-law had given her to another man.)
12. What did Samson do then? (He tied the tails of 300 foxes together
and sent them through the fields of the Philistines.)
13. After the Philistines captured Samson, how was Samson able to
escape? (God renewed his strength and he broke the ropes by which
he was bound. He used the jawbone of a donkey to kill Philistines.)
14. Later in life, with whom did Samson fall in love? (Delilah)
15. How did she help the Philistines capture him once again? (She got
him to tell her that his strength lay in not having cut his hair. While
he slept, she had someone come in and cut his hair; he was then
helpless to defend himself against the Philistine soldiers.)
16. How did the Philistines treat Samson this time? (They bound him
tightly and gouged out his eyes.)
17. What did Samson pray? (He asked God to use him one more time for
the sake of his people.)
18. How was Samson able to do one last thing for God? (As his hair
began to grow, God allowed his strength to return so that he could
pull down the Philistines temple and kill all inside.)
19. How many did he kill that day? (3,000 + 1, including Samson)
20. What was Samsons title and what does it mean? (judge, a military
leader)
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SETTING UP YOUR
TEACHING BOARD
SAMSON
Strong, Selfish, Vengeful, Repentant, Humbled
A Riddle
A Challenge
An Unacceptable Wife
An Unsuitable Girlfriend
A Tragedy
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JOURNEY 7
ORDINARY PEOPLE
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BIBLE BACKGROUND
JOURNEY 7: Ordinary People
The Love Story of Ruth and Boaz
Key Thought:
Discover the blessings that come from redemption in Christ.
God used a famine in the land of Judah to set in motion a beautiful love story that
would culminate in the birth of a king. The cast of characters includes:
Naomi, the grief-stricken wife, mother-in-law and grandmother
Ruth, a loving and caring daughter-in-law
Boaz, a distant relative who became the Kinsman-Redeemer
Obed, the great-grandfather of King David
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A GOOD DAUGHTER-IN-LAW
(Ruth 1:1118)
Elimelech and his wife, Naomi, lived in the town of Bethlehem when a great famine
consumed the land. They decided to leave and go into the neighboring country of
Moab with their two sons, who married wives while there. Tragically, Elimelech died
in Moab and Naomi was left alone with her sons and daughters-in-law, Orpah and
Ruth.
Almost 10 years later, tragedy struck again when both of Naomis sons died. Naomi
longed to go back to Bethlehem and she told her daughters-in-law to return home
to their own mothers and try to remarry. Orpah finally did as Naomi asked but Ruth
could not bear to leave her mother-in-law alone. Her vow to Naomi stands as one of
the most beautiful statements of commitment in all the Bible.
But Ruth said, Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you.
For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge.
Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.
Ruth 1:16
It was the beginning of the barley harvest and according to the Hebrew law
(Leviticus 19:910) when crops were harvested, the reapers were to leave some grain
ungathered for the poor, the widows and strangers in need. Ruth knew about this
gleaning allowance. Naomi gave her permission to go and find a field in which she
could gather what had been left behind. Unknowingly, Ruth chose a field belonging
to a relative of her father-in-law, Elimelech. That relatives name was Boaz.
When Ruth returned home to tell Naomi of the encounter with Boaz, Naomi
recognized Gods hand of blessing and mercy. Boaz was one of her close relatives.
Such close relatives were considered redeemers because they had a legal right under
the Law of Moses to redeem or buy back the property of a destitute relative and then
marry the widow of the deceased relative if possible. Naomi hoped that Boaz would
accept this responsibility as a close relative and assume the care of her own property
and take Ruth as his wife.
Boaz approached this man to ask if he wanted to take responsibility for Ruth and Naomi.
If he did, Boaz would have to step down. The man refused to take responsibility for them.
In a public show of his desire to be released from the obligation, the close relative took
off his sandal and gave it to Boaz in the presence of 10 witnesses. Boaz then declared
his desire to assume this responsibility by buying the inheritance from Naomi of Ruths
deceased husband and then taking Ruth as his wife.
It was exactly as God had planned. Naomi was overjoyed. God blessed Ruth and Boaz
with a son whom they named Obed. Naomi had returned to Bethlehem a grief-
stricken widow and a childless mother. Now because of Ruths love and affection and
the willingness of Boaz to become the kinsman-redeemer, God blessed Naomi with a
happy home and a beautiful grandson.
The story of Ruth and Boaz illustrates in several ways how God provides and cares for
those whose hearts are turned toward Him.
Ruth did not just happen to go to the field of Boaz. God led her to his field.
Boaz was very impressed with the kindness and the gentleness he saw in Ruth.
These qualities came from her love for the one true God.
Boaz willingly accepted his responsibility as the close relative and redeemed Ruth
and Naomi from a life of poverty.
Ruth and Boaz built the family out of which came the descendants of Jesus. Boaz and
Ruth knew the prophecies about a coming Messiah, but they knew nothing of the
part they would play in His arrival in history.
Joseph took Mary to Bethlehem because he was of the house and lineage of David,
the great-grandson of Obed, the son of Ruth and Boaz (Luke 2:46). This is why Jesus
was born in Bethlehem as prophesied by Micah (Micah 5:2). Joseph and Mary had
to go to Bethlehem about the time Jesus was born because of the census ordered by
Caesar Augustus, but planned by God. All details had been precisely ordered before
the foundation of the world.
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITIES
A. CONNECT the Big Room experience with the Bible story by asking
questions about how the things they saw relate to the key word and
the key thought for the day. Use the following questions to stimulate
conversation.
What do you think about that?
Why is that important?
How would that have made you feel?
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B. A TUNNEL OF TROUBLES
Divide the class into two groupstroublemakers and best buds.
1. One group will form two lines that twist and turn around the
room. They will make trouble for the best buds as they pass
through.
2. The best-buds group will pair up as partners and walk through the
tunnel with arms linked together.
3. The troublemakers will try to separate the partners using only two
fingers. Remind the troublemakers to be gentle.
4. When all the best buds have walked through the tunnel, then
reverse the roles and repeat the process.
C. MY FUTURE PLANS
Give each student a blank sheet of writing paper.
Ask them to make a list of five different jobs/careers/occupations
they would like to consider when they get older.
Then ask them to rank them according to their own interest level.
Have them indicate why they are drawn to a particular career.
ASK: What do they think you will have to do to prepare for that line of
work? Where would you like to live when you grow upcity, state or
area of the country?
DISCUSS how you will finally figure out Gods purpose for your life.
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C. BOAZ REDEEMS RUTH (Ruth 4)
CONTINUE reading the story in the Bible as time allows.
Verses 15: What did Boaz ask the man who was a closer relative to
Naomi and Ruth than he was?
Verses 610: What did the man tell Boaz to do? Explain the use of the
sandal as representing a transfer of property rights from one man to
another.
Verses 1315: How did the love story end?
Verse 17: Who is Obed and what is his relationship to David the
shepherd boy and king of Israel?
THE CROSSROADS
SAY: God is searching for those whose heart is turned toward Him.
He uses ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things that bring
honor and glory to His name. God knows everything about us and He
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has made us so that we can bring honor to His name. He knows exactly
what choices we will make. He will not force us to do His will; He wants
us to choose to do His will because we love Him.
We can make our plans but we must continually ask God what are His
plans for us. How can He use us best to get the message of Christs love
to a world of lost people? We can choose from a wide variety of careers
but our mission must always be the same:
To live in faith a life that honors God and enables us to share Christ.
The journey begins with a single decision to follow Christ. [Share the
plan of salvation and close in prayer.]
HUDDLE GROUP
SAY: What an unusual love story we read about today! Ruth really
understood what it meant to love God. She went from tragedy to
celebration. Boaz chose her, married her, blessed her, and took care
of her all because he loved her. God loves us even though we dont
deserve it. He allowed His Son to leave heaven and come to earth to die
as a man because of the bad things we each do every single day.
ASK the students the following questions to stimulate conversation.
1. Ruths story has a sad beginning. Have you ever had to go through
a hard time? How did you feel?
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2. Ruth was a good friend to Naomi. What did she tell Naomi she
would do? Do you know someone this week who needs a friend?
What can you do to encourage them?
3. Ruth took good care of Naomi. Do you know an older person for
whom you can care this week? How could you help them?
4. Ruth was one of Jesus ancestors. God had big plans for Ruth just
as He has big plans for you. Ask God to give you the desire to be all
He wants you to be. What is the number one area in your life you
want God to help you with?
5. Who was Ruths great-grandson? Who did he grow up to be? How
can you be an extraordinary person for God this week?
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Why did Naomi and her family leave Bethlehem and go to Moab?
(famine in the land)
2. What happened to Naomi in Moab? (Her husband and her sons
died.)
3. Who were her daughters-in-law? (Ruth and Orpah)
4. Why did Ruth want to stay with Naomi? (She loved her.)
5. What did she promise Naomi she would do? (go wherever she went)
6. What did Ruth think about Naomis God? (She worshipped the one
true God.)
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7. Explain what a kinsman-redeemer is. (One who accepts the
responsibility for a woman whose husband has died)
8. Who was Boaz? (a relative of Naomis)
9. What provision did Boaz make for Ruth in the fields? (He allowed
her to pick up the leftover wheat in his fields under the protection of
his reapers.)
10. Explain the use of the sandal to represent a business transaction.
(It was used to illustrate that one party was turning over
responsibility to another party.)
11. What is the relationship between Obed and Naomi? (Naomi was
his grandmother.)
12. What is the relationship between Ruth and King David? (She was
his great-grandmother.)
SETTING UP YOUR
TEACHING BOARD
Ruth 3:111
The Kinsman-Redeemer
Naomi
RuthBoaz
Obed
Jesse
David
Jesus
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you
that you should go and bear fruit. John 15:16
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JOURNEY 8
SAMUEL: JUDGE, PRIEST AND PROPHET
116
BIBLE BACKGROUND
JOURNEY 8: The King Maker
Samuel: Judge, Priest and Prophet
Key Thought:
Accept each assignment as a special task from the Lord by doing it quickly and joyfully.
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JOURNEY 8
Samuel returned to his room and lay quietly, listening for the voice to speak again. He
heard God call his name and he told God he was listening. God then revealed to this
young boy the first of many prophecies: Elis sons had disgraced the name of God and
Eli had not punished them for it. Therefore, Elis house and spiritual lineage would
come to an end. The next morning, Samuel was afraid to tell Eli what God had spoken.
When Eli asked him, Samuel hesitated. Eli told him not to hide the truth but to speak
it boldly lest God be dishonored. Samuel shared the prophecy with Eli and the old
priest accepted Gods just condemnation. From that time on, God spoke to Samuel and
everything He said came to pass. Whenever God spoke, Samuel listened.
When The Philistines took note of the large gathering of Israelites, they seized the
opportunity to attack. God sent loud claps of thunder to disorient them. Terrified, they
turned back and ran away. The Israelites pursued them and slew them all along the
way. Samuel erected a monument to commemorate their victory. He called the stone
Ebenezer, a stone of help, to signify Gods favor on the people. From that day forth,
the Philistines were subdued and did not invade Israelite territory again while Samuel
lived. 4
4
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing is a Christian hymn written by the 18th-century pastor and
hymnist Robert Robinson, who penned the words at age 22 in the year 1757. The second stanza con-
tains the lines: Here I raise my Ebenezer; Here by Thy great help Ive come; And I hope, by Thy good
pleasure, Safely to arrive at home. 119
JOURNEY 8
As Samuel grew older, he appointed his sons as judges, but they failed to follow the
example of their father. As a result of their bribery and corruption, the people wanted
a king for their leader like all the other nations had.
Samuel was greatly disturbed by the peoples demand for a king. He was grieved in his
spirit as he laid the matter before the Lord. However, God had intended to give Israel
a king (Genesis 49:10; Deuteronomy 17:1420), but not yet. The people insisted on
choosing their own king. Samuel understood that God was the only one to establish
and remove kings. God told Samuel to do as the people asked and make Saul their
king. God could teach His people important lessons about obedience even through
their acts of disobedience. Samuel yielded to Gods authority and did as He asked.
Before he died, God would send Samuel to anoint the greatest king Israel would ever
know. Out of this line would come the King of Kingsthe Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth.
Samuel was Gods trusted prophet, who served as a bridge between the judges of
Israel and her rule by kings. God used him to initiate the anointing of a man as the
nations first king, a responsibility he argued with God about (1 Samuel 8:67). He
is grouped with Moses and Aaron as men whose petitions to God were answered
(Psalm 99:6). When Israel was consumed by a spirit of disobedience prior to the
exile, Jeremiah recorded Gods affirmation that the nation was beyond the defense of
Moses and Samuel (Jeremiah 15:1). This is a clear indication of the high regard God
had for Samuel. God knew that He could trust Samuel to do His will and to do it with
excellence. It is humbling to realize the point at which God finds one worthy of His
trust. Samuel understood that blessing would come only through obedience.
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TEACHING PLAN
JOURNEY 8: The King Maker
Samuel: Judge, Priest and Prophet
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITIES
SAY: The key word for the day is trust! What does it mean to trust
someone? (to have complete confidence in the reliability of another
person or thing) Can you name someone you trust? Why are you so
sure about that person? Learning to trust someone requires spending
time with that person and listening and believing that what they tell
you is absolutely one hundred percent true.
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How many times have we heard our parents, a teacher, a coach or a
friend tell us to listen up? What does the phrase mean and why is it
important? These are people we trust to tell us the truth; we should
value their advice and listen carefully to what they say.
Once there was a boy named Levi who often raked leaves for fun. He
put leaves into piles stacked very high. Leaving his rake beside the
house, Levi loved to lead his friends to the piles. They would leap
and laugh in the leaves and even lead others to join. Before long a
Little League joined in the fun. Lets lead others in raking up leaves
in Leesville, Levi said. With the leaves piled high, the kids would
lead others in jumping and squealing to land on the leaves below.
This game was so great, Levi decided to lead his group into the woods
and there they would pile leaves up to the sky. Hopefully, Levis love
of leaves would lead others to leave their Wiis to go and play in the
leaves. Levi knew how to lead others to leaves.
5
Adapted from The Childrens Workers Encyclopedia of Bible Teaching Ideas: Old Testament, pp.
7374, Group Publishing, 1997.
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JOURNEY 8
God had called a special boy to serve Him in the house of Eli who was
the high priest and served God in the tabernacle.
The Israelites began to look at the kings ruling other nations and they
decided they wanted a king too. God had planned to give them a king
at some future point (Deuteronomy 17:1420) but they demanded
one now.
ASK:
Verses 56: How did Samuel react when the people demanded a king?
Verses 1118: What did Samuel tell the people that a king would do
to them?
Verses 1922: What did God finally tell Samuel to do?
THE CROSSROADS
SAY: God always gives the best to those who leave the choice to Him.
God had planned a king for Israel from the very beginning.
The king would come from the line of Judah, one of Josephs 11
brothers.
His name would be David and he would be a mighty ruler.
One of Davids descendants would be known as King of Kings and
Lord of Lords.
We know Him as Jesus, Gods Son.
Our ability to trust God and hear His voice begins when we receive
Jesus into our lives.
Once we have received Christ, we can trust Him to care for us and
give us the assurance of eternal life. [Share the plan of salvation
and close in prayer.]
SCRIPTURE MEMORY:
Proverbs 3:56
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:56
POINT OUT the key words in the verse: trust, lean, understanding, all,
and straight. Explain what they mean in this context. Say the verse very
loud, then softer and softer and softer.
CLOSE by having the students say the verse softly, then a little louder
and then very loud. Close in prayer as you challenge the students to
always place their trust in God so that He can place His trust in them.
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HUDDLE GROUP
DISCUSS with the students situations where they feel they let
someone down who was depending on them. Talk about how they
felt, what they did to correct the situation, if anything, and what they
should have done to avoid the difficulty.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Who was Hannah and why was she so upset? (She was Samuels
mother and she was grieved because she could not have a baby.)
2. Where did she go to seek help? (She prayed to God, where the high
priest Eli overheard her.)
3. What did Hannah promise God? (She promised to dedicate her son
to Gods service all the days of his life.)
4. What was the message God gave Samuel? (Elis sons would be
punished because they did not honor God.)
5. How were the Philistines able to capture the ark of the covenant?
(The sons of Eli used it as a good luck charm in the middle of a
battle and the Philistines won.)
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6. Why did they eventually return the ark to the Israelites? (because
the people in the town where the ark was kept got sick with tumors
and died)
7. Why did the Israelites want a king? (because the other nations
were ruled by a king)
8. Why was having a king not a good idea? (A king would levy taxes,
call up their sons for the army, limit their freedoms, and rule harshly.)
9. How did Samuel feel about Israel getting a king? (He was against it.)
10. How did God feel about the matter? (He told Samuel that the
people were rejecting Him and not the prophet; He told Samuel to let
the people have what they wanted.)
11. What was the meaning of the Ebenezer stone that Samuel raised
up? (God is my helper.)
SETTING UP YOUR
TEACHING BOARD
Samuel as a Child
Samuel as a Leader
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9
JOURNEY 9
A POOR EXCUSE FOR A KING
130
BIBLE BACKGROUND
JOURNEY 9: A Poor Excuse for a King
The Rule of King Saul
Key Thought:
Choose to honor God by making good choices.
JUDGE OR KING?
The first book of Samuel describes the transition of leadership in Israel from the
period of the judges to the period of the kings. The people thought it would be easier
to follow an earthly king, but they jumped ahead of Gods planning. They wanted to
pick their own king, forgetting that God gives the best to those who leave the choice
to Him.
Israel had been a loosely knit confederacy of tribes. God called out certain leaders
known as judges to rule and defend the people militarily when necessary. Samuel was
the last of these judges. When he grew old, he made his sons judges over Israel, but
they took bribes and acted unjustly. The elders of the tribes confronted Samuel with
the situation and demanded he appoint a king. They wanted a king like all the other
nations.
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JOURNEY 9
lay not in having a king but rather in wanting to be like all the other nations. Samuel
must have wondered: Do they think that their human king would have greater power
in battle than our omnipotent God?
If a king is what the people wanted, then God told Samuel to let them have one. He
would give them what they wanted but He would send leanness to their souls.
Saul had come from a rich and powerful family of the tribe of Benjamin. He was
tall and handsome and the people were impressed. They were more concerned
about what he had and how he looked than the type of man he was. God knew that
Saul would not always be loyal to Him. The king He wanted for His people would
eventually come from the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10) but for a season, God allowed
Samuel to give the people the king they wanted.
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God told Samuel He regretted ever making Saul king because of his failure to do as
he was commanded (1 Samuel 15:11). Samuel gave Saul a scathing rebuke for his
arrogance and pride. Saul would never rule Israel victoriously. Saul pleaded with
Samuel to pardon his sin. He was afraid of how the people would view him without
Samuels blessing. Samuel relented and returned with Saul so that the people could
praise God for the victory. Samuel himself killed the Amalekite king in obedience to
Gods command. He determined to never lay eyes on Saul again until the day of his
death (1 Samuel 15:3435). Samuels spirit was grieved to see Sauls disregard for
obedience.
SAULS LEGACY
The blessings of God departed from Saul from that point on. He experienced extreme
bouts of depression and anxiety; he withdrew to himself. He was given to fits of rage,
hatred and jealousy. The nation of Israel suffered greatly from his lack of leadership.
He had proven to be a pitiful excuse for a king.
He refused to heed Samuels warnings.
His deliberate disobedience of Gods commands affected everyone in the nation.
His pleas for pardon were only meant to make himself look good in the eyes of
the people.
His descendants would never inherit the throne of Israel.
God knew His every motive and selfish pride. If only Saul had repented, God would
have returned His favor to the king. He gave the people what they wanted and then
they discovered it was not what they needed at all (Psalm 106:15).
The Philistines continued to attack Israel. No battle could secure permanent victory for
Gods people. Then one day a shepherd boy full of boldness and courage appeared on
the scene to face a Philistine named Goliath. Things for Israel were about to change.
134
TEACHING PLAN
JOURNEY 9: A Poor Excuse for a King
The Rule of King Saul
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY:
KING/QUEEN FOR A DAY
There is a line from the Disney movie The Lion King that says, It is good
to be king. Offer one of your students the opportunity to be King/
Queen for a Day. Ask them to describe the one thing they would do
if they could be a king or queen. Take a few minutes and let different
students sit on the throne and explain what they would do.
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JOURNEY 9
When everyone has had a chance, ask the students to describe what
makes a good king versus a bad king. Listen to their answers and use
them to transition to the story about King Saul. Remind them of last
weeks story about how the Israelites demanded from Samuel that God
give them a king. They were telling God what they wanted rather than
asking what He wanted for them.
THE CROSSROADS
SAY: Being king carries with it much responsibility. How could Saul
have been a better king? Jesus spoke many times about His own
kingdom. When He died, what sign did they hang on the cross? How is
Jesus different from Saul as a king?
SCRIPTURE MEMORY:
Deuteronomy 6:18
And you shall do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord,
that it may go well with you.
SAY: Saul would not listen to Samuel or to God. He wanted things his
way, but his way hurt everyone else.
We must be willing always to accept the will of God even when
we do not understand it and when we are tempted to argue and
beg for our own way.
Gods ways are higher than our ways and in time we will come to
understand that He will always give us the best when we leave
the choice to Him (Isaiah 55:89).
Our choice must always begin and end with Jesus.
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HUDDLE GROUP
SAY:
God gave the people what they wanted, but He knew that they
would not obey His commandments.
He also knew that King Saul would not consistently heed His voice
and rule the people wisely. He knew Saul would take credit for the
victories that would come.
Ask the students to identify the consequences of Sauls wrong
decisions.
Then ask them to share some of the consequences they have
experienced as a result of not obeying their parents and/or their
teachers.
Read Isaiah 55:89 aloud and ask the students to explain what
the verse means.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Why did the people want a king? (to be like all the other nations)
2. Why did Saul offer the sacrifice before the battle with the
Philistines? (He couldnt wait for Samuel to arrive.)
3. Who was Sauls son? (Jonathan)
4. After the Philistines fled, what did King Saul order people not to
do? (eat)
5. Had Jonathan heard the order? (no) What did he do? (He ate some
honey.)
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6. What did God tell Saul to do with the Amalekites? (to kill every
man, woman and child and to take no spoils)
7. What did Saul do? (He did not kill their king, Agag, but instead
brought him back to the camp along with the best of their animals.)
8. What did God tell Samuel about Saul then? (That He was sorry He
had made Saul king)
9. Why did God reject Saul as king? (because Saul repeatedly
disobeyed Gods orders)
10. What was Sauls response? (He begged Samuel to come back to him
as he threw himself at Samuels feet and tore his robe.)
SETTING UP YOUR
TEACHING BOARD
1. Why a king?
2. Who will it be?
3. What are the criteria?
4. Good king/bad king?
5. What choices did he make?
6. What did Samuel think?
7. What did God think?
And you shall do what is right and good in the
sight of the Lord, that it may go well with you.
Deuteronomy 6:18
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GIANT SLAYER
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BIBLE BACKGROUND
JOURNEY 10: Giant Slayer
David Slays Goliath
Key Thought:
Face challenges with courage because you know God is with you.
Where was the champion of Israel when Goliath came out onto the field of battle and
made his challenge? King Saul should have accepted the challenge himself. Perhaps
he doubted that God would help him defeat such a giant. For days, Goliath taunted
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the armies of King Saul with his own form of psychological warfare. Still, no one came
forward to do battle with him.
David had been sent to the field of battle by his father Jesse to check on his brothers.
As he watched what unfolded before his eyes, he could not keep silent. Suddenly, the
faint-hearted warriors of King Saul heard the young boy ask: Who is this Philistine
that he should defy the armies of the living God? (1 Samuel 17:26).
David was shocked to see the helplessness of his fellow countrymen. Davids brothers
were very angry at him for being so impudent and insolent. Who did this kid think he
was? King Saul told David that he was ill-prepared to fight the Philistine champion.
David reminded the king how he had jerked a lamb out of the jaws of a lion with his
bare hands and killed bears that threatened his sheep. David was sure that just as God
had protected him then, so would God protect him now.
A CHAMPION SELECTED
(1 Samuel 17:3740)
Saul finally agreed to let David fight. The weak, cowardly king not only depended on
David for emotional comfort but now allowed him to do battle in his place. King Saul
dressed the boy in his armor. David could hardly walk in the armor and so he took
it off and armed himself with only a staff, a slingshot and five smooth stones. The
stones would have probably been a little smaller than baseballs. When thrown by an
experienced slinger, they could possibly travel around 100 mph.7
As Goliath moved toward him, David ran to meet him. He reached into his bag and
pulled out one stone and hurled it toward the giant. The stone found its mark and was
implanted deep within the forehead of the Philistine. Goliath fell facedown on the
ground.
David ran toward him to see if he were dead. He picked up Goliaths sword and
beheaded the giant. The Philistine army fled in fear, seeing their champion dead. The
Israelites ran after them to finish the battle. The victory had been won because Davids
faith in the living God had given him the courage to take a stand.
In the course of his life in Sauls court, David had become great friends with Sauls son
Jonathan. At the time, Jonathan didnt know that David had been anointed by Samuel
to be Sauls successor. However, when Jonathan learned of the anointing, his feelings
for David did not change. They had become close friends. Jonathan saw the blessing of
God upon David. God had chosen David to rule over the nation and Jonathan willingly
pledged his support.
David did not attend the Feast of the New Moon in the palace. When Saul asked where
he was, Jonathan explained he had gone to Bethlehem, but David was hiding in a
field outside the palace. Furious because David was not there, Saul turned his wrath
on Jonathan for having given him permission to leave. Saul demanded that Jonathan
call David back to court. Jonathan challenged the kings command. Saul told Jonathan
that unless David were killed, Jonathan could never ascend to the throne. In a fit of
rage, Saul threw a spear in Jonathans direction. Jonathan knew that David must
flee for his life. He went out to shoot the arrows so that David would know to run
for his life.
The following day, David and Jonathan met for the last time. David bowed down
in honor of his friend who had risked so much to help him escape. Jonathan saved
Davids life at the peril of losing his own. Davids commitment of friendship to
Jonathan that day extended to protection and provision for Jonathans sons should
something happen to him. The Bible affirms there is no greater love than this, that a
man lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13). Jonathan had made a choice that
honored God and would help to establish Davids royal throne.
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TEACHING PLAN
JOURNEY 10: Giant Slayer
David Slays Goliath
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY
The key word for today is courage. ASK the kids: When you think of
a strong man, what picture pops in your mind? Someone tall, big,
muscular? A wrestler, a fighter, a weight lifter? [Divide the room in
four groups. Give two groups a 10 length of butcher paper. Give two
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other groups the 5 lengths. Explain that todays story is about David and
Goliath and you need their help to make some visual aids. Give them
these instructions.]
Have two groups of students draw a giant figure that could stand
about 9 feet, 6 inches tall to represent Goliath. He needs a suit
of armor including a helmet and a spear. His armor weighed 125
lbs. (1 Samuel 17:5) and the spearhead weighed around 16 lbs. (1
Samuel 17:7).
Have two other groups of students draw another figure that is
about 5 feet tall to represent David. He needs to be dressed in
shepherds clothing with no armor.
When the figures are drawn, hang one set of them in your
teaching area as a backdrop. Keep the other set for an activity
following the story. Be sure to point out the difference in size.
ASK: How willing would you be to face down an adversary of
such size?
THE CROSSROADS
SAY: The last verse of 1 Samuel 17 declares the true identity of this
giant-slayer. David.
He was the son of Jesse who was the son of Obed, who was the
son of Ruth and Boaz from the tribe of Judah.
His family home was in Bethlehem. In fact, Bethlehem became
known as the City of David.
Hundreds of years later, one of Davids ancestors would be born in
the small town of Bethlehem; He, too, would come from the tribe
of Judah.
He would have the same ancestors as David.
This boy born around 46 B.C. would also be a king, but first He
had to become a sacrifice.
Like David, He went into battle with a fierce adversary and
emerged victorious.
Both men had found the strength they needed to do the will of
God.
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PLACE the second set of paper figures of David and Goliath in the
middle of the floor. Give each student a marker and ask the class to
gather around the paper outlines. Point out the difference in the two
biblical characters. One fought in the name of idol gods. The other
fought bravely and confidently in the name of the Living God. David
was not afraid and we need never be afraid if we have Jesus as our
Savior. Give the students the following instructions.
On the figure of Goliath, write the things that make you afraid, the
things that you worry about happening.
On the figure of David, write words and phrases from todays key verse.
ALLOW a few minutes for the students to do this. Then, take a black
marker and write across the figure of Goliath the words of Psalm 27:1
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as the class repeats it aloud. Have everyone place their hand on the
figure of David as you close in prayer.
PRAY: God, give us the courage to take Christ as Savior, to follow Him in
baptism, and to witness boldly to others in His name. Thank you God, for
giving us the courage and strength we need to face our fears. Amen.
HUDDLE GROUP
SAY: When David looked at Goliath, he looked at him differently
than did the soldiers in Sauls army. They saw only the giant standing
before them. David saw a mortal man defying an immortal and
omnipotent God. David looked at Goliath through Gods eyes. That kind
of perspective made Goliath look very small. David must have thought:
Why, I can take this guy out with my sling shot. Viewing impossible
situations from Gods point of view helps us all put giant problems in a
different perspective.
ASK: What giant problems are you facing right now? What things
seem like Goliaths to you? What would happen if you put a big God on
top of your little problem? How would that change its size? How would
that help you find a solution to the challenge? Where does a Christian
find the strength to face lifes challenges?
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. What does it mean when an army sends out a champion to do
battle? (This is a reference to the use of two opponents who fight
one another in order to determine the outcome of conflict between
two armies.)
2. How long had the armies been waiting to begin battle? (40 days)
3. Who are the champions in todays story? (David and Goliath)
4. What two nations did they represent? (David, Israel; Goliath, the
Philistines)
5. Who was the king of Israel during this battle? (King Saul)
6. How tall was Goliath? (approximately 9+ feet)
7. What did King Saul think of Goliath? (He was afraid to go out and
meet him in battle.)
8. What did David say when he realized no one was willing to fight
Goliath? (Who is this man who defies the armies of the Living God?)
9. How did David kill Goliath? (with a slingshot and one smooth stone)
10. Why did David take five stones with him if it only took one to kill
the giant? (David was preparing himself for whatever the battle
would require. Perhaps he thought some of the other Philistines
might attack him after Goliath was taken down. David knew
God was with him and therefore, he had no fear. He wanted to be
prepared so that God could use him any way that was necessary.)
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SETTING UP YOUR
TEACHING BOARD
A Champion?
A Big Perspective?
A Small Stone?
A Mighty God?
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LONG LIVE THE KING!
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BIBLE BACKGROUND
JOURNEY 11: Long Live the King!
David Is Crowned King
Key Word:
Plan
Key Thought:
Seek to know Gods plan for your life by studying His Word.
AN UNACCEPTABLE SITUATION
(1 Samuel 15)
King Saul had proved to be a great disappointment to God as a king. God told
Samuel He regretted ever having allowed Saul to become king (1 Samuel 15:1011).
Time after time, God gave specific instructions as to how Saul was to handle battle
situations with the enemies of Israel. Time after time, Saul either did not do what God
had told him or he did it only part way.
Near Hebron, Saul took credit for one of the armys victories and built a monument
to honor himself.
He failed to utterly destroy the Amalekites and gave one excuse after another why
he had disobeyed God.
Instead of destroying everything that belonged to the Amalekites, Saul spared the
kings life and kept the best of the sheep and cattle. He consistently did what he
thought most profitable for himself.
Sauls rejection of Gods divine authority resulted in Gods rejection of Sauls earthly
authority.
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Finally, when all seven had passed by and Samuel still had not found the one God had
chosen, he asked Jesse if there were any more young men in the house. Jesse said his
youngest son was in the field tending the sheep. Jesse sent for him to return to the
house. When Samuel saw the young man, he knew immediately this was the one.
David had always been Gods first choice as a king for His people. However, the people
had wanted Saul. God gave them the desire of their hearts but sent leanness (regret)
to their soul. Finally, Saul and his sons, including Davids beloved friend Jonathan,
were slain during a fierce battle with the Philistines. When Saul realized that the
battle was lost, he fell on his own sword to avoid capture and torture.
David was grief-stricken with the news and spent an entire day in mourning. He
grieved the loss of his friend Jonathan. He regretted that King Saul had met such a
terrible death at his own hand. In his sorrow, David wrote a tribute to Saul and his
sons in 2 Samuel 1:1927.
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Still, there was a problem with the other tribes of Israel. They had fallen under the
leadership of Ishbosheth, Sauls only surviving son. For more than seven years, the
house of Saul struggled with the house of David for the right to rule Israel. David grew
stronger and stronger under the hand of God and the house of Saul grew weaker (2
Samuel 34).
Eventually, David and his army defeated these forces of Sauls son and all the tribes
of Israel came to David at Hebron to acknowledge him as Gods chosen leader. David
made a covenant with them and they anointed him as king. The kingdom was united;
Judah and Israel were one in purpose and heart under the strong leadership of David.
King David and his men marched on the city of Jerusalem to drive out the Jebusites,
one of the tribes who lived in Canaan at the time the children of Israel crossed over
the Jordan. Jerusalem, the great walled city, would be a perfect site for a capital to
unite the two regions since it lay on the border between Israel and Judah. This would
now be called the City of David (2 Samuel 5:9). His kingship had been established
politically and militarily. Next, he must re-establish the nation spiritually. He did
this by returning the ark of the covenant to the capital city and placing it inside the
tabernacle (2 Samuel 6:17).
Under Davids leadership, the nation prospered and its wealth was greatly increased.
It was Israels golden age. None of this would have been of any consequence had
David not put God in the center of Israels worship and national life. There was no idol
worship and so Israel prospered greatly because the people did what was right in the
sight of God.
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From the ancestral line of this godly king would come Gods Messiah, the King of Kings
and Lord of Lords. This was the way God had always planned things to be. God made
an unconditional covenant with David to bless him forever (2 Samuel 7:817).
Davids name would be great.
Gods chosen people would have their own land in which to live.
God would bring peace to Israel.
One from Davids family would build a great house for God.
God would establish Davids kingdom forever through One who would come from
his seed, i.e., Christ.
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7
Commentary on 1 Samuel 17:40, The NIV Study Bible, Zondervan Bible Publishers, 1985, p. 401.
TEACHING PLAN
JOURNEY 11: Long Live the King!
David Is Crowned King
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY
PREPARE the six gifts and lay them out on the table for the students
to view. Choose three students to come and select one gift each. Have
them open the gifts and show them to the class. Read aloud 1 Samuel
16:7 and then ask the following questions.
Why did you choose a certain gift?
Does God know why you chose the gift you did?
What were you hoping to receive?
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TRANSITION to todays Bible story by telling the kids that God was
most disappointed with Saul as the king of the Israelites and so
was Samuel. Samuel had turned his back on the king because he
continually refused to obey Gods commandments. Now it was time for
God to lead Samuel to a new king and that is exactly what He did. Lets
see how it all unfolded.
SAY: For five years, Sauls only surviving son, Ishbosheth, struggled to
defeat the Philistines in the northern regions of the Promised Land and
to rule his fathers kingdom. For a time, Israel and Judah were at war
with one another. Eventually, two of his own men killed Ishbosheth in
the middle of the night. He had been a poor ruler and commander of
the northern tribes of Israel.
THE CROSSROADS
SAY: God had always planned for a king to rule His people from the
tribe of Judah. Now Gods king was finally on the throne. Once a simple
shepherd boy, David considered all that God had done for him and
through him. By the prophet Nathan, God reaffirmed His promise to
establish the throne of Davids kingdom forever. He promised never to
take His mercy from him as He had done with Saul (2 Samuel 7:811).
How did God keep this promise to David? How could Davids kingdom
last forever? Gods perfect plan of redemption would run through the
house of David.
Hundreds of years later, one of Davids descendants would be born
in Bethlehem.
He would have the same ancestors as David: Rahab, Ruth, Boaz,
Obed, Jesse and many others.
The Old Testament prophets foretold His coming and called Him
the Son of David.
Before He would rule as king, He would offer Himself as a sacrifice,
a ransom, for the souls of mankind.
His sacrifice would satisfy the punishment that sin required.
Life in His kingdom would require that one be born into His family,
i.e., to be adopted as one of His children.
[Share the plan of salvation as you explain how to be born into Gods
family. Close in prayer.]
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If you have received Christ as Savior, then you have made the most
important decision you will ever make. Even though you have been
born again into Gods family, there are times when you will sin, as we
all do. When that happens, we must ask God to forgive our sin and
to make us clean again. He has promised to do this whenever we call
upon His name in faith. It is important to stop and pray today for Gods
forgiveness. [Pause for a minute and pray for the unsaved and for the
saved child.]
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I have found in ________________ ,
the son or daughter of _____________,
a young person, after my heart, who will do all my will.
Acts 13:22
HUDDLE GROUP
SAY: It is quite significant that God would describe David as a man
after His own heart. ASK the students these questions to stimulate
discussion:
What do you think God meant when He said this about David?
What did you see in Davids life that fit this description?
David was anointed as king by Samuel when he was probably a
teenager. What do you know about David that made him willing
to wait until the time was right? Why would David have been glad
he waited?
Why is it so hard to wait for God to show us His way?
READ Isaiah 55:89. ASK the students to explain what this verse
means. CLOSE by sharing this saying:
God gives the best to those who leave the choice to Him.
What does this saying tell you about Gods plan for your life? If you
want His best in your life, what should you tell Him every day? ALLOW
students to spend a few minutes in quiet prayer and then you close.
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REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Where did the next king of Israel live? (in Bethlehem)
2. What was his fathers name? (Jesse)
3. How many brothers did he have? (seven)
4. What was his job in the family? (watch over his fathers flocks)
5. Who came to Jesses house in search of a king? (Samuel)
6. What did Samuel do in front of Davids family to show that David
had been set aside for service to God? (anointed him with oil)
7. Why did David have to wait to be king? (Saul was still king. His
appointed time had not come yet.)
8. Describe the relationship between David and Jonathan, Sauls
son? (They were the best of friends.)
9. How did King Saul die? (He was wounded in battle and then killed
himself.)
10. How long did David rule over Israel? (seven years over Judah, then
33 years over a united Judah and Israel)
11. Where was the capital city of the united Israel located?
(Jerusalem)
12. Name two of Davids ancestors. (Ruth, Boaz, Naomi, or Obed)
13. Name his most important descendant. (Jesus)
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SETTING UP YOUR
TEACHING BOARD
David is chosen.
David is anointed.
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BAD CHOICES!
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BIBLE BACKGROUND
JOURNEY 12: Bad Choices!
Davids Sin and Its Consequences
Key Thought:
Forgive others as God has forgiven you.
In a moment of weakness, David allowed lust to fill his mind as he looked from his
rooftop to watch a young woman bathing. Struck by her beauty, David made inquiries
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about who she was. He soon learned that she was married to one of the soldiers in his
army. Her name was Bathsheba and her husbands name was Uriah.
When David first saw Bathsheba, her husband was away fighting with the army.
David sent for the woman and had her brought to him. She willingly entered the
presence of the great king. The two of them became involved in an adulterous
relationship and a child was conceived. The king realized their sin would soon be
known unless he intervened in some manner.
Plan B: Next, David sent word to his field commander Joab to send Uriah to the
front of the battle lines where the fighting would be the most dangerous (2 Samuel
11:1417). As David hoped, Uriah was killed as the army advanced. Davids plan had
worked. The husband was out of the way and now David legitimately could take
Bathsheba into the palace as his wife.
Davids sin separated him from God. Davids fellowship with the Lord and the blessing
on his life and the nation were now in jeopardy. David would soon be confronted with
his sin so that he might understand fully Gods perspective on the matter.
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David was outraged when he heard the story. This man deserved to die, David
declared. At the very least, he must pay back four times what he had taken. Nathan let
him finish his ranting and raving and then declared: You are the man. Immediately,
David realized that Nathan knew what he had done, and if Nathan knew, then God
knew.
When Nathan finished speaking, David declared that he had sinned against the
Lord. David did not deny the truth or try to make excuses. He openly confessed his
guilt. Nathan assured him of Gods forgiveness but explained the consequences. The
enemies of Israel now had reason to blaspheme the Lord because of Davids cruelty.
The child that Bathsheba was carrying would die.
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TEACHING PLAN
JOURNEY 12: Bad Choices!
Davids Sin and Its Consequences
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY
A. CONNECT the Big Room experience with the Bible story by asking
questions about how the things the students saw relate to the key
word and the key thought for the day. Use the following questions to
stimulate conversation.
What do you think about that?
Why is that important?
How would that have made you feel?
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B. PLAY a game of Sin Charades. On index cards, write descriptions of
common sins young people commit. You can include these ideas:
Call on different students to come to the front of the room and draw a
card out of your stack. Then ask them to act out the sin. The class will
try to guess what sin they have committed.
SAY: God knew Davids heart and He knew the ugly sins that had
driven him to plan Uriahs death.
David had broken one commandment after another; he had
coveted anothers mans wife; he committed adultery with her; he
had planned the murder of her husband; and then he lied to cover
it all up.
The man who had once brought only honor to God had now
allowed himself to commit a series of sins that broke Gods heart.
David perhaps thought that no one would ever know what he had
done, but the truth of the matter was that God knew and He is the
One who counts!
God sent Nathan the prophet to confront Davids secret sins. It took
courage for Nathan to go before the king with such a message. David
had killed before and maybe he would strike down the prophet.
Nathan chose his words carefully. Rather than accusing the king
directly, he told him a story that would enable David to see his sins as
clearly as God saw them. Here is the story Nathan told.
There were two men living in Davids kingdom.
One was very wealthy with large flocks of sheep. The other was
poor and owned only but a small lamb, which he had raised as a
pet from birth and loved like one of his own children.
One day the rich man had a visitor. He wanted to prepare a good
meal for the visitor but he was too stingy to serve up one of his
own sheep.
Instead, he took the poor mans young lamb and turned it into a
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David was outraged when he heard the story. The man deserved to die,
David declared. At the very least he must pay back four times what he
had taken. Nathan let him finish his ranting and raving. READ aloud
to the class what Nathan said to the king in 2 Samuel 12:78: You are
the man!
Nathan told David that he had sinned in secret, but God would punish
him publicly (2 Samuel 12:12). There was no excuse. David had repaid
Gods goodness to him with willful acts of disobedience. David had
been caught. What would he do? How would the king defend himself
against Nathans revelation?
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[Have the students open their Bibles to this passage. Read verses 14 to
younger students and verses 113 to the older ones.]
SAY:
David could hide his sin from other men but not from God.
In this innermost part of his being, David knew God had seen all of
his deceitful planning.
God had watched it all unfold in the palace and on the battlefield.
Now everyone knew what he had done.
God did forgive David and restored their relationship but there were
terrible consequences for David to endure.
Years later, his own sons would follow his sinful example.
His own son Absalom led a rebellion against his father.
The child Bathsheba bore for him died.
The name of Yahweh among the Israelites had been shamed.
King David lost respect and admiration that once had been
lavished upon him.
David did find forgiveness and a new awareness of how easily Gods
blessing can be taken away.
THE CROSSROADS
SAY: Just as God saw into Davids heart and knew his sin, He also sees
when we sin and do evil against others. He wants us to repent of our
sin and to confess it to Him. When we do, He is faithful and just to
forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
SCRIPTURE MEMORY:
Psalm 51:12
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love;
According to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
SAY the verse several times with the whole class. Discuss each of the
underlined key words.
MercyGods goodness shown to us in spite of our sin.
Steadfasta word to describe Gods enduring love for His
children, like that of a parent
Abundant mercyGod has an infinite capacity for forgiveness
Transgressionsanother word for sins
Divide the room into two groups of students and alternate saying
the phrases until everyone has learned the entire verse. For example,
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HUDDLE GROUP
SAY: Davids sin was premeditated and willful. He just did not
stumble into sinning. He planned for it and manipulated people and
circumstances to get what he wanted. Yet, in Gods eyes, all sin is
unacceptable. Sin is sin and it always separates us from true fellowship
with God.
Psalm 51 tells us what God is looking for in our hearts. READ aloud
verse 6. 183
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What does God want to see in our mind and in our will? (truth)
What does He want to plant within our mind and our will?
(His wisdom)
How can we help God get truth and wisdom into our mind? (memorize
Gods mind, i.e., the Bible)
Pick a verse of Scripture from Psalm 51 to memorize. Every time you are
tempted to sin, quote the verse aloud. If we resist the devil, the Bible
tells us that he will flee from us (James 4:7).
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Name two good character traits that describe King David. (brave, bold,
courageous, kind, compassionate, just, faithful, loyal)
2. What was Davids sin? (He took another mans wife as his own.)
3. How did he try to hide his sin? (by having the womans husband killed)
4. Whom did God send to David to confront his sin? (the prophet Nathan)
5. What story did Nathan tell David? (Stolen lamb)
6. Who was the rich man in the story? (David)
7. How did David respond? (He confessed his sin.)
8. Whom did David say he had sinned against? (the Lord)
9. Did God forgive him? How do you know? (Yes, because God is faithful
and just to forgive sin when we are truly sorry.)
10. What chapter in Psalms did David write to express his repentance? (51)
11. What did David ask God to do with his sin? (to show him mercy and blot
it out)
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SETTING UP YOUR
TEACHING BOARD
Davids Sin
Nathans Parable
Davids Confession
Gods Forgiveness
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SING A PSALM!
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BIBLE BACKGROUND
JOURNEY 13: Sing a Psalm!
The Book of Psalms
Key Thought:
Praise God daily for all He has done for you.
BOOKS OF POETRY
The books of the Old Testament are divided into five major categories: Law, History,
Poetry, Major Prophets and Minor Prophets. The books of poetry offer praise to God in
unique ways.
Job tells the story of a righteous man who suffered greatly. God discusses His
mighty works of creation with Job, and Job affirms Gods sovereignty.
Psalms is a collection of poems and prayers originally set to music that were used
in worship. Their subject matter covers the full range of human emotions and
experiences as praise is offered up to God.
Proverbs provides its readers with practical advice of what is good and bad, wise
and foolish, beneficial and harmful. In all things and in all ways, one is admonished
to walk in fellowship with Godthe true source of all wisdom.
Ecclesiastes discusses purpose and meaning in life as Solomon concludes that
fulfillment only comes from knowing God Himself.
Song of Solomon describes the joy and fulfillment of genuine love within the
marriage relationship God has ordained.
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The common theme of the book of Psalms is worship. Its chapters are divided into
five collections of worship songs, prayers, poems and hymns. They were written by
a variety of authors over an extended period of 1,000 years. The book is most often
attributed to David because he is connected directly to 73 chapters. He was called the
sweet psalmist of Israel in 2 Samuel 23:1.
Psalms has more authors than any other book in the Bible. Each chapter heading
identifies its author or those who are connected with it in some way.
David is associated with 73 psalms.
Asaph, a choirmaster for David, wrote 12 in all, Psalm 50 and 7383.
Solomon wrote two, Psalm 72 and 127.
Moses wrote Psalm 90.
Ethan, one of Solomons temple singers, wrote Psalm 89.
The sons of Korah, another group of temple singers, wrote Psalm 4249; 84, 85,
87, and 88.
9
Psalms, Talk Thru the Old Testament by Bruce Wilkinson and Kenneth Boa, Thomas Nelson
Publishers, 1983, p.155.
10
Feed My Sheep, Commands of Christ, Institute in Basic Life Principles, pub., 2004, pp. 39-40.55.
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Sheep must have the right kind of food or else they might eat poisonous plants
and bushes.
Sheep need constant protection from predators because they are almost
defenseless. They have no sharp claws, no teeth to bite, and no speed to run from
danger. They put up little struggle even when being killed.
Sheep tend to wander off because their only focus is eating. They can easily get
caught in a thicket, fall over a ledge or get lost as they search for food.
Jesus called Himself the Good Shepherd (John 10:11) who gives His life for His
sheep. Like the shepherd in Psalm 23, He promises to care for all of His flock.
He said He knew His sheep and they know Him.
When He called, they heard His voice and they followed Him.
He was willing to lay down his life for the sheep.
He promised eternal life to His flock.
He declared that no one could ever snatch His sheep out of His hand.
This is the doctrine of the eternal security of the believer. No other words of assurance
can be stronger than those that came from the Shepherd Himself (John 10:2730).
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Law
Testimonies
Ways
Precepts
Statutes
Commandments
Judgments
Word
Gods Word must always be exalted. His words brought the world into existence. Jesus
is the Word that became flesh and lived among us. Gods Word is settled in heaven
forever. The grass may wither and the flower may fade, but the Word of God will stand
forever (Isaiah 40:8).
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Psalm 150:6
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TEACHING PLAN
JOURNEY 13: Sing a Psalm!
The Book of Psalms
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY
SAY: The book of Psalms is considered the best-loved book of the Old
Testament. It is quoted more times in the New Testament than any
other book. It was used by people during Bible times as a songbook in
their worship. The books key word is praise. In it we find the different
ways the Israelites found to praise God. [Choose one of the following
activities to introduce the lesson.]
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A. CONNECT the Big Room experience with the Bible story by asking
questions about how the things the students saw relate to the key
word and the key thought for the day. Use the following questions to
stimulate conversation.
What do you think about that?
Why is that important?
How would that have made you feel?
B. SPEND a few minutes going around the room praising each student
for something he or she has done or for something you like about
them. [Allow them to join in with you to praise one another.] When
finished, ASK these questions.
How did you feel when someone said nice things about you?
Was the praise you received truthful?
Did it make you want to say and do more good things?
C. SAY: The book of Psalms helps us see how well God understands
what we feel. The words of the Psalms teach us to praise God in every
situation no matter how we may be feeling. Lets make a list of all the
different emotions or feelings people can have. [LIST them on the
board as the students tell you what they are.]
Happiness Remorse
Sadness Indifference
Joy Fear
Anger Jealousy
Disappointment Thankfulness
Grief Temptation
Hurt Rejection
Hope
D. SAY: Psalms has many prophecies about the Messiah who would
come to save His people from their sins. As time permits, allow the
students to look up some of these in the book of Psalms. Divide
the class into two groups. Assign persons on one side references
from Psalms. Assign people in the other group the references that
demonstrate its fulfillment. As the Psalms are read aloud, have the
students with the matching fulfillment references come and stand
beside him/her and read their Scriptures.
THE CROSSROADS
SAY: No other book has as many authors as Psalms. King David wrote
at least half of the 150 chapters, but others were written by as many
as six different persons or groups of persons, who were choir leaders in
the temple. The accuracy with which Christ is described in the book is
no coincidence. The writing of this praise hymnal was carefully crafted
by God through the work of the Holy Spirit.
READ aloud Psalm 139:15. Point out that God knows us and sees us
every minute of every day.
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We cannot hide from Him; He sees even in the darkness (verse 78).
He knows us even better than we know ourselves.
He loves us so much that He wants us to be with Him for all
eternity.
He had to make a special way for that to happen because we are
sinners and sin cannot be allowed in His heavenly home.
Thats why He sent Jesus to pay the penalty for our sin.
If we receive the gift of salvation from Jesus, then we can be
assured of a home in heaven.
HUDDLE GROUP
DISCUSS with the students the meaning of the word generation.
SHARE with them briefly your spiritual heritage.
ASK them how far back they can trace their own spiritual heritage.
Ask what they know about their grandparents worship of God?
Their great-grandparents? Their great-great grandparents?
HAVE them think about where they might be without such a
spiritual heritage.
REFLECT on where our church might be without all those who
have come before.
ASK: What does your generation need to do to keep this heritage
alive and well for the next generation?
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. How many chapters does the book of Psalms have? (150)
2. What is the longest chapter in the Bible? (Psalm 119)
3. How many verses does it have in it? (176 verses)
4. What is the theme of this chapter? (how wonderful the written
Word of God is)
5. What chapter in Psalms describes our relationship to God as our
shepherd? (Psalm 23)
6. If we follow the Good Shepherd, what will follow us all the days of
our lives? (goodness and mercy)
7. Why is it important to memorize Gods Word? (so that we might
not sin against God)
8. Name one way Jesus is described in the Psalms. (as Gods Son)
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9. What was the book of Psalms used for in the Old Testament? (as a
hymn book for temple worship)
10. What one word describes the theme for the entire book? (praise)
11. What does Psalm 139 tell us about Gods presence? (He is
everywhere; we cannot hide from Him.)
12. What is the responsibility of our generation to the next
generation? (teach them how and why to praise the Lord, our
Maker)
SETTING UP YOUR
TEACHING BOARD
Psalm 119
Psalm 23
Psalm 139
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