The Biblical Path of Life

Tag: Israel

  • Lesson 1 (Lesson 27): Joshua 1-11: Conquering the Land

    Key Verse

    “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”  Psalms 27:1 

     

    Read the Key Verse with your class.  Ask your students if they have ever been afraid of doing something.  Encourage them to share a time they may have been afraid (help them with some suggestions if they have trouble thinking of some-thing, i.e.:  going to a new place they have never been before, standing in front of a classroom alone, meeting someone new, telling someone about Jesus …).  Help them understand that when we do things God wants us to do, He is with us and will help us.  There is nothing to be afraid of.  Today we will see how God encouraged Joshua as he prepared to lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land.

    Summary:  At the close of Deuteronomy, we saw the death of Moses.  God had appointed a new leader to lead the people into the land of Canaan.  Joshua was the man God chose to lead His people into the land of promise.  If you remember, Joshua had been born a slave in Egypt (where he witnessed God’s miracles), learned much from Moses, and endured the 40 years of wandering.  He was one of only two to live through the time of wandering (Caleb being the other man).  Joshua covers about 25 years of history.  Today we look at the first part and see where the Israelites (lead by Joshua) entered the land of Canaan   (Joshua 1-5), and conquered the land (Joshua 6-11).

    Encourage your students to bring their Bibles and use them!

    Emphasis:  When we walk with God in the ways the Bible teaches, God will be with us.  We should not be afraid of anything.  Joshua proved this in his life as he led the children of Israel to conquer the Promised Land.

     

    Optional Worksheets to be downloaded:

    Lesson 27 – Volume 1 Children’s Worksheet 1

    Lesson 27 – Volume 1 Children’s Reinforcement Worksheet

     

    Ideas for children:

    Stickers always work well with children. Often times I watch Wal-Mart or Oriental Trading Company for specials or deals on things I can use for crafts for Sunday School (i.e. foam sheets, Bible Story scene stickers, crowns, stick on jewels, construction paper, etc.).  I keep a stash and when I need something, I go search in my stash!  Pinterest always has great ideas!

    You could have a coloring sheet that goes with the lesson.

    One idea for today’s lesson:  (See picture below).  For today’s lesson we made a banner with the verse Joshua 1:9 on it.  We took brown craft paper cut to size to fit 2 dowel rods 12” long.  After gluing the paper to the dowel rods, you could tie brown yarn to each end of the rods to allow the verse to be hung. Write as much of the verse as your class is able.  Remind them that God will be with them when they follow Him, just like God was with Joshua!

     

    Mural idea:

    Refer to the wall in your classroom that has become a mural.

    By now your class should be in a groove as to the direction and areas in which they need to focus and work on to improve their Christian lives.  Use this knowledge to help you address specific areas in each lesson that your class can discuss and share as you add new things to your mural.  Continue to watch as your class grows in their knowledge of not only God’s Word, but areas in their lives that can be corrected, drawing them closer to the Lord.

    Have them each add anything else they may have brought to add to the wall.  Encourage everyone to participate.

  • Lesson 12 (Lesson 25): Deuteronomy 12 – 34: Planning the Trip into the Promised Land

    Key Verse

    “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”  Deuteronomy 31:6

    Read the Key Verse with your class.  Remind them that God’s people were preparing to go into the land of Promise to conquer it.  They had heard the stories of giants in the land, yet they were getting ready to enter.  God wanted to encourage them.  He would be with them.  They should not be afraid.  If God told them to enter the land, He would go with them, and He would not fail them.  (Optional idea:  Ask them if they have ever been afraid.  One time you never have to be afraid is when you do something that God has told you to do.  God told His people to go and possess the Promised Land.  They probably remember the stories of giants in the land.  Plus, these people were not soldiers trained for battle.  God wanted to reassure them.  Don’t be afraid.  God would be with them and He would not fail them, nor would he leave them.  God will do the same for us today, if we will walk with Him.)

    Summary:  In our last lesson we saw that Deuteronomy is a book looking back to what God had done for His people (Deuteronomy 1-11.)  In this lesson we see the rest of the book is looking forward (Deuteronomy 12-34).

    All of Israel gathered together.  Moses warned the people not to forget the words of God’s law.  Moses laid out before the people the blessings for following God’s law.  He then warned them of the curse of God if they failed to obey God’s law.  Deuteronomy is a reminding of the law, and the people are brought to the brink of the Promised Land, ready to continue.  The constant theme we have been noticing is the importance of obedience to God.  He wants obedience from His people – but He gave them the choice.

    Joshua was appointed the new leader (Deuteronomy 31), and Moses died (Deuteronomy 34).

    Encourage your students to bring their Bibles and use them!

    Emphasis:  God wanted His people to know that He would be with them wherever He led them.  The constant theme we have been noticing is the importance of obedience to God.  He wants obedience from His people – but He gave them the choice.

     

    Optional Worksheets to be downloaded:

    Lesson 25 – Volume 1 Children’s Worksheet 1

    Lesson 25 – Volume 1 Children’s Reinforcement Worksheet

     

    Ideas for children:

    Stickers always work well with children. Often times I watch Wal-Mart or Oriental Trading Company for specials or deals on things I can use for crafts for Sunday School (i.e. foam sheets, Bible Story scene stickers, crowns, stick on jewels, construction paper, etc.).  I keep a stash and when I need something, I go search in my stash!  Pinterest always has great ideas!

    You could have a coloring sheet that goes with the lesson.

    One idea for today’s lesson:  (See picture below).  For today’s lesson we made a suitcase to travel.  We took a center file folder and glued pictures of things that you would pack into a suitcase cut from magazines.  Include things like clothes, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, soap, hairbrush, shoes, socks, etc.  But especially find a sticker (or a cut out picture) of a Bible.  They should understand the importance of reading their Bible everyday – even on a trip!  You could then decorate the outside like a suitcase.

     

    Mural idea:

    Refer to the wall in your classroom that has become a mural. Today, have them make two mountains – one for curses and one for blessings.  (You could do this individually or as a group.)  Help them write curses on the one and blessings on the other.  Encourage them to remember that when we walk with God, He has promised to bless us.  And remember the memory verse, He will not fail them or forsake them.

    Have them each add anything else they may have brought to add to the wall.  Encourage everyone to participate.

  • Lesson 3 (Lesson 16): Genesis 25 – 36: Jacob

    Key Verse

    “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.” Revelation 21:7

    Help your children understand the key verse as you help them complete the opening worksheet.  Today we will learn the change that took place in Jacob’s life as he learned to trust God, inheriting the promise of Abraham.  Make sure they understand the key verse and the importance placing one’s trust in God.  God always keeps His promises.

    Summary:  In this lesson we look at the life of Jacob, the 3rd major person in the book of Genesis..  He and Esau were twins.  Jacob was the younger twin born to Isaac.  God knew before Jacob was even born what kind of a man he would become; for he chose to walk with God.  Because God had told Rebekah that Jacob would rule over Esau, she encouraged him to trick his father out of the family blessing, preempting God’s plan.  This caused contention, hatred, and grief from his brother for many years.  Jacob had to flee for his life to another land.  On the way, Jacob had a dream of angels ascending and descending a ladder into heaven.  God spoke to him and gave him the promise of Abraham.  Jacob obeyed his parents and chose a wife from his mother’s family.  But, Jacob was then tricked by Laban, his mother’s brother, who gave him the wrong daughter, Leah, in marriage.  Jacob had to work 14 years to gain the woman he loved, Rachel, Leah’s sister.

    When God told Jacob to return to his homeland, he obeyed.  On the way, he wrestled with an angel of the Lord all night.  It was the pre-incarnate Christ.  During that struggle, Jacob was renamed Israel (which means prince of God).   God blessed Jacob with 12 sons and 1 daughter.  These sons became the 12 tribes of the nation Israel.

    In the past two lessons, we saw where God promised to send One who would deliver a sinful people from their sins.  The first was when man sinned in the Garden (Genesis 3:15).  Last week, we learned that God had promised Abraham that all people would be blessed through his descendants (Genesis 22:18).  We even saw a picture (when Abraham offered Isaac) of what God would do – lay down the life of His Son, Jesus.  In this lesson, we see once again the promise of a mighty Deliverer that would come (Genesis 28:14).  Remember God’s promise was fulfilled when He sent His Son, Jesus, to save the world from their sin. Jesus was the greatest gift ever given.

    Encourage your students to bring their Bibles and use them!

     

    Optional Worksheets to be downloaded:

    Lesson 16 – Volume 1 Children’s Worksheet 1

    Lesson 16 – Volume 1 Children’s Reinforcement Worksheet

     

    Ideas for children:

    Stickers always work well with children. Often times I watch Wal-Mart or Oriental Trading Company for specials or deals on things I can use for crafts for Sunday School (i.e. foam sheets, Bible Story scene stickers, crowns, stick on jewels, construction paper, etc.).  I keep a stash and when I need something, I go search in my stash!  Pinterest always has great ideas!

    One idea for today’s lesson:  (See picture below). Take a piece of black construction paper, some wooden popsicle sticks, peel and stick stars, a sticker of a Bible times man, a sticker of a rock and some angels, some cotton balls and glue.  Glue the wooden popsicle sticks to the paper making a ladder.  Fluff the cotton balls and glue them around the top to make a sky.  Put the rock sticker on the bottom with the Bible time’s man (as if he is using the rock as a pillow). Stick the angels on the ladder (as if ascending and descending on the ladder).  Fill the night sky with the stickers of stars.  Glue a print out of Genesis 28:15 on it.

     

    Mural idea:

    Refer to the wall in your classroom that has become a mural.  Encourage them to write a promise God made in His Word, the Bible.  Remind them that God always keeps His promises.    Add these to your mural, as a reminder that God always keeps His promises.

    Have them each add anything else they may have brought to add to the wall.  Encourage everyone to participate.