The Biblical Path of Life

Tag: Quarter One

  • Lesson 4: Jesus’ Disciples: The Four Gospels

    Key Verse

    “And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.“

    —Matthew 4:19

    Key Verse Thought: Read today’s key verse. Have you ever been fishing? Did you have to fish a long time before catching any fish? Did you have the patience? Was it easy? Jesus called some men to leave their fishing nets to go and tell people about Jesus. Instead of fishing for fish, Jesus would teach them how to fish for men. They had to understand it would take a lot of time and patience. It wouldn’t always be easy.

    Emphasis: We are to recognize Jesus is God’s Son and follow Him. It is then important to share the good news of Jesus with our friends and family – just as Jesus’ disciples did. Christians are to be fishers of men.

    Lesson Summary: In our last lesson, we watched as John the Baptist’s ministry began to decrease, and the fame of Jesus began to spread. Jesus had declared to the people in his hometown of Nazareth that He was the Promised One. They rejected Jesus, and He left Nazareth but continued preaching. 

    In this lesson, we will read that when John the Baptist saw Jesus again, he declared that Jesus was the Lamb of God. When some of the followers of John heard this declaration, they followed Jesus. Andrew was one, and he found his brother, Simon, and brought him to Jesus. Jesus also called Philip (who brought Nathanael to Jesus). Herod threw John the Baptist into prison. Other men who had followed John chose to follow Jesus instead. In Galilee, many people followed Jesus, listening to His teachings. Jesus came to the shore and saw empty fishing boats. Jesus had Simon take Him out from the shore – so He could preach to the crowds. While out on the boat, Jesus told the fishermen to cast out their nets. They had fished all night and caught nothing, but at Jesus’ words, they cast out the nets. They caught so many fish the nets broke and the ships were sinking. Jesus called these men to leave their fishing nets to follow Him, and He would make them fishers of men. They followed Jesus.

    Jesus went on to call Philip (who brought Nathanael to Jesus), and Matthew (who invited Jesus to dinner – along with many of his lost friends). However, the religious leaders of the day began to show their hatred for Jesus and started planning what they might do to Him.

    Jesus saw the need of the people, and He recognized many laborers were needed. He prayed all night, and then called twelve apostles (who would be His witnesses to the world). After Jesus instructed the apostles, he sent them out to preach and heal. Jesus went out with his disciples preaching and healing.

    In this lesson, we will learn some of the things Jesus taught His disciples: when Jesus told them to feed the crowd of more than five thousand with five loaves and two fishes, and also when Jesus asked who people said He was.

    Y3Q1 – Lesson 4 Questions

    Y3Q1 – Lesson 4 Children’s Worksheets

    To help them remember today’s lesson, we made this to remind them that Jesus called His disciples to become fishers of men.

  • A Divided Kingdom

    “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.”

    Proverbs 12:15

    The following is an excerpt from “The Biblical Path of Life” Year Two, Quarter One – Lesson 1:

    “… We must remember what God had told King Solomon before he died: because he had allowed his heart to be turned from God to idols, God would rend the kingdom away from his son – all but two tribes. His son would only be allowed to rule two tribes because of the promise God had made to David. “13b. … I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. 15. But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. 16. And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever” (2 Samuel 7:13b, 15–16). Even before King Solomon died, he knew and understood that his son would only be allowed to rule over two tribes. God had already chosen Jeroboam to rule the other ten tribes (see 1 Kings 11:29–37).

    “When the people came together to make Rehoboam king, Jeroboam and all of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam. They wanted Rehoboam to lighten the burden that King Solomon had placed upon the people. If he would lighten that burden, the people would serve him. Rehoboam sought counsel; first from the old men who had advised King Solomon, and then with the young men he had grown up with — his friends. The old men’s counsel was to lighten the burden upon the people. The young men’s advice was to make the people’s burden much heavier. Read 1 Kings 12:3–19 for the complete events. Especially take not of 1 Kings 12:19: “Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the LORD, that he might perform his saying….” From that verse, we understand this was God’s plan — the people would revolt against Rehoboam, but we can also understand that is was because of the foolishness of Rehoboam’s decision. “So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day” (1 Kings 12:19).

    “It was at this time in history that the kingdom divided becoming two separate kingdoms — the Northern Kingdom (Israel) and the Southern Kingdom (Judah). Rehoboam ruled over the Southern Kingdom, Judah (containing only two tribes) because that was the tribe from which Rehoboam, Solomon, and David came. Jeroboam ruled over the Northern Kingdom, Israel, which were the remaining ten tribes.

    “In the New Testament Jesus tells us, “And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand” (Mark 3:24).

    “A Deeper Path: After learning of King Rehoboam, we can see that one of the foolish things he did that cost him the majority of his kingdom was taking the wrong counsel. He chose the counsel of his friends instead of the counsel from the older, wiser men who had counseled his father. Read some of the words his father had written before Rehoboam even became king — words Rehoboam had probably read, or at the very least, had heard:

    • “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety” (Proverbs 11:14). Do you think Rehoboam would have lost most of his kingdom if he had taken the older men and the people’s counsel?
      • “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise” (Proverbs 12:15).
      • “Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end” (Proverbs 19:20).
      • Do you remember what we learned in Psalm 1:1a? “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly …”

    “… We continue learning about King Rehoboam in 1 Kings 14:21-31. King Rehoboam began to reign when he was 41 years old, and he reigned 17 years in Jerusalem “… the city which the LORD did choose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there …” (1 Kings 14:21). And Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord. They continued worshiping idols and “… they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel” (1 Kings 14:24b). In the fifth year of King Rehoboam’s reign, Shishak, king of Egypt, came up against Jerusalem and stole the treasures of the king’s house and all of the shields of gold that King Solomon had made. Another interesting thing to note: “And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days” (1 Kings 14:30). King Rehoboam died, and his son, Abijam, reigned in his stead. Abijam ruled Judah for three years. The next king was Abijam’s son, Asa (see 1 Kings 15:8).

    “A Deeper Path: See the fool Rehoboam became in disregarding his father’s teachings. Remember that we learned that much of the Proverbs was written from a father (King Solomon) as instruction to his son (Rehoboam). “7. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. 8. My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: 9. For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck” (Proverbs 1:7-9).”

    Do you learn from history, recognizing the importance of seeking counsel from God’s Word?

  • Lesson 3: John the Baptist Introduces Jesus: The Four Gospels

    Key Verse

    The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

    —Isaiah 40:3

    Key Verse Thought: After reading today’s Key Verse, remember the baby John that we learned of in our last lesson. In this lesson, we will learn that he was the one Isaiah wrote about hundreds of years earlier: the voice of one crying in the wilderness. We will begin to understand that he was sent by God to do a special job – to prepare the way for Jesus.

    Emphasis: God has a plan for each Christian’s life. We may not understand exactly why God has us do something (remember John baptizing), but we are to obey anyway – just as John did. Moreover, we have Jesus as our example of how to defeat temptations – by knowing God’s Word.

    Lesson Summary: In our last lesson, we looked at the births of John and Jesus. God sent angels to tell about both of these special births. We also learned about Jesus’ childhood. In this lesson, we will find out more about John that was born. 

    John grew up in the wilderness, and at about thirty years of age, he came out of that wilderness preaching, “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2).  His job was to prepare the way for the Promised One. Although John did not know who the Promised One was, God instructed him to baptize, and He would reveal that One to him. And John obeyed. He became known as “John the Baptist.”  God revealed the Promised One to him with the Spirit of God in the form of a dove which lighted upon Jesus as he came up out of the water after baptism. Jesus, too, was about thirty years of age.  

    Immediately, Jesus was driven into the wilderness where Satan tempted him with three specific temptations. Jesus defeated each of those temptations by quoting God’s Word. When Satan left Jesus, angels ministered to Him. When John the Baptist saw Jesus again, He introduced Him to all as “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). At this point, John’s ministry started to decrease, and Jesus’ ministry began.

    Jesus went to Galilee where his fame was spread abroad. He then returned to his home town of Nazareth where He went to the synagogue. Once there, Jesus stood to read. He was given the book of Isaiah. He read the Scripture that was a prophecy of the Messiah who was to come. When Jesus finished reading, He declared that those words had been fulfilled in their ears – in other words, Jesus was that One promised. This angered the people, and they tried to kill Jesus. “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17).

    Y3Q1 – Lesson 3 Questions

    Y3Q1 – Lesson 3 Children’s Worskheets

    If you are teaching this to younger children, this is an idea of a craft to help them remember this lesson.

  • Lesson 13: Jesus in the Old Testament Why Israel Needed Jesus

    Key Verse

    Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 

    —2 Timothy 3:5

    Key Verse Thought: Read today’s key verse. You may understand it better with the following definitions:

    • form: the process or activity of forming or shaping; specifically in reference to the Law as the source of knowledge and truth. This refers to the godliness, which is only a form and an external appearance.  Such godliness is a sham and devoid of any real power to break the power of sin. 
    • power: true nature of something as opposed to just talking about something.

    From this verse, we can understand that just because someone acts like they are “godly” does not actually make them godly if they do not have Jesus in their heart. For someone to act “godly” and not have Jesus, is someone who has denied the power (true nature of something) of Jesus in one’s life.  It may look and sound real, but it is not. We read in our key verse that we are to “turn away” from someone, or even things, like that.

    Emphasis: We are to know that it does not matter what anyone thinks, only what God’s Word says: Jesus was the one promised from the beginning of time — the only one who could restore our relationship with God.

    Lesson Summary: We have been studying the history of the Northern Kingdom, Israel. We found they never had a good king. Each king followed in the steps of King Jeroboam I, for we read the kings “took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin” (2 Kings 10:31). Because each king led the nation to continue in the worship of idols (remember the golden calves at Dan and Bethel), the nation never was what God intended it to be. We also studied the prophets Amos and Hosea as they warned Israel to seek God and correct their worship.

    In this lesson, we will see why Israel needed Jesus. As we have learned, Israel had the form of worship (a religion) without the power (true nature) of that worship of God (remember today’s memory verse). They still performed sacrifices, but they were to idols — not to God. Those sacrifices were to remind them of their sin, and that God would send One to remove that sin. Without the correct worship, they would never seek for their Messiah (which was Jesus).  

    We will remember many times God promised for their Messiah (which was Jesus) to come, if only the people had remembered to watch for Him. We will then look at the revealing of Jesus as the Promised One who would take away man’s sin. Even in Jesus’ day, the people misunderstood who he was, so Jesus told them to remember the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah was a witness to a lost city, Nineveh, Jesus was a witness to an evil generation.

    Y2Q1 – Lesson 13 Questions

    Y2Q1 – Lesson 13 Children’s Worksheets

    If you are teaching this to children, see a craft idea:

    We cut out this shape of a heart, glued Hebrews 10:16 inside, and folded the heart closed to picture hiding “God’s Word” in one’s heart.

  • Lesson 12: Obadiah: Edomites’ Destruction Foretold

    As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

    —Romans 9:13

    Key Verse Thought: Before beginning today’s lesson, consider today’s key verse. It is important to remember that this is God speaking. We must remember that God hates sin and wickedness. See what we read about Jesus, God’s Son: “Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity …” (Hebrews 1:9). See that in this verse righteousness means “disposition or conduct in common life — i.e.: just, uprightness, good character, virtue” and iniquity means “sin, unrighteousness, lawlessness.” If you are teaching a class, ask your students if they remember the twins Jacob and Esau from the Bible. Remember that Esau rejected what was right. As we look at this Bible Lesson, we will better understand why God hated Esau. We will see how Esau, and his descendants, had rejected God and the things of God. For that (and because of his hatred toward Jacob and his descendants) God promised destruction to that people.

    Emphasis: First, we are to make sure we have chosen a life pleasing to God (have Jesus in our heart). Afterward, we should learn to live as an ambassador in this world, knowing we represent Jesus to the lost.

    Lesson Summary: Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament. It is considered one of the older books of prophecy. No one is quite sure when it was written. There are no clues within the book to help us place it in history as many other books of prophecy have. However, we do know that it is a book of warning. It warns us of what will happen to those who are against God’s people. It was written as a warning to those who persecuted the Israelites.

    God called Obadiah as an ambassador (a messenger representing God) to warn Edom of their pending doom. First, though, we will remember who the people of Edom were. They were descendants of Esau. Remember that he was the twin brother of Jacob. We will recall the events that transpired, causing them to become enemies, and will consider a few times that Israel had conflict with the Edomites. They were also a vocal adversary when Israel was threatened. They took pleasure in the troubles of Israel. Because of that, God would deal with them. We will read that another reason they would be destroyed was because of their pride; God would bring them down.

    Finally, we will read of the judgments that would fall upon Edom; and the recompense God would pay His people, the Israelites.

    Y2Q1 – Lesson 12 Questions

    Y2Q1 – Lesson 12 Children’s Worksheets

    If you are doing this with children, the following is a craft idea to go with this lesson:

    We made a book of Obadiah. Because it is the shortest book of the Bible, we glued a copy of the entire book of Obadiah inside of folded black construction paper (to look like a Bible).

  • Lesson 11: Nahum: Nineveh’s Destruction Foretold

    Key Verse

    Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves … Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

    —Romans 12:19

    Key Verse Thought: After reading the key verse, understand that vengeance means “to execute justice; penal retribution; execution of right.” Think about a time that you have known someone who may have wanted to get back at someone for something that was done to them. We often call this revenge — or getting even. After learning of Israel’s captivity by Assyria last week, do you think the Israelites wanted to take revenge? They had been taken from the land God had promised them — by their enemy! As we read our memory verse today, we must remember that it is not our place to get back at anyone. God has reserved that right for Himself. He will repay — He said so!

    Emphasis: We are to know that God is a stronghold for those who trust in Him — and to live with that in mind!

    Lesson Summary: We have been studying and learning about the history of Israel, God’s chosen people. Remember that this was only ten of the twelve tribes, the Northern Kingdom. We read how after many warnings, God’s people were carried captive out of the land God had promised to them. They were carried into an enemy land and scattered (see 2 Kings 17:6). After reading of the prophets’ many cries for Israel to repent and turn back to God, we learned of God’s discipline that fell upon Israel for disregarding that call to repentance. As we enter into our study of Nahum today, we should remember back for a minute to Jonah. God sent Jonah to warn Nineveh of destruction for their wickedness. “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me” (Jonah 1:2). In addition, he told them, “… Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown” (Jonah 3:4b). We also learned of the repentance that city showed. “So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them” (Jonah 3:5). Because of that repentance, God spared the city. “And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not” (Jonah 3:10).

    The book of Nahum takes place over 100 years after Jonah. Nineveh was the world’s greatest city at this time in history. Although the nation repented in Jonah’s time, they had reverted back to their sin, falling even deeper. See what we will learn. “The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked …” (Nahum 1:3a). (Another verse to consider is Psalm 9:17: “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.”)  Today we will read the words Nahum preached against the nation of Assyria — the same nation that carried God’s people, Israel, away from their homeland.

    The book of Nahum takes place about the time of 2 Kings 21. Nineveh, the capital city of Assyria, was utterly destroyed around 612 B.C.

    Y2Q1 – Lesson 11 Questions

    Y2Q1 – Lesson 11 Children’s Worksheets

    If you teach this lesson to children, see the following for a craft idea:

    We decorated a frame with the verse Nahum 1:7 inside of it.

  • Lesson 10: 2 Kings 15:14-31; and 16-17 Shallum — Hoshea

    Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
    —1 Corinthians 10:12

    Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

    —1 Corinthians 10:12

    Key Verse Thought: Read the key verse. Can you think of a time when you have bragged about doing something, only to mess up the next time you tried to do it? Sometimes we think too highly of ourselves. It is then that we should watch out — because we are probably about to fall flat on our face. We claim that keeps us humble, but it is a Biblical principle. God wants us to be humble — not proud. When we get too proud, He will remind us just who we are, His servants here on this earth. In our lesson today, see what happens to the nation that forsakes God.

    Emphasis: In today’s lesson, we will learn to recognize the progression of sin, and not allow it to destroy our life.

    Lesson Summary: In today’s lesson, we will end our study of Israel’s history. We have learned that God is merciful — He does not want any to perish. We have read the prophets words of warning as to what would happen if they did not seek God, repent, and turn back to Him. We even read an invitation extended by God at the end of Hosea that we studied in our last lesson. Nevertheless, as we will learn today, Israel did not heed the warnings they were given. They did not respond to God’s call for repentance. Instead, the kings continue to be wicked and continually “… did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin” (2 Kings 15:18). These wicked kings led the people to sin against God.

    Israel never had a good king. Keeping that in mind, we will learn about the last four kings of Israel:  Menahem, Pekahiah, Pekah, and Hoshea.

    Take note of the listing of things we find in 2 Kings 17. This list tells of what Israel was guilty of in their sin, their idolatry, and the refusal to turn back to God. Especially notice the turning place that led to the rejection of God’s Word. Be sure that you recognize the parallel of the nation Israel’s refusal to obey God’s Word, and the fact that most people today know the right thing to do after hearing God’s Word, yet people often choose to do wrong instead.

    As we study this lesson, realize that God did not allow His people to be taken into captivity without first telling them how they had failed Him. After many attempts to draw Israel back to Himself, God had no choice but to discipline His people.

    Y2Q1 – Lesson 10 Questions

    Y2Q1 – Lesson 10 Children’s Worksheets

    If you are teaching this to children, see the idea for a craft to go with the lesson:

    We made a journal to remember the importance of God’s Word, our daily bread. We added sticker scriptures and wrote a few inside.

  • Lesson 9: Hosea: God’s Enduring Love

    As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.
    —Romans 9:25

    Key Verse Thought: After reading the key verse, understand that Osee in today’s memory verse is “Hosea.” As we will learn in our lesson today, God revealed to Hosea that one day the Gentiles would be included as His people. Understand that Gentiles are any peoples who are not Jews (Israelites.) This verse is in reference to Hosea 2:23: “And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.” Today, we can be the beloved of God. The word beloved in this verse means “to love or delight in.”

    Emphasis: In today’s lesson, we are to recognize the call of the Lord and respond. “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near” (Isaiah 55:6).

    Lesson Summary: In today’s lesson as we study the book of Hosea, we will learn that he suffered personal tragedy that God paralleled to Israel’s sin against God. But even with the great tragedy in his own life, we find that he understood God’s message to Israel — and he was willing to preach that truth.

    The book of Hosea begins with “The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea … in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel” (Hosea 1:1). We will find that God gave Hosea a very unusual command — to go and take a wife of the land, knowing she would be unfaithful to him. The wife he took and the relationship (including his children) that ensued was a perfect picture of the relationship that Israel had become to God — unfaithful at best. Hosea’s wife, Gomer, bore three children. The first was definitely Hosea’s child. We are not sure if the second child born to Gomer belonged to Hosea. The third child born was definitely not Hosea’s son. This was to be a picture of the gradual desertion of God’s people from the God who had chosen and set them apart as His own.

    When Hosea understood that Israel had turned from God, he cried for the people to return to the Lord. Hosea’s life was a message for God’s people. In that message was a revealing of the nation’s sin. It continued with a promise of punishment of that sin. However, God never left His people without hope. If they would only seek God, and reject the idolatrous practices they had established, God would return to them. Once it is revealed that Israel will not return, Hosea tells of the judgment that will fall. Nevertheless, God did not leave His people without one final invitation to return to Him. It was man’s choice whether to receive correction, or reject God’s Word.

    Y2Q1 – Lesson 9 Questions

    Y2Q1 – Lesson 9 Children’s Worksheets

    If you are doing these lessons with children and would like a craft idea, see the following:

    We decorated a frame and included the verse from Hosea 1:1a, and Hosea 14:1a.

  • Lesson 8: 2 Kings 13:9 – 15:15: Jehoash – Shallum: Wickedness Punished

    For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.

    —Psalm 86:5

    Key Verse Thought: Have you ever thought about how good God really is? He is always ready to forgive — any who will call upon Him (remember Romans 10:13). In our Key Verse see that mercy means “kindness, love, or mercy shown. Even when men may prove unfaithful to this relationship, God’s mercy to His people is everlasting.”

    Emphasis: We are to understand God’s faithfulness and mercy to His people — even when they forget Him.

    Lesson Summary: As we continue with our study today, do not get confused by the king’s name; Jehoash is often called Joash. Keep in mind that they are the same person as you read through 2 Kings 13–15. We also will learn of the Prophet Elisha’s death.

    While Jehoash is king, he is challenged by the king of Judah (after he won a great victory against the Edomites) which led to the defeat of Judah. After King Jehoash died, Jeroboam II became king and reigned for 41 years. Because the kings had continually allowed the worship of the golden calves in Bethel and Dan, God permitted the enemies around to oppress Israel. God revealed to them that they had used all of their resources, tried everything they could, and still needed help. God never left them; they left God. One continual theme we can see as we study our lesson today is the same as our memory verse: “For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee” (Psalm 86:5). In spite of Israel’s continual state of sin, because they were God’s people, He continually saved them from their enemies. Even though King Jeroboam II continued in the same sin of the previous kings, God allowed him to restore much of Israel’s land that had been lost to enemies around. We also remember back to Amos as he delivered God’s warning to Israel. Especially recognize Amos’ tenacity to continue preaching God’s Words to Israel even after being confronted by a priest of Bethel named Amaziah.

    After King Jeroboam II died, his son Zachariah reigned. We conclude our lesson today with God’s promise to King Jehu being fulfilled. If you remember, God promised that King Jehu’s children to the fourth generation would sit upon the throne of Israel because he destroyed Ahab’s family as God had commanded him. Remember the generations after Jehu: Jehoahaz, Jehoash (Joash), Jeroboam II, and Zachariah. Zachariah was the fourth generation to sit upon the throne after King Jehu. We conclude our history today with Shallum, the son of Jabesh, who conspired against Zachariah and killed him to reign in his stead.

    Y2Q1 Lesson 8 Questions

    Y2Q1 Lesson 8 Children’s Worksheets

    If you are doing these lessons and would like a craft idea, see the following:

    For this lesson we used a frame we decorated to look like a Bible Times house to hold the verse: “And the Lord said not that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven: but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.” 2 Kings 14:27

  • Lesson 7: Amos: The Prophet from the Country

    Key Verse

    And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

    —Jeremiah 29:13

    Key Verse Thought: Read today’s key verse. Do you know what it is to seek for God? Use the following definitions to help you understand this verse:

    • seek: to search out – specifically in prayer or worship; to enquire, ask, beseech
    • search: to follow in pursuit; to search; to worship; make inquisition
    • find: to find or acquire; to meet
    • heart: the mind; understanding

    God promises that if we will actively pursue Him in prayer or worship, we will meet Him. But only if we will follow in pursuit until we find Him with our mind and understanding. It obviously takes work. In this lesson, we will see that the people of Israel did not seek God – even when God told them to seek Him.

    Emphasis: We should consider Amos’ question. “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3). We cannot live as the Israelites lived, disregarding God’s commands. We should then heed Amos’s warning to “Seek the LORD, and ye shall live…” (Amos 5:6).

    Lesson Summary: Amos was a contemporary of Jonah, whom we studied in our last lesson. Although they spoke around the same time, they spoke God’s Word to different groups of people. If you remember, God sent Jonah to a city, Nineveh, in a Gentile nation, Assyria. Amos was from an area just south of Jerusalem, in Judah. But God sent him to speak – mostly to Israel. He spoke during the reign of King Jeroboam II.

    Amos was known as a prophet from the country. He was only a herdsman, yet when God called him, he obeyed God (Amos 7:14–15). Amos told of the impending judgment on the nations around, ending with the judgment that would fall upon Israel for their sin against God. He asked a pertinent question. “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3).

    After many warnings to “[s]eek the LORD, and ye shall live …”, Amos warned of the discipline God would allow upon the people of Israel if they refused to turn back to Him. When the people refused to heed correction, God showed Amos several things that revealed the judgment that would come to God’s people. He saw: grasshoppers, a plumb line, a basket of summer fruit, and finally God standing at the altar. Nevertheless, even with the impending doom, God left His people with words of hope and restoration.

    Year Two Quarter One – Lesson 7 Questions

    Year Two Quarter One – Lesson 7 Children’s Worksheets

    If you teach this to children, here is a craft idea:

    You could have your students make a picture of a sheep to remember Amos was a herdsman. Have them glue cotton, draw a face on the sheep, and add the verse Amos 1:1a.