Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Joshua continues the fight

001

The Israelites were very excited having just defeated Jericho.  They continued on to the city of Ai.  Joshua sent two spies to check on the city.  They returned back and said, “We only need 3000 soldiers to defeat it.”

 

002

The 3000 Israelites went out to attack, but were driven back and chased off by the soldiers of Ai.

 

003

The Israelites were despondent and asked God why they had lost.  God answered them, “Someone among you has sinned, and you are being punished for it.”

 

004

The leaders prayed about it and had each tribe stand before God.  God separated out Judah, then he separated out the clan, the family, and finally Achan stood before the group guilty of stealing and hiding something from Jericho.

 

005

After he was punished the Israelites went out again and took all of the fighting men.  One third of the men lured the army of Ai away from the town, while the rest went in and attacked the city.

 

006

 

The King of Ai returned to see the city burning.

007

Joshua and the Israelites fought many more battles with God fighting for them.  At the end of his life Joshua gathered all of the Israelites together and challenged them to follow God and not follow the gods of the Canaanites.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Remembering what God has done

005

There are several times in the old Testament where God commands us to remember what He has done.  Of ten after those times the Israelites set up an Ebenezer, a place to remember what God had done.  After they crossed the Jordan River Joshua told them to gather 12 rocks from the bottom of the River to remember how they walked across on dry land.

 

002

After acting out the story we made our own rocks of rememberance so we can remember what God has done for us.  I wrote down my boys, because I had a miscarriage before having them and there were some problems with the pregnancy.  Their birthday is coming up, so I’m feeling sentimental about them.  I also wrote down I’m thankful that God brought Jeff into my life.  We first met at a dance our church had and we both had about 3 other things we were supposed to go to that night, but both felt we were supposed to be there.

 

Batman colored a rock yellow to remember God keeping our family safe.  Princess didn’t quite understand and she colored a lady bug.

 

Other stories to use this for: Call of Abraham, Crossing the Red Sea, after the Flood

Monday, February 20, 2012

Battle of Jericho

013

After praying to God for what to do before heading into the Promised Land Joshua called for two volunteers to go in and spy out the land for him.  Two men stepped forward and headed in to Jericho to find out what they were about to go into.

 

014

The spies headed into Jericho and met Rahab.  She talked with them for a while and was impressed by all she heard about their God.

018

 

The king called Rahab to come and meet him.  “There are spies coming.  Have you see them?”  he asked.

 

“They have left.  They headed back before the gates closed today,” she lied.

 

017

She went back to her house and hid the men up on her roof.  They slept there all night.

015

She let the spies down out of her window and said, “Promise you will keep my family safe.”  They promised and asked her to hang a red rope out of her window so they would know where she was.

 

019

The Israelites prepared to cross the Jordan River, but before they did Joshua told them, “This is to be God’s sign for you.  Your parents crossed the Red Sea on dry land, now you will cross the Jordan River on dry land.”

 

020

 

The priests with the Ark of the Covenant stepped into the river bank and the waters parted.  The people walked across on dry land.  After everyone had crossed they took some time to thank God for all He had done.

 

021

 

God came to Joshua and told him how to defeat Jericho.  They were to walk around the city for 6 days silently.  On the seventh day they were to walk around it 7 times and at the end of the seventh time they were to scream as loud as they could.

 

022

 

All during this time Rahab kept that red cord hanging out of her window.  She watched them walk around and around and trusted God.

 

023

 

As the last echo from their yells faded away they heard a rumble and the walls of Jericho came tumbling down.

 

024

As the dust settled Joshua thanked Rahab for her help.

Monday, February 13, 2012

12 Spies in Canaan

004

 

Moses and all of the Israelites had finally reached the Promised Land.  God told Moses to send in 12 spies to go in and see what the land they were going into was like.  So, Moses chose one man from each tribe to go in and look.

 

007

 

They went in and saw the land had giants in the cities.  How could they beat giants?

 

011

 

They saw the cities were guarded by many soldiers, with thick walls.  How could they destroy those walls?

 

013

The grapes in that land were HUGE!  It took two men to carry the bunch of grapes they brought back.

 

 

015

The spies got back and ten of them were ready to march right back to Egypt.  But Caleb and Joshua said, “We can take this land, if we trust God.”

 

016

But the other ten spies went to the rest of the Israelites and kept telling them how big the giants were and how thick the walls were.  Their eyes were not on God, their eyes were on the obstacles in their way.

 

018

They kept telling Moses they wouldn’t go, and finally God had had enough.  “These foolish people will not enter the Promised Land.  They will wander in the desert until they die.”  Moses delivered the bad news and all of the people immediately said they’d do what God told them to.  “It’s too late,” Moses said.

 

020

 

But they didn’t listen.  They headed out to fight because they didn’t want to wander the desert again, and they lost.  They lost very badly.  Then they realized God was not with them.

 

021

 

So, the Israelites set out very sad and chagrined.  They wandered the desert for forty years.  They returned to the Promise Land their children all grown up and ready to go in and take it.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Creating the tabernacle

http://www.gospelhall.org/teaching--preaching/sunday-school-lessons-and-activities-for-kids/sunday-school-lesson-219-the-tabernacle-in-the-wilderness.html

Moses came down the mountain and told all of the Israelites God had given instructions on how to build HIS church.  It was to be a special tent and they were to do their best work on it.

 

building the tabernacle for kids

God went through and named each person who was to build the pieces for the tabernacle.  He didn’t pick the most popular or the most handsome, but the person He had created to do that job.  Some were metal workers, some could weave gorgeous fabrics, and some were good at sewing.

 

Here is what God said they needed to build the tabernacle:

Ark of the Covenant

The ark of the covenant, inside they were to put things to help them remember all God had done and was going to do for them.  God told them to put in some mana to remember He fed them in the desert, and to put in the Law, to remember that God had set them apart and given them special rules, and they were to put in Aaron’s staff that had flowered, to remember God had chosen Aaron and his family to lead them.

 

Holy of Holies

In front of the Ark they were to put a curtain to keep the Ark and all that was by it separate and holy, because God is holy.  When Jesus died that curtain ripped in half because we no longer need something to protect us from God’s holiness.  Jesus’ death on the cross took care of that.

 

010

Next came the table for the grain offering, and it was to be kept there for the priests.  One day in the future King David would eat this bread, even though he was not a priest

 

Next to the table is a bowl of water for cleaning yourself to be pure and set apart before you enter God’s presence.

 

altar for burnt sacrifices

Finally there is the altar for the offering of burnt sacrifices.  Because we sin, we cannot be in God’s presence, and we needed to offer a sacrifice for our sins.  God told the Israelites to offer their best lamb for a sacrifice for their sins.  Later Jesus would come and be the final sacrifice for our sins.

 

012

We talked about the temple and why God created all of the different parts and how we don’t have to be a great speaker to serve God or a great teacher, but can just be good at drawing or building.  Afterwards the kids played with the figures and acted out the different parts.

 

The printables for the tabernacle can be found at Gospel Hall.