Embedded Files
Introduction
Introduction
Background Scripture (read 2-3 times during the week)
Background Scripture (read 2-3 times during the week)
Judges 6-8
Story Summary
Story Summary
Just as we learned in last week's lesson, the Israelites fell into their familiar pattern after Deborah ruled Israel. They forgot everything the Lord had done for them and began to do evil. As a result, God allowed the Midianites to begin to take over Israel. The Midianites also descended from Abraham (Midian was Isaac's half-brother), but they were known for worshipping many false gods and for being nomadic traders. Joseph's brothers sold him to the Midianites who carried him down to Egypt and sold him. Moses spent his 40 year exile in Midian after killing the Egyptian.
The Israelites then cried out to God when they were in trouble, and God sent a prophet that reminded them that their trouble was because of their rebellion against him. So God raised up Gideon to deliver the Israelites from the Midianites.
God Chooses Gideon
The Lord appeared as an angel to Gideon as he was threshing wheat in a winepress. Why was he threshing wheat in a winepress? To hide it from the Midianites. They had become so oppressive to the Israelites that they had to live in caves and hide their food from the Midianites. The angel of the Lord told Gideon that he would use him to defeat the Midianites. Gideon wasn't quite sure how that was going to happen since Gideon's family was the weakest of his tribe, and Gideon was the weakest of his family (God seems to get a kick out of using weak people and things to defeat the strong). But God assured him that he would be with Gideon. Gideon brought an offering of a young goat to God. God showed Gideon his power by touching the meat with a wooden staff and immediately burning it up with fire that appeared. So Gideon knew that he was chosen by God.
Gideon Tears Down Baal's Altar
Gideon's first assignment was to tear down an altar to a false god (named Baal) and replace it with an altar to the real God. So Gideon did it, but the people weren't happy and were afraid of what Baal might do to them as a result of what Gideon did. Gideon's father talked some sense into them, though, and convinced them that if Baal was a real God, he could defend himself. And nothing happened to Gideon...
Gideon Asks God for a Sign
So the Midianites began to join forces with other tribes to the east of Israel, and things weren't looking good for the Israelites. It was time for Gideon to go into action. Before he did, though, he wanted to make sure one last time that he was hearing God correctly, and that God would in fact deliver the Israelites from the Midianites. So Gideon asked God to give him a sign. He put a piece of wool fleece on the threshing floor and left it there overnight. He asked God to make it wet and the ground around it in the morning - and sure enough, that's what happened. Just to be sure, Gideon asked God again for a sign, and this time asked for the opposite. He laid the fleece in the threshing floor and this time asked God to make the ground wet and the fleece dry - and that's what happened.
Gideon and His Small Army Defeat the Midianites
So Gideon was ready for battle and called upon everyone to fight. 32,000 men joined in to take on the Midianites and their allies, who had 135,000! But God told Gideon that he had too many men. Too many men? How can you have too many men in a battle, especially when you are already outnumbered 4-1? Well, God wanted to be sure that the Israelites knew that it was He who delivered them, not by their own strength. So, first God told Gideon to just tell the men that if they were afraid, they could go home without shame. So 22,000 of them just left there on the spot. But God told him that he still needed to winnow the forces down. God told Gideon to lead his men to drink, and if his men lapped the water like a dog, they stay. And if they got down on their knees and drank water out of cupped hands, they had to leave. So that left Gideon with only 300 men...
Gideon learned that God had made the Midianites very afraid of the Israelites, so he used that against them. He had the 300 men bring torches and clay jars and surround the Midianite camp. All at once, they broke the jars and shouted "For the Lord and for Gideon!" and then blew 300 trumpets. The Midianites were so surprised and afraid, they began to turn and fight each other! They fled, and God won the battle for the Israelites.
Why were the Midianites able to take over Israel (the Israelites began to disobey God again)
Who did God raise up to deliver the Israelites from the Midianites? (Gideon)
What was God's first sign to Gideon that he was with him? (he burned up Gideon's offering)
What was Gideon's first assignment? (to tear down an altar to Baal, a false god)
What did God do to prove to Gideon that he would win the battle against the Midianites? (gave him the sign of the wool fleece being wet and dry)
Why did God want Gideon to have a small army? (so that God would get the glory for the victory and not the Israelites)
How did Gideon reduce the number of men in the army? (he told them they could leave if they were afraid, and he chose only those who lapped the water like a dog and not those who drank it from cupped hands)
How did the Israelites defeat the Midianites? (by breaking clay jars, shouting, and blowing trumpets to confuse the Midianites, causing them to turn on each other)
Activities
Activities
Activity 1 "Lapping vs. Bowls"
Activity 1 "Lapping vs. Bowls"
Time: 5-10 minutes
Materials:
Bowls
Water
Get the details by clicking here!
Heads up! This activity should be done before the story is taught
Scripture So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, "Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink. Judges 7:5 The Lord said to Gideon, "With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home." Judges 8:7
Directions
Give each student a bowl of water and tell them to drink it.
Observe how they drink it. If they lap it up like dogs, they are part of the army. If they pick up the bowl and drink it, they are not.
Use the "Lapping vs. Bowls" reinforcement activity at the beginning of the lesson time, before you have taught the story. Observe which of your students lapped the water directly out of the bowl and which drank the water by picking up the bowl. Then tell them that you need to assemble an army, but only some of the students can be in it. Separate the children who lapped out of the bowl (if any) and tell the class that only those students will be in your army (you can do this "American Idol"-style if you would like to add some drama to it). Your students will most likely be confused as to why you chose that way. Then begin the story...
Activity 2 "Follow My Voice Gideon Game"
Activity 2 "Follow My Voice Gideon Game"
Time: 10-15 minutes
Materials:
Blanket
Foil
Get the details by clicking here!
Directions
You will need a large playing area for this game. You will need a blanket and enough aluminum foil “balls” (aluminum foil scrunched into the size of a baseball) to give one to each child. Have all students line up against one wall.
When we give our lives into God’s hands, we get protection from God. It’s like when Gideon agreed to attack the bad army, God protected Gideon. It was still kind of scary, because he couldn’t see what he was supposed to do from one minute to the next. But God told him.
Walking in God’s will is sort of like being under a blanket of His protection.
Bring one child to the other wall, close to the corner, and put a blanket over her.
That means you won’t get hurt by anything. But you have to go slowly and listen for the voice of the lord so you don’t fall.
The child should follow closely that one wall to the voice of the teacher, which will be down at the other end of the room. Say to the student,
Follow my voice, Gideon, and you won’t get hurt!
As she proceeds forward, the other children should throw their foil balls at her one at a time and try to hit her on the blanket. If they hit the blanket, they get a point.
Let each child have a turn being under the blanket and following God’s voice without getting hurt by the “firepower.”
Activity 3 "Trumpet & Torch Craft"
Activity 3 "Trumpet & Torch Craft"
Time: 10-15 minutes
Materials:
Glue
Tape
Scissors
Paper (White, Orange, Yellow, Red)
Toilet Paper Rolls (optional)
String
Get the details by clicking here!
Directions
Follow the directions from the video above. :-)
Activity 4 "Off-Lesson Fun Games"
Activity 4 "Off-Lesson Fun Games"
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials needed from the cart:
Varies depending on the game
Get the details by clicking here!
Musical Chairs
Grab the black chairs out of the closet (so that they are lighter to move around) and have the kids play musical chairs!
The 60 second game
This is a great game for settling a group down. Ask everyone to stand up and put their hands behind their back. Tell them they need to silently guess how long one minute is and sit down when they think it’s up. You do need a clock or watch so you can tell when the time is up. This game can be adjusted to a shorter period for younger children, but I’ve been surprised how well it works even with a Kindergarten group.
Cup stack races
Keep a stack of cheap plastic cups in your bag to pull out for a quick game. Two children can race each other in making the highest or biggest pyramid of upside-down cups in one minute.
Heads or tails
If you’ve got a coin handy, this is a quick and easy game that involves no skill. Children need to make their choice before the coin is flipped. They either put their hands on their head or hands on their ‘tails’ to indicate their choice. Those who guessed correctly stay standing, the rest sit down. Play a few rounds until there is a final winner.
Activity 5 "Dance it out"
Activity 5 "Dance it out"
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials needed from the cart (varies based on the game you choose):
christian just dance videos below
If they don't want to play the Christian Just Dance game they can play follow the leader.
Wrap It Up!
Wrap It Up!
**Snacks can be given at this time, if needed**
**Snacks can be given at this time, if needed**
-Come together and sit in a circle to talk about what they learned today. Ask them the same questions that you asked at the beginning of the day. How are their answers different now that they know more? Talk about what they can go home and tell their family. This is also a time they can update their journals (big kids only) or color the pictures (littles).
-Come together and sit in a circle to talk about what they learned today. Ask them the same questions that you asked at the beginning of the day. How are their answers different now that they know more? Talk about what they can go home and tell their family. This is also a time they can update their journals (big kids only) or color the pictures (littles).
-Ask if anyone has a prayer request/praise report. Pray over requests.
-Ask if anyone has a prayer request/praise report. Pray over requests.
-Worship time- Have the kids go find a spot to themselves and have some time with God (play the song below for around 3/5 minutes).
-Worship time- Have the kids go find a spot to themselves and have some time with God (play the song below for around 3/5 minutes).
Worship
Worship
Energy Release!
Energy Release!
Last Minute Filler Ideas
Last Minute Filler Ideas
-Have them gather around the table and draw a picture or write a letter to their families about what they learned today.
-Play a game of some sort. (If you have the hula hoops, have them join hands in a circle and pass the hula hoop around the circle without breaking their hands)
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