VERSES: Exodus 17:8-16
MEMORY VERSE: Exodus 17:11 "...when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed."
BOOK TO REMEMBER: Review the books of the Old Testament, helping the ones who need a little help.
PRAYER: If we are His children and are obeying Him, God is our protector. He can protect us with His sword, which is the Word of God (Eph. 6:17). May we forever stay close to God's Word by reading the Bible.
SPECIAL SONG: Read, Read Every Day (see February - Songs We Sing In Bible Class #1 on this blog).
VISUAL AID: Whiteboard or Chalkboard Drawing of Activity below.
LESSON POINTS:
- While the children of Israel were camped in Rephidim, there was a nation of people called the Amalekites and they fought with God's people. Moses told Joshua to choose men from the Israelites and they would go out and fight them back. God's people did not start the fight, but we will see what happens.
- Moses told Joshua that he would stand on top of the hill with the rod of God in his hand on the next day. This was the same rod that turned into a snake before Pharaoh, parted the Red Sea, and brought water from the rock. Joshua did as Moses told him and the next day they fought against the Amalekites. Moses, Aaron and a man named Hur walked on top up a hill where they could see the fight. Moses stood on top of the hill and raised his hands. Every time Moses raised his hands, Israel would start winning the battle, but every time his hands went down, the Amalekites would start winning the battle.
- Moses tried raising his hands all the time, but his hands grew heavy and tired, so Aaron and Hur took a stone and put it under Moses, so he could sit down. Aaron and Hur stayed on each side of Moses, helping him raise his hands up. Moses' hands were then steady and did not go down until the sun went down. At the end of day, Joshua and his army defeated the Amalekites.
- God told Moses to write what happened down as a memorial, so the Israelites would not forget. Moses was to read it to Joshua, so he would not forget it either. God said that He would totally blot out the Amalekites and no would remember them anymore. Moses built an altar there at Rephidim.
"Older Student" Tips:
- Interesting way to win a battle, isn't it? There are many battles and wars that are recorded in the Old Testament. Most of the time the Israelites would win, but when they were disobedient, they would lose. If the people obeyed God and did what he said, they would always win the victory.
- This battle must have been important to God because He had Moses write the outcome down and recite it to Joshua. We have a way of constructing a memorial when we want to remember something today, don't we? That is what they were doing back then, too.
- God is true to His word. He said that the Amalekites would not be remembered and it was true. If we did not read this account in the Bible, we would have never heard of the Amalekites. No one remembers them anymore.
Materials needed: white 9" x 12" construction with or without the above black outlines, 9" x 12" any color construction paper, scissors, crayons, glue.
- Pass out any color of 9" x 12" paper for background.
- The Bible teacher has a choice: A) Have the students draw a front view of Moses with his hands held high and two men (Aaron and Hur) from the side view, a large flat rock, and a shallow hill OR B) Copy the above blackline drawing, paste it in a Word document, change the paper orientation to 'landscape,' enlarge to the size of the document, and print.
- Draw faces and color figures, rock and hill.
- Cut figures, hill, and rock out.
- Glue hill to bottom of background paper.
- Glue rock on top of the hill, leaving a little edge at the top of the rock to tuck Moses in.
- Fold on Moses' dotted lines.
- Tuck Moses a little behind the rock, so it looks like he is sitting on the rock.
- Glue Moses' back to background and his feet to the hill.
- Glue Aaron and Hur in their proper places beside Moses, holding up his arms.
- Write "Moses' Heavy Hands" and "Exodus 17:8-16" at the top of the background.
- Write "Moses", "Aaron," and "Hur" on the appropriate people's robes.
