Extra Helps #9 - "Books To Remember" Idea

I thank the Lord every day for this new avenue of communication called 'blogging.' By typing a few words, it can reach a great number of people in an instant! My daily prayer is that it is helping you in some way. Thank you for reading and sharing with your students.

I believe the only aspect of blogging that I would change would be the fact that the old blogs are "way down there" at the bottom of the list. Hopefully the Search Box is helping you find the lessons that you need.

Eight months ago, we began teaching our students the Books of the Bible, beginning with Genesis and adding a book as we taught. We have just finished our second time through the Old Testament and now will begin our second time through the New Testament. How are your students doing? Over the process of time, all students can learn these books. Yes, some are difficult to pronounce, but it can and has been done many times! 

What are some 'helps' that we can put into the hands of our students to help them learn? Besides singing "The Books Of The Old Testament"and "The Books Of The New Testament" (see March - Songs We Sing In Bible Class #3, we have already mentioned that charts can help. Making a special column on an Attendance Chart (see March - Attendance Charts on this blog) can be a great visual as to how many students know how many books. 

Perhaps covering a small area of the wall with butcher paper, attaching a 9" x 12" piece of construction paper for each child with their name at the top, and adding a Bible sticker each time they can add a book would work for your class. Can you imagine 66 stickers on each construction paper for each child in your class?! That's a very visual Visual Aid!!

Or perhaps your students need something to take home and practice. We know that there is a list of Bible books in each Bible, usually on one of the first few pages, but somehow it is easier for young ones to 'do' and remember than reading a list. Here is one idea:

BIBLE BOOK RINGED CARDS

Materials Needed:  3" x 5" colored index cards, marker, hole punch (optional drill press),1" book ring (found at school supply stores or arts and craft stores), pushpins, scissors and glue.

1. In advance, the Bible teacher will choose to either have the students write each Bible book on an index card (this works well for older students who can write fairly quickly), or the teacher will have the Bible books typed on a white paper and the students cut out each book and glue to a card (a little easier for the younger ones).
2. Choose how many Bible books will be worked on in the allotted time--too many books in a day can be frustrating for the child.
3. Have supplies ready for the best use of time.
4. Students write one book on each card or cut out one typed book and glue a word on each card.
5. Students punch a hole in the corner of each card. If you have access to a drill press, the Bible teacher may drill each unopened package of index cards with a hole in one corner ahead of time.
   
6. Students 'ring' the cards IN ORDER on the book ring.
7. The Bible teacher may choose to display the ringed cards in a papered wall area on a pushpin, adding a few cards each time the students meet, or may send the ringed books home to practice. It may be difficult for the students to remember to bring the ringed cards back to Bible class each time, so it may be more helpful to keep the ringed cards in class for a while before the students take them home. 
8. In the end when all of the cards are finished and the Bible teacher has checked the cards for accuracy, send the ringed cards home with the student.

Children are amazing learners! Give them a little encouragement, a little motivation, a little time, and just watch them learn! May they be OUR example!

Lesson - God's People In Babylon

VERSES:   2 Chronicles 36:20-23

MEMORY VERSE:   2 Chronicles 36:20   "And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia."

BOOK TO REMEMBER:  Again, review all 39 books of the Old Testament. Singing " The Books of The Old Testament" song may help some of the students remember the books in order. (See under 'Special Song' below)

PRAYER:   May we always do right wherever we go.

SPECIAL SONG:   The Books of The Old Testament (see March - Songs We Sing In Bible Class #3 on this blog)

VISUAL AID:   Map, showing distance between Jerusalem and Babylon.

LESSON POINTS:

• We studied last time about Judah being carried away into Babylonian Captivity because of their rebellion to God and their love of idols more than their love of God. In today's lesson, we find that all those who had escaped the swords of the Babylonians were taken far away to Babylon (show the distance on the map). The people of Judah did not hop on a train or a bus to get to Babylon. No, they didn't have the transportation that we have now. They walked and it was a very long way. Do you think their feet hurt? Do you think the Babylonians cared if they were hot and tired and their feet had blisters on them? No. The Babylonians were ruthless fighting soldiers. Do you think the people of Judah wished they had obeyed God and longed for his protection and His providing them food? Yes. But they had been disobedient and their hearts had followed after false gods that were made out of stone and wood and made from men's hands. They were in a bad situation.  The people were captives in Babylon and could not leave. They were slaves like they were in Egypt a long time ago.
• The Bible says that the people stayed in Babylon for 70 years and were servants to the king of Babylon until there arose a king of Persia named Cyrus who, by the providence of God, provided a way for the the people to return to Jerusalem. 
• God worked and works through nations to subdue other nations. God is always in control and He always knows the future. God is more powerful than any ruler, any king, any president, or any council. He uses nations to fulfill His plan. God is ruler over all the heavens and the earth!

"Older Student" Tips:

• Between verses 21 and 22 there is a gap of 70 years of history. In order to know what happened during those 70 years of captivity, we must read the books of Ezekiel and Daniel. 
• To know the end of the Old Testament history, Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther tell us many things we need to know.
• The books of Poetry (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiates, and the Song of Solomon) and the Prophets (from Isaiah through Malachi) were mixed into 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, and 1 and 2 Chronicles. The prophets lived at the same time of the kings and sometimes God would send more than one prophet to warn the people of their sin.
• These simple and basic notes can help us in studying the Bible, so it might be easier for us to understand why, for example, we read of the prophet, Isaiah, (2 Kings 20) speaking to Hezekiah and the prophet, Jeremiah, lamenting Josiah's death (2 Chronicles 35:25). Prophets and kings were contemporaries and lived at the same time. 
• Also, the Bible was not necessarily written in chronological order. It is good to remember these things as we study God's Word.

ACTIVITY:  God's People In Babylon Book
Materials Needed:  12" x 18" piece of any color construction paper (one color for each student), scissors, marker or crayon, stapler, staples.

1. Hand out construction paper to students.
2. Fold paper in half.
3. Fold in half again.
4. Cut 8 large circles out of paper.
5. Trade one circle to a friend.
6. Page One: On the different colored circle, write "God's People In Babylon." (see picture above.)
7. Page Two:  Write "2 Chronicles 36:20-23."
   
8. Page Three: Write "God's people were captives. They could not leave."
   
9. Page Four:  Write "The people stayed in Babylon 70 years."
   
10. Page Five:  Write "The people were servants to the king of Babylon."
    
11. Page Six:  Write "The people stayed in Babylon until there arose a king of Persia."
    
    .
12. Page Seven:  Write "Cyrus was the king of Persia."
    
13. Page Eight:  Write "God's people should have obeyed God." 
    
14. Put pages of book in order.
15. Staple.
16. Read together.

Lesson - Babylon Besieges Jerusalem

VERSES:   2 Kings 25:1-39;  2 Chronicles 36:11-23

MEMORY VERSE:   2 Kings 25:21  "...So Judah was carried away out of their land."

BOOK TO REMEMBER: Review, once more, all the 39 books of the Old Testament.

PRAYER:  Pray for those who are sick that they have better health, the ones who are sad that they may be comforted, and the ones who have turned from God that they turn their hearts back to God.

SPECIAL SONG:   On Jordan's Stormy Banks (see June - Songs We Sing In Bible Class #6 on this blog)

VISUAL AID:   Map, showing the distance between Jerusalem and Babylon. Draw a large picture of the one above on the whiteboard or chalkboard.

LESSON POINTS:

• After Josiah, all of the rest of the kings of Judah did evil things in the sight of the LORD God. They did not walk in the ways of David. They rebelled against God and did not listen to Him and did not love and serve Him like God wanted them to do. God had warned the people over and over and over again, ever since the people had left Egypt with Moses, that they should love and serve Him only. Did they do that? Maybe for very short times, but overall, they served idols and false gods and turned their hearts from God. They were warned of the consequence of their sin, but they sinned anyway!
• When the Babylonians came to Jerusalem like God said they would, they besieged the city. Remember 'besiege' meant that nothing was going into the city. No food. No people. No animals. No vegetables. No flour. No supplies of any kind. Nothing. Whatever the city had in it at the beginning of being besieged was as good as it got because, as the people ate food, the supply of food got less and less. The Babylonian army had built forts all around Jerusalem, making sure nothing came in to the city.The enemy tried to starve the people out, so they would submit to them. This went on for almost two years! Can you imagine not buying any groceries or bringing anything in your home for two years? Times were extremely tough. 
• Zedekiah was the King of Judah and his heart was not with God. He had rebelled against the king of Babylon, but that did not mean that he had turned to God. He still did wickedly. He stiffened his neck and hardened his heart and did not humble himself before Jeremiah, the prophet of God. Even the most important priests and the people sinned greatly. They polluted the house of the LORD . Even then, God was still sending prophets to His people because God loved His people and He wanted them to serve Him. But they mocked or made fun of His messengers, hated God's words, and misused His prophets until God was so angry that the Bible says in 2 Chronicles 36:16 that "there was no remedy," meaning the people had gone so far away from God gave up on them.
• The soldiers of Judah fled the city at night, escaping through the king's garden that had a gate between two walls, and they took King Zedekiah with them.  They ran away to the desert, but the Babylonians followed them and caught them. They took King Zedekiah to Babylon where they pronounced judgment on him, killed his sons, and blinded him. They tied up King Zedekiah with brass chains and carried him away to far-away Babylon. 
• God allowed the enemy, the Babylonians and their king, to kill all who they wanted to kill. They took all the valuables out of the temple and burnt the temple. They broke down the wall that was all around Jerusalem that protected them from intruders, and burnt down not only the temple, but the king's house, all of the houses of Jerusalem, and all the important men's fine houses. 
• The King of Babylon carried away all the healthy people and the younger people, but he left all the old people and the poor people behind in Jerusalem to take care of the vineyards and crops. There was a remnant or a very small group of God's people left.
• Judah was carried away out of their land. Because of their sin and rebellion to God, they were forced to leave their beautiful land of Canaan.

"Older Student" Tips:

• The Babylonians were also known as the Chaldees.
• War is never good and it was not good for Zedekiah. The Babylonians were known for being ruthless and having no compassion or politeness about them. They had no regard for how old their prisoners were. They even killed the old people who were stooped with age.
• Discuss how there has always been a remnant of the faithful and how there still is a remnant of God's people loving Him and serving Him, choosing to follow God's Word.

ACTIVITY:   Babylonian Captivity
Materials Needed:  6" x 18" tan construction paper, crayons, markers.

1. Hand out paper to students.
2. Write "2 Kings 25:21" and "...So Judah was away out of the land." at the top of the tan paper.
3. Draw six or seven unhappy men chained together in a line facing one way.
4. Draw the back of a wagon loaded with valuables from the temple in front of the men.
5. Draw a sign that says "Babylon."
6. In the distance draw a city of fire.
7. Draw a line representing hills in the background.
8. Color.
9. Fold paper in thirds, so that the picture will stand up on a table, creasing folds crisply.

Lesson - Josiah, The Book Of The LORD Is Found!

VERSES:   2 Kings 22:1-23:30;   2 Chronicles 34:1-35:27

MEMORY VERSE:   2 Kings 23:25  "And like unto him was there no king before him that turned to the LORD..." 

BOOK TO REMEMBER:   Review again all the 39 books of the Old Testament. 

PRAYER:   When given the opportunity to do good deeds, may we always do the good that we know to do.

SPECIAL SONG:   Be Patient And Kind (see April - Joseph Meets His Brothers Who Hated Him on this blog)

VISUAL AID:   TV Box (see February - Visual Aid #1 on this blog)

LESSON POINTS:

• Josiah was the last good king of Judah. He was only eight years old when he began his reign as King of Judah and he ruled 31 years. Even when Josiah was young, he walked in the ways of David, staying true to God his whole life. Not many kings could say that! He purged or got rid of all the idols or images of false gods. He not only broke them, but made dust out of them and scattered the dust on the graves of the ones who had worshiped the idols. He stayed and watched them destroy the altars of Baal with his own eyes. He did this same thing in all of the cities of Judah and Jerusalem. When he had finished with breaking down the altars and groves of the gods that were made with men's hands, he went back to Jerusalem, but he did not stop there.
• When Josiah was 26 years old, he sent Shaphan, the scribe, and two others into the temple of the LORD to begin repairing the temple. The temple always seemed to need repairs, didn't it? Josiah told Shaphan to go to Hilkiah, the high priest, and deliver the money that was brought into the temple. They gave the money to repairmen and workers to fix the temple. 
• When they brought the money to the temple, Hilkiah found something that they did not even know was there. They found the book of the Law of Moses! God's Law had been lost in His own house! They took the book to the king and Shaphan read the book to the king. When Josiah heard the words of the law, he tore his clothes. He told Shaphan and Hilkiah and a few others to go and ask the prophet what they should do since they had not been keeping the law of the LORD at all. They were told that God was still very angry at the people of Judah and told them how God was going to keep His promises. The people of Judah had not been worshiping God and His anger was going to be put upon His people that had forgotten Him and had worshiped idols. But God said that, because Josiah had a tender heart and had humbled himself before the LORD and had cried tears, God was not going to keep those promises while Josiah was alive. Josiah would live in peace.
• So the men brought what God had said back to Josiah, and Josiah gathered all the people together in the temple, and he read the law of the LORD to them. The king made a covenant or a serious promise to God that he would walk in the ways of the LORD with all of his heart and soul and would perform all the things that he had read. Then, he made all the people who were listening to the law stand up and promise they would be faithful, too.
• Josiah kept his promise to God, too. The Bible says that Josiah kept the Passover and instructed all the priests and Levites to do everything exactly like in said in the book of the law. The Bible also says in 2 Chronicles 35:18 that the Passover had not been kept in Israel from the days of Samuel to the prophets and in all the days of the kings of Israel like it had been kept in the days of Josiah. Josiah had done a good job.
• As the years passed by, there was a king in Egypt, a pharaoh, who came up to fight another nation, not Judah, but Josiah went out to fight anyway. The pharaoh warned Josiah that it was not his fight, but Josiah went anyway. The Egyptian archers shot arrows at Josiah and one of the arrows wounded him and he died. All of the people were sad and mourned for Josiah. There was a prophet named Jeremiah who lamented or said sad words over Josiah when they buried him.

"Older Student" Tips:

• Discuss the definition of 'scribe.
• Talk about the difference in a book today and a book or scroll in Old Testament times.
• Josiah should have turned back from the fight with Egypt, but, since he not, he was killed. He was a good king for many years and ruled over Judah in goodness and tried to do everything that God had told the people to do.

ACTIVITY:   Josiah Did Well
Materials needed:  9" x 36" piece of tan wrapping paper or butcher paper, a small rubber band, 12" of string, a paper clip, markers or crayons.

1. Hand out tan paper to students.
2. Giving each student lots of space or taking turns to write on the 36" wide paper, write "God's Law Had Been Lost In His Own House!" and "2 Chronicles 34:15."
   
3. Roll up and one side of tan paper, securing the paper in the middle with the paper clip.
   
4. Roll up the other side of the tan paper and secure with rubber band.
   
5. Tie the string in a bow around the scroll of paper (see picture on top).

Lesson - Manasseh, A Wicked King Repents

VERSES:   2 Kings 21:1-29; 2 Chronicles 33:1-20

MEMORY VERSE:  2 Kings: 21:9   "But they hearkened not..."

BOOK TO REMEMBER:   Review and recite as a class all 39 books of the Old Testament.

PRAYER:   May we learn from the Old Testament and apply those things that we learn to our own lives. May we cling to God, our Father in heaven. May we only do those things which please Him.

SPECIAL SONG:   Be Patient And Kind (see April - Lesson - Joseph Meets His Brothers Who Hated Him on this blog)

VISUAL AID:  Make a large Activity (see below)

LESSON POINTS:

• Children do not always do what their parents tell them, do they? We have studied four weeks about Hezekiah, and, while he made mistakes, he was a good king. In fact, we have been calling him "Good King Hezekiah" which is what he was. But, of all the good that Hezekiah did, he was not a good father. We talked about how David, a man after God's own heart, was not a good father because he did not teach all of sons--like Absalom--the good ways of God. That was just like Hezekiah. 
• Hezekiah had a son named Manasseh and, when Hezekiah died, Manasseh became the King of Judah. Now, while you might think that the son of Hezekiah would be good king like his father was, he was definitely not! Manasseh was 12 years old when he became king and did not do well like his father or David.  Manasseh ruled over Judah for 55 years, which was a long time, considering other kings ruled much shorter times, so, to a godly person, Manasseh's reign must have seemed like a long, long time. 
• There was a cycle in Judah, one that went from destroying all the idols in the land to embracing and creating more idols and trying to be like the nations that surrounded Judah. The children of Judah had a short memory. They forgot how good things could be when they followed the LORD God, and they also forgot how bad things could be when they served idols.
• Yes, Manasseh was a very bad king. He built up the high places again after his father had destroyed them. The people worshiped idols in the high places and built altars to their idols. They made a grove like King Ahab did and we remember that King Ahab was the most evil king of Israel. They, again, worshiped the sun, the moon, and the stars. Manasseh was guilty of many sins, but some of the worst ones were building more altars in the courts of the house of the LORD, something God had never said to do. He even made his sons pass through the fire, which was a very wicked sin. He shed innocent blood. He used enchantments, magic, and made so much evil that God got very angry.
• Manasseh persuaded the people to serve idols and the people listened. They should have known better! So, Manasseh's sin also became the people of Judah's sin and they turned their ears from God. God got angrier and angrier. Finally, He said that He was going to bring many bad things upon Judah that it would even make the other nations' ears tingle.
• God allowed the captains of the Assyrian army to take Manasseh to Babylon, chained and in bondage. When Manasseh saw that  he was in real trouble and in prison, who did he turn to? The LORD GOD! He did not turn to his idols; he prayed to God. The Bible says that the LORD heard Manasseh's prayer because Manasseh humbled himself before God. He knew that the LORD was God. Because of Manasseh's sincere humility and his prayer to God, God heard him and answered his prayer. He let him return to Jerusalem and regain his crown as king of Judah.
• Manasseh repented. He stopped being a wicked king and tried to be better. He took away the idols out of the temple of the LORD, and took away all the altars he had made to the idols. He repaired the altar of the LORD and sacrificed to God. He commanded all of Judah to serve the LORD God. Quite a difference from his younger days! God listens to His children when they pray to Him and He hears their prayers.

"Older Student" Points:

• Define "repent."
• Discuss the sentence "Apostasy is only a generation a way."
• Judah was following in the footsteps of Israel and Israel was carried away into Assyrian Captivity. Judah should have learned by Israel's bad example as to what made God angry. Judah had not learned any lessons from Israel, yet. Last time, we learned that God had told Hezekiah that Babylon would come into Jerusalem and nothing would be left.

ACTIVITY:   Manasseh, A Wicked King Repents
Materials needed:  6" x 18" white construction paper, marker, crayons, scissors, tape.

1. Hand out white paper.
2. Fold in half.
3. Fold in half again.
4. Fold back one folded edge to make a box. This is the prison.
5. Before taping edge, draw a prison window on one of the inner areas.
6. Cut out window, so the student can see inside the prison.
7. Write "2 Chronicles 33" above the window.
8. Write "Manasseh, A Wicked King Repents At The End" under the window.
9. When the paper is folded into a prison, look inside the window and draw a humble Manasseh on the opposite 'wall.' (see picture)
10. Color Manasseh.
11. Write "Babylon Prison" above Manasseh's head.
12. Tape edges with tape to secure.
    

Words Of Encouragement Along The Way #12 - Background Thinking

You have heard, perhaps, of background music, or background information, or background interference, but I'd like to suggest a new phrase tonight on the blog:  background thinking. Background thinking is what a person thinks about when they are doing something else. I don't know about you, but when I am folding clothes or washing dishes, or, sometimes while I am driving a familiar route, I think about other things than what I am doing. At times, I think about what I should make for dinner, or what I am going to do on the weekend, or perhaps a chore or two that is in the my near future. That is background thinking! So, what is in the back of your mind that you tend to dwell on while you are doing mundane tasks?

Bible teachers tend to dwell on their next Bible lesson. Is that what you think about? Me, too! Occasionally, I will see an unusual box or uniquely textured paper, or perhaps, a brand new box of crayons, and I think about how I could work that particular item into the next Bible lesson. A neighbor owns a donkey near us and it brays now and then, that is when I think of Balaam. I see a cloud about the size of my fist in a clear blue sky and I think of Elijah. When I notice someone's colorful coat or sweater at work, I think of Joseph. I read the newspaper and find that somewhere there was an earthquake, and I think of Korah. Many things in today's world make us think about Old Testament times. That is the way it should be!

We actually should be thinking or meditating on God's Word. The Apostle Paul wrote to young Timothy and told him, "Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine...Meditate on these things..." (1 Timothy 4:13, 15). That is what we do when we dwell on the scriptures. David said in Psalms 1:1, 2 that blessed is the man who walks in a godly manner. He delights in the law of the LORD, and he meditates in His law both day and night.

A favorite verse of this Bible teacher is found in the book of Psalms, chapter 19, and verse 14, which says, "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength and my redeemer."  May we continue to dwell and meditate on God's Word each and every day of our Bible-teaching journey.

Lesson - Hezekiah's Mistake

VERSES:   2 Kings 20:12-21;   2 Chronicles 32:31

MEMORY VERSE:   2 Kings 20:15   "And he said, "What have they seen in thy house?..."

BOOK TO REMEMBER:   Review all 39 Old Testament books.

PRAYER:   May we be discreet and know when to and not to tell personal information. 

SPECIAL SONG:   Be Careful Little Eyes (see March - Songs We Sing In Bible Class #3 on this blog)

VISUAL AID:   Map showing Babylon and Jerusalem.  Draw a picture of the Activity below.

LESSON POINTS:

• Sometimes there are people who pretend to be our friends, but they really are not our friends. At times, it is difficult to tell who are friends are and who are not our friends. Until we know the difference, we should use discretion. This means that we are a little cautious with our words. It means that we do not need to tell everything that we know just because someone asks us a question. Discretion. A hard word for even adults to master. King Hezekiah learned the hard way who his friends were, all because he talked too much. He caused himself and his family a lot of trouble!
• About the time that Hezekiah had recovered from his boil and almost died, the king of Babylon, a king we have not studied before, sent messengers with letters and a present to King Hezekiah because he had heard he had been sick. Hezekiah did not know the King of Babylon well, but he was flattered that the King of Babylon was concerned with his health enough to send letters and a present! Flattery will sometimes get us in trouble because flattery is a whole lot of insincere words that make someone feel good. The King of Babylon, whose name was Berodachbaladan, flattered King Hezekiah with words that King Hezekiah wanted to hear. They made Hezekiah feel good and important. The King of Babylon wanted something from Hezekiah, but Hezekiah did not know it when the messengers came for a visit.
• The messengers of Babylon wanted to know what was in King Hezekiah's house. This made King Hezekiah very proud. Pride is not always good. The Bible says that "Pride goes before a fall" ( Proverbs 16:18). God wants us to be humble and not think too much of ourselves. But pride got the best of King Hezekiah! Hezekiah showed the Babylonian messengers everything in his palace. He showed them his precious things. He showed them his gold and his spices and his precious ointments and his house of armor and all of his treasures. There was nothing that Hezekiah hid from the men from Babylon. He showed them everything he had control over.
• God noticed what Hezekiah had done because God knows everything. So God sent Isaiah to Hezekiah and Isaiah asked him a question. Isaiah asked, What have they seen in your house?" Hezekiah admitted that he had shown them absolutely everything he had. Then Isaiah had hard words for Hezekiah from the LORD. Isaiah said that there would be a day coming that everything Hezekiah had in his palace and everything that his father had given him would be taken away to Babylon and there would be nothing left! King Hezekiah had told the men where everything he owned was! They didn't even need to search for it! Isaiah said that the soldiers from Babylon would even take away his sons to Babylon. 
• When Hezekiah heard Isaiah's words, he knew they were true. He knew they were God's words and he knew that he had been trying to show off, making himself important in their eyes which was wrong. Hezekiah said that God's word was good, meaning he deserved them and they were just. Hezekiah had made a mistake and he was going to have to pay for his mistake of having too much pride and not enough discretion. He talked too much.
• Hezekiah was a good king even if he did make the mistake of having too much pride. He had done many good things. He had made a pool which was a hard thing back then. He made a conduit which was like a tunnel that brought water into the city. This, too, was difficult, but they were done to Hezekiah's credit and are written in the Bible. So Hezekiah lived fifteen years after his bout with the boil and he, too, died.

"Older Student" Tips:

• Hezekiah suffered from pride and indiscretion like many people do today. 2 Chronicles 32:31 says that God tried Hezekiah that God might know what was in Hezekiah's heart, to see if he was proud. 
  

ACTIVITY:   Hezekiah's Mistake
Materials needed:   9" x 12" yellow construction paper, scrap of different colored paper, marker, crayons, glue, scissors.

1. Hand out yellow paper.
2. Fold up bottom edge 4 inches.
3. Crease fold.
4. With edge folded up, draw a picture of Hezekiah talking to three Babylonian men in his palace.
5. On a scrap of paper, cut out a speech bubble.
6. Write "Let me show you EVERYTHING in my palace!" inside the bubble.
7. Label Hezekiah and Men from Babylon.
8. Unfold bottom edge of paper.
9. Write PRIDE in large letters across the bottom.
10. Color letters.
11. Write "King Hezekiah's Mistake" and "2 Kings 20:12-21" at the top of the yellow paper. 
12. Before leaving class, fold up the word pride, so others may guess what the mistake was.

Lesson - Hezekiah's Boil

VERSES:   2 Kings 20:1-11

MEMORY VERSE:  2 Kings 20:6   "And I will add unto thy days fifteen years..." 

BOOK TO REMEMBER:   Malachi. Write "Malachi" on small slips of paper and hand out the last book of the Old Testament to the students at the end of class.

PRAYER:   May we be careful what we pray for and appreciate our answered prayers.

SPECIAL SONG:   Read, Read Every Day (see February - Songs We Sing In Bible Class #1 on this blog )

VISUAL AID:   Picture of a sundial and different clocks. Draw a picture of a boil in red, orange, and purple on the whiteboard or chalkboard. As you tell the story, cover the boil with black for the figs. When Hezekiah gets better, erase the board.

LESSON POINTS:

• After a while, Good King Hezekiah got very, very sick. The prophet, Isaiah came for a visit to tell him that the LORD said to get his house in order because he was going to die. When Hezekiah heard this news, he turned his face to the wall and prayed to God and pleaded with the LORD to remember all the good things he had done. Hezekiah asked God to remember how he had walked in God's ways with his whole heart. As Isaiah was leaving, he got to the middle court of the palace and the LORD spoke to Isaiah. The LORD told Isaiah to go back to Hezekiah and tell him that He had heard Hezekiah's prayer and would heal him. God told Hezekiah to go up to the house of the LORD after three days and He would add fifteen years to his life. God also said that He would save the city from the Assyrians and defend the city for his servant, David's, sake. Then Isaiah told Hezekiah to take a lump of figs and placed it on the boil. We don't know where the boil was located, but we do know that Hezekiah got better!
• Hezekiah had a question. He asked Isaiah how he would know that the LORD was going to heal him. Isaiah told good King Hezekiah that the Lord would do what He said, but then asked him if the shadow should go back or go forward ten degrees. Back in the Old Testament days, they did not have clocks and watches, they had dials or sundials. When the sun shone on the sundial, it would cast a shadow and everyone could tell what time it was. This was not hard for them to use this way to tell time. So, what Isaiah was asking Hezekiah was did he want the time to jump ahead or go back a certain amount of time. Hezekiah said that it was easy if time jumped ahead, but he thought it would be more difficult for time to go back, so that is what he chose...and it happened! God is in control of everything!

"Older Student" Tips:

• God can be persuaded, can't he? God listened to Abraham back in the time He was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah (see  March - Lesson - Abraham Entreats God on this blog)and was persuaded to reduce the number of righteous people found in the city from fifty to ten good people. Here in this lesson, we can see that, because of Hezekiah's prayer, God is persuaded to let Hezekiah live a little longer. God definitely listens to our prayers.
• Life is uncertain. Only God knows when "our time is up!" Read Psalms 90:10 concerning the length of a man's life.
  

ACTIVITY:   King Hezekiah's Boil Gets Better
Materials needed:  9"x 9" tan construction paper, 5" x 5" black construction paper, scissors, glue, crayons.

1. Hand out tan paper.
2. Draw a not-so-perfect red circle in the middle of the paper. This is the boil.
3. Color the boil in red, orange, yellow, and purple.
4. Write "Hezekiah's Boil Gets better..." at the top of the tan paper.
5. Write "With A Lump Of Figs!" and "2 Kings 20" at the bottom of the tan paper.
6. Write "Boil" with an arrow to the red boil.
7. Cut around black paper to take off the corners, making sure the black paper is still large enough to cover the boil.
8. With a white crayon, write "FIGS" in the middle of the black paper.
9. With a black crayon, make squiggles all over the black paper.
10. Fold down a 1/2" at the top of the figs.
11. Glue small edge of black fold.
12. Attach on top of red boil, so that black paper can come up and down, showing the boil.

Lesson - 185,000 Assyrians

VERSES:  2 Kings 18:13-19:27

MEMORY VERSE:   2 Kings 19:35   "...the angel of the LORD...smote in the camp of the Assyrians (185,000)..."

BOOK TO REMEMBER:   Zechariah.   Write "Zechariah" on small slips of paper and hand out at the end of class, so the students may take it home to memorize.

PRAYER:    Thank God for His protection and our safe night's sleep.

SPECIAL SONG:   The Wise Man Built His House Upon The Rock (see March - Songs We Sing In Bible Class #3 on this blog)

VISUAL AID:   Write the questions below on the whiteboard in advance, covering up the answers that are written on the board in advance, much like the Activity below..

LESSON POINTS:

• After Hezekiah had ruled fourteen years over Judah, the king of wicked Assyria named Sennacherib sent his army down to Judah and took all the cities that had walls around them except Jerusalem where Hezekiah was living. Hezekiah had always rebelled or was strongly against Assyria, but when he saw that Assyria had taken the cities so easily, he was nervous and afraid. He sent a messenger to Sennacherib and said that because Hezekiah had offended the King of Assyria and wanted to stop the fighting against Judah, he would pay Assyria whatever Sennacherib wanted him to pay. So, Sennacherib told him to pay a huge amount of silver and much gold. Hezekiah was not rich like King Solomon had been, so in order to pay his bill, he took all the silver and gold from the LORD's temple and from his palace and gave it to the king of Assyria. Hezekiah even had to to cut off all the gold from the doors and the pillars of the temple. Hezekiah must have been very sad.
• Then Sennacherib sent three officers to King Hezekiah. When they got to Jerusalem, they stood by the conduit or a canal or tunnel of water and called out to King Hezekiah, but the king's three of his servants came out instead. They listened to the Assyrians say how great Sennacherib was and how King Hezekiah should be afraid of all the things that the Assyrians could do to his people. The messengers had no respect for the LORD God and blasphemed against God. They asked Hezekiah who was going to come and save them from the Assyrians. After they were done talking, no one answered them at all. They didn't say anything because King Hezekiah told them to hold their peace.
• When his servants told him what the messengers had said, King Hezekiah tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and went to the house of the LORD. He sent his servants in mourning to Isaiah, a prophet of God, to ask him to pray to God and ask him what the remnant of his people should do. Isaiah replied that the LORD God said not to be afraid of the Assyrians who had blasphemed His name. God said he would send a rumor to him and he would return to Assyria. God was going to cause him to fall on his own sword in his own land of Assyria.
• When the messengers returned to Assyria, they found Sennacherib in the middle of a fight  with another nation. They reported to the king what had happened and Sennacherib send messengers again to King Hezekiah with many more threats. Hezekiah did the only thing he could do and that was to pray to God to save them. Isaiah came and told Hezekiah that God had heard his prayer and He had a plan. He said that no one from Assyria would shoot one arrow in Jerusalem! God said that he would save the city of Jerusalem for His servant, David's, sake. How relieved Hezekiah must have been to hear those words of Isaiah!
• That same night,  the angel of the LORD went out and struck the Assyrians camp. The next morning, they found that 185,000 soldiers were found dead in the camp!! When Sennacherib heard that all the soldiers were dead, he left and went to another city named Nineveh. 
• God protects His people when they are obeying Him and doing those things that please Him. He protects and provides for those who love Him just like He does today. 

"Older Student" Tips:

• God has always had a remnant or a leftover part of His people who have always wanted to please Him and serve Him. This is true even to this day. Many only say that love God, but few actually do His commandments.
• To blaspheme God means to talk disrespectfully to God, to insult God, or to show a lack of respect. This was a very serious offense.

ACTIVITY:   Hezekiah's Problem
Materials needed:  6" x 18" red construction paper,  two 4" x 4" blue squares of construction paper, two 4" x 4" yellow squares of construction paper, marker or crayon, glue.

1. Hand out red paper.
2. Hand out blue and yellow papers.
3. Fold down a small edge of each blue and yellow square.
4. On right side of red paper, glue the blue and yellow edges down ONLY.
5. Press down on right side of paper, so that each flap pops up.
6. Write "2 Kings 18 & 19 " and "Hezekiah's Problem" down left edge of red paper.
7. On FLAP ONE:  Write "What did Hezekiah do when Sennacherib took all the cities that had walls around them?
8. Under FLAP ONE:  Write "He finally told the King of Assyria to stop fighting and he would pay silver and gold to him."
9. On FLAP TWO:  Write "What did the Assyrian officers do and say that was sinful and wicked?"
10. Under FLAP TWO:  Write "They had no respect for God and blasphemed against Him."
11. On FLAP THREE:  Write "When the Assyrian officers left Jerusalem, what did Good King Hezekiah do?
12. Under FLAP THREE:  Write "He tore his clothes, covered himelf in sackcloth, went to the temple, and sent messengers to the prophet, Isaiah.
13. On FLAP FOUR:  Write "When God said He would save Jerusalem for David's sake, what did the angel of the LORD do?"
14. Under FLAP FOUR:  Write "He struck the Assyrian's camp. 185,000 died. No arrows were shot in Jerusalem. Not one!"

Lesson - Good King Hezekiah

VERSES:   2 Kings 18:1-12; 2 Chronicles 29:1-31:21

MEMORY VERSE:   2 Kings 18:5   "He trusted in the LORD God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him."

BOOK TO REMEMBER: Haggai.   Write "Haggai" on small slips of paper and hand out at the end of class.

PRAYER:   May we trust in the LORD like Hezekiah did.

SPECIAL SONG:  Be Careful Little Eyes (see March - Songs We Sing In Bible Class #3 on this blog)

VISUAL AID:   Large Activity (see below).

LESSON POINTS:

• We have already learned that there was not even ONE good king in the Kingdom of Israel. All of the kings of Israel walked in the evil ways of Jeroboam and the people were carried away into Assyrian Captivity because they had not obeyed God as we studied last time.
• However, there were eight good kings of Judah. They were kings who loved God and obeyed Him. They tried to walk in God's ways like David did. Of these eight good kings (Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash, Amaziah, Uzziah, Jotham, Hezekiah, and Josiah), the Bible says that there was not a king of Judah as good as Hezekiah. Good King Hezekiah trusted God and followed God's laws. 
• Hezekiah kept God's commandments in the Law of Moses. He opened the doors of the temple, made repairs and cleaned the temple, brought the priests and Levites back to the temple, offered sacrifices to the LORD, and all the people worshiped God again. We have learned that the people would do what God wanted for a short time, but then after a while they would return to worshiping idols. So, when King Hezekiah was made king at 25 years old, there were idols in the land of Judah, but Hezekiah did the right thing. He did what God wanted him to do. He had the idols broken down and burned. Hezekiah did much good and trusted in God. Hezekiah followed God's plan.
• God has always had a plan for His people and it has always been a good plan. When the people followed God and His plan for the family, or for worship, or for whatever it might be, things always worked out for the best. That is what happened in Hezekiah's case. Hezekiah restored the worship, the temple, the law of the LORD, and things went well. He rebelled against the wicked king of Assyria and did not serve him. Hezekiah fought the Philistines and the Philistines went back to their own land. The Bible says that the Lord was with Hezekiah and that Hezekiah prospered or things got better for him. For a good while, things went well. We will study more about Hezekiah next time.

"Older Student" Tips:

• Do you remember the lesson we have had in the past about Moses and the brass serpent? (See June - Lesson - Fiery Serpents! on this blog). Evidently, the people had been worshiping the brasen serpent that Moses had made, because in 2 Kings 18:4, Hezekiah broke the serpent into pieces because the people were burning incense to it.

ACTIVITY:   The G.K.H. Game (The Good King Hezekiah Game)  This game resembles a game called the Memory Game where two cards match each other.
Materials needed:  two 12" x 18" pieces of the same color construction paper, one 3" x 6" different colored paper, a small rubber band, marker, scissors.

1. Have the students cut the papers into 3" x 6" cards (or 3" x 5" index cards may be purchased from the store). Two papers should be cut into 24 cards for each student.
2. On the different colored paper, write "The Good King Hezekiah Game" and "2 Kings 18" and "2 Chronicles 29."
3. Stack the papers up in a stack and write G.K.H. on the backs of all the cards. This stands for Good King Hezekiah.
4. Two cards should have the same sentence written on them. For example, here are a few sentences:

• G.K.H. was one of the 8 good kings of Judah.
• G.K.H. was the best king of Judah.
• G.K.H. trusted God.
• G.K.H. kept the Law of Moses.
• G.K.H. opened the doors of the temple.
• G.K.H. made repairs to the temple.
• G.K.H.cleaned the temple.
• G.K.H. brought the priests and Levites back to the temple.
• G.K.H. offered sacrifices to God.
• G.K.H. broke down the idols.
• G.K.H. followed God's ways.
• G.K.H. began to rule as king when he was 25 years old.

     5. Before leaving class, wrap all cards with rubber band with different colored card on top.

HOW TO PLAY THIS GAME:

1. After making the game, the cards are shuffled.
2. All the cards are placed on a table or the floor with the G.K.H. showing on top.
3. The first player chooses two random cards by turning them over.
4. The player reads the cards out loud.
5. If the cards match, then the player keeps the cards. If they do not match, the cards are turned back over, so the G.K.H. shows on top.
6. The player with the most cards, wins.
7. All players must be good sports.