VERSES: Exodus 18:1-27
MEMORY VERSE: Exodus 18:24 "And Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he said."
BOOK TO REMEMBER: Review all 39 books of the Old testament until everyone knows them. Reviewing is a good way of remembering.
PRAYER: Thank God for our families and the help that they give us.
SPECIAL SONG: Jesus Loves Me (see February - Songs We Sing In Bible Class #2 on this blog).
VISUAL AID: Bible map and TV Box (see February - Visual Aid #1 on this blog for instructions).
LESSON POINTS:
- Remember when Moses ran away to Midian after he had killed the Egyptian who was hurting one of God's people? He had run south towards this area right here on the map. (Point to area). He had found a job taking care of sheep for a man who was a priest named Jethro. Moses had married one of Jethro's daughters named Zipporah and they had two sons named Gershom and Eliezer. Moses had sent his wife and two children back to Jethro for a time and Jethro had heard about all the good things that God had done for Moses and for Israel and how the LORD had delivered Israel from the hands of Pharaoh.
- Jethro had sent word to Moses telling him that he, Zipporah, Gershom and Eliezer were going to come for a visit and had camped at the mountain of God. When Moses heard that, he went out to meet his father-in-law, he was happy to see him and took him back to his tent and told him all that God had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians and everything that had happened to them. Jethro was happy for everything good that had come to the Israelites and said that now he knew that the LORD God was greater than all the little gods. So Jethro offered a burnt offering to God. Afterwards, Aaron and all the elders or leaders of the people went to eat a meal with Moses and Jethro.
- The next day, the children of Israel came to Moses with questions and problems and, like he had been doing, Moses helped the people all day from morning to evening.Iin fact, there was always a long line of people needing Moses' help with their problems. Jethro watched and saw what Moses was doing all day and asked him why Moses sat all by himself while the people waited to talk to him. Moses said that the people come to me to ask an answer from God when they have a problem and I make them know the commandments of the LORD.
- Jethro suggested that the way Moses was judging the people was not a good way. He said that Moses would wear himself out, that it was too much for him, and he couldn't do it alone. He told Moses to listen to him and God would be with him. Jethro went on to say that Moses should tell God their problems, but that he should teach the people the laws and commands of God and how they should walk and the work they should do. He said that Moses should search and find capable, trustworthy persons who respect God, men of truth and honesty. Jethro's idea was to set these men over different numbers of people in groups of 1000s, 100s, 50s and 10s. By teaching these men God's laws and setting them over groups of people, then only the bigger problems would be decided by Moses after he consulted God. This would be much easier on Moses.
- Moses listened to all that his father-in-law, Jethro, had said and then Moses did what Jethro had said. Jethro's visit came to a close and he went back to his own home.
"Older Student" Tips:
- Take a look at the distance from Rephidim and Mt. Horeb. Both places are fairly close to each other. Mt. Horeb is where is where the water came from the rock that Moses struck. Rephidim is where the Amalekites from last time fought the Israelites.
- Why was Jethro's idea a good idea? It was easier on Moses' health and he would be judging the people from morning til evening every single day.
Materials needed: On 9" x 12" piece of construction paper, five other smaller different colors of construction paper, stencils of different sized nestled circles, a pencil, scissors, and crayons.
- Pass out the piece of 9" x 12" paper. This is the background.
- Turning the background portrait-style, leave a margin of 3 or 4 inches at the top of the paper before gluing the circles down. This will be where the title is written.
- The students will trace five different sized circles that fit into each other. I went through my kitchen, found bowls and lids and traced each circle with a pencil on a different color of paper.
- Cut out the circles.
- Glue the circles onto the background, beginning with the largest circle.
- Write "1000" around the largest circle. (I used orange.)
- Write "100" around the next smallest circle. (I used blue.)
- Write "50" around the next smallest circle. (I used green.)
- Write "10" around the next smallest circle. (I used green.)
- Write "Moses" on the smallest circle. (I used purple.)
- Write "Jethro's Great Idea How Moses should Judge The People" and "Exodus 18:1-27" at the top of the paper.
- The circles represent the number of people that were judged by a capable man. Moses was in the center because he judged the more difficult problems of the people.
