VERSES: Exodus 20:1-26
MEMORY VERSE: Exodus 20:3 "Thou shalt have no other gods before me."
BOOK TO REMEMBER: Review books of the Old Testament. Sing the song "The Books of the Old Testament" (see March - Songs We Sing In Bible Class #3 on this blog.)
PRAYER: Let us love and serve the LORD and serve only Him.
SPECIAL SONG: Be Patient And Kind (See April - Lesson - Joseph Meets His Brothers Who Hated Him on this blog).
VISUAL AID: Whiteboard or Chalkboard Drawing
LESSON POINTS:
- Remember last time we talked about all the children of Israel standing at the bottom of Mount Sinai. God talked to Moses and Moses talked to the people. Remember that God was in the cloud on the mountain and there was lightning and thunder and earthquakes and a voice like a trumpet. God had something very important to say to the people and He wanted them to remember it.
- There were many things that God wanted to people to remember, but especially ten things. God told Moses to tell the people that He was--and still is!--the LORD their God who brought them out of the land of Egypt and out of slavery.
- #1 - The first thing God wanted them to remember was that they were not to have any gods but Him. He was the only One!
- #2 - No idols! He did not want the people making any graven images that looked like anything on the earth or in the heavens or that was in the water. God didn't want any of His people bowing down to any idols or serving them. He said He was a jealous God.
- #3 - God did not want any of His people taking His name in vain which means saying any bad words with His name in it.
- #4 - God wanted the people to remember the Sabbath Day and to keep it holy. He said that they could work six days, but on the seventh day, He didn't want them to do any work at all. No one could work, not even the men or the women or the sons or the daughters or the servants or the cattle or even the stranger that might be visiting them. No one was to work. God wanted the people to remember that He had created everything in six days and on the seventh day, He had rested. God blessed the seventh day and made it holy.
- #5 - He wanted the people to honor their mothers and fathers, to respect them and to obey them. If the children honored their parents, He said that their days may be long on the earth.
- #6 - God said not to kill anyone.
- #7 - God said not to have any boyfriends or girlfriends when they were married. They were to love only their wife or husband.
- #8 - God said not to steal anything.
- #9 - God said not to bear false witness or lie about their neighbors. God hates liars. We need to be very careful not to lie.
- #10 - God said not to covet anything of their neighbors. To covet something means that you want something so badly that you would do anything to get it. you would steal or lie or cheat or anything to get what is not yours.
- The people saw the smoke and lightning and heard the thunder and felt the earthquakes and they stood far away. They told Moses that they wanted Moses to speak to them and they would listen, but they were afraid they were going to die when God spoke. Moses said not to be afraid because God was proving them and did not want them to sin. So the people stood far away and Moses traveled closer to the thick darkness where God was.
- God tells Moses to tell the people again that they had heard God talk to them from heaven and He did not want them to ever make any gods or idols out of silver or gold. He talked about how they were to make an altar a special way to offer sacrifices to God on it.
- God has always had a plan for creation, for the family, for worshiping Him, and He also had a plan for how people behaved themselves. The ten commandments were to show people how to behave themselves with God and with other people. These commandments were commands; they were not suggestions or "it would be nice if..." No. These commandments were binding, necessary and "must-do" commands. To please God, the people had to obey these laws.
"Older Student" Tips:
- Today it is very common to use euphemisms. Euphemisms are words that are substituted in the place of offensive words. A lot of people say 'Oh, my (God's name)' or (omg) today. Sometimes they laugh when they say it. They even write it in their text messages and on Facebook, but even though it may be said or typed innocently, God has said that He does not want His name to be used like that! He does not like it at all!! To say either those euphemisms or the real words, they all are taking God's name in vain. Anything that pertains to God, His deity, His son, His church, His name, His being is offensive to God and He has said NOT to take His name in vain. He does not want His name He does not want His name used lightly. God is very serious about His name.
Materials needed: White paper (I used 12" x 18" construction paper), sticker, crayons.
- Hand out a piece of paper to each student.
- Fold paper in half, lengthwise.
- Fold in five parts, so that when the paper is opened, there are ten boxes.
- Unfold the paper completely.
- Write one of the ten commandments in each of the boxes, drawing a picture of each command.
- Fold the paper back, so that it is folded neatly into 'one' box.
- Press a sticker to secure the paper.
- On the front of the small box, write "The Ten Commandments" and "Exodus 20."
