VERSES: Joshua 11-24
MEMORY VERSE: Joshua 24:15 "...choose ye this day whom ye will serve..."
BOOK TO REMEMBER: Titus. Write "Titus" on small slips of paper and pass out at the end of class.
PRAYER: May we always love and obey God and put Him first in our lives. May we have the desire to read His Word and remember what we read.
SPECIAL SONG: On Jordan's Stormy Banks (see June - Songs We Sing In Bible Class #6 on this blog)
VISUAL AID: A Large Activity (see Activity below)
LESSON POINTS:
- Joshua and the children of Israel fought many nations and many kings while they conquered Canaan as God told them to do. As long as the Israelites obeyed God, they were successful in their battles and the LORD blessed them. They fought and won battles with thirty-one kings. The kings were kings of Jericho, Ai, Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, Eglon, Gezer, Debir, Geder, Hormah, Arad, Libnah, Adulam, Makkedah, Bethel, Tappuah, Hepher, Aphek, Lasharon, Madon, Hazor, Shimronmeron, Achshaph, Taanach, Megiddo, Kedesh, Jokneam, Dor, Gilgal, and Tirzah. Most of these countries had names that sound very strange to us today, but back then, everyone knew these lands and were astounded and amazed that the children of Israel had defeated all thirty-one kings.
- The land was not completely conquered as Joshua grew older. The LORD talked to Joshua and told him that he was old and there was much land that still was not conquered. After He listed the many areas where Canaanites still lived, God divided the Promised Land up into different areas and gave the land to the different tribes or families. All of the tribes received land except the tribe of Levi because God said they would receive all of the sacrifices of the LORD and that was their inheritance (Joshua 13:14).
- After Joshua described the land that the tribes were given, a man named Caleb spoke up. Do you remember Caleb? He was one of the twelve spies that Moses had sent into Canaan to spy out the land. He was the only spy besides Joshua who had said that with God's help, the children of Israel could conquer the Promised Land. He said that the LORD had kept him alive for 45 years while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness. He said that he was 85 years old then, but he was still just as strong at 85 years old as he was the day that Moses sent him to spy out the land. Then he asked for something. He asked for a mountain, the one that God had spoken of a long time ago. Caleb said they had heard that giants lived there and that the cities were huge and had fences all around them. Caleb said that he would drive out the giants if the LORD was with him. Joshua blessed Caleb and gave Caleb the mountain because he had followed the LORD God with his whole heart (Joshua 14:6-13). This area was called Hebron. And then the land rested from war.
- Joshua gathered all of the children of Israel together and talked to them. The LORD spoke to Joshua and told them the history of the children of Israel from the time of Abraham to the time they were slaves in Egypt to the times they fought for the land that flowed with milk and honey. Joshua told the people not to ever worship idols, but to serve the LORD. He told them to choose that day who they would serve, either idols or God. Joshua said that as for him and his house, they would serve the LORD (Joshua 24:15).
- Then Joshua died at 110 years old, and Israel served the LORD all of Joshua's life.
- Discuss what a great example Joshua was to the children of Israel. He followed the LORD God all of his life and led the people to the Promised Land. He saw sights in Canaan that Moses never got to see. He loved the LORD until the very end of his life. That is what we should do! Love God. Serve God. Obey God. All of our lives!
ACTIVITY: Caleb's Mountain
Materials needed: 12" x 18" dark blue construction paper, 12" x 18" dark brown construction paper, five 1"x 12" strips of light colored paper,small puffs of cotton or cotton balls, white crayon, glue, scissors.
- Pass out dark blue paper. This is the foundation.
- Pass out brown paper.
- Gently scrunch or crumble the brown paper so it has a few major wrinkles. This is the mountain.
- Glue mountain to blue paper.
- Write "Caleb's Mountain" and "Joshua 14:6-13" at the top of the blue paper.
- Glue two cotton clouds in sky.
- Write "HEBRON", "85 years old", "I will fight giants", "He followed God", "I am strong", and "If the LORD is with me" on the strips of light colored paper.
- Glue short sentences to mountain.
- Draw 'snow' on top of mountain.