VERSES: Joshua 3:1-17
MEMORY VERSE: Joshua 3:7 "...as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee."
BOOK TO REMEMBER: Review Matthew through Colossians. Reviewing is good for everyone!
PRAYER: May we be thankful that our God is a great God who is all powerful, but yet can still be talked to by us through prayer. Thank God for all good things.
SPECIAL SONG: The Books Of The Old Testament and The Books Of The New Testament (see March - Songs We Sing In Bible Class #3 on this blog).
VISUAL AID: Map of the Jordan River and Jericho,
LESSON POINTS:
- The next morning after the two spies came back with a good report from Jericho, all of the children of Israel packed their camp up and headed toward the Jordan River where they stayed until they crossed over the river. After three days, the leaders went through the camp and told all of the people to follow the ark of the covenant and the priests who were carrying it, but they were to remember to keep a space of close to a half of a mile between the people and the ark of the covenant. Joshua told the people to sanctify themselves because the very next day, the LORD was going to do wonders!
- So the priests took the ark by carrying it on poles and they passed before the people and the people followed. Then Joshua told the people to stand still when they got to the edge of the Jordan River. Joshua then told the people that the living God was with them and that with His help, the people would drive out the people from the different nations that lived in Canaan. He told them that the ark of the covenant would pass before them into the Jordan River and to watch the ark of the covenant because as soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying the ark, the LORD would stop the water in the Jordan and the water would 'pile' up.
- Sure enough, the people packed up all of their tents and possessions and the priests carried the ark of the covenant passed in front of the people. As soon as the priests' feet touched the Jordan River, the river stopped flowing and the water started piling up. No water flowed toward the Dead Sea and the priests stood on dry land in the middle of the Jordan River while the many, many Israelites crossed over the Jordan River on dry land!!
- Does this remind anyone of another lesson we have studied in our Bible class? That's right! The children of Israel crossing the Red Sea! God can do anything...and He can do it twice!! What a great and loving God we serve!
"Older Student" Tips:
- Take a look again at the Jordan River and Jericho areas.
- Talk about the ark of the covenant being a special chest that contained the tablets, Aaron's rod that budded, and manna.
ACTIVITY: Crossing The Jordan River 3D
Materials needed: one blue and one tan 6" x 18" construction paper, one 6" x 11" white construction paper, one 6" x 6" white paper, one 3" x 5" any color construction paper, scissors, crayons, glue, marker, stapler, staples.
- Pass out tan construction paper. (This is the river bed.)
- Pass out blue construction paper.
- Staple blue paper to tan paper at small edge.
- Roll blue paper back and staple to middle of tan paper. (This is the 'piled-up" water.)
- Pass out 6" x 11" white paper.
- Draw many people on 6" x 11" white paper.
- Fold up long edge about 1 1/2" (see picture below).
- Glue small edge of white paper to the "underneath" part of the tan paper.
- Draw priests carrying ark of covenant.
- Glue or tape priests to middle of river on dry land.
- Write "Crossing The Jordan River" and "Joshua 3:1-17" on the any color paper.
