Dear Parents, We hope the following summary of the Sunday School lesson will help you in discussing the lesson with your children and working through this booklet together.
Ezra & Nehemiah
SCRIPTURE PASSAGE: Ezra 5:1-6:10, 20-22; Haggai 1:1-14 BIBLE STORY SUMMARY: God stirred up the heart of the prophet Haggai, and he called the people to return to God. They listened to him, and they began again to work on rebuilding the temple. Their enemies heard about it, and they came to stop them, but God was with them and let them keep building while a letter was sent to Darius, the king of Babylon, to decide if the work should continue. The king wrote back and said that the work should go on and that they should complete the temple and he provided money for the sacrifices and the work. They completed the temple and worshipped God. LESSON FOCUS: God calls us to a life that is focused first on Him. When God is with me, I can do courageous things, standing up for Him and what
He wants. WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT GOD:
True Worship is restored
God is always working in my life to draw me to Him.
This Week’s Memory Verse:
It is God who changes people and things; I need to listen to Him.
Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know
RESPONSE:
The Temple Is Complete
To look for times when I can be a bold servant for Him who gives me courage.
To always be ready, or to be getting ready, to do His work in my life.
that your bothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 1 Peter 5:9
Copyright 2009 Berean Baptist Church 309 E County Road 42 Burnsville, Minnesota 55306 952.432.7168
January 20, 2013
Monday—God’s Temple Remains Unfinished
Read Haggai 1:1-14
What did the Israelites work on when the job of building God’s temple was stopped? 1. Planting crops in the fields. 2. Tending to their herds of sheep. 3. Making tents for travel. 4. Improving their homes.
Who was the prophet that spoke to the Israelites?
Saturday—This Week’s Puzzle In this week’s lesson, we saw what happened when the Israelites set God aside. They suffered drought in many ways because their own busy lives became more important than God. Yet God was gracious and stirred their hearts toward Him once again. God wants us to make good choices. What is one way we can do that? Match the numbers to the letters below. Find God’s message to us in the secret code.
A. Hosea B. Magi Now this is what the Lord Almighty says:
C. Haggai D. Malachi Was God pleased with His people?
“___ ___ ___ ___
Yes
9
12
6
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
5
1
2
11
5
15
14
16
No Not sure God punished them by:
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
Causing a drought on everything they owned.
10
8
4
14
9
8
10
___ ___ 10
4
___ ___ ___ ___ 3
4
Sending a severe storm that lasted two years. Sending them back to captivity. About how long did it take the Israelites to begin work on the temple after Haggai spoke? Hint: Look at verse 1 and 14 to figure it out.
____ 3 days
____ 3 weeks
____ 3 months
____ 3 years
Look up this weeks memory verse in your own Bible. Can you find it?
1–C
5–E
9–G
13 - S
2–A
6–V
10 – T
14 - U
3–Y
7–W
11 – R
15 – F
4–O
8–H
12 – I
16 – L
14
11
___ ___ ___ ___ .” 7
2
3
13
Friday—True Worship Restored!
Recite Ezra 6:13-22
Tuesday—The Israelites Build; Opposition Grows
Ezra 5:1-7
Was the building of the temple complete?
____ Yes
____ No
How long did it take to finish the work?
____ Not sure
_____________ years.
The Israelites celebrated the completion of the temple with a: New battle plan Year-long feast New law sending Tattenai and his officials to exile Dedication ceremony Soon after the dedication ceremony, they celebrated this seven-day feast called:
The Feast of the Famished The Feast of Unholy Bread The Feast of Unleavened Bread The Feast of Burnt Bread Write a sentence prayer telling God how much joy He brings to you. Dear God,
_______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________
Read
Draw lines matching the person with their correct job: Jeshua
God’s prophet
Darius
governor of Trans-Euphrates
Haggai
Jewish leader & temple builder
Zerubbabel
God’s prophet
Zechariah
Jewish leader & temple builder
Tattenai
king of Persia
Circle the correct words. The local governor asked the Israelites, “Who authorized you to (tear down, rebuild) this (temple, bridge) and restore this structure? What are the names of the (tribes, men) constructing this building? Why were they able to keep working? Check two.
____ God was watching over them. ____ The governor couldn’t understand their language. ____ The governor gave up and went home. ____ God was with them. Who received a letter about this renewed effort to build God’s temple?
King Cyrus King Darius King Artaxerxes Dear God, thank you for guiding us each day. Help us to keep doing good things for you, even when others make fun of us or discourage us from doing what is right. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Wednesday—A Report And A Request
Read Ezra 5:6-17; 6:1-2
King Darius received a letter from Tattenai and his officials. They reported seeing people building with those two things:
_____ Large stones
_____ Mud from the river
_____ Timber trees
_____ Sea salt
Thursday—King Darius Makes A Decision Did King Darius find the royal records?
Read Ezra 6:1-10
Yes No Not sure Where were the royal records found? A. In a citadel B. In the city of Ecbatana C. In the province of Media D. All of the above
This observation was also reported by the officials. Circle the correct words.
What new order did King Darius have for the local governor and his officials?
“The work is being carried on with (recklessness, diligence) and is making (slow, rapid) progress under their (direction, laws).
“Stay
_______________ from there. Do not ______________ with the work on this temple of God. Let them ___________ this house of God on its site.”
What did the letter request?
Permission to build a different temple in another part of Jerusalem. A search of royal records proving King Cyrus allowed the Israelites to rebuild the temple.
Extra taxes to be collected and spent on King Darius’ palace. The officials were trying to make things difficult for the Israelites. What does our memory verse this week say about facing difficulties caused by Satan? “
____________
him, standing __________ in the faith, because you
____________ are undergoing the same kind of __________________. 1 Peter 5:9 know that your brothers throughout the
What did King Darius decide to do for the Israelites? Check three.
He allowed the building of the temple to continue. He paid for the building supplies. He named the temple after himself. He paid for the offerings of daily sacrifices.
God worked in the heart of King Darius and caused him to bless the Israelites with his generosity. Can you think of someone that you could bless today with your smile, a kind word, or with prayer? Now go do it!