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. SCRIPTURE PASSAGE:
Ezra 1:1-3:6; Jeremiah 25:1-14, 29:10-14, 31:15-20; II Chronicles 36:15-23; Isaiah 10:20-22, 44:24-28, 45:13
Ezra & Nehemiah
BIBLE STORY SUMMARY:
Under their kings, the people of Israel did not follow God’s Laws or obey His commands, and they would not listen to the prophets He sent, so He let them be taken captive by the Babylonians. For 70 years He let them be in captivity, one year for each seven that they had not kept His Sabbaths (His Laws). At the end of the 70 years, He stirred up the hearts of the king of Persia, Cyrus, and of nearly 50,000 of the exiles to return to Jerusalem and to once again put Him first and worship Him. They returned to their various towns and cities, and then quickly met in Jerusalem and built an altar and began to offer regular worship and sacrifice to God. LESSON FOCUS:
God wants me to listen to Him and obey Him. God is looking for people who want to follow Him, and He will talk to them.
The Exiles Return To God And Jerusalem
God is faithful to keep His word and do His work through those who will listen to and obey Him. WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT GOD:
God is loving and kind and wants me to turn away from sin and obey Him.
God is in control of everything, even the nations, and He has a plan for those who love Him.
RESPONSE:
To look for ways that I can live for Jesus by seeing His actions around me and possibly giving something up that I value to show my worship of the Lord. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. How does God speak to us today? (Through a small voice inside of us, I John 3:21) 2. How can we hear God’s voice? (By being quiet, praying, and listening for it; and by obeying Him when we do hear it) 3. Do you get quiet before God and listen for Him? 4. When you hear from God, do you obey Him? Copyright 2009 Berean Baptist Church 309 E County Road 42 Burnsville, Minnesota 55306 952.432.7168
This Week’s Memory Verse:
Because the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes everyone He accepts as a son. Hebrews 12:6
January 6, 2013
Monday—Looking Back
Read The verse on the front of the book
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_____ b. Adam and Eve sinned.
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temple.
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For 490 years, the Israelites faithfully followed God.
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Put these events in the correct order:
_____ d. Noah and the Ark _____ e. Cane killed Abel _____ f. God chose Abraham to lead Israel. _____ g. Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt _____ h. Saul became the first King of Israel Circle the correct answer:
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The David who fought and killed Goliath was the same one who later became king.
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David’s son Solomon later became King and built the
God gave Israel a 70 year time out and they were held captive.
Answer: 6a, 2b, 1c, 4d, 3e, 5f, 7g, 8h
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DISCIPLINE
EXILES
GIFTS
ISRAELITES
JERUSALEM
KING CYRUS
LISTEN
MOTIVES
PERSIA
PROMISED LAND
PROPHECY
REBUILD
TEMPLE
Read Ezra 3:1-3
Friday– Following God’s Plan What was the first thing the Israelites did when they got back to the promised land? DRAW IT!
Tuesday—Peace Is Discipline Cruel? Why did God allow the Israelites to be taken captive by another country?
Read Jeremiah 25:8-12
______________________________________ ______________________________________ How do we know that this was God’s plan and not just something that happened?
______________________________________ ______________________________________
What were people afraid of?
______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Think back to other Bible stories. Did God protect people who were following His plan?__________________ Can you think of some examples?
____________________ ____________________ ____________________ Spend some quiet time and ask God what His plan for you is. Remember to listen for His “still small voice”.
When something in the Bible is told before it happens, what is this called? Fortune telling Predictions Prophecy Forecast Does every prophecy in the Bible come true? Yes No God told the Israelites what they needed to do to please Him, but they didn’t obey Him, so God disciplined them. When you disobey your parents, how do they discipline you?
______________________________________ ______________________________________ Discipline helps us learn how to do the right thing.
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FALSE
Wednesday—A King Helps Israel Rebuild
Read Ezra 1:1-5
Thursday—Right Motives What did the Israelites give to help pay for the temple?
Read Ezra 1:4-7
What needed to be rebuilt in Jerusalem? Houses The Temple The King’s Palace The Market Place What did Cyrus give toward worshipping God?
____________________________________ Who had originally built the temple?
________________ (hint: look back to Monday) What King did God speak to in order to get things moving to get the temple rebuilt?
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How did God speak to the King? The ____________
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How does God speak to us today?
_____________________________________ Sometimes, God’s voice is so quiet, we have to listen closely to hear it. There can be lots of things distracting us. Take a minute or two to ask God what is distracting you from hearing Him. (listen carefully). Write down what distracts you:
______________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________
Cyrus did all of this good for God so that God would pray to his God’s and he would have a long life. Would God pray to Cyrus’ God? I think so . . . No way! Were Cyrus’ motives right? Yes No Define motive?
_____________________________________ _____________________________________ What should our motives be for doing good?
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