Checking Out the Promised Land

I am so thankful for the children of New Life Baptist Church and especially for this little class. In this week's story, God's Word about Canaan (the Promised Land) proves true, but the Israelites fail to believe. How gracious God is to never withdraw His steadfast love and to keep the covenant He promised Abraham -- even when the Israelite are faithless (just as we so often are.)

We reviewed our verses in Opening Time, then started classtime with a game of "Checking It Out." I told the children that in today's story, we would learn about some people who were checking something out. I had put pieces of plastic fruit in bags and had put them inside of a big pumpkin basket. I let each child choose a bag, then stick their hand in without looking and try to guess what the fruit was. I had made a chart with pictures of all the fruits on them and some children would just point to which picture they thought it was. This was really fun and they did a great job.

Then we moved to the Bible Story Table to use the felt board. I told the children that just as God had said he would do, He had led the Israelites to Canaan,the Promised Land. As usual, I had the children take turns putting up the felt pieces. We included felt trees overflowing with fruit. Then I told them how God had told the Hebrews that they were to fight the people already living in Canaan, they were to be God's judgment against the Canaanites and they would have the victory. Moses sent in twelve men to "check out" the land. We put the felt "spies" on the board, hiding behind trees and peering around. I told them that only two of the spies remembered God's promises the whole time they were checking out the land. Joshua and Caleb never forgot that God had said the land would be theirs, and that colored the whole way they were thinking and the report that they gave when they got back. The 10 other men forgot God's promises and just looked at how big and scary the Canaanites were. Both groups agreed that the land was good and plentiful. But then I told the children what the 10 fearful and faithless spies reported to the Hebrews: They are giants, we can never take this land. And then I told them what Joshua and Caleb saw: They are big but we can do it because God said we could.

God was gracious to give the people Joshua and Caleb and He was also faithful to keep His promise in the face of the people's unbelief. The faithless Israelites did have a consequence. They would wander in the wilderness and many of the adults would not live long enough to enter the Promised Land. But their children would. God never withdrew His love or changed the covenant He had made with Abraham; to give him a land, a people and to bless all the world through him (to send the Messiah through his line.) God's promises are true because He is faithful and He will do it.

After the story, we went to our snack table and put grapes and strawberries on skewers, then ate them. We talked about how luscious the fruit in the Promised Land was and what a wonderful place the Lord had for His people.

We ended our classtime by reviewing our Verse Jingles with a version of Musical Chairs. I do this every year, but this was the first time I had done it with this group. They seemed to like it, but are still getting the hang of the rules. We put colored pieces of paper on each chair in a row. (There are just enough chairs for everyone.) Then we march around the chairs and sing a verse. When the song is over, we all try to sit in a chair. Then the line leader chooses a card from a pack that has all the colors in it. Whoever is sitting on that color is the next line leader. It takes a while to catch onto, but by the end of class they seemed to understand the basics for the most part and to enjoy this review game! We'll do it many more times this year!

Israel Complains, God is Faithful:In this week's story, God feeds and disciplines His people in order to build their faith.

We reviewed our Memory Verses in Opening Time, then started classtime by having the children trace their hands. Then we put little spot bandaids all over the hand. I told the children that we would hear a story today about someone whose skin had a disease and was turning white in spots and needed to be bandaged up.

We moved to the Bible Story Table and using the felt board, I told them the story of the faithless Israelites complaining about having only manna to eat and Miriam complaining about Moses' leadership. God in his grace sent meat, in the form of quail, more meat than they could possibly eat. He wanted them to know that they thought they wanted meat, but they would tire of that too. Only God Himself truly satisfies.

When Miriam and Aaron began to complain against Moses, God afflicted Miriam with a disease called leprosy. (I explained this disease a bit.) Aaron repented and Moses prayed for God to heal Miriam (interceding for his sister just as Jesus does for us.) After seven days, God showed His mercy by healing Miriam. Sin has consequences but God always intends that the consequences turn His people back to Him. God is merciful and gracious to His people -- especially when He is taking time to discipline them.

During snack time, we ate Ritz bits that looked a little bit like the manna the Israelites had grown so tired of and talked about the story more.

Then we moved to the floor in the library. I had the children act out the story, and when we got to the part where Miriam gets leprosy, we wrapped Melanie in toilet paper to show her skin turning white. Then we wrapped up all the children who wanted to join in. Before we knew it, the night was over!