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When the Kingdom of Judah turned away from God, God allowed the enemy nation of Babylon to capture the Jews and take them away to Babylon. The temple and the city walls of Jerusalem were destroyed. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon commanded that the brightest and most handsome captives be educated and taught to serve in the Babylonian courts. When Daniel and three other young Jews were told to eat the king’s food, they refused because it was food that God had forbidden Jews to eat. When the officials saw that these young men were healthier and stronger when they obeyed God’s food laws, they allowed them to continue obeying the Lord. These four young men impressed the king because they were smarter than all the men in the king’s court.

Bible verses used in this episode:

Daniel 1

Outline:

1. The King of Babylon captures Jerusalem and takes captives. (Daniel 1:1-2)
2. Daniel and three other young men honour God by refusing to eat the king’s food. (Daniel 1:3-17)
3. The king recognises that Daniel and his friends are the best of his servants. (Daniel 1:18-21)

Tips for teaching children:

• To tell the story, use this slideshow made by young men. Link to slideshow.
• Provide a large piece of paper. Have the children write the following along the bottom of the page, “I will honour God with my body. 1 Corinthians 6:20”. Then decorate the poster with drawings of body parts. Add footprints, fingerprints and handprints. Children could even glue on a lock of hair.
• Place vegetables in two small plates. One should be clean and the other should have crumbled chocolate cookie on it so it appears to be dirt. Talk about how the food God approved was clean and the king’s food was unclean. Which food would they want to eat? Be sure and let them eat the clean vegetables.

Tips for teaching adults:

• Use the same vegetable activity as for the children above.
• Read Daniel chapter one, dividing the reading up into outline provided in the show notes.
• After the reading, use some or all of the following questions to begin a discussion:
  • What are some lessons you see the text teaching?
  • How is Daniel being faithful to God by not eating the king’s food?
  • What is the point of eating only clean food, not unclean.
• Follow up with these:
  • What kinds of things sets Christians apart from the world or what marks us off as being followers of Christ?
  • Challenge the class to generate a list of boundary markers that should separate Christians from the world.

Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:

Bible Lesson: Daniel and the King’s Food

Scriptures quoted from The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.

Excerpts from Mission Bible Class used by permission.

Music: Upbeat Positive Culture (Acoustic Corporate Travel Promo Christian Rock), Individual License, Stock Media provided by HumansWin, pond5.com

For questions or comments email: mary@missionbibleclass.org

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Ezekiel was a Jewish priest who was captured and taken to Babylon a few years after Daniel. God chose him to prophesy about all of the things that were happening back in Jerusalem. After Jerusalem was destroyed, Ezekiel began prophesying about the hope that God would restore the Jews to their land someday. God showed Ezekiel how he could bring a bunch of old dry bones to life. In the same way, God could bring His people back to life if they would turn to Him.

Bible verses used in this episode:

Ezekiel 37:1-14

Outline:

1. In a vision, Ezekiel witnesses God bringing dry bones back to life. (Ezekiel 37:1-10)
2. God explains that, in the same way, he will bring life back to his people. (Ezekiel 37:11-14)

Tips for teaching children:

• Collect items so that children can learn about bones. These might be toy skeletons or x-rays. Make a point to have children feel their bones through their skin.
• Show pictures of bones, muscles, flesh and skin.
• Discuss hope and how it is more than a wish. It is a belief that something will happen.

Tips for teaching adults:

• Have the text read in the class. Use outline in show notes to divide up the reading.
• Ask the class to think about the following questions and then get a few people to share their responses with the class. Have you ever felt hopeless? Why? What happened to move you from hopelessness to hope?
• This story is one of the most powerful texts on hope in the OT. Another one is in Ephesians 2:1-10. Read these verses and ask class to compare this text with Ezekiel 37. How are they similar? What’s the message of hope in the Ephesians text?
• Write down some of the promises God has made to us as his people? Close in prayer by thanking God for his promises and the hope we have in Jesus.

Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:

Bible Lesson: Ezekiel & the Valley of Dry Bones

Scriptures quoted from The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.

Excerpts from Mission Bible Class used by permission.

Music: Upbeat Positive Culture (Acoustic Corporate Travel Promo Christian Rock), Individual License, Stock Media provided by HumansWin, pond5.com

For questions or comments email: mary@missionbibleclass.org

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Jeremiah continued to warn the people of Judah that their nation would be destroyed if they did not repent (say they were sorry and change their ways) and follow God. The Lord commanded Jeremiah to write these warnings on a scroll and read them to the people. Jeremiah dictated the words to his secretary, Baruch, and then told him to go to the temple and read it to the people. Eventually, the scroll was read to King Jehoiakim. He did not want to repent, so he cut the scroll into pieces and threw the pieces into a fire. He wanted Baruch and Jeremiah arrested, but the Lord kept them safely hidden. Jeremiah and Baruch wrote the scroll again and began preaching that the nation of Judah would be destroyed because the king and the people did not repent.

Bible verses used in this episode:

Jeremiah 36

Outline:

1. Baruch transcribes Jeremiah’s words onto a scroll and then reads it before the people. (Jeremiah 36:1-10)
2. King Jehoiakim burns the scroll. (Jeremiah 36:11-26)
3. God has Jeremiah and Baruch recreate the scroll. (Jeremiah 36:27-32)

Tips for teaching children:

• Make a scroll. Children can write “Jeremiah 36:2” on the scroll. Older children can write out part or all of the verse: ““Jeremiah, get a scroll. Write on it all the words I have spoken to you about Israel and Judah and all the nations. Write everything I have spoken to you since Josiah was king until now.”
• Research Hebrew letters and copy them onto the scroll
• Talk about the concept of repentance and turning to God. It may be helpful to use a road sign that depicts a “U-turn”.

Tips for teaching adults:

• As a teacher I would plan on using props for this story. You may use a PowerPoint slide of a fire burning in a brazier. And bring a large sheet of paper with writing on it and rolled up as a scroll, and a box-cutter knife.
• Divide the reading up into sections. You can use the outline in the show notes. Choose a few readers to read the story. When the reading gets to the place where Jehoiakim cuts the scroll, one person will cut strips from the scroll and let them fall to the floor. He can keep cutting as the text is read until the whole scroll is cut.
• Here are some questions for discussion: 1) what do you think Jehoiakim was thinking when he was cutting up the scroll and throwing the strips into the fire? 2) Why did he respond like this instead of fear?
• Read Jeremiah’s comment on King Jehoiakim in 22:13-19. What did God expect the king of Judah to be like? What would make him a good king? What can we learn about this for our lives?

Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:

Bible Lesson: Jeremiah and the Scroll

Scriptures quoted from The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.

Excerpts from Mission Bible Class used by permission.

Music: Upbeat Positive Culture (Acoustic Corporate Travel Promo Christian Rock), Individual License, Stock Media provided by HumansWin, pond5.com

For questions or comments email: mary@missionbibleclass.org

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Jeremiah continued to preach and prophesy the word of the Lord as he watched the Kings of Judah lead the kingdom to its downfall. God sent Jeremiah to watch a potter at work. In watching the potter mold the clay, Jeremiah learned that Judah was in the hands of God just as the clay was in the hands of the potter. Later, the Lord told Jeremiah to destroy one of the potter’s clay jars by smashing it in front of the leaders of Judah. This showed how the Kingdom of Judah would be destroyed if the people did not turn to God.

Bible verses used in this episode:

Jeremiah 18-19

Outline:

1. Jeremiah observes a potter at work and then delivered a message to the people (Jeremiah chapter 18)
2. A message about a broken jar (Jeremiah chapter 19)

Tips for teaching children:

• Younger children can play with playdough and form various shapes. Older children can make a simple bowl from clay or dough.
• Sing He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands

Tips for teaching adults:

• Supply Play-Doh (or clay if available) for each class member and ask them to make a piece of pottery.
• As they are making their pieces of pottery, have both of these chapters read if time allows. Otherwise read 18:1-18 and 19:1-15.
• After the pieces are finished, you, the teacher, can hold your piece of pottery you made for all to see and name one good about it and one thing that didn’t go right in the making of the piece. Ask each class member to do the same with their piece.
• Follow up with challenging each class member to state one good thing about themselves and one thing they would like to change with God’s help..
• End with a prayer asking God to be the potter and each class member to be his pliant clay to make us into what he desires for his glory.

Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:

Bible Lesson: Jeremiah- Lessons from a Potter

Scriptures quoted from The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.

Excerpts from Mission Bible Class used by permission.

Music: Upbeat Positive Culture (Acoustic Corporate Travel Promo Christian Rock), Individual License, Stock Media provided by HumansWin, pond5.com

For questions or comments email: mary@missionbibleclass.org

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Unlike his evil grandfather and father, King Josiah tried to lead the people of Judah back to God. He cleared Judah of all forms of idol worship. When he ordered the temple of the Lord cleaned and repaired, the high priest found the Book of the Law that had been lost and forgotten. Convicted by the words in the book, Josiah gathered all the people and read the Book of the Law to them. For the first time in hundreds of years, God’s people celebrated the Passover according to God’s law. Although the Word of God had been in the temple all along, it had not been read.

Bible verses used in this episode:

2 Kings 22-23:30

Outline:

1. The Book of the law is found when King Josiah orders the Temple repaired. (2 Kings 22:1-23:3)
2. Hezekiah orders the systematic removal of false worship in Judah and celebrates the Passover with the people. (2 Kings 23:4-25)
3. King Josiah dies. (2 Kings 23:26-30)

Tips for teaching children:

• King Josiah is the last good king of Judah. Children can decorate crowns.
• Create a “holy space” in the area where you are teaching. This is not to be a re-creation of the temple but an area the children know is “special”. This might be sitting on a beautiful blanket or cloth. It may be a table with a shiny tablecloth. In this space talk about God and how holy he is.
  • First, enjoy and appreciate God’s presence. Read some scriptures. Talk about the amazing things he has done. Pray.
  • Next, introduce “idols” into the space. This could be as simple as writing the word “IDOL” on papers and then placing them in the holy space. Allow a few moments for the children to be offended by these being in an area devoted to God.
  • Finally, talk about Josiah being so angry because people had placed unholy things in God’s space. He set out to remove all of these throughout his kingdom. Allow children to crumple up and “destroy” the idols you introduced.

Tips for teaching adults:

• Begin class by asking for personal stories of finding something significant or interesting when doing repairs on something.
• Prepare yourself to summarise the story: read the story through several times and use the outline in the show notes to guide you through the summary.
• Ask following discussion questions: What was successful about Josiah’s reform? What was unsuccessful? Why?
• Organise a time and place for the class members to come together to share a meal together. During the meal, ask each other to recommit themselves to one another – to love and honour one another and to commit themselves to continue to follow God.

Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:

Bible Lesson: King Josiah

Scriptures quoted from The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.

Excerpts from Mission Bible Class used by permission.

Music: Upbeat Positive Culture (Acoustic Corporate Travel Promo Christian Rock), Individual License, Stock Media provided by HumansWin, pond5.com

For questions or comments email: mary@missionbibleclass.org

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King Hezekiah became deathly ill, and the prophet Isaiah delivered a message from God that he would die. Hezekiah knew there was still much work to do in Judah. He wanted to help the country be better and teach the people to love God. Hezekiah could not do that if he were dead! Hezekiah prayed that the Lord would give him a longer life. The Lord stopped Isaiah before he had even left Hezekiah’s palace. He told Isaiah to go back and tell Hezekiah that he would live 15 more years. A sign of this healing was a miraculous moving of a shadow on steps.

Bible verses used in this episode:

• 2 Kings 20:1-11
• Isaiah 38 (Isaiah’s version)

Outline:

1. Hezekiah’s Illness and Healing (2 Kings 20:1-7)
2. The Sign of the Shadow on the Steps (2 Kings 20:8-11)

Tips for teaching children:

• Talk about how Hezekiah prayed, and God heard him. God always hears our prayers, and he answers our prayers according to what he knows is best for us. A simple song about this can be found at God Answers Prayer.
• Guide the children in writing prayer requests on index cards or paper. They can shuffle the cards and then select one card at a time and pray.
• Take time to notice shadows caused by lights or the sun. Making shadow figures with hands is fun. Guide children to notice how shadows are caused by an object blocking the sun or light. A shadow cannot form behind a light. When God gave Hezekiah a sign with a shadow, the shadow defied science. It was a miracle.

Tips for teaching adults:

• Read this text read in the classroom. Choose two people to read the two sections outlined in the show notes.
• Ask these discussion questions: What makes Hezekiah’s prayer so powerful? What does this say about our prayers? What can we learn about prayer from Hezekiah?
• God changed his mind as a result of Hezekiah’s prayer. What do we learn about God? What can we learn about our relationship to God?

Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:

Bible Lesson: King Hezekiah Prays for Health

Scriptures quoted from The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.

Excerpts from Mission Bible Class used by permission.

Music: Upbeat Positive Culture (Acoustic Corporate Travel Promo Christian Rock), Individual License, Stock Media provided by HumansWin, pond5.com

For questions or comments email: mary@missionbibleclass.org

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Hezekiah (the 13th king of Judah) had just begun to rule. He was a good king and restored true worship among his people. The Assyrian king, Sennacherib, attacked Judah. He mocked God and King Hezekiah. Hezekiah prayed for God’s protection. Isaiah, the prophet, told Hezekiah that the Lord had heard his prayer. Just as Isaiah prophesied, Sennacherib was defeated. The angel of death wiped out his army, and he ended up being murdered by his own sons.

Bible verses used in this episode:

2 Kings 18-19

Outline:

1. The kingdom of Israel falls, and good King Hezekiah rules Judah. (2 Kings 18:1-12)
2. The Empire of Assyria besieges Judah’s capital, Jerusalem, and pressures the people to accept its rule. (2 Kings 18:13-37)
3. Isaiah prophesies Assyria’s defeat. (2 Kings 19:1-7)
4. Assyria increases the pressure, and King Hezekiah prays. (2 Kings 19:8-19)
5. Isaiah prophesies, and then God causes the army to retreat. (2 Kings 19:20-37)

Tips for teaching children:

• Younger children can make a crown and talk about good King Hezekiah.
• Talk about praying when we are afraid. Experiment with a new kind of prayer method. Click here for Prayer Methods.
• For older children: Draw a vertical line down the centre of a whiteboard or piece of paper to form two columns. In the left column, list the ways the Assyrians made fun of God and his followers in 2 Kings 18:19-25; 28-33. Then, ask the children to list ways that people today might make fun of God and his followers. Allow the children to express their reactions to these and suggest possible coping strategies if appropriate. Complete this activity with a prayer to God to ask for his help.

Tips for teaching adults:

• Summarise these two chapters (2 Kings 18-19) in the classroom time. Before the class, read the chapters two or three times to get familiar with how the story develops. Using the outline in the show notes, add sub-points to help you retell the story. You could choose important verses to read as you present. Take about 15 minutes to summarise.
• Here is a link to an article that will give some context for the story we read in the Bible.
• Using Hezekiah’s prayer as a model, rewrite this prayer in your context (as a class or as individuals – whichever you choose). Have someone volunteer to pray their prayer on behalf of the class members.
• Ask the class members to name several things that people in our culture put their trust in to save them (i.e. money, jobs, pleasure, etc.). Lead the class in prayer and renounce these false gods and reaffirm your trust in the true and living God and promise to follow him.

Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:

Bible Lesson: God Protects King Hezekiah and His

Scriptures quoted from The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.

Excerpts from Mission Bible Class used by permission.

Music: Upbeat Positive Culture (Acoustic Corporate Travel Promo Christian Rock), Individual License, Stock Media provided by HumansWin, pond5.com

For questions or comments email: mary@missionbibleclass.org

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Nineveh was the capital city of Israel’s enemy, Assyria. The Lord commanded Jonah to go and tell the people in Nineveh that their city would be destroyed if they did not repent of their wickedness. Jonah did not want to teach the people of Nineveh because he thought they would never change. He headed in the opposite direction – away from Nineveh – to try to hide from God. When the boat he boarded ran into a storm, Jonah was thrown overboard and swallowed by a big fish. Jonah spent three days praying inside the fish, and then he was spit out. When Jonah finally went to Nineveh and preached, the wicked people repented and turned to God. The Book of Jonah ends with Jonah still resentful that these evil people received God’s mercy.

Bible verses used in this episode:
Jonah 1-4

Outline:

1. God calls Jonah but Jonah runs from God. (Jonah 1:1-16)
2. Jonah’s three days inside a fish. (Jonah 1:17-2:10)
3. Jonah goes to Ninevah. (Jonah chapter 3)
4. God’s mercy makes Jonah angry. (Jonah chapter 4)

Tips for teaching children:

• Guide children in drawing a fish. Once they have finished, they can add a stick figure inside the fish to represent Jonah.
• Make a boat from paper.
• Talk about the fact that all people deserve to hear about God. Make a collage or draw pictures of different kinds of people.

Tips for teaching adults:

• Read the book of Jonah during the class session. Choose an easy to read from a simple translation such as the English Standard Version or the International Children's Bible and select four people to read the four chapters.
• This story confronts us with our prejudices and smug privileges as God’s people. Make a list of people groups that would be very different (ethnically, socially, morally) from the group in the classroom. Pray for them for God to bless them.
• This story confronts the church, too. Is your church a welcoming church? How would the church respond if someone from the list you created in the previous question came into your assembly? As a class, brainstorm different ways to make your congregation more welcoming to outsiders? In other words, think about how you can communicate to visitors that you were expecting them and you are so glad they came.

Full teaching instructions free from Mission Bible Class:
Bible Lesson: Jonah and the Big Fish

Scriptures quoted from The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.

Excerpts from Mission Bible Class used by permission.

Music: Upbeat Positive Culture (Acoustic Corporate Travel Promo Christian Rock), Individual License, Stock Media provided by HumansWin, pond5.com

For questions or comments email: mary@missionbibleclass.org