The Tabernacle

The Most Holy Place

“But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.  Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place, once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.” Hebrews 9: 11-12 NKJV

During your lessons on Moses, please give yourself time to study the tabernacle.  Hebrews 8:5 tells us that the earthly tabernacle was a “copy and shadow of the heavenly things”.  God is very specific when He instructed Moses regarding the tabernacle.  Men could never presume to come before the LORD unless he came in the prescribed manner.  Make sure you go over words like “mercy” so the kids have a good understanding of this characteristic.

Tabernacle “Fill-in”

Note: “The Most Holy Place” is used in many translations, including KJV, as the place that the High Priest could enter only once a  year to sprinkle the blood on the mercy seat on the Day of Atonement . It is called “Holy of Holies”  in the American Standard and a few others.  Both are correct answers.

Joshua tricked by the Gibeonites

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths”.  Proverbs 3: 5-6

What a great victory at Jericho…but  Joshua did not enquire of the LORD regarding Ai…He sent some spies who  hurried back with the news that it would be an easy victory.  If he had been praying about this decision , I’m sure the LORD would have showed Joshua that there was “sin in the camp”.  Thirty-six men died in the first battle with Ai, but after the sin was delt with, God gave the city into their   hands.   Now we find  in Joshua , chapter 9, that the rest of the promised land occupied by the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites  and Jebusites  have gathered together to fight with Joshua and Israel.  But the Gibeonites, part of the Hivite clan,  took it upon themselves to trick Israel into making a treaty with them.  They believed the reports of Israel’s God and figured that they could not win against His people.  They dressed up in old clothes and shoes, packed old sacks and cracked dry wineskins on their donkeys, and  a bunch of dry,moldy bread to make it look like they had travelled a great distance instead of a nearby territory.    They came to Joshua in Gilgal and asked  for a peace-treaty and a place of service with Israel.  Joshua questioned them, and his men examined their old, moldy bread BUT they did not ask counsel of the LORD.  Joshua and his princes swore an oath to the LORD to let them live and after finding out three days later that the Gibeonites lived close by, they kept their oath but made the Gibeonites serve them by doing menial labor for the house of God.  (The descendents of these “tricksters” became the Nethinims who are listed by name in the book of Nehemiah as being part of the first deportation from Babylon .)   Now that the Gibeonites are under Israel’s protection, they appeal to Joshua to come and save them from the rest of the tribes that are Israel’s enemies that have gathered to fight them.  Read chapter 10 for one of the most exciting battles in the Bible.

To complete the worksheet, the kids  will circle the pictures that show what contributed to Joshua being tricked.  There are six correct pictures to circle.

Joshua tricked by the Gibeonites

Joshua tricked – no text

Table of Contents for Old and New Testaments are available on the  June 19, 2013 post and April 2, 2013 post.

More Precious Than Rubies

God’s Hidden Treasure

I wanted to spend an extra week on the Creation story so I have encouraged the kids to bring in something “extraordinary” from nature to share.  We will also be going over  verses from Romans 1 and 1 Corinthians 2 so we can go over the differences  between man’s wisdom; which might question the creation account, and God’s wisdom.   This will also give you  time to go over the added details that are found in Genesis 2.

” For in the gospel a righteousness which God ascribes is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith; as it is written, ‘ The just shall live by faith’. (amplified) For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.  Professing to be wise, they became fools…” Romans 1:17-22

“Your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:5

“But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Corinthians 2:14

The Bible is a book of theology.  It is God’s revelation of Himself to man.  When we walk in “the fear of the LORD” (the beginning of wisdom according to Proverbs 9:10), we believe He is our awesome Creator.  “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.”  (Hebrews 11:3)   The world ridicules this faith, but we can take a firm stand because we know that “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6) We can share with them the amazing work of creation that God  perfected in our lives by removing our unbelieving heart of stone and giving us a new heart and a new spirit.  You may be gifted to be able to share with foolish men who bash the Genesis account of creation, but look at Jesus’ example when He answered Pilate that He had come into the world to bear witness to the truth…”everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” (John 18:37) Just share the truth of the word, love them, and leave the results to the Holy Spirit.

NOTE:  If you are  teaching  just a lesson on wisdom to older children, I would add the verses from Proverbs 1:24-32 that describe the warnings of rejecting wisdom’s cry! 

God’s Hidden Treasure

The puzzle  in the sample will help teach truths about wisdom, a gift that will help us understand Genesis 1 and 2.  The worksheets are also posted on my other blog, “kidsbible.wordpress.com”

answers (from NKJV)

worksheet

God’s Hidden Treasures – rubies

The kids will need their bibles to look up the verses.  Different versions will have different words so you will have to help them find the word that fits  (I used NKJV)….but it is important that they at least look up the references so they can be familiar with the Book…remember “sword drills when you were young????