THE 12 SPIES
OPENING SONGS:
Angela Zoltek will lead the songs this week.
OPENING ACTIVITY: I SPY
"I Spy with My Little Eye."
The leader starts by choosing an object in the room and says, "I spy with my little eye, something that is green or something beginning with the letter 'K'." The children look around and suggest things it might be. If no one guesses correctly, the leader can give another clue about the object he or she has selected. The person who guesses correctly gets to be the leader in the next game.
STORY TIME: Exploring Canaan
The Hebrew people were getting very close to entering the Promised Land. God told Moses to send twelve men into the land that he promised to give them. The twelve men will explore the land, to find out whether the people who lived there were strong or weak, few or many. What kind of land did they live in? Was it good or bad? What kind of towns did they live in? Were the cities surrounded by walls? Did the people living there have an army? How was the soil? Could farmers grow good crops? Were there trees on it or not? Moses told them to do their best to bring back some of the fruit of the land, as it was the season to pick grapes.
After forty days, the twelve men returned from exploring the land. The men brought back nice ripe grapes, pomegranates and figs. The men showed the Israelite community the fruit of the land and reported everything that they had seen.
The men said, “The land flows with milk and honey, (which means it is a very beautiful place with lots of natural resources). Just look at the wonderful fruit that we brought back! However, the people there are very powerful and their cities are large and well protected by thick walls. We saw giants in the land, and we looked like grasshoppers compared to them."
Ten of the men who went to explore came back afraid, and told the people that they would lose the fight if they tried to take the land that God had promised them. The Hebrew people began to cry in fear and grumbled against Moses because he wanted the Hebrew people to take the land God had promised to give to them.
However, two of the men that went to explore the land were not afraid. Instead they said, “The land we explored is exceedingly good! If the LORD is pleased with us, He will lead us into the land and give us this land that is flowing with milk and honey. Do not rebel against God. Do not be afraid of these people, God will provide the victory for us!"
The people would not listen to the two brave men. They listened to the other ten. The people would not trust God to provide the victory. The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me?"
Because the people refused to trust God, God let them wander in the desert for forty years.
THE END
Discussion Questions:
1. How many men were sent to explore the Promised Land? (12)
2. What types of things were the 12 men looking for? (What kind of land it was, What kind of towns & people lived there.)
3. How long were the men gone? (40 days)
4. What did the men bring back with them? (Grapes, pomegranates & figs)
5. What kind of people lived in the land? (Giants)
6. Did the people trust that God would give them the land? (No)
7. What happened to the people because they would not believe God? (God let them wander in the desert for 40 years)
Activity: I SPY "Canaan Style"
Have the children sit in front of you as if you were getting ready to tell a story to them. Say "Today we are going to hear another great story from God's Word the Bible, but before we do I have a fun activity for all of you! Did you know that the Bible is full of exciting people, far away places, heroes, villains, beauty queens, and all kinds of other cool stuff? It's true, the Bible is the best book in the world! We're going to play a game of "I Spy" with this little poster." Show the children the activity sheet that you printed out earlier. Then say, "Here are the rules. I'll describe something that's contained on the poster, when you think you know what it is say "I SPY". I will call on you and then you can tell me what it is I was describing."
Have the children sit in front of you as if you were getting ready to tell a story to them. Say "Today we are going to hear another great story from God's Word the Bible, but before we do I have a fun activity for all of you! Did you know that the Bible is full of exciting people, far away places, heroes, villains, beauty queens, and all kinds of other cool stuff? It's true, the Bible is the best book in the world! We're going to play a game of "I Spy" with this little poster." Show the children the activity sheet that you printed out earlier. Then say, "Here are the rules. I'll describe something that's contained on the poster, when you think you know what it is say "I SPY". I will call on you and then you can tell me what it is I was describing."
Describe the following items without naming them:
Grapes
Giants
Spy
Grasshoppers
Bible
Giants
Spy
Grasshoppers
Bible
Finish by telling the children that we can find all of these things, and much more, in our Bibles. Take a few minutes to let the children share about some of the things they have found in the Bible that they think are really cool.
The Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, you heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
SNACK: Grapes & Fig Newtons
LORD'S PRAYER:
CLOSING SONGS:
The children learn the Lord's prayer
CLOSING SONGS:
Rise and Shine
This Little Light of Mine
This Little Light of Mine
TAKE HOME SHEET:
Click HERE to view or download the Take Home Sheet
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