YEA Lesson Library
Mountain Top Drama
About This Lesson
This lesson describes God giving the Ten Commandments to the Israelites at Mt. Sinai and stresses the vital importance of obeying God’s Law.
Scriptures
Exodus 19:9-25
Exodus 34:28-30
Deuteronomy 4:32-33
Proverbs 3:1
Hosea 10:1-3
Words to Know
GENIUS - 1. a person who influences another for good or bad, 2. a strong leaning or inclination
The Lesson
"Early in the nineteenth century the French statesman, Alexander de Tocqueville, made a study of democracy in our country and wrote as follows . . .
"I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample rivers, and it was not there.
“I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her fertile fields and boundless forests, and it was not there.
"I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her rich mines and her vast world commerce, and it was not there.
"I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her democratic congress and her matchless constitution, and it was not there.
"Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power.
"America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great" (Stories For The Heart - The Greatness of America, Alexander de Tocqueville).
The YEA lessons in Bible Heroes, book one, will show you why America has been good and what will keep it good. It is through the teaching and keeping of the Ten Commandments that America is made good. Our politicians, schools, and legal system are trying to prohibit the Ten Commandments from being in public places and taught in our schools. When that is accomplished, America will cease to be good.
Just before Pentecost God was getting ready to codify His perfect law of truth, a delight to love and meditate on, that would be a lamp shining on their path, and a light to their feet. This law would make life work for anyone who lives by it.
God said to Moses, "I am going to come to you in the form of a dark cloud, so that the people themselves can hear me when I talk with you, and they will always believe you." He continued by telling him to go down and make sure the people could hear Him when He talked with Moses, so they would believe it was God talking.
The people were to sanctify themselves and wash their clothes for this holy occasion. "Then, the day after tomorrow, I will come down upon Mt. Sinai as all the people watch." Boundary lines were to be set to ensure the people did not go beyond them. If they so much as touched the boundaries or went up to Mount Sinai, they would die by stoning or be shot to death with an arrow. This absolute rule was in place until they heard the ram's horn blast.
Squeaky clean Israelites gathered at Mount Sinai for this holy meeting. There hasn't been a Fourth of July celebration anywhere more dramatic than the display God was about to put on. Special effects with dazzling laser beams synchronized to music are puny compared with what God did on Mount Sinai. At daybreak the third day, there was a clap of thunder, a huge display of lightning flashing, a thick cloud covering the mountain. A drama proceeded that surpassed anything this world had seen before.
Suddenly an ear-piercing blast on the ram's horn was heard. Moses led the Israelites out from the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. The mountain was covered with smoke as God descended upon it in the form of fire.Then there was a violent earthquake that caused the mountain to shudder and shake. This was so awesome everyone trembled. Then Moses ascended to God.
God sent Moses down one more time to warn the people against crossing the boundaries. Not even the priests were allowed to cross the boundary line, or He would destroy them. Only Aaron was allowed to go back up with Moses.
Why do you think this Mountain Top Drama was so awesome and frightening? Was it to help the Israelites relate that event to how serious it is to break God's law? If giving the law is serious, breaking the law is even more serious, and God wanted them to understand that.
Some would have you believe that the law has been done away. Never in man's history has God ever put on such an awesome display before His people. Why would He go to all that trouble if He intended to do away with His law that is so holy and perfect, a delight to love and meditate on, that would be a lamp shining on your path and a light to your feet? This law can make life work for anyone. It doesn't make sense for anyone to say it has been discarded.
Student Prayer
Holy Father,
Thank you for your law that is holy and perfect, a delight to love and meditate on. Help me to use it to shine as a lamp on my daily path so my life will work like you want it to.
In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen.
Daily Devotions
Sunday - Exodus 19:9-13
Monday - Exodus 19:14-20
Tuesday - Exodus 19:21-25
Wednesday - Proverbs 3:1
Thursday - Deuteronomy 4:32-33
Friday - Exodus 34:28-30
Saturday - Hosea 10:1-3
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. Describe the events at Mount Sinai that led up to the giving of the law.
2. Recap the ten lessons in this book.
Topics & Themes
Covenant
God’s Law
God’s Voice
Mt. Sinai
Ten Commandments
Materials Needed
Bible, YEA Students' and Teacher's books, attendance and memory verse charts, songbook, butcher paper, bright colored markers for fire and lightning, prize
How to Teach This Lesson
After opening the class with prayer, explain that this is the final day to draw the lesson. At the end of class they will attach the past nine weeks' murals to the wall so parents and church members can enjoy their art work and appreciate what they've been learning. Appoint five leaders and divide your class into five teams. Give them colored markers and have them draw their assignments. Allow about 25 minutes for this. When time is up, vote on the best drawing and give a prize. Ask students to return to their chairs.
Debrief - Ask: How do you feel about the knowledge you've gained in the past ten weeks about Israel leaving Egypt and making their way to Mount Sinai? How has the experience of drawing the lessons been like or unlike other things you've done? How much better do you think you will remember these lessons than some others you've had?
Mount Sinai - How do you think you would have felt, had you been at the base of Mount Sinai when this terrific thunder and lightning storm occurred and smoke billowed into the sky? Then how would you have felt when the earth rumbled under your feet and everything around you began to shake so violently that you would have had trouble standing up? Would you have been inclined to listen to God? Would you have been quick to obey God?
Application - In what ways has this lesson impacted your life?How will it change the way you feel about the Israelites in the wilderness? How will it change your way of thinking about God's law? In what ways do you see God's law making your life work better? How has this lesson increased your resolve to keep the commandments? What are you going to do about it?
Teacher-Directed Activity
Go over the Activity in the students' book with the class. Have the students attach the murals for the ten weeks, in order, to the wall. Prepare the room for visitors.
Leave time for the students to present their ten-week projects. If possible, plan these presentations (along with the murals) to the entire congregation.
REACH Activity
Memory Verse Spotlight: Proverbs 3:1
Look up the words “law” and “commandments.” Write down the Hebrew words and their meaning. Is it the same word? If it’s different, what are the nuances between the two words? Then find three other Scriptures where these words are used.
Look at Psalm 119. How many synonyms for law are in this psalm?
Where in the World? Boundaries
Read Exodus 19 carefully. What were the boundaries that God set on the people? What requirements did the people have to meet? What did God say about the animals? Why do you think God was so particular about where the people were? Hint: God is holy.
Think about this. Talk about it with your parents. Look up some verses about how God expects us to treat Him with reverence because of His holiness. Then write an essay about this topic.
They Did What Back Then? God’s Law
Alexander de Tocqueville said, "America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.”
Do some research. Find the original constitutions for each state. How many of the U.S. states have multiple references to the Ten Commandments, God, and/or God’s law? A good source for this study is William J. Federer (historian): https://americanminute.com/pages/about
Making It Mine: Reverence
When you look at the requirements God established for the people to observe when He met with Moses on Mt. Sinai, you see that they had to wash themselves and maintain a respectful distance from the presence of God. How would you apply this concept to your worship of God today? Think about preparing to go to church each week? Do you take a shower or a bath? Do you wear good, clean clothes? Do you wear your best clothes - not to impress others, but to honor God? Do you approach church services as meeting with God on His Holy Sabbath day? Do you sing praises with your whole heart - reading the words and singing them with full agreement? Or do you sing, mumbling the words without even thinking about what they mean? Do you think about the message? Do you follow along in your Bible? Or are you just going through the motions without being fully invested? What about through the week? Do you talk about God when the opportunity presents itself? Do you pray? Do you tell people what God has done for you when you can? Do you share the gospel? Do you treat God as holy?
Think about this topic. Carefully evaluate your actions. Ask God to help you to see yourself as He sees you. Make plans to change any behaviors you think should be different. And write about this topic in your Bible notebook.
Worldview Collisions: The Law
Have you ever heard the saying, “When in Rome, do as the Romans”? You could definitely see applying this to cultural activities - like taking a siesta in Spanish areas that still observe that custom. The understanding that goes with that idea, of course, is that you will not do anything that breaks God’s law. God’s law is supreme.
A secular worldview, or even a worldview from other religions, does not recognize God’s law as supreme. Someone else gets to set the standard. In other religions or in secular worldviews, the standards are set by men. Why is that? In a religion where the god is made out of the imagination of men, the laws also have to be made up by men.
From a Biblical worldview, obeying standards set by men is a problem. Men are fallible. Their laws are flawed, inadequate, and lacking in wisdom. A Biblical worldview says that God’s laws (natural and moral) are good and righteous and beneficial for making life work well. God’s laws are also binding - whether you recognize God as God or not, God’s laws still apply. For example, if you jump off a building, gravity (one of God’s natural laws) still applies. If you steal, you are breaking one of God’s moral laws.
Write about these worldview collisions in your Bible notebook.
Questions
As you’re working through the YEA lesson, Daily Devotionals, doing the activity, or reading the Bible, be sure to write down any questions you have. That way you’ll remember to ask someone. Also remember to share the really interesting things you’re learning with family and friends.
Song
"Shine Down" is on page 2 of The Group Songbook.
Closing Prayer
Ask the students to form a circle and hold hands. Let each student mention one thing that has changed or impacted their lives from the last ten lessons. Lead in prayer thanking God for His law that is so holy, just, and good.
Printable Pages
