YEA Lesson Library
Rainbows and Promises
About This Lesson
This lesson teaches the reason for the rainbow: God’s covenant that He will never again destroy the whole earth by flood. There is a judgment coming, however. The lesson encourages the student to have a secure relationship with God to protect them from the coming judgment.
Scriptures
Genesis 8:15 - 9:17
Psalm 77:5-11
Psalm 111:2-6
Isaiah 41:9-10
Romans 8:28
2 Corinthians 6:17
2 Corinthians 7:1
2 Peter 1:2-4
2 Peter 3:4-10
Words to Know
CONTEND - to struggle with
SACRIFICE - making an offering to God
FRANTIC - highly excited with strong emotion
CURSE - statement of evil or misfortune to come upon someone or something
CREATURES - animals
DISASTERS - something that causes wide- spread destruction and distress
The Lesson
Look at the rainbow!" Julie excitedly called to her family. "Ooo! I can see all the colors!" she sighed contentedly. She was thinking that one of the best things about a summer rain shower was the beautiful rainbow that formed in the receding clouds. Seeing a rainbow always made her feel really good.
God placed a rainbow in the sky as His promise that He would never again destroy the earth with a flood. Won't that promise make you feel really good every time you see a rainbow? Do you remember from the last two lessons how the people of the earth were very wicked? They lied and stole from one another. People hurt and killed each other. Even all of the thoughts of their hearts were evil all the time.
God was tired of putting up with mean and harmful acts. He decided to destroy everything that lived on the land with the Great Flood. Noah didn't join in with the bad guys. He trusted and obeyed God. Because Noah did obey God, He saved him and his family, along with the land animals and birds.
Do you remember how long Noah was on the ark? Over a year! After all of that time being on the ark, how do you think Noah felt when God gave the rainbow as a promise? Had it not been for the promise God gave with the rainbow, Noah and his family might have gotten a little frantic the next time it started raining. But let's pick up our story again and find out more about God's promise.
God told Noah that all the people and animals could come off the ark. Noah took some of every clean bird and clean animal. He sacrificed them to God on the altar he made. When God smelled the offering, God said, "I will never put a curse on the ground again because of human beings. I will not do it even though their hearts are always directed toward what is evil. Their thoughts are evil from the time they are children. I will never destroy all living things again, as I have just done. As long as the earth lasts, there will always be a time to plant and a time to gather the crops. As long as the earth lasts, there will always be cold and heat. There will always be summer and winter, day and night” (Genesis 8:21-22 NIrV Kid's Devotional Bible).
What a fantastic promise! God knows from a child our hearts are always directed toward what is evil. He knows that we all sin! God knew all this, but still He promised never to destroy all living creatures with a flood. God called His promise a covenant with Noah, all of Noah's descendants, and all of the creatures who were with Noah in the ark. God said, "I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the water of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth" (Genesis 9:11). God told Noah that He would put a rainbow in the clouds to be the sign between Himself and the earth. God said, "Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting Covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth" (Genesis 9:16).
Now, do you see why we should all feel good when we see a rainbow in the clouds? It's a reminder to us, to the animals and to God of His promise. God doesn't take His promises lightly.
The Bible tells us that a long time ago God made the world. People forget things like this because they wanted to. Then God destroyed the earth with the flood and God promised not to do that again. But does that mean that God won't destroy the earth again? Does that mean that people won't be killed in what we call natural disasters? No. Someday God will judge the earth and everything in it. Ungodly people will be destroyed. God will keep His promise and He won't destroy the earth with a flood again. He will destroy the earth with fire! Why do you think He will do this? He will destroy the earth with fire because people are wicked and evil just like they were before the Great Flood.
Does this scare you? It doesn't have to. Remember the story of Noah. He walked with God and God saved Noah because he had a special relationship with God.
What about you? When the time comes for God to destroy the earth with fire, will you have a special relationship Him? When God looks down from heaven, will He see that you believe and obey Him as Noah did? Will you walk with God? Will you live by His commandments and accept Jesus Christ as your Savior? Look at the promise in your memory verse - if you know that He is your God. It's your choice.
Student Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
Help me to understand what it means to walk with you and to have a special relationship with you. Thank you for your promises to me.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Daily Devotions
Sunday - Genesis 8:18-22
Monday - Genesis 9:11-16
Tuesday- Psalm 77:5-11
Wednesday- 2 Peter 1:2-4
Thursday - 2 Corinthians 6:17, 7:1
Friday - Psalm 111:2-6
Saturday - 2 Peter 3:4-9
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. Relate why God set the rainbow in the sky.
2. Explain that God promised never to destroy the earth with a flood again.
3. Explain that Peter tells us the earth will be destroyed by fire.
4. Explain why bad things sometimes happen to God's people.
5. Recite their memory verse.
6. Differentiate between God's promises and God's expectations in Psalm 91.
Topics & Themes
Consequences of Sin
Covenant
Flood
God's Judgment
Noah
Obedience
Promises, Oaths
Relationship With God
Sacrifice and Offerings to God
Sin
Trusting God
Materials Needed
Bible, YEA student and teacher's books, pens, pencils, blackboard, chalk, glue, scissors, 12x18 sheets of construction paper, rainbow making materials: crumpled crepe paper, gum balls, jelly beans, stickers, ribbons, watercolors, colored glue, glitter, tempera paint, construction paper, markers, crayons, colored pencils, buttons, strips of cloth, etc., attendance and memory verse charts, stars or stickers, songbook, cassette/CD, music player
Preparation
Spend some time collecting different medium for the students to use in constructing their rainbow. Use your imagination and see what wonderful things you can think of to create a magnificent rainbow. Here are some suggestions: crumpled crepe paper, gum balls, jelly beans, stickers, ribbons, watercolors, colored glue, glitter, tempera paint, construction paper, markers, crayons, colored pencils, buttons, strips of cloth, etc. Collect whatever you can in rainbow colors - red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, purple. Spend some time mentally thinking through the question of why God allows bad things to happen to His people: fiery crashes, cancer, devastating losses, etc. Prepare for the class discussion by thinking through biblical examples of how God turned a bad situation into good for His people: Joseph being sold as a slave to traders going to Egypt, Daniel being taken into captivity and told not to pray to God, Paul's thorn in the flesh, etc.
How to Teach This Lesson
Rainbows- Ask the students the last time they saw a rainbow. What did it makes them think of? Did they think of Noah? Why or why not?
Covenant - Ask: What is a covenant? Ask: Why did God make a covenant with Noah, his descendants and all of the creatures who had been on the ark? What was the covenant? Who was going to be reminded of the covenant by the rainbow? (Both God and mankind)
Destruction of the earth - Ask: Although God promised never to destroy the earth again with water, does that mean He won't destroy it some other way? (No. 2 Peter 3:7, 10 tell us that the present earth is reserved for fire, for the destruction of ungodly men.)
God's salvation of His people - Remind the students that although the destruction of the earth sounds pretty scary, it would have sounded scary to Noah too. Yet God rescued Him because Noah walked with God. Ask them to recite their memory verse at this point. Then remind them of Psalm 91. God will rescue His people. But then ask: Does this mean that nothing bad will ever happen to God's people? Bad Things happen to good people. Ask the students to share some of the trials, prayer requests, illnesses, tragedies they know of from people in the church. Ask them why they think God is allowing people to suffer in this way. Remind them of Romans 8:28. Remind them that Noah's salvation from the flood wasn't easy either. There may have been times when he was extremely tired of caring for animals all cooped up in the ark. Remind them that God is working from eternity to eternity - that is, He's interested in getting us into His Kingdom. Sometimes we have to go through bad things in order for us to grow closer to Him.
God's people - Finish the discussion by asking the students who is protected and rescued by God. Those who love Him, who believe and acknowledge Him, who walk with Him, who keep His commandments.
Review Questions
1. Why did God set the rainbow in the clouds?
2. What was God's covenant with Noah?
3. What does Peter say about the destruction of the earth?
4. Who does God rescue?
5. Why do bad things sometimes happen to God's people?
6. What are some of the promises God makes in Isaiah 41:9-10 and Psalm 91?
7. What does He expect from you?
Teacher-Directed Activity
On 12x18 inch construction paper, the students will make their own rainbows, using whatever medium they choose: crumpled crepe paper, gum balls, jelly beans, stickers, ribbons, watercolors, colored glue, glitter, tempera paint, construction paper, markers, crayons, colored pencils, etc. Collect whatever you can for them in rainbow colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, purple. Then have them choose one of the following verses to write in the corner of their paper:
Romans 8:28
Romans 8:37-39
Isaiah 41:9-10
James 1:2-3
Philippians 4:4-7
Philippians 4:13
1 John 3: 1
John 16:33
Psalm 27:1
Isaiah 40:30-31
Proverbs 3:5-6
REACH Activity
Word Study
The word fear in the memory verse, Isaiah 41:10, is the Hebrew word yare, and means to be afraid, to fear, to terrify, to make afraid. It is the “emotional and intellectual anticipation of harm, what one feels may go wrong for him.” (Source: Zodiates’ Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible, p. 1620.)
Although this Scripture is found in Isaiah, can you imagine why God would need to tell Noah and his family not to fear in this way? After having experienced the flood and been on the ark for over a year, what would they have felt the next time it started to rain? Even if they knew, logically, that God had given them a promise, their emotions might have been much harder to control. It is the same with us. That is, we fear many things that never happen. We don’t need to do that. We need to remember God’s promises to His people: He will never leave us nor forsake us. He will never give us more than we can bear. All things will work to our good. So the next time it starts to rain in your life, resist the emotional fear. Trust in God.
Did You Know?
The rainbow is mentioned again in the Bible—in Revelation 4:3 and 10:1. (Source: The Student Bible Dictionary, p. 197.) Don’t you think that’s interesting? A mention of the visible sign of God’s promise to begin the Bible and to end the Bible.
Back to the Bible
When God tells us something from His Word, it is true. You can believe Him every time! Others may lie, deceive, and cheat you, but you can trust our Heavenly Father in every situation of life. You can believe God when He makes a promise, or covenant. Don’t worry! His Word is true! With God there are no broken promises. Perhaps you have had an experience with someone telling you one thing, but then you find out it isn’t true at all. Maybe you have found yourself in the situation of telling a lie or cheating. Repent of the sin and change your ways. God will forgive you! Be sure to walk close with God, study His Word, and begin a relationship with Jesus Christ, your Savior. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6 NIV). If Jesus said it, you can believe it!
Just Toolin’ Around
Review the meaning of the words covenant and promise. Use your Bible reference tools to find the Hebrew meaning of each. Choose a few Scriptures that use each word and write them in your Bible journal.
Stretch It Out
Gather together some friends from church and perform a skit based on today’s lesson. Consider performing the skit from the point of view of someone other than Noah.
Music Notes
Not being afraid of the future is possible when you trust God. There’s a song which talks about the peace available to you when you trust in God. It’s “‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus,” on page 56 of the CEM Hymnal.
The Stead family was picnicking on the beach by the ocean one day. They heard a drowning boy cry for help. Mr. Stead rush to save him, but was pulled under by the terrified boy. Mrs. Louisa Stead and their daughter could do nothing but watch. During the days that followed, the words of this hymn came from Louisa Stead’s grief. She proclaimed through her tears, “’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus . . . and I know that thou art with me, wilt be with me to the end.”’
Soon afterward, Louisa and her daughter went to South Africa to be missionaries. After more than 25 years, she retired to Southern Rhodesia because of her poor health. Her fellow missionaries wrote, “We miss her very much, but her influence goes on as our five thousand native Christians continually sing this hymn in their native language.” (Source: Amazing Grace, Kenneth Osbeck, p. 220.)
Journal Jot
Which of God’s promises do you like the best? If you can’t think of any promises that God gives, ask your family what their favorite promises are. Write them down in your Bible journal. Use a concordance to find out where they are in the Bible. Then thank God for His promises!
Questions?
Reminds the child to write down (in their Bible journal) questions they may have as they are doing the activities, working through the lesson, or reading the Daily Devotionals.
Song
"Rise and Shine (Arky, Arky)" is on page 28 of Kids Classics Collection.
Closing Prayer
Guide the students to ask God to help them learn to walk with Him, according to His ways and His will.
Printable Pages
