YEA Lesson Library
What Shall We Drink?
About This Lesson
This lesson shows God’s provision of water to the Israelites in the wilderness. Then it equates the student’s need of having God’s Living Water (the Holy Spirit) for eternal life.
Scriptures
Exodus 15:22-27
Exodus 17:1-7
Matthew 6:31-33
John 4:5-14
John 7:38
Romans 1:21
1 Corinthians 10:2-4
Revelation 21:6
Revelation 22:1
Revelation 22:17
Words to Know
ALPHA - the first letter of the Greek alphabet
BLUFF- a high steep cliff
OMEGA - the last letter of the Greek alphabet
SHRIVEL - to dry up, wither
The Lesson
While on vacation, Mark, Lori and their parents stopped to eat beside a blue-green river. Cool water bubbled up from the ground at the base of a bluff. Mark and Lori watched for several minutes amazed that the water kept coming. Big Spring in the Ozarks is one of southern Missouri's largest natural springs. Daily, over 270 million gallons of water bubble up and empty into the Current River. "This would be enough water to give a drink to all the Israelites," said Mark.
After the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, God’s cloud led them through a dry wilderness. They traveled three days and found no water. Their cattle and sheep, as well as the people, really needed water! They were so thirsty!! If they didn’t find water soon, they would all die in the wilderness.
Finally they came to a place called Marah. There was water! Everyone ran to get a drink - but they couldn't drink the water. It was bitter and undrinkable. The people began to complain to Moses. Why had he brought them into this wilderness to die?
Moses prayed and asked God what he should do. God showed Moses a tree. He told Moses to throw the tree into the water. When he did, the water became pure. The people and animals could now drink as much as they wanted. God provided what they needed.
You would think the Israelites would learn that they could trust God. But, they didn't! Another time in their journey they ran out of water. They had been following God's cloud but couldn't find any water to drink. Again they complained to Moses. They were angry, and Moses thought they might even kill him!
God told Moses to take the elders of Israel with him and lead the people to Mt. Horeb. “I will meet you there," said God. God told Moses to use the same rod that he struck the Nile River with when it turned to blood and to strike a certain rock with it. He did as God said. Guess what? When Moses obeyed, water came bubbling up out of that rock. It flowed out onto the ground, like the water at Big Spring, Missouri. All the people had plenty to drink.There was enough for the animals to drink, too.
The Israelites complained when they couldn't find water in the wilderness. They kept forgetting that God made the water. God created it in the beginning of time. He formed the rivers, lakes, and oceans and filled them with water. It was God who changed the waters of Egypt into blood. He later changed it back to water. God made the clouds rain on the earth. He knows everything there is to know about water. Since the Israelites knew all of this, why do you think they were so quick to doubt God? Would you be?
Water is necessary for life. Everything needs water to grow and exist. God knew this. He created water before He made plants, animals, or man. Without water, we would all shrivel up and die. God gives us everything we need.
There are things that are more important than water. Jesus talked about living water. He told a woman beside a well of water that He could give her this living water and she would never be thirsty again. Jesus wasn't talking about the water in the well. He was talking about His Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit comes into a person's life, that person becomes new. He has a new attitude. His life changes. He becomes a member of God's family. He takes on a new life! Having this living water is as necessary for eternal life as drinking water is to physical life.
Many people are like the Israelites; they want things their own way. They forget that God gives them everything they need - including eternal life! God gives us living water for eternal life. Jesus told the woman at the well that He could give her living water. He wants to give that living water to you. That is why Jesus came to die for your sins. He wants you to live with Him and the Father in His Kingdom forever.
The Israelites forgot about God's power in taking them safely across the Red Sea. They just thought they would die of thirst.They blamed Moses, when it was God who was leading them.
God wants to give you good things. He wants to help you when you are in trouble. He has given us a book filled with promises. The Bible has directions to show us how to live a happy life that will be pleasing to God. Prayer and Bible study will help much more than grumbling and complaining!
Student Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
Help me remember that everything I have comes from you. You knew what I needed, and you provided it before I was even born. Teach me to look in your Word for guidance and to talk to you in prayer everyday. Thank you for all you do for me.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Daily Devotions
Sunday - John 7:38
Monday - John 4:10-11
Tuesday - Revelation 21:6
Wednesday - Revelation 22:17
Thursday - Revelation 22:1
Friday - Matthew 6:31-33
Saturday - 1 Corinthians 10:2-4
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, the students will be able to:
1. Describe what the wilderness was like where the Israelites were traveling.
2. Tell how God supplied water for the Israelites in two different ways.
3. State that grumbling and complaining don't solve anything; prayer brings solutions from God.
4. Explain what Jesus meant when He told the woman He would give her living water.
Topics & Themes
Creator
Eternal Life
Follow God
God’s Provision
Grumbling
Moses
Prayer
Trusting God
Water
Water, Living
Wilderness
Materials Needed
Bible, YEA Students' and Teacher's books, attendance and memory verse chart, stickers, music player and CD or tape, songbook, paper, rope, pencils
Preparation
We live in a world of "instant gratification."It is easy to get caught up in complaining when things don't go exactly the way we want. But worry accomplishes very little, if anything. Luke asks the question, "Can you add even one hour to your life by worrying? You can’t do that very little thing. So why worry about the rest?" (Luke 12:25-26).
Time spent in grumbling and complaining robs us of communion with our Heavenly Father. They demonstrate a lack of trust in Him. Complaining is the opposite of being thankful. And, we are instructed to, "Give thanks no matter what happens. God wants you to thank Him because you believe in Jesus Christ" (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
“Children need dependable adults close by to guide them through this time. They need all the doctrinal teaching we can manage through these years, and very little that's in the Bible should be considered inappropriate for learning in the junior years" (Teaching Juniors by Ruth Beechick). Presenting Jesus as the source of living water is used in conjunction with this lesson to show how essential He is to our eternal life, just as the water in the wilderness was necessary to physical life for the Israelites.
Before you come to class make a five-inch paper circle and write SOLUTION on it. Use a piece of rope to mark off an eight-foot circle on the floor, placing the paper circle in the center.
How to Teach This Lesson
Activity- Begin the lesson with the object lesson Activity. Point out that it was almost impossible for anyone to hit the SOLUTION to their problem with their grumble balls. Explain that the same is true in real life. Complaining doesn't solve our problems. It doesn't make things better. Grumbling gets us nowhere!
A Dry Barren Place - The Sinai Peninsula is a sparsely populated, dry and barren place. There are mountain ranges and flat desert plateaus with very limited sources of natural fresh water and little or no vegetation. Ask the students to name some of the hazards of travel through this area, list these on a chalkboard or newsprint pad.
What Shall We Drink?- Three days following the Red Sea crossing, the Israelites were overcome by thirst. Instead of turning to God for help, they murmured and complained. Ask: What was wrong with the water they found at Marah? How did God provide good water for them to drink?
Learn From Experience? - Later in their wilderness journey the Israelites were again faced with a shortage of water. Ask: How did the Israelites react this time? Did they remember how God had provided for them in the past? This time they became so angry that Moses feared they would stone him. Ask: How did God provide water this time?
God Knows and Provides - Discuss God's provision for our needs in creation and in the hydrology cycle (precipitation, run off, collection in lakes, rivers and oceans, evaporation, and precipitation.)
Living Water - Jesus told the woman at the well that He could give her living water so she would never thirst again John 4:5-14). Discuss what Jesus meant in this passage and in John 7:37- 39. Explain how this living water is as essential to eternal life as drinking water is to physical life.
Grumbling and Complaining - Refer to the Activity at the beginning of this lesson. Ask: Did throwing the grumble balls at the SOLUTION circle solve any problems? No! Ask: What should we do when we are faced with a problem that we can't handle? When God answers our prayers and supplies our needs we should be thankful instead of grumbling.
Review Questions
1. What was the land like after the Israelites crossed the Red Sea?
2. After three days they found water. Why couldn't they drink the water?
3. How did God make the water drinkable?
4. The second time the Israelites were without water, what did they do?
5. What did God tell Moses to do to give water to the people?
6. What did Jesus mean when He said He would give the woman at the well living water?
Teacher-Directed Activity
Give each student two or three pieces of paper. Ask them to write one thing they grumble about on each piece and wad them into balls (They can use the examples they wrote in their students’ book activity.) Have the students stand outside the rope circle and take turns tossing their grumble balls, trying to land on the SOLUTION circle. (No leaning over the rope.)
Answers for Student Activity: 1B, 2D, 3G, 4E, 5A, 6C, 7F (Allow for different answers with reasonable rationale.)
REACH Activity
Back to the Bible: Anxious
Being anxious about having enough is something that happens to most of us. Jesus addressed it with his disciples during His Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6:25. He said, “For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; not for your body as to what you shall put on.” Why? What reasons does He give for not being anxious? Write these reasons in your Bible notebook. Then remember, the next time you are anxious about something, Jesus gave you lots of reasons not to be unduly concerned.
Journal Jot: The Lord’s Prayer
Jesus’ disciples asked Him how to pray. So Jesus gave them a model prayer. He instructed them to pray “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). God knows that you need food and water in order to survive. Instead of grumbling about what you need, try asking God for a blessing. Write about a time when God provided when you didn’t know how a situation could possibly work out.
Word Study: doxazo
The word “honor” in your memory verse is the Greek word doxazo. “The consequential meaning from the opinion which one forms is to recognize, honor, praise . . give esteem or honor.” (Source: Zodhiates’ Hebrew-Greek NAS Key Word Study Bible, 1990.) Isn’t this interesting! This indicates that when you form an opinion about God, your actions will follow. If you are grumbling, then you are not trusting or respecting Him; you are indicating that you don’t think He is worthy of trust or respect. Yikes!! That’s a very scary opinion to hold about the Sovereign Creator and God of the Universe.
Because God is our Sovereign Creator and Master, we should be very careful about complaining about things in our lives. It’s okay to ask God for guidance or relief from suffering. It’s okay to ask Him to show you what He wants you to learn. It’s not okay to falsely accuse Him of either not having the power or love to bless you.
Write this word, its meaning, and scripture reference in your Bible notebook.
Just Toolin’ Around: Grumbling
There are some pretty scary verses which talk about the consequences of grumbling. Using a concordance, look up the word “grumble” or “complain.” Write down 5 verses that you find. Then write down your conclusion about grumbling.
Did you Know? God’s Perspective
When the people grumbled against Moses, Moses told them that it wasn’t really him they were complaining against. It was God. (Exodus 16:8) Because God is sovereign, that means He is in control of your life. When you start complaining about the things happening to you, you are complaining that God isn’t doing a good job of managing the events in your life. It’s a very scary thing to complain about God. I wouldn’t recommend that you do it.
Read Exodus 16 and Numbers 21:4-7. Write about the consequences of complaining against God in your Bible notebook.
Stretch It Out: Drawing
Draw a picture of Moses striking the rock and the water gushing forth - enough for all of the people and animals to drink! Using your favorite color tools, add color. Write your memory verse across the bottom of the drawing as a caption.
Music Notes: Wonderful Words of Life
This hymn is on page 43 of the CEM Hymnal.
Phillip P. Bliss wrote the words and music for this hymn in 1874, two years before his tragic death in a train wreck. (Source: Amazing Grace, Kenneth Osbeck, 1990, p. 75.)
When Jesus spoke hard things and the crowd of followers decided not to follow Him any longer, Jesus asked His disciples if they too were going to leave. Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68-69). Just like we need water to survive, we need the living Word, Jesus Christ, to survive eternally. Are you thirsting for the living Word and the living water of God, hungering and thirsting for righteousness? Write about this in your Bible notebook.
Sing this hymn. Think about the miracle it is that God has preserved His word for you to read all these centuries after the words were first written. Thank Him for this blessing.
Questions?
Remember to write down any questions that you think of as you are reading your lesson, daily devotionals, or doing the REACH activities. Plan to ask your parents or your pastor these questions.
Song
"God Is So Good" is on page 87 of Kids Classics Collection.
Closing Prayer
Ask for a volunteer to lead in prayer thanking God for the water He gives us each day and for Jesus Christ providing us with Living Water that is necessary for eternal life.
Printable Pages
