YEA Lesson Library

Objectives

At the end of this lesson, the children will be able to:

1. Describe the two “guides" that God sent to the Israelites.

2. Tell how the cloud and pillar of fire helped the Israelites.

3. Tell how God guides them today.

Topics & Themes

Bible
Egypt, Coming Out
God’s Leading/Guidance
God’s Presence
God’s Protection
Moses
Pillar of Fire/Cloud
Promised Land

Materials Needed

Bible, YEA Students' and Teacher's books, attendance and memory verse charts, songbook, stickers, music player and CD or cassette, map of Tennessee, butcher's paper, crayons or markers, pith helmet, binoculars

Preparation

As you teach through the lessons of Moses and the plagues in Egypt, children may see God only as a fierce judge who is ready to punish wrongdoing. But, God is much more than a judge meting out punishment. Today’s lesson shows God's interest in, and provision for, leading His people through all of life's trials. He not only gave the Israelites Moses to be their leader, God added His own presence in the form of a cloud and fire to comfort, reassure, protect, and light the way for His people. God did not just lead the Israelites out of Egypt, He led them and met all their needs all the way to the Promised Land. In the same way, God didn't just create man and place him here to struggle alone. His Holy Spirit was sent to be our teacher, our guide, and our comforter. God's Word is our road map. As we follow its instructions, we will be secure, knowing that God will be with us, leading us all the way to His Kingdom.

Before you come to class, cut several strips of butcher's paper about 4 feet long each (Size may vary with size of your class). You will use one for today's Activity, and the others will be used in subsequent lessons to make a time line of Israel's wilderness journey. As the sections are completed, hang them on the wall of your classroom to help the children review how God led and provided for the Israelites.

How to Teach This Lesson

Come to class wearing a pith helmet or camouflage hat, with binoculars around your neck. Tell your class that they will be going on a safari. You will be their guide. Ask: What other things will you need to guide you through the jungles of Africa?

Leaving Egypt - Moses led more than a million ex-slaves out of Egypt. There were probably as many people leaving Egypt as live in Memphis, Tennessee! (Find Memphis on a Tennessee map. Explain that it is a very large city. This exodus would be something like everyone in Memphis leaving the city and walking hundreds of miles.) It was a strange mix of young and old, animals and wagons, with the majority walking. They left in a hurry, so there was no time to make bread and let it rise. They carried their cooking utensils with them. Ask: What did the Egyptians give the Israelites to take with them? (Clothes, gold and silver jewelry) The sight was awesome!

Way To Go - God spoke to Moses and told him what he should say to Pharaoh in Egypt. It was God who helped Moses and Aaron to perform the miracles of the plagues. God sent the destroyer, who finally convinced Pharaoh to do as God commanded. Now the people would need God to give them directions (Proverbs 3:5-6).

There was a more direct route to the Promised Land, but God sent the Israelites the long way. The Israelites didn't have an army equipped to fight the war-like people of the north. Ask: Why do you think God sent the Israelites on this long route?

Need For A Guide - The wilderness was a vast wasteland, filled with rocks and sand. There was little vegetation and few landmarks. Ask: Why would it be easy for the people to get lost? These people had been enslaved in Egypt all of their lives. They didn't know their way around this wilderness. They needed a guide.

God's Guides - God sent Moses, an Israelite man, to lead them. Ask: This time what did He use to lead them? (A pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire.) The Israelites would be blessed by having God, Himself, in their midst leading them for the entire journey. There was comfort and reassurance in the pillar of cloud. This was something they could see. God is a Spirit. No man had seen God (John 1:18). But, knowing that God was leading them with this cloud gave them confidence.

Ask: How did the pillar of fire protect as well as guide the Israelites? The fire gave them light to see their way. If an enemy tried to sneak up on them, the fire revealed their presence. The pillar of fire gave the Israelites security.

Our Guides - God has given us guides to lead us through life. His Holy Spirit works in our hearts to teach us what is right and wrong. Ask: What else has God given to guide us? His Word teaches us how to live our lives. It is like the pillar of fire; it lights our way (Psalm 119:105). Ask: Can you think of other people who help guide and teach you? God also gave you these people.

Review Questions

Questions are asked throughout the body of the lesson.

Teacher-Directed Activity

Begin a time line of the Israelite's journey through the wilderness. Give the children crayons or marker pens. Have them draw the scene of the Israelites going through the wilderness. Depending on the size of your class, students can work alone, or in groups on different parts of the scene. This first section should include such things as: lots of people, animals, wagons, rocks, sand, pillar of cloud, and pillar of fire.

REACH Activity

Materials Needed: tempera paint, paint brushes, clay, package of colorful construction paper, string, glue, tape, Kids Classics Collection songbook and/or CDs, Bible, YEA book, Bible notebook, black permanent marker, watercolor paints, 11 x 17 drawing paper, pencils, markers, colored pencils, crayons, scissors, ruler, index cards, CEM Hymnal, Bible dictionary, concordance, access to encyclopedia or the Internet, Bible encyclopedia, Bible map or Bible atlas, dictionary, 2 empty paper towel rolls, craft sticks, cotton balls, yarn or string, glitter

1. Do a sword drill with the Daily Devotionals for this week. Write the one verse that is your favorite when you are finished.

NOTE: Sword drill: Use the Daily Devotional Scriptures to have a sword drill. Read the Scripture reference to the child. Then start the timer. When the child has found the verse, stop the timer. Read the verse and talk about how it relates to the lesson. Challenge the child to see how quickly he/ she can find each of the verses in the Bible.

2. Look up the word “guide” or “lead” in a concordance. Write down your favorite verse about God guiding or leading you.

NOTE: Concordance Use: At this age, beginning readers probably would be overwhelmed if expected to use a concordance on their own. But they will enjoy having an adult help them find the words and begin learning how a concordance is used.

3. Divide a piece of drawing paper in half. On one side, draw the cloud leading the Israelites by day. On the other, draw the pillar of fire leading them by night.

4. Draw an arrow and cut it out. Write the memory verse on it. Tape it to the front door.

5. Sing: “He Leadeth Me” on page 47 of the CEM Hymnal;
 “God Will Take Care of You” on page 69 of the CEM Hymnal.

6. Find a Scripture that assures you God is with you today, leading and guiding you.

7. Practice the order in which the plagues happened.

8. Have you ever hiked or walked in the woods or mountains? What did you use to guide you through them? Did you have a map or someone to guide you? Write about your experience in your Bible notebook. Explain where you went and who was with you. Draw pictures if you would like. Share with family or Sabbath School class.

9. Glue cotton balls on all sides of an empty paper towel roll. Let the glue dry. Tape a craft stick to the inside of the roll. This is the pillar of cloud. Set it aside.

10. Trace flames of fire on red and yellow construction paper large enough to fit around an empty paper towel roll and then cut them out. Glue the flames on the roll and let the glue dry. Tape a craft stick to the inside of the roll. This is the pillar of fire. Set aside. 


11. Group activity: Go outside if possible, or use a large inside space. Ask for volunteers to hold the pillars of cloud and fire. Describe a day or night event the Israelites might have encountered in the wilderness. If it is a day event the person with the pillar of cloud moves and everyone follows them. Everyone follows the person holding the pillar of fire if it is a night event. Take turns until everyone has had a chance to hold the pillars.

12. In your Bible notebook, describe the benefits of the having the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night.

13. In your Bible notebook, write an acrostic poem for G-U-I-D-E that tells about God leading the Israelites through the wilderness. Draw a picture for the poem. Share with family or Sabbath School class.

NOTE: Acrostic poem: Each letter of a word begins a line of the poem; i.e. in a P-R-O-M-I-S-E acrostic poem, “P” starts the first line, “R” start the second line, “O” the third, etc.

14. Make a Bible bookmark with pictures from the YEA lesson. Use glue to write the memory verse on one side. Sprinkle any color glitter over the glue. Let dry. Punch a hole at the top and thread with yarn or string. Practice until the verse is memorized. 


Culminating or On-going Activities

1. Create a newspaper or newsletter with headlines from each of the YEA lessons, or write your own. Each reporter should have their own story to write. Use pictures with each story. Make copies for each family member or Sabbath School student.

2. Design one mural for these ten lessons. Additions are made after each lesson. Hang the mural when completed. Invite others to your Exodus mural.

3. Ask students to create a game from the YEA lessons on the plagues. Provide simple materials and supplies. Students share and teach the games to each other. Store games in ziplock bags or small boxes.

4. Set up the classroom as a news station. Create call letters for your news station, for example BNN - Bible News Network or BNS - Bible News Station. Invite family and friends to hear the newscast of what happened during these ten YEA lessons. Divide the newscast into several parts: headline news, eyewitness/man on the street segment, weather report, sports, and the strange and unusual. Have someone videotape the newscast for the class to watch at a later date.

5. Write a thank you note to your Sabbath School teacher and/or your parents, telling them which lesson you liked best in On The Move and why.

Song

"I Have Decided To Follow Jesus" is on page 23 of Kids Classics Collection.

Closing Prayer

Lead the children in prayer, thanking God for sending guides to lead the children of Israel through the wilderness, and for the Bible and Holy Spirit that guide us today.