YEA Lesson Library
Water From a Rock
About This Lesson
Using the story of the Israelites running out of water and grumbling rather than asking God for what they needed, this lesson teaches the student to trust God and ask Him for his needs.
Scriptures
Exodus 17:1-7
Psalm 78:15-16
Isaiah 41:17-18
Isaiah 49:10
Matthew 5:6
John 4:13-14
1 Corinthians 10:1-4
Philippians 4:19
Words to Know
CANTEEN - a small container for carrying water
MASTER - the one who rules or has control over another person or animal
RESCUE - to save from danger
The Lesson
Pookie was a little tan puppy. He loved to play outside with his master, Paul. Pookie and Paul played fetch the stick. They chased each other around the yard. Sometimes Pookie ran along while Paul rode his bicycle. And after a hot day of running, Pookie took a good drink from his water dish.
Sometimes Pookie drank water from Paul's wading pool. At the lake, Pookie drank lake water. He even drank water from puddles on a rainy day. Pookie needed water to keep him cool.
The Israelites were going through the desert. Deserts are hot, dry places. There were no lakes to get a cool drink. It doesn't rain much in a desert. There was lots of dust and sand blowing. It made the Israelites hot and thirsty. A glass of iced tea or lemonade sure would have tasted good. But, there was no water anywhere.
The people had used up all their water. There wasn't any water for the animals to drink, either. What do you think would happen if they didn't get water soon? People and animals must have water to live. Without water, they would all die.
God made the people and animals. He knew they needed water. When God made the world, one of the first things He made was water. Don't you think He could give the Israelites water in the desert? Yes! But, they didn't ask God.
Just like when they were hungry, the Israelites started complaining to Moses. They wanted Moses to give them water. The people said Moses was trying to kill them with thirst. But, where was Moses going to get water? He couldn’t turn on a faucet to give them a drink. Moses didn't have a big canteen. He didn't have bottles of water.
What do you think Moses did? Moses prayed to his Heavenly Father. He said, "What am I going to do with these people? They are almost ready to kill me by throwing stones at me."
Once again, God came to the Israelites' rescue. God told Moses to take his rod in his hand. This is the same rod that turned into a snake in Egypt. It was the same rod that turned the water into blood in the Nile River. God showed Moses a large rock. He told Moses to hit the rock. And like a giant fountain, water came pouring out of the rock. All the people had plenty to drink.
Moses asked the people, "Is God with us, or not?" That's a good question. Was God with them at the Red Sea? Was God with them in the cloud and pillar of fire? Was God with them when they were hungry? Yes! But, the Israelites kept forgetting God's blessings. Now He had given them water to drink. He was still with them - taking care of them.
God wants you to know that He will never leave you. He will always be there to help vou. He is like the shepherd who leads his sheep to water. He takes care of you. Instead of grumbling and complaining, God wants you to talk to Him. When you pray, tell God what you need. If you are sick, ask Him to help you get well. If you are afraid, know that He will protect you. And, when God answers your prayers, don't forget to thank Him.
Student Prayer
Dear God, my Shepherd,
Thank you for giving me everything I need, even the water I drink. You took care of the Israelites in the desert. You take care of me just like a shepherd takes care of his sheep. Help me remember that I can ask for your help in prayer.
In Jesus’ name I pray.
Amen.
Daily Devotions
Sunday - Matthew 5:6
Monday - John 4:13-14
Tuesday - Psalm 78:15-16
Wednesday - Isaiah 41:17-18
Thursday - 1 Corinthians 10:1-4
Friday - Philippians 4:19
Saturday - Exodus 17:6
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, the children will be able to:
1. State that God knows what His people need.
2. Tell that the Israelites kept forgetting that God would take care of them.
3. Describe how God provided water in the wilderness.
4. State that like a good shepherd, God takes care of us, His sheep.
Topics & Themes
Ask
Forgot
Giving Thanks to God
God’s Presence
God’s Provision
Grumbling
Moses
Prayer
Rock
Shepherd
Unbelief
Water
Materials Needed
Bible, YEA Students' and Teacher's books, attendance and memory verse charts, stickers, music player and CD or cassette, songbook, butcher's paper, crayons, glue, popped corn, streamers
Preparation
The culture our children live in is both diverse and confusing. Knowledge is on the increase, and in some cases, it is almost worshiped. The drive to achieve and accumulate things depletes families of time and energy needed to form a family bond. Commitment to family, church and faith are almost non-existent in many circles. It is no wonder our children are growing up with a deep sense of being abandoned.
Our children need to constantly be reassured that God will never leave them. He is never too busy to listen to their prayers. He has everything they will ever need, and will lovingly meet their needs. God's commitment to us was confirmed when He sent His Son to pay the ultimate price for our redemption. God will not fail His people!
Before you come to class, enlarge and make copies of the quail pattern (located on the pattern page) onto tan construction paper. Place two strips of butcher's paper (see lesson 4) on the table or floor. Assemble other supplies: popped corn, crayons, glue and streamers.
How to Teach This Lesson
As soon as the children start arriving, have them begin work on a section of the time line that will review the last lesson. Depending on the size of your class, they can work individually or in groups on different sections of the scene. Ask them what the wilderness looked like. Have them color in the sand and rocks. Have them glue pieces of popped corn on the ground to represent the manna. Other children can cut out and glue the quails on the ground. (The second sheet of butcher's paper will be used later for the Activity.)
Heavenly Food - God was leading the Israelites to the Promised Land through the wilderness. They couldn't carry enough food to last them very long. Ask: When their food ran out, what did the Israelites do? God was taking care of theIsraelites. He wouldn't let them go hungry. Ask: What kind of food did God send down from heaven? It wasn't popcorn, but it was tiny flakes. All the Israelites had to do was go out and pick it up and cook it.
They Forgot - After many days walking through the hot, dry wilderness, the people ran out of water. Ask: How do you feel when you play outside on a hot summer day? (Thirsty, mouth dry, very hot, etc.) There were no lakes or rivers nearby. Without water, the people and animals would soon die. “If it would only rain,” the people thought. Then they started grumbling and complaining. Ask: Why do you think they got mad at Moses? Some of them were so mad they wanted to kill Moses with stones. Say: I wonder why they didn’t just ask God to give them some water. How could they have forgotten that God had given them food? They picked it up six days a week!
Our Great God - God made animals and people. He knew they needed water. When God made the world, one of the first things He made was water. Ask: What are some ways that God could provide water for the Israelites?Do you think He could make it rain? (Allow time for the children to come up with their own ideas.)
God Shows His Power - Instead of just making it rain, God showed the Israelites His power. He showed Moses a rock. It was a dry rock in a dry place. God told Moses to strike the rock with his rod. When he obeyed, a fountain of water came pouring out of the rock. Ask: Did Moses give water to the Israelites? Who gave them the water?
Moses' Question - Moses asked the people, "Is God with us, or not?" Ask: Why do you think he asked such a question? Moses was reminding the Israelites that God was with them. He was leading them. He was keeping them safe. And it was God who was taking care of their needs. He wanted them to remember. He wanted them to be thankful.
Like A Shepherd - Shepherds have the job of taking care of sheep. They keep them safe from wild animals that might want to kill them. They lead them to where the best grass is for them to eat. They lead them to lakes or rivers where there is good water for them to drink. A good shepherd loves his sheep and will not leave them all alone. He takes care of all their needs. The Bible calls God the Good Shepherd. We are His sheep. The Good Shepherd takes care of his sheep.
Review Questions
Questions appear throughout the body of the lesson.
Teacher-Directed Activity
Have the children work on the next section of the timeline. It should include Israelites, Moses and his rod, and the rock. Glue pieces of blue streamers to the rock to represent the water flowing from it.
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, picture of Independence Rock (Wyoming), rock, matches, poster, calendar
1. Draw a picture of the memory verse. Write the memory verse as a caption across the bottom.
2. Write the memory verse on a dry erase board. Erase one word and fill in the blank. Practice until the verse is memorized.
3. Review the plagues using the cards from lessons 1 and 2. Emphasize how the children forget the plagues just as Israel forgot what God had done for them too.
4. Divide a piece of drawing paper into four sections. Draw: 1) traveling through the desert, 2) asking for water, thinking they’re going to die, 3) Moses striking the rock, 4) water gushing from the rock. Be sure to label each picture.
5. Find a picture of Independence Rock, Wyoming. The small river which runs nearby is the Sweetwater River—a welcome sight after crossing the dryness of eastern Wyoming and facing the dry walk through western Wyoming. Talk about how important water is.
6. In your Bible notebook list everything you know about water. Share your list with family or Sabbath School class. Discuss what everyone had on their lists and why.
7. Use an encyclopedia or other nonfiction book to find out what happens to your body when it does not get the water it needs.
8.Compare and contrast what happens to your body without enough water with that of a dry plant. Discuss your conclusions with family or Sabbath School class.
9. Does it ever rain in the desert? Look up a United States or world desert in an encyclopedia. Record at least ten facts about the desert in your Bible notebook.
10. Make a poster of the desert you studied. Label the poster with the facts you wrote in your Bible notebook. Share with family or Sabbath School class.
11. In your Bible notebook make a two-column chart. In one column, list all the Israelites complaints. In the other column, list how God protected and provided the Israelites with what they needed.
12. What are your needs? How does God take care of your needs? As a family or Sabbath School class, keep track of all the ways God takes care of you for the next month. Write them on a calendar where you can see them each day. Thank God for the many ways He takes care of you.
13. Write a journal entry pretending you are an Israelite who has just seen water pour out of a rock. Include what you heard other people saying, what you saw, and how you felt. Share it with family or Sabbath School class.
14. There is a Rock that we can get water from when we are thirsty. But it is a different kind of water. With your family or Sabbath School class, use your Bible, concordance, and other Bible reference books to find out who He is. Find as many Scriptures as you can. Read and discuss the Scriptures together. Write what you learn about this Rock in your Bible notebook.
15. Find two Scriptures which talk about Jesus being the Rock and the source of Living Water.
16. Find a large rock. Melt blue crayon over it in a stream. Use as a paper weight when dry.
17. Sing: “Rock of Ages” on page 55 of the CEM Hymnal. Discuss how the song and the lesson talk about the same thing. Jesus is the Rock and the source of Living Water which sustains life.
18. Sing: “Praise Him, Praise Him” on page 76 of Kids Classics Collection.
19. 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.
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
"The Lord Is My Shepherd" is on page 81 of the Kids Classics Collection.
Closing Prayer
Lead the children in prayer, thanking God for giving them everything they need, even the water they drink. Ask God to help them remember that God is like a good shepherd; He will never leave them and He will take care of them.
Printable Pages
