Hebrews 10:1 tells us that “The Law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming.” Children follow the shadow from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant, tracking important people along the way on a Bible timeline. Through this unit children discover that even as God gave Moses, King David, and King Solomon plans for the tabernacle and temple, God had already planned for a New Covenant through God’s Son, Jesus. In the Game Workshop children learn that God gave Moses instructions for building the tabernacle, a dwelling place for God among God’s people. Children play a Furnish the Tabernacle game and Tabernacle Memory game through which the purpose of each tabernacle furnishing and how it points to the New Covenant through Jesus is described. In the Movie Workshop children unroll a scroll showing instructions God gave King David and King Solomon for building the temple. They view the grandeur of the temple through a movie and using a worksheet, compare the Old covenant and New Covenant through Jesus. In the Storytelling Workshop children learn about renewal as they follow King Josiah to the temple ruins where he rediscovers the Law. In the Mission Workshop children learn how Nehemiah, a Jew in exile in Babylon, returns to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall around the temple. Following Nehemiah’s actions of “see a need, pray, act,” children initiate a blanket making mission project called Project Nehemiah. In the Puppet Workshop children explore shadows as they watch a shadow puppet show and learn that Jesus is the Lamb of God. In the Cooking Workshop children discover through Scripture that their bodies are God’s temple in the New Covenant. They are asked the question – “If your body is God’s home, how then should you live?” Two recipes have them filling ice cream cones with vastly different ingredients creating a visual depiction of living by the Fruits of the Spirit. 

 

Concept: The Tabernacle and Temple are only SHADOW dwelling places for God on earth; our bodies (heart, mind, soul, and body) are the REAL dwelling place of God’s Spirit. 

Bible Memory Verse: The Law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming. Hebrews 10:1 (NIV)

 

 

Focus:     Our Body – God’s Temple

 

Lesson Summary:    Children discover through Scripture that their bodies are God’s temple in the New Covenant. They learn that God’s Spirit wants to dwell within them. Children are asked the question – “if your life is God’s home, how then should you live?” Preparing two vastly different recipes helps children visualize how a life lived by the Fruits of the Spirit pleases God while a life filled with sin and wrongdoing is not an inviting dwelling place for God’s Spirit and grieves God. Ice cream cones filled with pepper and other ingredients create a visual depiction of a life going down the wrong path. Ice cream cones filled with meringue and fruit cocktail create a visual depiction of the Holy Spirit filling the nooks and crannies of our lives uplifting us to live by the Fruits of the Spirit. Children give names to the two recipes according to what they discover

 

 

 

 

Focus:    Old Covenant Law; God Gives Instructions for Building the Tabernacle

 

 

 

Focus:    Nehemiah Sees a Need and Rebuilds the Temple Wall

 

Lesson Summary:     After years of exile, the temple in Jerusalem has fallen in disrepair. The wall surrounding Jerusalem is rubble. Children learn that Nehemiah, a Jew in exile, hears reports to this effect. This saddens him and he begs the king to allow him to return to his homeland. Here he discovers that the crumbled walls have left Jerusalem vulnerable to enemy attacks. Children learn that Nehemiah faithfully lived his life in God’s way. The significance in Nehemiah’s story lies in how Nehemiah responded to needs around him. Children discover that Nehemiah recognized needs around him, prayed about them, and acted. Pray and Act are core words children learn to use in this workshop. Through a mission project called Project Nehemiah, children are involved in recognizing a need, praying over it, and putting a plan into action. They make snuggly fleece blankets that have been prayed over for children in the hospital long term who are in need of God’s love and comfort. The mission focus may be customized to the focus of your church’s mission.

 

 

MOVIE WORKSHOP: 

 

Focus:     King Solomon’s Temple – God’s Instructions for a Permanent Dwelling Place

Activity: Movie, Solomon’s Temple, Movie Worksheet 

Children unroll a scroll showing God’s instructions given to King David for building a permanent dwelling place – the temple. These plans were handed down to King David’s son, King Solomon who actually built the temple. Through a movie children discover the grandness of the temple but how it still resembled the tabernacle in furnishings and purpose. A worksheet activity has children comparing the Old Covenant to the New Covenant through Jesus. Using scripture, children answer questions helping them understand how God provided a New Covenant through Jesus. They learn that they are God’s temple and a dwelling place for God’s Spirit.

 

 

 

 

Focus:     Jesus, the Lamb of God

What’s a shadow? Children explore shadows and learn that a shadow is not the real thing but a faint and imperfect representation of the real thing. They explore the tabernacle as a shadow of God’s plan of good things to come through Jesus. Children learn that God wanted a dwelling place among God’s people. Through a shadow puppet performance, they learn how God gave instructions to Moses for building a dwelling place called a tabernacle. They discover that God designed each furnishing in the tabernacle to be a shadow of his son, Jesus. They discover that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Children create their own simple shadow puppet screen and puppets to take home.

 

 

 

 

Focus:     Renewal; King Josiah Renews God’s Law

Through Scripture children learn that King Josiah was the first good king in a very long time that followed and lived in God’s way. King Josiah visits the children and tells his story. He relays to children how disturbed he is that his people are worshipping idols, not the one true God and the temple has fallen in ruins. King Josiah implores children to help him restore the temple. Dressed in Bible time costumes, he leads children to a place where cobwebs and spiders envelop the temple ruins. A cleanup is needed to set the temple straight. While cleaning up, children discover a long forgotten scroll containing God’s Law. King Josiah reads the law to children and expresses deep sorrow that the law had not been followed in hundreds of years. He renews his faith and promises to renew the people of Jerusalem, bringing them back to worshipping God. Children learn that God loves God’s people so much that God won’t give up on them.