Story # 17 and 18

LESSON 17: The Kingdoms’ Fall

Timeless Truth: The Lord’s plans always come through.

Bible Basis:   Jeremiah 1:4–10, 2:21–28, 5:1–2, 13:17–19; 2 Chronicles 36:11–16;

                        2 Kings 25:1–12; Lamentations 1:1, 2:17, 3:21–26; 5:1 and 15–21;

                        Ezekiel 1:1–2:7, 36:22–36

Key Verse:     I say to myself, “The Lord is everything I will ever need. So I will put my hope in him” (Lamentations 3:24).

Parent Tips:

Use the Table Talk questions to start a discussion around the dinner table during the week. The Living Faith activity encourages your family to have fun drawing some of God’s amazing creations. The Extra Mile looks at an all-star baseball player who rejected God, but then repented and found mercy.

Get the Point:

Preschool: God’s people suffer because of their sin, but God still loves them. His love for me will never end.

Elementary: God’s people suffer because of their sin, but God still loves them. His love for me will never end.

Middle School: God’s judgment isn’t pretty. But he also stands ready to give mercy to those who show remorse.

High School: God’s judgment isn’t pretty. But he also stands ready to give mercy to those who show remorse.

Table Talk

Preschool/Elementary

• Have you ever done something that you were told not to? What happened?

• God told the people in Judah and Israel many times to not worship idols. He sent prophets who warned them about what would happen. So the people turned from their wicked ways and worshiped God, right? Wrong! What did the people really do?

• Do you like it when your parents warn you about your behavior?

• Do you usually change your behavior before you get in trouble?

• God’s people got in big trouble. Do you think that was fair?

Middle/High School

• We’ve all heard the saying, “Like father, like son.” What are some ways that you’re like your parents? (Parents share about similarities with their parents.) Be sure to talk about some positive attributes and some negative.

• In this chapter of The Story, it’s like the kings tried to be the opposite of their parents. It was “like father, not like son.” It was good king, bad king, good king. . . . Why do you think that happened?

• Are there any things you’re doing to be set apart from your parents?

• Why do some people work hard at not following the positive character qualities of their parents?

• How can you work to embrace the good and reject the bad from the role models in your life?

Living Faith

God opened up the heavens and gave the prophet Ezekiel amazing visions. Gather your family around a table. Make sure to have an assortment of paper, crayons, colored pencils and other drawing utensils. Read all of Ezekiel 1 out loud. When you’re finished, take some time to draw the creatures that he described. You can even draw the scene with the heavenly sapphire throne and glowing metal figure (Ezekiel 1:26-28). Have fun critiquing each other’s work. When you’re finished, ask:

• Is it possible to describe heavenly creatures or heaven with words?

• Why can’t words do God justice?

• What do these creatures say about the creativity of God? Can’t you just picture these creatures in a movie or comic book?

• These creatures are called cherubim. God specially made them for a purpose. Think about other things that God made that might look weird but have a special purpose. What about ears? star-nosed moles?

When you’ve finished talking, read more about this scene in Ezekiel 10. Make any additions or changes to your illustrations that you want to. Hang the final products on the refrigerator for a week to remind your family of God’s power and creativity.

Extra Mile

God’s people knew the truth, but they turned their back on it and followed their own ways. But even as God judges his people, he looks to their redemption (see Ezekiel 36:22-36). God is a God of mercy and healing. For a personal, modern example of God’s grace, watch Home Run Derby King Josh Hamilton: From Addiction to Salvation on YouTube. (Some of the video footage has been removed.)

            Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton accepted Christ at 18, and shortly after he was picked No. 1 in the Major League Baseball draft. In the minor leagues, he got addicted to drugs and nearly lost everything: Money, fame, a  beautiful wife. After years of drug abuse, Josh rededicated life to God, and God gave it all back. At the 2008 All Star Game, Josh hit a record-breaking 28 home runs in one round of the home run derby.

            Watch Josh’s story and then talk as a family about the similarities between his story and what happened to God’s people.

            • What was Josh’s idol?

            •How did God give everything back to Josh?

            • What does this say about God’s character?

LESSON 18: God Watches Over Daniel / Daniel in Exile

Timeless Truth: The Lord’s plans don’t harm, but bring hope and success.

Bible Basis:   Daniel 6:1-23; Jeremiah 30:1-3, 8, 10-11, 31:23-25, 29:10-14

Key Verse:     “[Daniel] went to his room three times a day to pray. He got down on his knees and gave thanks to his God,” (Daniel 6:10)

Parent Tips:

Use the Table Talk questions to start a discussion around the dinner table during the week. The Living Faith activity encourages you to have a family sleepover. The Extra Mile looks at a video about God’s protection through his angels.

Get the Point:

Preschool: Daniel is loyal to God and God protects him. I can be loyal to God.

Elementary: Daniel is loyal to God and God protects him. I can be loyal to God.

Middle School: God’s loving protection and godly relationships carry me through trying times.

High School: God’s loving protection and godly relationships carry me through trying times.

Table Talk

Preschool/Elementary

• Daniel followed God’s rules, instead of the king’s, and got in trouble. Have you ever got in trouble for doing the right thing? If so, what happened?

• Daniel prayed even though he knew it could cost him his life. What are some things you pray about?

• Daniel’s punishment for praying to God was to be thrown into the lions’ den. Everybody take turns doing their best lion’s roar (even parents). Who protected Daniel from the lions?

• King Darius knew Daniel served God. The king even said, “You always serve your God faithfully. So may he save you” (Daniel 6:16). Daniel showed King Darius true faith in God with his actions (by praying and trusting him for protection) without saying a word. What are some actions you can take to show others you serve the one true God?

Note: Young readers will enjoy hearing Daniel’s story in the Jesus Storybook Bible on page 152.

Middle/High School

• Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah (or Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego) were taken from Judah and brought to Babylon. But they refused to give up God’s rules and follow new customs. Have you ever been in a situation where you felt you had to abandon God’s standards to fit in?

• Daniel and his friends ate vegetables and drank water, instead of eating the king’s food. What happened?

• How else did Daniel and his friends stand out?

• Do you think Daniel was a goody-two-shoes?

• Is always doing things God’s way a bad thing? If not, why is it so hard to make the decision to always follow God?

• How was Daniel able to make the decision to always follow God?

Living Faith

Daniel was forced to have a sleepover with some hairy, scary friends. Follow his example—sort of—by planning a family sleepover. You can do it in your bedroom, or in a living or family room. Pick either a Friday or Saturday night and plan ahead to make it fun. At the beginning you can pray, “God you protected Daniel during his sleepover with the lions, and we know you’ll be with us tonight, too. Amen.” Try these ideas or make up some of your own to create some family memories.

            • Play “Simon Says.”

            • Play one of your kids’ favorite board games.

            • Put together a puzzle.

            • Rent a kids’ video and make popcorn.

            • Have everybody write down a tongue twister (or make one up). Fold up each paper and put it in a hat. Take turns drawing one and trying to say the tongue twister five times fast.

            • Play charades. Have family members act out the title to a favorite song, movie or TV show.

            • Hide the thimble. Take turns hiding a thimble (or other small object) in the room with nobody looking. As everybody searches, the “hider” gives clues by saying, “You’re getting warmer” (if a person is close to finding it) or “You’re getting colder” (if a person is going the wrong direction).

            • Share characteristics of each person that you appreciate.

            • Make a yummy dessert or snack as a family.

            Go to bed a little later than normal (for younger kids); then wake up in the morning, cook breakfast and clean up as a family.

Extra Mile

God’s protecting angels show up a couple of times during this chapter of The Story. First, when Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are thrown into the fiery furnace, King Nebuchadnezzar sees four people in the flames—instead of three. He exclaims, “The fourth man looks like a son of the gods” (Daniel 3:25). Then when Daniel is thrown into the lions’ den, he tells King Darius, “My God sent his angel. And his angel shut the mouths of the lions (Daniel 6:21).

            • Do you think God sends his protecting angels today?

            Watch the 1:30 video, “Who are our guardian angels?” on YouTube.com

            Angels are specially created beings by God. They serve the wishes of their heavenly father. Look at these other verses about angels: Exodus 14:19-20 (with Moses and Israelites fleeing Egypt); Judges 6:12-22 (with Gideon); Matthew 2:13-20 (with Joseph, to help protect the baby Jesus). God’s angels are mentioned throughout the Bible!