Unit 12: Elijah and Elisha OT12.7 Elijah and Fire from …...Elijah was also well known for the...

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OT12.7 Elijah and Fire from Heaven ©Beverly Wilson 2019

Unit 12: Elijah and Elisha OT12.7 Elijah and Fire from Heaven

Scripture: 2 Kings 1:1-18

Lesson Goal: Elijah was a prophet that God sent to the people of Israel to speak His Word to them. He warned the nation against their sin of idolatry. Elijah was also well known for the great miracles that God did through him. In this lesson we will see how God used him to bring fire from heaven to judge the nation of Israel and foretell the coming death of King Ahaziah.

Introduction: This lesson is found in the book of 2 Kings. This book tells the history of the 12 kings of the northern kingdom called Israel and the 16 kings of the southern kingdom called Judah. It is in the second group of Old Testament books called the historical books. These books begin with Joshua and go through Esther. Let's say these books--Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther

Attention Getter: “Lightning” Have you ever been in a big thunderstorm and heard the crash of a big lightning bolt? That can be very scary! Especially if it happens at night! Some children will hide under the covers of their bed! Even adults are often frightened when it storms like this. When a lighting storm comes it is important that everyone go inside the house where it is safe. Sometimes lightning can strike trees or other tall objects. This is a tree that has been hit by lighting.

In this lesson we will learn how God used a big bolt of fire to prove that He is God. God used his prophet Elijah to bring fire from heaven to judge the nation of Israel and foretell the coming death of King Ahaziah.

(Show pictures of lightning or damage that lightning has caused to trees or homes. Allow children to discuss their fears. Be sure to accept their fears as reasonable and be understanding of how they deal with them.)

Opening Prayer: Father in heaven, in this lesson we learned about King Ahaziah and his sin of worshipping the idol Baal-Zebub. We know that You have commanded us not to get involved with the worship of evil spirits like he did. Help us to recognize when the devil comes with his lies and tries to tempt us to do wrong. You have told us that we should call on you for help and strength and you will give us victory. Thank you that You are stronger than Satan and you have promised to help us. Thank you that you have made us your children and that you love us. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Memory Verse: The memory verse is 1 Peter 5:8 “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

Lesson Video: https://youtu.be/e_KMy8ETF0g Elijah was a prophet that God had sent to the people of Israel to speak His Word to them. Elijah was also well known for the great miracles that God did through him. During the time of Elijah the nation of Israel was divided into two kingdoms. The northern kingdom was called Israel and the southern kingdom was called Judah. Both kingdoms had begun to worship idols and were ruled by a series of corrupt evil kings.

https://youtu.be/e_KMy8ETF0g

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King Ahab and Queen Jezebel had been the most wicked of all. They worshipped the idol Baal and led the nation of Israel into much idolatry. After the death of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, their son Ahaziah became the King of Israel. King Ahaziah followed the ways of his father and mother and also worshipped Baal. He caused Israel to sin against God and this provoked the Lord to be angry.

God is a God of Holiness and in the Ten Commandments he had clearly warned that Israel should have no other gods before them. How sad that the once great country who had worshipped God under King David was now living in sin!

One day King Ahaziah was in the upper room of his palace in Samaria. A terrible accident happened and he fell through the lattice work that surrounded his balcony on the second floor. He badly injured himself and became very ill. He began to wonder whether he would ever get well.

Uncertain about his future, he called his messengers and said, “Go to Ekron and consult the god Baal-Zebub to see if I will recover from this injury.” Ahaziah was showing through this command that he was a true worshipper of the pagan god Baal-Zebub because he turned to this god in his time of trouble.

Baal-Zebub was a popular idol god whose temple was located in the city of Ekron in the land of the Philistines. The name of this god means the “God of the Flies” and refers to the demon who causes diseases. This “prince of Baal” was also thought to have the power of prophecy. God had clearly forbidden His people to consult idols and evil powers about the future.

The king’s messengers set off from Samaria at once. The angel of the Lord told Elijah the prophet to go and intercept them. The prophet obeyed and stopped them. “Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going off to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Tell the king the Lord God says, “You will not leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!” Then Elijah left them.

The messengers were so persuaded by Elijah that they returned to the palace. King Ahaziah asked them, “Why have you come back?”

They explained that a man had stopped them and said, “Is it because there is no God in Israel that you want to consult Baal-Zebub? You will not leave your bed and you will die!” God was warning King Ahaziah and giving him a chance to repent and turn from his worship of idols.

The king asked them, “What kind of man was it who came to meet you and told you this?”

They replied, “He was a man with a garment of hair and with a leather belt around his waist.” The king knew at once that it was Elijah the prophet. He hated Elijah for the message that he was saying.

So King Ahaziah ordered an army captain with fifty soldiers to find Elijah and seize him. The captain found Elijah sitting on the top of a hill. He ordered him, “Man of God, the king says, “Come down!” The captain was really making fun of Elijah by calling him the “man of God.”

Elijah replied, “If I am a man of God, may fire fall down from heaven on you and your fifty men!” Because Elijah could not bring down fire from heaven without God’s help, God must have shown him that these men did not really believe that he was God’s prophet.

Immediately fire fell from heaven and consumed the captain and his men. When King Ahaziah heard what had happened, he sent another army captain with his fifty men to arrest Elijah.

The second captain found the hill and saw the scene of the disaster. He should have known that the true God of Israel was more powerful than the god of Baal. But instead he told Elijah the same message. “Man of God, the king orders you to come down at once!” This army captain was even more rude and disrespectful than the first captain. He said to Elijah to “come quickly.”

Suddenly the fire of God fell from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men too! Now the king had lost two captains and over one hundred soldiers! When King Ahaziah heard the news he was undaunted! He sent a third army captain with his fifty men to seize Elijah and arrest him.

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Now this captain was quite different than the first two. He believed that Elijah was truly a man of God! He saw what had happened to the other two captains so he approached Elijah with humility and respect. He began to plead for his life and the life of his men.

He fell on his knees and said, “Man of God,” he begged, “please have respect for my life and the lives of these fifty men! Fire has fallen from heaven and consumed the first two captains and all their men. Please have respect for my life!”

The angel of the Lord said to Elijah, “Go with him and do not be afraid.” God was going to protect Elijah! So Elijah got up and went down with him to Samaria to see King Ahaziah.

When they arrived at the palace Elijah told the injured king the message God had for him, “Is it because there is no God in Israel that you have sent messengers to consult Baal-Zebub? Because you have done this, you will never leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!” God’s judgment did not change just because King Ahaziah did not want to hear it!

Just as God had said, soon King Ahaziah died. The king missed his opportunity to repent and believe in God. Because he did not have a son to succeed him his brother Joram became king.

In this lesson King Ahaziah committed the sin of worshipping an idol called Baal-zebub. In the New Testament Baal-Zebub is called the ruler of the demons or Satan. In 1 Corinthians 10 the Apostle Paul warns believers not to have anything to do with demon worship!

Our memory verse is 1 Peter 5:8 “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” This verse tells us that we as believers have an enemy. He is the devil and like a hungry lion he wants to destroy us. We need to watch out for Satan’s lies because he wants to tempt us to do wrong.

What are some ways that we might get involved in the worship of the devil? Some people think that playing a game like the Ouija board is just having fun. But it is not! God says that we are not to seek wisdom about the future from anyone but Him! Playing a game like that can lead to believing the lies of the devil.

That is also why Christians should not be involved with astrology. People who look at the signs of the zodiac are really opening their mind to the evil spirits and that is strictly forbidden by God. The position of the stars does not direct our future. God is in control of our life and we should be looking to Him for direction.

Sometimes kids can get involved with books of magic and sorcery and even want to wear jewelry and other objects that represent the devil. Do not get involved with that kind of activity. We are to honor God with our mind and body!

King Ahaziah committed the sin of idolatry and the worship of Satan and God judged him. God wants what is best for us and we should obey Him.

In this lesson we see that the third captain that King Ahaziah sent to Elijah was very different from the first two. He believed in God and respected the prophet Elijah. Did you notice that this captain and his men were not destroyed by the “fire from heaven.” They were saved because they trusted in God! That is the same with us!

When we believe in Jesus as our Savior we will be saved from judgment and go to heaven and live with Jesus. In the meantime God gives to us the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Person of Jesus comes to live and dwell within us. He gives to us the wisdom that we need to overcome any temptations that Satan may bring our way.

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The Bible tells us that God loves us and wants what is best for us. We can trust Him with all our minds and soul! If Jesus is our Savior then God can use His Word to help us resist temptation. He will never forsake or leave us! What a great promise we have as Christians!

Let's pray. Father in heaven, in this lesson we learned about King Ahaziah and his sin of worshipping the idol Baal-Zebub. We know that You have commanded us not to get involved with the worship of evil spirits like he did. Help us to recognize when the devil comes with his lies and tries to tempt us to do wrong. You have told us that we should call on you for help and strength and you will give us victory. Thank you that You are stronger than Satan and you have promised to help us. Thank you that you have made us your children and that you love us. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Remember resist the devil and his lies!

Review Questions/ Game: Bounce Basket Have students stand approximately 3 feet from a large round container (trash basket). Students take turns bouncing a large rubber playground ball at least once attempting to get the ball into the container. If the ball goes into the container, student answers one of the following questions:

1. Who was Elijah? (Elijah was one of God’s prophets. A prophet is a messenger from God who is

sent to preach God’s Word to save the people from their sins. Elijah warned the people to turn away from Baal worship and obey God.)

2. During the time of Elijah what was the nation of Israel like? (During the time of Elijah the nation of Israel was divided into two kingdoms. The northern kingdom was called Israel and the southern kingdom was called Judah. Both kingdoms had begun to worship idols and were ruled by a series of corrupt evil kings.)

3. What kind of king was Ahaziah? (King Ahaziah followed the ways of his father and mother and also worshipped Baal. He caused Israel to sin against God and this provoked the Lord to be angry. He was a wicked king.)

4. How had God warned Israel about the sin of idolatry? (He had sent Elijah the prophet to tell them about their sin. God is a God of Holiness and in the Ten Commandments he had clearly warned that Israel should have no other gods before them.)

5. What happened to King Ahaziah? (He had an accident and fell through the lattice work of his second floor balcony and had injured himself very badly.)

6. Why did King Ahaziah tell his servants to go to Baal-Zebub? (King Ahaziah wanted to know if he was going to recover from his injuries and continue to live.)

7. Who was Baal-Zebub? (Baal-Zebub was a popular idol god whose temple was located in the city of Ekron in the land of the Philistines. The name of this god means the “God of the Flies” and refers to the demon who causes diseases. This “prince of Baal” was also thought to have the power of prophecy.)

8. Why did God become angry at King Ahaziah and the nation of Israel? (They were worshipping an idol who was really a demon. God had forbidden Israel to worship idols.)

9. Who came to intercept the messengers from going to the city of Ekron? (The angel of the Lord came to Elijah and told him to stop them.)

10. What was the message that Elijah gave the men to tell the king? (Elijah told them, “Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going off to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Tell the king the Lord God says, “You will not leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!”)

11. When the messengers return to the king to give him the message from Elijah and God, what did King Ahaziah say? (“What kind of man was it who came to meet you and told you this?”)

12. How did King Ahaziah know that the man was Elijah? (The messengers told him that he was wearing a garment of hair and with a leather belt around his waist.)

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13. What happened to the first people who King Ahaziah sent to arrest Elijah? (He sent a captain and fifty men. God sent fire from heaven to destroy them.)

14. What is fire from heaven? (We do not exactly know what this fire from heaven was. It might have been like lightning or it could have been balls of fire. Whatever it was, it was God’s miracle to make the people understand how evil idol worship is.)

15. What happened to the second group of people who King Ahaziah sent to arrest Elijah? (He sent another captain and fifty men. God sent fire from heaven to destroy them too.)

16. How were the third captain and his fifty men different from the previous two that King Ahaziah sent to arrest Elijah? (He believed that Elijah was truly a man of God! He saw what had happened to the other two captains so he approached Elijah with humility and respect. He began to plead for his life and the life of his men.)

17. How did God respond to this man’s belief in him? (God did not send fire from heaven to destroy them. He saved them from destruction.)

18. What message did the angel of the Lord have for Elijah when the third captain and men come to arrest Elijah? (The angel of the Lord said to Elijah, “Go with him and do not be afraid.” God was going to protect Elijah!)

19. What message from God did Elijah deliver in person to King Ahaziah? (Elijah told the king, “Is it because there is no God in Israel that you have sent messengers to consult Baal-Zebub? Because you have done this, you will never leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!”)

20. What happened to King Ahaziah? (He died like God had said he would. He was replaced by his brother Joram.)

21. What is wrong with playing the Ouija Board game? (The game is about answering questions about the future and is based on the idea that the spirits can answer your questions. God says that we are not to seek wisdom about the future from anyone but Him! Playing a game like that can lead to believing the lies of the devil.)

22. Why is astrology wrong for believers? (People who look at the signs of the zodiac are really opening their mind to the evil spirits and that is strictly forbidden by God. The position of the stars does not direct our future. God is in control of our life and we should be looking to Him for direction.)

23. What are some other ways that Satan uses to trick us into worshipping him? (Sometimes kids can get involved with books of magic and sorcery and even want to wear jewelry and other objects that represent the devil. Do not get involved with that kind of activity. We are to honor God with our mind and body!)

24. What does God give us when we become believers to help us overcome the power of Satan? (He gives to us the gift of salvation. When we believe in Jesus as our Savior we will be saved from judgment and go to heaven and live with Jesus. In the meantime God gives to us the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Person of Jesus comes to live and dwell within us. He gives to us the wisdom that we need to overcome any temptations that Satan may bring our way.)

25. Why should we memorize scripture? (The Bible is God’s holy Word. It helps us to know what is right and wrong and will help us to overcome the temptations of the devil.)

26. What is the memory verse? (Our memory verse is 1 Peter 5:8 “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”)

Bible Memory Verse Activity: “Stack and Twist Cups” Our memory verse is 1 Peter 5:8 “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” Have students locate the verse in scripture and read it together several times.

Say: “This verse tells us that we as believers have an enemy. He is the devil and like a hungry lion he wants to destroy us. We need to watch out for Satan’s lies because he wants to tempt us to do wrong.”

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Preparation: You will need one insulated cup for each word of the memory verse and marking pens. Before class you will need to stack the cups and draw three vertical lines along the sides to designate three equal sections around the cup. Procedure: Provide a marker and a set of insulated cups to each child in your class. Instruct everyone to stack their cups inside one another with the stack upside down. The lip of each cup should be visible. Have the students write each word of the memory verse along the visible portion of the cup. Be sure the word stays with within the section designated by the drawn lines. This means that each cup lip will have one word of the memory verse written on its lip. After the memory verse has been written one word on each cup lid, have the students mix the order of the cups and then stack them again in the wrong order. Have them write the memory verse again in another section of the cups. Again they will mix the order of the cups and then restack and write the memory verse on the third section. This should result in a different word being written in each section of the cup. Have all the cups removed from the stack and randomly placed to avoid any advantage. Allow the students to race to stack the cups in the order of the memory verse. They will also be able to twist the cups to reveal various options! The person to align the cups in the proper order wins!

Group Learning Activity: “Simon Says” (Grades K-3) Preparation: No preparation if needed except a large activity area in which children can move freely. Procedure: Explain how to listening game "Simon Says." (Tell children that you will give directions for them to follow. If you say "Simon says" first, they should do it. If you do not say "Simon says" first, they should not do it.) Tell children to listen carefully and follow directions. Start the game with "Simon says, put your finger on your chin." Help any children who are having difficulty by pointing to your chin and putting your finger on it. Continue with commands that include up, down, and out. Once children are comfortable following one-step directions, give them two-step directions to follow. For example, ask them to stand on their right foot and hop in place. Teacher Tip: Experienced players of "Simon Says" are often "out," or excluded from the game, when they make a mistake. Young children should keep playing even when they make mistakes, so that they can improve through play. Say: "How many of you know how to play the game "Simon Says?" If Simon says to do something, you do it, but if Simon doesn't say to do it, you don't do it. Are you ready to play? Good, let's play. Simon says, "Raise your hand." Simon says, "Raise your other hand." "Okay, put your hands down." Uh-oh! I caught some of you on that one, didn't I? Did Simon say, "Put your hands down." No! Well, let's try again. Simon says, "Put your hands down." Simon says, "Flap your elbows." Simon says, "Clap your hands." Touch your nose. Ooops! I caught some of you again. Let's try one more time. Simon says, "Touch your nose." Pull your ear! Good! I didn't trick you that time. You are catching on to the game now.

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Say: “In the game of Simon Says, you do what Simon says to do, but in real life you should do what the Bible tells you to do. Did you know that Satan will try to trick you into doing what he wants you to do? The Bible says, "Thou shalt not steal," but if you go to the store to buy something and the cashier gives you too much money back, Satan will try to get you to keep it. He will say, "That isn't stealing," but if we take something that doesn't belong to us, it is stealing, isn't it? Say: “The Bible says, "Love your enemies," but when someone does something to hurt you, Satan will say, "Hurt them back, after all, they hurt you first." The Bible says, "Thou shalt not lie," but when you accidentally break your mother's vase and she asks if you know how it got broken, Satan will say, "Don't tell the truth. If you tell the truth, it will just get you into more trouble." Did you know that Satan even tried to get Jesus to do things that were wrong? When he did, do you know what Jesus did? Jesus answered him with Scripture. That is a good way to defeat Satan, isn't it? Just read the Bible and do what it tells you to do -- not what Satan tells you to do!"

Group Learning Activity: “Battling Sin” (Grades K-5) Preparation: You will need a large play area and some cardboard tube “swords.” Use duct tape to secure two paper towel rolls together (end to end). Optional: Use large drapery fabric tubes. Or you can use empty wrapping paper rolls by themselves. You need one "sword" for each child. You will also need masking tape to mark the game boundaries. Procedure: Use masking tape to make a line down the middle of the room. This line will separate the floor into two battlefields, one for each team. Also, use masking tape to mark off a home base corner for each team. Form two teams. Give each child a "sword" made out of the paper towel rolls. If desired, allow several minutes for the kids to decorate their swords using colored markers. Next, explain how the Bible is our sword. Have the children call out some sins or temptations they face each day. For example, stealing, cussing, being a bully, disobeying parents, etc. As they do, write the sin on the sheet of paper and then wad it up into a ball. Throw the balls of paper onto the floor, making sure the balls are on both sides of the battlefield. Give the following rules of the game:

• The object is to move any "sin balls" from your side of the battlefield to the other team's side. • You must stand at home base in the "READY" position until you hear the word, "GO!" • You must stay on your side of the battlefield and not cross the centerline. • You must use only your sword to move the sin balls to the other side. • You must stop when the leader calls out, "STOP!" • You must use your sword wisely or it may break in half.

After saying, "GO," give the children a few minutes then yell "STOP!" Count the number of "sin balls" on each side and pronounce the winning team of that round. Then have everyone return to the "READY" position, and play another round. Say: "This game shows us how sin attacks. Sin is always around us. We are faced with temptation every day. They never seem to go away. We can combat these evil things when we use our swords wisely. But what good is a dull sword? We must keep our swords sharp to be ready for battle. How do we keep our swords sharp? (To keep our swords sharp we need to read our Bible and let the Word of God become part of our lives)

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Group Learning Activity: “Hunting or Fishing Object Lesson” (Grades K-5) Preparation: Invite a man in your church who is a hunter or fisherman to come to your class and talk about their duck decoys, fishing lures, or hunting snares. Procedure: Compare the decoys, lures, or snare objects to Satan's traps and snares. For example: A fishing barrel net can be used in the following way. The opening at one end is very large and the smell of bait entices the fish into the net. The net then has two funnels into which the fish enter, but cannot go back out. Actually there is one small way out of the net, but the fish are trying every other way to get out once they are caught in the net. This is a wonderful illustration how Satan entices us into sin. It doesn't look threatening and the bait is so attractive. Once we are caught in the net of sin though, there is only one way out - that is Jesus. We can try other ways, but there is only one out of sin's trap. For example: A hunting snare can be very effective. The danger is that they blend in with the natural surroundings. A snare captures an animal as he's going about his normal activities. It won't kill the animal, but it will bind its leg and leave it helpless. Satan can hide snares among the normal surroundings of our everyday life too. We can be caught unsuspecting if we're not careful to keep our spiritual eyes open and be on alert. It's important for us to listen to those that watch out for us like our parents or teachers. Also, we need to read and study the Bible because it warns us about Satan's snares and teaches us how to avoid being caught in them. 1 Peter 5:8: "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." For example: A duck decoy is made to look just like a real duck. The hunter places it in the water, splashes the water to make it move, and then uses a duck call to make the sounds of a duck. Ducks follow a leader. As they hear what they think to be a duck calling to them, they follow. As they come closer, they get in grave danger because they're following a "fake" duck. Who are we following? There are many voices that call for our attention and want us to follow them. There are our peers (others our own age), television programs, movies, etc. We need to be careful who we follow. The one we should be following is Jesus. He's the "real deal" not a decoy! In Luke 21:8 Jesus says: " He replied: "Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and, 'The time is near.' Do not follow them."

Group Learning Activity/Game: “Key Word Charades” (Grades K-5) Preparation: Write the following key words on separate index cards: King Ahaziah, idol Baal-Zebub, messenger, Elijah, Captain 1, Captain 2, Captain 3, fire Procedure: Form two teams and play a game of charades using key word cards. One player will act out the word for his team. If his team can guess the word in 60 seconds, award one point. Then the other team will take a turn. Play additional rounds with new players taking turns drawing the key words. Review the key events in the Bible lesson as you play the game. Say: “In this lesson we will learn how God used a big bolt of fire to prove that He is God. God used his prophet Elijah to bring fire from heaven to judge the nation of Israel and foretell the coming death of King Ahaziah. God displayed his amazing power by sending fire from heaven. When Elijah called out to God, God answered.

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Say: “God has done a truly amazing thing for us. In some ways, we were all like the people of Israel and King Ahaziah at one time, worshiping other things that had no power over the sin in our lives. Those things may not be statues, but anything we love more than God—friends, activities, entertainment, or even ourselves—is an idol. Worshiping these things is a sin. God has made the way for us to be free from our sin. He sent His Son, Jesus, to earth to live a perfect life in our place. When we put our faith in Jesus, God graciously forgives our sin and sees us as if we were perfectly obedient like Jesus. That is such good news!”

Group Learning Activity: Scripture: “Idols” (Grades 3-5) Preparation: Each student will need a Bible. Procedure: Distribute Bibles to every student. Say: "In this lesson we learned that King Ahaziah worshipped idols like his father and mother King Ahab and Queen Jezebel. We will look in the Bible to see what God has to say about idol worship.” Have students locate and read aloud the following scriptures associated with idol worship. Discuss the biblical principle being taught in the scripture. Ask students to think of applications of the scripture to their life.

Leviticus 19:4 Do not turn to idols or make metal gods for yourselves. I am the Lord your God. God gave us this commandment and emphasized it several times throughout the Bible. God wants our undivided attention and love. We can allow many things to become more important to us. Money, fame, work, or pleasure can become gods when we concentrate too much on them for personal gain. Spending too much time on them can cause them to grow into gods that ultimately control our thoughts and energy. Putting God first will keep these things from becoming idols.

Psalm 97:7 All who worship images are put to shame, those who boast in idols— worship him, all you gods! People worship all kinds of images and idols. Although God reveals Himself and his love through the Bible, many people may decide to ignore or reject Him and pursue their own goals. These people are idol worshippers because they give their loyalty to something other than God. Some day we will stand before God and then we will see that all our goals and accomplishments are really worthless compared to God and all His glory.

Matthew 4:10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.” When the devil tempted Jesus he offered the whole world to him if Jesus would only bow down and worship him. Today the divel offers us the world by trying to entice us with materialism and power. We can resist the temptation the same way Jesus did. If you are tempted to put the things of the world first then, just say what Jesus said. “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.”

2 Corinthians 6:12 “What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” We cannot pretend to worship God and continue to allow other things to control us. The two cannot exist together. We will either worship God or material things and idols. We can’t do both!

Discuss some temptations that kids may face that are putting things before God: Ex. Sports that takes the place of attending church or youth activities; Electronic devices such as phones or video games that take the place of time that we should spend reading the Bible or praying; Putting friends before doing what God wants, etc. Have students write what they have learned in their spiritual journals. Close in prayer asking for God’s help in meeting our needs and using our material blessings wisely.

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Craft Learning Activity: “Flame Banners” Preparation: You will need red, yellow, and orange crepe paper, jumbo craft sticks or ¼” dowel rod sticks or paint sticks, and masking tape. Procedure: Before class cut off two to three feet lengths of the red, yellow, and orange crepe paper streamers. Staple them together at one end and cut the ends to a point at different lengths and then wrap the ends with tape around the craft stick. Have students to wave the streamers to simulate the “fire from heaven.” These banners can also be used to wave during songs about Elijah.

Craft Learning Activity: Flaming Fire twirlers (Grades K-5) Preparation: You will need red or orange craft foam sheets. Procedure: Cut a piece of red or orange fun foam in a circle. Then cut around in a spiral until you get to the middle of the circle. Decorate the spiral with fun foam shapes. Hang it up with a piece of yarn. This craft will remind your children that God sent fire from heaven to show that He was God. You can use paper plates cut in a circle. Have students decorate them with red/ orange markers. Hang from ceiling.

Group Learning Activity: God’s Word Game (Grades 2-5) Purpose: To encourage students to study God’s Word by helping them learn the order of the Books of the Bible. Preparation: Write the name of each book of the Bible or the first two sections of the Old Testament (Books of Law and Books of History) on a separate index card. Procedure: Mix up the cards and divide the cards evenly between the players. Each player places his or her stack face down in front of him or herself. Then at the same time each player turns the top card from his or her stack face up and says the Bible book name aloud. Players compare face up cards. The player who played the Bible book card that come latest in the Bible collects the face up cards and adds them to the bottom of his or her stack. (For example, if two people are playing and one player played the card for the book of Genesis and the other played the card for the book of Luke, the latter player would collect both cards.) Repeat play until one player has all of the cards.

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Life Application Challenge: “Five Fingers” Have the children hold up one hand. Use the fingers on the hand to remember five ways God helps us when we are tempted. Point to a finger as you give each idea.

Point to the thumb and say, Know what Jesus wants you to do. Tell the children how to know what Jesus wants them to do. Say, First, you must know God’s Word. You should read the Bible and learn Bible verses. These verses will help you make the right choice, just as they helped Jesus.

Point to the first finger and say, Ask God to help you make right choices. Spend time each day praying to God. Ask Him to help you do what is right.

Point to the second finger and say, Ask other Christians to help you. It is important to talk to other Christians when you are tempted to do wrong. Other Christians can pray for you. They can tell you what helps them to do right.

Point to the third finger and say, Tell the devil to go away. Remember, Jesus told the devil to go away. Do not listen to temptation.

Point to the fourth finger and say, Stay away from people, places, and things that make you want to do wrong. Stay away from people who try to get you to do wrong things. Stay away from places where you should not go and away from things you should not do.

Practice saying the five points using your fingers. Have the children point to each finger as you talk about it. Tell the children to let others know how God is helping them. Say, "When you let others know how God is helping you, it helps them."

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Elijah and Fire from Heaven

1 Peter 5:8

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

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Elijah Puzzle

Unit 12: Elijah and Elisha OT12.7 Elijah and Fire from …...Elijah was also well known for the...

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Transcript of Unit 12: Elijah and Elisha OT12.7 Elijah and Fire from …...Elijah was also well known for the...