Does it Matter How We Get to the End Product?

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altar, book of Exodus, Children of Israel, God

Excerpt from Enjoying Exodus: The Bible in Rhyme by Marcia Goldlist

God told the children of Israel to build an altar. However, he told them that if they used a sword in building the altar, it would desecrate it 

Discuss:

• What does it mean to be desecrated?
• If you are told to build a house, does it matter what tools you use? If it doesn’t matter why did God care if the children of Israel built an altar using a sword?
• Can any item be used for both good and bad?

Creative Thinking:

• Are swords “instruments of war” or “instruments used in war”? Make a list of points for each side of the argument.
• Why would God say not to use a “sword” rather than saying “an instrument of war”?
• If you take the ‘s’ from sword and put it at the end of the word you get “words’. What is the relationship between a sword and words?
• Think of at least five ways to suggest making a desecrated altar holy.

Homeschool Bible Activities:

• Make a list of tools that would be acceptable to God to make an altar.
• Make a list of tools that would probably not be acceptable to God to make an altar.
• Explain why building an altar to be used in the service of God should be pure from the start.
• Find other verses in the Bible with “sword” in them.
• Think of at least five reasons that God would care what tools were used to create an altar.
• Research the origin of the sword.
• In what things today does it matter how you get to a final purpose?
• What were the advantages of using a sword in war?
• Research how various altars were used in different religions and /or in different countries.
• God cared what the children of Israel used to make the altar. Try to justify to God using a sword that was never used in war?

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Does Being in Awe of God Reduce Sin?

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Children of Israel, God, Moses

Excerpt from Enjoying Exodus: The Bible in Rhyme by Marcia Goldlist

The children of Israel are afraid to listen to God. They did not want God to speak to them directly. They asked Moses to tell them whatever God wanted them to hear. Moses tells them not to be afraid, God wants the children of Israel to be in awe of Him so that they will not sin.

Discuss:

• What does it mean to be in awe of someone?
• What does it mean to be in awe of God?
• What kinds of people are other people in awe of?
  • Why do you think that this happens?
• What does it mean to be elevated?
• What does it mean to sin?

Creative Thinking:

• Make a list of reasons that causes people to sin.
• Make a list of reasons that stops people from sinning.
• Make a list of things which elevate you as a person.

Homeschool Activities:

• Is sinning related to religion? Explain your point of view.
• God was trying to help the children of Israel from sinning. Create a media campaign to help people not sin. Use at least three of the following media:
  • twitter
  • Facebook
  • sermon
  • face-to-face talk
  • flyer
  • brochure
  • emails
  • TV commercial
  • radio commercial
•  Is it a sin to be in awe of another person? Defend your point of view.
• Is it the same thing to be in awe of another person and to be in awe of God? Explain.
• Do you ever want to do something that is considered a sin? Write about what would stop you from sinning.
• The children of Israel were afraid to hear God directly.  They wanted Moses to tell them whatever God wanted to convey. Can you get the same message through a mediator? Explain your position.
• If God wanted to talk to the children of Israel did they have any right to tell Moses that they didn’t want to hear God directly?

Is Moses Naive to Trust the Children of Israel?

Tags

Children of Israel, God

Excerpt from Enjoying Exodus: The Bible in Rhyme by Marcia Goldlist

Moses told the children of Israel to stay away from the mountain and then he climbed up to be with God. Once he was up on Mount Sinai, God told him to go down and to tell the people to stay away from the mountain so that they would not die. Moses said that the children of Israel would not go near the mountain because they had already been warned to stay away.   

Discussion Questions:

• Do you get annoyed when you are told something more than once?
• Should we trust that people listen to what we say and not repeat our warnings?
• Moses trusted the children of Israel. What does it mean to trust someone?

Creative Thinking:

• Make a list of times when you should trust people and a list of times when you should not. What is the defining difference?
• What could be some of reasons that God would tell the children of Israel not to touch Mount Sinai at this time?

Homeschool Activities:

• What is the difference between cannot and may not? Explain in context of the children of Israel touching Mount Sinai.
• Was Moses naive to trust the children of Israel?
• God said that the mountain was to be holy and that the children of Israel should stay away from it. Why do you think that the children of Israel were told not to touch the mountain?
• Moses trusted the children of Israel not to touch the mountain. Why do you think that he trusted them?
  • Do you think that they deserved his trust? Explain.
• Write a letter to Moses and God describing why they should believe that you will heed their warning.
• Create a flyer to give out to the children of Israel warning them not to touch the mountain.
• The children of Israel were told that the mountain was holy. Explain what holiness is.
• Today there are signs by hydro stations warning people to stay away. But, every year people are hurt because they touch hydro lines. Compare this with the warning to the children of Israel by God through Moses that they were not to touch the mountain.

It is almost Father’s Day! Check out Cards & Toasts for Father’s Day for ideas of what you can write or say to your dad to make this a meaningful Father’s Day.

God Says the World Belongs To Him

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Children of Israel, God

Excerpt from Enjoying Exodus: The Bible in Rhyme by Marcia Goldlist

God tells Moses that the children of Israel should listen to Him and follow the commandments which He gave. God gives the reason that the whole world belongs to Him.

Discuss:

• If someone owns a toy or game, do you have to play by their rules? Explain.
• If God created the world does it automatically belong to Him?
• If God did not create the world, (even if you believe that God did create the world, just suppose right now) can He still claim that the world belongs to Him?
• If God allows man to rule the world can He still say that the whole world belongs to Him?

Creative Thinking:

• God says that the whole world belongs to Him. If the world belonged to you list five things that you would make people do and five things that you would not let them do. Give a reason for each.
• God says that the whole world belongs to Him, but He is only telling the children of Israel to follow His commandments. Is it okay to give different children (the children of Israel in this case) different rules to live by?

Activities for Homeschooling Bible (youth groups, ministries, thinking about the Bible around the family table, etc.):

• What is the world made of?
• What is a continent? Define continent and name them all.
• What is the difference between the world and the universe?
• Do you think that there is another world besides ours? Why or why not?
• God is in charge of the world and your parents are in charge of your family. Is it a good analogy to relate your family to God and the world? Explain.
• If the whole world belongs to God why do people use up resources and cause so much pollution?
• Create a flyer with rules to take care of the world.
• God gave the children of Israel a reason to listen to Him. If God tells man to do something should He need to give a reason?
• Think of five other reasons that God could have given the children of Israel for listening to and obeying His commandments.

Why do People Protest?

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Children of Israel, God, Moses, protest

Excerpt from Enjoying Exodus: The Bible in Rhyme by Marcia Goldlist

The children of Israel protest to  Moses that they are thirsty. Moses asks the children of Israel why they protest against him and why they test God.

Discussion Questions About Quarreling and Protesting:

• What is a quarrel?
• When do people quarrel?
• What does it mean to protest?
• When do people protest?

Creative Thinking About Protesting:

• What do you think makes some protests peaceful and some protests violent?
• Make a list of ten things that you think are worth protesting about.
• Make a list of ten things that people complain about that are not worth protesting about.

Homeschooling Activities which can be used for discussion around the family table, youth groups, English Language Arts, or just to think about:

• In the Bible it is very clear that the water came from God. Why do you think that the children of Israel protested to Moses?
• Write about three recent protests in your country.
• Write about three recent protests in another country.
• Write about a quarrel that you or someone else has with God.
• Create a flyer to give out to the children of Israel before their protest to make sure that it stays peaceful.
• Write out ten rules to give to the police before they go to guard at a protest.
• Create a live broadcast from the scene where the children of Israel were protesting against Moses because they were thirsty.
• Explain in  detail to someone what it is to be thirsty.
• Write a diary entry that God or Moses might write about the children of Israel protesting because they are thirsty.

Moving Location

Tags

Children of Israel, God

Excerpt from Enjoying Exodus: The Bible in Rhyme (chapter 17) by Marcia Goldlist

The children of Israel only moved when God “told” them to and they did not move when God did not “tell” them to.

Discussion:

• What do you think it was like for the children of Israel to know that they would have to move location, but not know when?
• What is it like to only be able to go places that your parents approve of and not be able to go without their permission?
  • How is this the same and how is it different than only moving when God “told” the children of Israel to?

Creative Thinking:

• Most people live in a spot for a long time. What are the benefits of staying somewhere a long time?
• What are the benefits of moving where you live?

Homeschooling Activities (also appropriate for Family discussions, youth groups,  and language arts programs):

• The children of Israel lived in the desert. Are all deserts the same? If they are different how are they different one from another?
• What do you think it would be like not knowing from one day to the next if you had to pack up and leave?
• Make a sign to tell the children of Israel what they are to do when the command comes from God to move location.
• Write in your journal an entry when you are told to move location.
• Write in your journal about how you feel not knowing when you are to move again, after you have been in a location for a long time.
• Write a conversation between two children of Israel about what they worry about when they are told that they are going to move on.
• What kinds of things do you think God took into account in deciding if the children of Israel were to move on or stay where they were?

For the Future!

Tags

Children of Israel, God, manna

Excerpt from Enjoying Exodus: The Bible in Rhyme by Marcia Goldlist

God tells the children of Israel to put away an omer of manna to guard for the future generations to see. 

Discuss:

• Do you have anything in your house that was handed down from a grandparent? Why is it special?
• Why would God want some of the manna (the special food that He created for the children of Israel in the wilderness) to be saved?

Creative Thinking:

• What do you have that you would like to put away for your grandchildren and their grandchildren to see?
  • Why do you think it is good for them to see this item?
• Make a list of things in history that should have been put away for us to see today.
• Make a list of things that we should consider putting away for future generations to see.

Homeschooling Activities for Everyone (Youth Groups, English Language Programs, Around the Family Table, or Just for Fun Because You Like to Think):

• Research how food has changed over time.
• What are the new trends in food?
  • Why are these foods becoming popular?
  • Try a new food and write about it.
• Research what happened to the omer of manna that was put away by the children of Israel.
• Check out how much food an omer would be?
• Write about why we should care that the future knows how we live today.
• Write a journal entry for some manna that was not put away. Was it happy or disappointed not to be picked.
• Write a journal entry for the manna that the children of Israel put away.

God Provides Food From Heaven for the Children of Israel

Tags

Children of Israel, God, Moses

Excerpt from Enjoying Exodus: The Bible in Rhyme (chapter 16) by Marcia Goldlist

The children of Israel complain to Moses that there is no food. Moses confronts God who says that he will rain down food from heaven. But, there is a condition. The people are to go out and gather a day’s portion every day without leaving any left over except on the Sabbath. This is a test from God. 

Discuss:

• God provided food for the children of Israel, but he made rules for gathering and eating the food. When someone gives you something but attaches requirements or rules are you just as happy with the gift?
• What is a test?

Creative Thinking:

• Is God raining down food from heaven any more of a miracle than Him making it appear from the ground? Explain why or why not.

Bible Homeschooling Activities for Everyone – Even if you don’t homeschool:

• What is the benefit of people going out to gather their own food?
• How would life be different today if people had to spend time going out to collect their food? Is this the same as having to go to the supermarket? If not how is it different?
• Why would God connect going out to collect food with testing the people?
• Why do people so often not follow directions?
• How did the refrigerator change people’s lives?
• How do refrigerators work?
• How did the modern oven change people’s lives?
• If you could only eat one kind of food, what would it be? Why? Think of ways that you could vary that food to make it a bit different so that you could have some variety.

The Children of Israel Complain to Moses

Tags

Children of Israel, God, Moses

Excerpt (from chapter 16) Enjoying Exodus: The Bible in Rhyme by Marcia Goldlist

The children of Israel now complain to Moses because they are hungry.

Discuss Complaining About Being Hungry:

• What is the difference between being hungry and starving?
• The children of Israel were taken out of slavery, saved from the Egyptians, given water to drink, and yet they still complain. Did they have a right to complain?

Creative Thinking About Complaining:

• Make a list of things that it is okay to complain about and a list of things it is not okay to complain about.

Bible Homeschoool Activities that Anyone Could Do:

• It is possible that the children of Israel ate until they were full when they were slaves, but it is also possible that they remembered things as being better than they were. We all do this at times. Why do you think that we sometimes remember things in the past as being better than they really were?
• Do you think that it was fair of the children of Israel to say to Moses that he led them into the wilderness to be killed? Explain.
• How much food do people need to eat to stay alive?
• Most people in North America today eat much more than they need to. Why do you think that this occurred?
• Interview one of the children of Israel about why s/he is complaining.
• Why is bread the symbol of all food?
• Follow a recipe and make a loaf of bread. Write a description of how the bread tastes to you.
• Explain why you think the children of Israel complained to Moses and not to God.

A Water Solution

Tags

book of Exodus, Children of Israel, God, Moses

Excerpt (from chapter 15) Enjoying Exodus: The Bible in Rhyme by Marcia Goldlist

After the children of Israel crossed the Sea of Reeds safely they went for three days without finding any water. The children of Israel complained to Moses and Moses asked God what to do. God gave a solution to Moses.

Bible Study Tools

Discuss:

• What happens today when people feel they need something that doesn’t exist?
• We all need water to survive. If you complain because you don’t have something that you really need is it different than complaining that you don’t have something that you just want?

Creative Thinking:

• Many people in the world live without clean water. Do you have a responsibility to help them get clean water? Why or why  not?
• What options did the children of Israel have besides asking God for water to drink?

Homeschool Activities That Everyone Can Use:

• Why do people complain?
• Find out where in the world today people do not have clean drinking water.
• God told Moses to put wood into water to make it taste sweet and good. That is an invention. Research some new inventions that turn unsuitable water into drinking water.
• If the water tasted bitter, but had nothing wrong with it, should the children of Israel have drunk it without rejecting it?
• How much water are people supposed to drink in a day? Why do we need to drink water?
• Think of something that does not exist where you live that you think people would use. Make a plan of how you could create this thing.
• The water that the children of Israel found tasted bitter. After Moses put the wood into the water it tasted sweet and good. Find out how we taste different flavors.

You can buy Enjoying Exodus: The Bible in Rhyme through any Amazon site or the Book Depository.