Lesson 2a : Historical Books (Part 1)
Lesson 2a : Historical Books (Part 1)
Books : Joshua to 2 Kings
Specific Objectives
By the end of this session, the student will be able to:
- Know the second division of the bible (Books of History)
- Tell how many books the second division consists of
- Name the books of the History (part 1)
- Name the authors of the books of History
- Recite the memory verse
Bible Reference
2 Timothy 3:16
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,”
Joshua 1:8
“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
Words to Remember
- History – comes from Greek word, “historia” – a continuous, typically chronological, record of important or public events or of
a particular trend or institution - Historical – relating to history; based on past events or set in the past
- Journey – an act of travelling from one place to another
Pre-Session Activity
Greet the children as they arrive. Make certain that you know their names. As they arrive, have each child joins in a circle or around a table. Play a game, sing a song or give them activity to introduce the new lesson. Tell the children that you are going to introduce them to the other books of the bible.
Beginners : Review and continuation of Lesson 1 Books of Law
Primary : Review | Lesson 1 Books of Law
Intermediate: Review | Lesson 1 Books of Law
Lesson Proper
A. PREPARATION and MOTIVATION
Review the students about past week’s lessons – The Origin of the Bible and The Books of Law.
- What are the two primary divisions of the Bible? (Old & New Testament)
- How many books the Bible consists of? (66 books)
- How many books the Old Testament consists of? (39 books)
- How many books the New Testament consists of? (27 books)
- What is the first division of the Old Testament? (Books of Law)
- What is the collective name for the first five books of the Bible? (Pentateuch)
- What are the first five books of the bible? (G-E-Le-N-D)
- Which book of the Bible contains the Ten Commandments? the creation?
- Who wrote the first five books of the Bible? (Moses)
- Give the meaning of each of the first five books.
Make sure that all students will be able to answer all the questions correctly.
As you introduce the new lesson, hold the Bible in your hand and show the children the second divisions of the Bible.
Teacher: Today we will be talking about the second division of the Bible – The Books of History or the Historical Books. This division consists of 12 books in it and each book reveals the history of the people God chose for a special purpose. But for this week, we will be talking only the first seven (7) books.
ASK: How many books did I say are in the Historical Books? (12)
ASK: How many books we will be talking today? (7)
B. INTRODUCTION
Romans 15:4 [International Children’s Bible (ICB)]
“Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that we could have hope. That hope comes from the patience and encouragement that the Scriptures give us.”
The second section of the Old Testament is known as the Historical Books of the Bible. After 40 years of wandering in the desert and the death of Moses, God began to move the Israelites across the Jordan River. Under the leadership of Joshua and Caleb into the Promised Land, these books tell of their journey to and life in the land of Canaan. It was not easy as they lived and encompassed by antagonistic nations with superstitious, blasphemous practices, and cruel customs. The Historical Books are comprised of 12 books.
C. LESSON
JOSHUA
(The story of the conquest and partition of Canaan)
Author: Joshua
The book of Joshua records the obedient faith of Israel as it entered and claimed the land that God had promised to Abraham, as well as the blessing of God on that obedient faith. Under the leadership of Joshua, Israel is delivered from its enemies and given rest in its own homeland. However, impossible it may have seemed, God’s covenant promise is fulfilled. He is sovereign and faithful God. He keeps His covenants and blesses His faithful people.
Famous story: The Fall of Jericho (Joshua 5:13-6:27) (Picture 1)
Joshua sent spies to Jericho, the first city of Canaan to be taken, and discovered that the land was in fear of Israel and their God. The Israelites marched around the walls once every day for seven days with the priests and the Ark of the Covenant. On the seventh day, they marched seven times around the walls, then the priests blew their ram’s horns, the Israelites raised a great shout, and the walls of the city fell. Following God’s law, the Israelites took no slaves or plunder but slaughtered every man, woman and child in Jericho, sparing only Rahab, a Canaanite prostitute who had sheltered the spies, and her family.
JUDGES
Author: Samuel
(The history of the nation from Joshua to Samson)
This book records the disobedience and consequent failure that marked the early life of Israel in that land before it had a king. During these morally and politically chaotic days that lacked a centralized government, Israel would find itself in subjection to various foreign powers. This was a humiliation and suffering imposed upon it by God for it continued unfaithfulness and disobedience to His law. However, in response to its repentance and pleas for help, God would raise up judges to bring temporary deliverance. But throughout this period, Israel “did that which was right in its own eyes” and sank again and again into oppression.
Famous story: Samson’s rise and fall (Judges 13-16) (Picture 2)
Samson is a legendary Israelite warrior and judge, renowned for the extraordinary strength that he derived from his uncut hair. His mother, a peasant of the tribe of Dan at Zorah, near Jerusalem, was visited by an angel who told her that her son was to be a lifelong NAZARITE (one dedicated to the special service of God, usually through a vow of abstinence from strong drink, from shaving or cutting the hair, and from contact with a dead body). He first broke his religious obligation by feasting with a woman from the neighbouring town of Timnah, who was also a Philistine, one of Israel’s mortal enemies. On another occasion, he repulsed their assault on him at Gaza, where he had gone to visit a harlot. He finally fell, victim to his foes through love of Delilah, who beguiled him into revealing the secret of his strength: his long Nazirite hair. As he slept, Delilah had his hair cut and betrayed him. He was captured, blinded, and enslaved by the Philistines, but in the end God granted Samson his revenge; through the return of his old strength, he demolished the great Philistine temple of the god Dagon, at Gaza, destroying his captors and himself (Judges 16:4–30).
RUTH
Author: Samuel
(The story of the ancestors of the royal family of Judah)
Ruth tells the touching story of a foreign woman who is welcomed not only into Israelite society, but into the lineage of Jesus Christ Himself. It gives us a brief but important snapshot of the life of one faithful family during the unfaithful days of the judges. God sees to it that genuine faith is preserved in Israel even amid large-scale apostasy and in so doing also preserves the Messianic line.
Famous story: Ruth and Naomi (Ruth 1-4) (Picture 3)
Ruth was a Moabite woman, from a country that was one of Israel’s traditional enemies. She was an outsider. But she married an Israelite and joined his family while they were living in Moab. Her husband died. When this happened, her mother-in-law Naomi decided she had no alternative but to return to her homeland, and to the village her family came from – Bethlehem. Naomi prepared to say good-bye to her two daughters-in-law but one of them, Ruth, showed unexpected loyalty and insisted on staying with her. The two women returned to Bethlehem together.
1 and 2 SAMUEL
Author: Samuel, Nathan, Gad
(The story of the nation during the judgeship of Samuel, the reign of Saul and the reign of David)
These books describe the establishment of the Israelite monarchy, as the people cry out to be ruled by a king. It records the earliest days of the monarchy — first Saul, the choice of God’s rebellious people, and then David, God’s chosen one. Sovereignty and graciously, God establishes David as king and in covenant promises him a never-ending dynasty.
Famous story: David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17:2-11, 16, 40, 45-50) (Picture 4)
David was a shepherd boy who lived in Israel. He took care of sheep. God chose David to take care of the Jewish people. David played the harp. When the king of Israel was tired of fighting in the war, he asked David to play for him. David’s music made him feel better. One day a terrible giant named Goliath started bragging to his soldier friends that none of the Jews would dare to fight him. And he was right. The Jewish soldiers were all afraid of big Goliath. What would happen to the Jewish people? Then little David said: “I’ll fight Goliath. God will help me.” And he went and got some stones for his slingshot.
The giant just laughed at him. David put a stone in his sling and flung it. The stone hit big Goliath on the head. Then David killed him with his sword. All of Goliath’s friends ran away. The little shepherd boy had saved the Jewish people.
1 and 2 KINGS
Author: Jeremiah
Continue the story of the great rulers of Israel, although Israel’s story takes a tragic turn as the kingdom splits into two and begins a steady drift away from God, even as enemy nations like Assyria press in.
Famous story: The Healing of Naaman (2 Kings 5:1-19) (Picture 5)
Naaman was a great soldier, but he had a skin disease called leprosy. A young girl from Israel, who was a slave, served Naaman’s wife. She told about a prophet who could cure his leprosy. Naaman’s king sent a letter to the king of Israel asking him to cure Naaman. The king of Israel was upset because he knew he had no such power. Elisha, a man of God, asked to see Naaman. He told Naaman to wash seven times in the Jordan River. Naaman was angry because he did not expect to be cured this way. He thought Elisha would wave his hand over him and cure him. He also thought the rivers in his country would be better than the Jordan River. But he decided to obey. He dipped one, two, three, four, five, six, seven times. When he obeyed what had been told him, his leprosy was gone. He was so happy! He said, “Now I know the God of Israel is the only God.”
Memory Verse
2 Tim 3:16
Beginners : “All Scripture is breathed out by God,”
Primary : “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching,
rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,”
Intermediate : “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching,
rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,”
Questions to Ponder
- What is the second division of the Old Testament? (Books of History)
- How many books the Books of History consists of? (12 books)
- Who led the Israelites to march on the walls of Jericho? (Joshua)
- Who was born to be a Nazarite? (Samson)
- Who showed her loyalty and insisted on staying with her mother-in-law? (Ruth)
- What is the famous story we can read in 1 Samuel? (David and Goliath)
- Name the first seven (7) books of the Books of History? (J-Ju-R-1&2S-1&2K)
Life Application
The historical books do not relay history merely but interpretative history. History itself is an important part of God’s self-revelation. And so as we read the historical books, we should look for more than heroes, good and bad role models and the like. We should look to see what God is saying and how His purpose is being accomplished. God is in control of history and with that we could even say that “History is His-story”.
(The teacher may add/share their inputs)
Activity
Beginners : (Craft) – to create the seven books of the Historical Books
Materials –printed cut-out letters, pictures, coloring
Primary : (Craft) – to create the seven books of the Historical Books
Materials –printed cut-out letters, pictures, coloring
Intermediate : (Craft) – to create a picture Bible “pop-up”
Close in Prayer
Dear God, Thank you for the Holy Bible. We learn so much from the stories about people who loved you and followed your direction. We thank you for the people who wrote this Book so that we might know about you and how you want us to live. Help us always to think about how you would want us to behave. Help us to listen to you and to do what you want us to do. AMEN.
