Israel Taken Captive

Unit 14 • Session 3

Use Week of: Unit 14 • Session 3 Israel Taken Captive

BIBLE PASSAGE: 2 Kings 17

STORY POINT: Israel ignored God’s prophets and was captured.

KEY PASSAGE: 2 Peter 3:9

BIG PICTURE QUESTION: Why should we obey God? We should obey God because He made us, He loves us, and His plans are good.

INTRODUCE THE STORY TEACH THE STORY APPLY THE STORY (10–15 MINUTES) (25–30 MINUTES) (25–30 MINUTES) PAGE 108 PAGE 110 PAGE 116

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Younger Kids Leader Guide 104 Unit 14 • Session 3 LEADER Bible Study God’s people had a history of disobeying God. Sin separated them from God. But man was created to know and love God, and God was working out a plan to bring His children back to Himself. Like any good father, God knows that disobedience needs to be punished. “The Lord disciplines the one he loves, just as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights” (Prov. 3:12).

After the tribes of Israel split into the Northern Kingdom and Southern Kingdom, God sent prophets to both kingdoms to warn the people to turn from their sins and obey God. Over the course of 200 years, the prophets Elijah, Elisha, Jonah, Amos, and Hosea spoke to Israel and warned them of the consequences of their idolatry. They called for Israel to repent and turn back to God. But Israel did not listen. 3

God had been very patient with the Israelites. He had helped them in times of trouble and delayed their punishment because He is gracious and compassionate. (See 2 Kings 13:23.) But God knew His people would not love Him with all their hearts.

Finally, God had had enough. Evil King Hoshea ruled over Israel, and God allowed Israel’s enemies to send the people into exile. The king of Assyria attacked Israel and laid siege to Samaria. Assyria captured Samaria and forced the people to leave the city. The Northern Kingdom of Israel was destroyed and the people were scattered, just as God had said it would be. (See 1 Kings 14:15.)

Israel’s exile was God’s judgment on their sin but God was not finished working among His people. God was still working out His plan to keep His covenant promises. As you teach, point kids to Jesus, the answer to God’s promises. We too disobey God, but Jesus took God’s judgment for our sin upon Himself. Jesus changes our hearts, brings us into God’s presence, and keeps us there.

The Northern Kingdom of Israel 105 The BIBLE Story

Israel Taken Captive Bible Storytelling Tips 2 Kings 17 • Display art: Display God had done so many good things for the Israelites. He had the Bible story picture and refer to it rescued the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and had taken care of them as you tell the story. in a new land. He made a covenant with them and promised to be • Make lists: As you their God. Even though God loved them like a father, tell the story, invite the Israelites forgot about God. They acted a volunteer to list the good things God in the same way as the nations who did for Israel and the did not know and love God. They wrong things Israel worshiped things that were not did against God. God, and they did exactly what God told them not to do. So God sent prophets to warn the people to stop doing evil things. Did Israel listen? No. The prophets said bad things would happen if they did not obey God. Did Israel obey? No. In fact, they sinned even more! God finally had enough. He loved His people too much to let them continue in their sin and rebellion. So God punished the people of Israel by letting their enemies take over. Hoshea (hoh SHEE uh) was the last king of Israel, the Northern Kingdom. King Hoshea did evil things like the kings before him. At this time, the people of Assyria and the people of Israel did not get along. Assyria’s army was bigger and stronger than Israel’s army,

Younger Kids Leader Guide 106 Unit 14 • Session 3 Israel Taken Captive so King Hoshea paid the king of Assyria to leave Israel Bible Storytelling Tips 2 Kings 17 alone. But Hoshea had to do whatever the king of Assyria told him to do. Instead of asking God to help His people, • Display art: Display God had done so many good things for the Israelites. He had Hoshea secretly asked the king of Egypt to protect Israel the Bible story from Assyria. Now that Hoshea had a deal with Egypt, he picture and refer to it rescued the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and had taken care of them as you tell the story. in a new land. He made a covenant with them and promised to be stopped giving money to the king of Assyria. • Make lists: As you their God. Even though God loved them like a father, One day, the king of Assyria and his army attacked tell the story, invite the Israelites forgot about God. They acted Israel. King Hoshea was thrown into prison. The a volunteer to list the good things God in the same way as the nations who Assyrian army surrounded the city of Samaria, the capital did for Israel and the did not know and love God. They of Israel. Samaria had a strong wall around the city. For wrong things Israel worshiped things that were not three years, the Assyrians attacked the city. They did not let did against God. God, and they did exactly anyone bring supplies into the city. what God told them not to Finally, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and do. forced the people to leave their homes. He bound them So God sent prophets together with ropes and hooks, and he made them walk to warn the people to stop hundreds of miles to Assyria. The Northern Kingdom of doing evil things. Did Israel Israel was destroyed. listen? No. The prophets said bad things would Christ Connection: When the Israelites disobeyed God again happen if they did not obey and again, God punished them by removing them from His God. Did Israel obey? No. In presence. We disobey God, but Jesus took the punishment for fact, they sinned even more! our sin upon Himself. Jesus brings us into God’s presence and God finally had enough. keeps us there. He loved His people too much to let them continue in their sin and rebellion. So God punished the people of Israel by letting their enemies take over. Hoshea (hoh SHEE uh) was the last king of Israel, the Northern Kingdom. King Hoshea did evil things like the kings before him. At this time, the people of Assyria and the people of Israel did not get along. Assyria’s army was bigger and stronger than Israel’s army,

The Northern Kingdom of Israel 107 INTRODUCE the Story

SESSION TITLE: Israel Taken Captive BIBLE PASSAGE: 2 Kings 17 STORY POINT: Israel ignored God’s prophets and was captured. KEY PASSAGE: 2 Peter 3:9 BIG PICTURE QUESTION: Why should we obey God? We should obey God because He made us, He loves us, and His plans are good.

Welcome time Greet each kid as he or she arrives. Use this time to collect the offering, fill out attendance sheets, and help new kids connect to your group. Prompt kids to discuss a time they were grounded or given a time-out. SAY • Sometimes your parents or teachers discipline you by taking away privileges. When you disobey, you may have to sit out while fun things happen. In today’s story, we will learn about a time God disciplined His people in a similar way. They were captured because of their disobedience.

Activity page (5 minutes) • “What Does It Cost?” Invite kids to complete the “What Does It Cost?” activity activity page, page. Invite kids to match each item on the right with the 1 per kid • pencils or markers dollar amount that represents the best estimate of its price. SAY • Knowing about how much things cost can be difficult, especially when someone older than you buys the things you need and want for you. As you grow up, you’ll begin to have a sense about what a fair price for different items might be. Today we will talk about the price of Israel’s continued sin.

Younger Kids Leader Guide 108 Unit 14 • Session 3 Session starter (10 minutes) OPTION 1: Red light, green light Play a game of “Red Light, Green Light” using the traditional rules of moving on green and stopping on red. You may add in additional colors of light with different instructions attached to each, such as yellow lights for slow motion movement, blue lights for hopping, purple lights for moving backwards, or pink lights for dancing. SAY • In that game, a red light meant you had to stop immediately or risk being sent away from the goal. In our story, we will learn about a time God’s people did not obey even though God repeatedly warned them to. We will learn how God disciplined them for their disobedience.

OPTION 2: Dizzy balance Use tape to mark out a straight line on the floor. Make • plastic baseball bat sure the room is clear of obstacles. Challenge each kid to • tape place the end of the bat on the ground and her forehead on the handle of the bat to spin around five times before attempting to walk along the line of tape. Praise each kid’s effort. SAY • Walking in a straight line is nearly impossible when you are very dizzy. Today we will learn what happened to God’s people when they continually fell away from the path God had called them to walk. They ignored God’s warnings, and their hearts were all mixed up as a result.

Transition to teach the story

The Northern Kingdom of Israel 109 TEACH the Story

Countdown • countdown video Show the countdown video as you transition to teach the story. Set it to end as the session begins.

Introduce the session (3 minutes) • leader attire [Leader enters wearing a rain slicker and rubber galoshes.] LEADER • Welcome back to the docks, kids! I’m glad you Tip: If you prefer could make it again. I set out tomorrow on a long not to use fishing expedition, and I won’t be back for weeks. themed content That means this is our last chance to hang out and or characters, adapt or omit this talk about the Bible together. introduction. This week I was thinking about the way we catch fish. We drop huge nets into the water. Sometimes we drag them along, but for the most part, we just leave them there and wait for fish to swim into them. You might think a fish could learn to avoid nets, but the fish who get caught never get a do-over. In a way, that reminds me of our Bible story. God’s people had run right into the tangling net of sin. They worshiped false gods and repeatedly ignored the one true God’s warnings. Eventually, the net closed around them, and they were caught. As you can

Younger Kids Leader Guide 110 Unit 14 • Session 3 imagine, it wasn’t a fishing boat captain who caught them, but a brutal enemy nation. I’ll tell you all about it.

Big picture question (1 minute) LEADER • As we learn about God’s people being punished for their sin, it’s tempting to say that we obey God to avoid punishment or to make life easier. But that’s not a good way to explain it. Our big picture question and answer offers a much more complete explanation. Why should we obey God? We should obey God because He made us, He loves us, and His plans are good. God knows everything about everything, including everything about us. He knows what will give us lasting joy, and He paid a great price to make the way to be free from sin. He always does what is best for us, even when it isn’t what we think would be easiest.

Giant timeline (1 minute) Show the giant timeline. Point to individual Bible stories as • Giant Timeline you review. LEADER • Our story today is a great example of God’s best being very different from what people think is easiest. From the story of Jonah we learned that God loves all people and showed mercy to the Ninevites. From Hosea’s life we learned God is faithful to His people even when they do not love Him. This week we will see what happened when God’s people still would not repent and obey God. It’s a sad story, but even in the sadness there is hope.

The Northern Kingdom of Israel 111 Tell the Bible story (10 minutes) • Bibles Open your Bible to 2 Kings 17. Use the Bible storytelling • “Israel Taken Captive” tips on the Bible story page to help you tell the story, or video • Big Picture Question show the Bible story video “Israel Taken Captive.” Poster LEADER • Sin is dangerous. It leads us away from God. Sin • Bible Story Picture damages us, our relationships with other people, and Poster our relationships with God. Sin prevents us from • Story Point Poster enjoying the goodness of God. God hates sin because it causes people to worship things that do not deserve worship and because sin hurts people, whom God loves. In a way, you can think about it like this: would your mom or dad buy you a fully grown, hungry tiger as a pet? If that tiger was certainly going to hurt you and try to eat you, would your parents say it was OK to own it as a pet? Of course not! Your parents love you and want to protect you from things that can hurt you. If you kept going to a place where you were in danger, they may even ground you to keep you from going back to get hurt again. That’s a little bit like what God did to the Israelites. They kept ignoring God’s warnings and sinning against Him. The Israelites may not have realized how badly their sin was hurting them, but God did. He loved them too much to allow them to keep sinning. He wanted something better for them. Israel ignored God’s prophets and was captured. Even in that sadness, God was working things together to bless His people.

Younger Kids Leader Guide 112 Unit 14 • Session 3 Christ connection LEADER • When the Israelites disobeyed God again and Note: You may use again, God punished them by removing them from this opportunity to His presence. We disobey God, but Jesus took the use Scripture and the guide provided punishment for our sin upon Himself. Jesus brings to explain how to us into God’s presence and keeps us there. become a Christian. Jesus’ death was the final sacrifice for sin. It was Make sure kids know when and enough to cover all sin, and His resurrection proved where they can ask it. As a result, God forgives sinners who repent questions. and turn to Jesus. God declares them righteous and adopts them into His family. We still choose sin sometimes, and we still have to deal with the consequences of sinful choices, but Christians will never again have to face separation from God as punishment for sin.

Questions from kids video (3 minutes) Show the “Unit 14, Session 3” questions from kids video. • “Unit 14, Session 3” Prompt kids to think about why we cannot do whatever Questions from Kids video we want whenever we want to. Guide them to discuss how God’s discipline shows His love.

Missions moment (3 minutes) Invite volunteers to come up and act out three different tasks: steering a boat, treating patients, and sharing the gospel. Then invite the kids to do all three at once. LEADER • Bill Wallace was a missionary doctor who served in China many years ago. One day when the country was a war, it became too dangerous to keep patients at the hospital. Dr. Wallace and other staff members carefully carried the patients to a boat to bring them to safety. Even when he was on the boat, he

The Northern Kingdom of Israel 113 kept right on treating the patients. Dr. Wallace was faithful to God. God wants us to be faithful and not ignore Him. Israel ignored God’s prophets and was captured.

Key passage (5 minutes) • Key Passage Poster Show the key passage poster. Lead the boys and girls to • “The Lord Does Not read together 2 Peter 3:9. Then sing “The Lord Does Not Delay” song Delay.” LEADER • The Bible teaches us that God’s view of time is very different from our view of time. It sometimes feels like God is taking forever to send Jesus back and fix all the brokenness of the world. Our key passage teaches us that what feels like slowness is really just God’s being patient with us and giving more time for more people to repent of sin and believe the gospel. We can use that time wisely by spreading the gospel to other people.

Sing (4 minutes) • “Once and For All” LEADER • Let’s worship God for His goodness and patience. song Sing together “Once and For All.”

Pray (2 minutes) Invite kids to pray before dismissing to apply the story. LEADER • Lord, Help us trust You and Your timing. Help us obey You out of love. Give us courage to share the gospel with everyone we meet. Thank You for sending Jesus to take our punishment and give us new life. We love You. Amen.

Dismiss to apply the story

Younger Kids Leader Guide 114 Unit 14 • Session 3 The Gospel: God’s Plan for Me Ask kids if they have ever heard the word gospel. Clarify that the word gospel means “good news.” It is the message about Christ, the kingdom of God, and salvation. Use the following guide to share the gospel with kids.

God rules. Explain to kids that the Bible tells us God created everything, and He is in charge of everything. Invite a volunteer to read Genesis 1:1 from the Bible. Read Revelation 4:11 or Colossians 1:16-17 aloud and explain what these verses mean.

We sinned. Tell kids that since the time of Adam and Eve, everyone has chosen to disobey God. (Romans 3:23) The Bible calls this sin. Because God is holy, God cannot be around sin. Sin separates us from God and deserves God’s punishment of death. (Romans 6:23)

God provided. Choose a child to read John 3:16 aloud. Say that God sent His Son, Jesus, the perfect solution to our sin problem, to rescue us from the punishment we deserve. It’s something we, as sinners, could never earn on our own. Jesus alone saves us. Read and explain Ephesians 2:8-9.

Jesus gives. Share with kids that Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again. Because Jesus gave up His life for us, we can be welcomed into God’s family for eternity. This is the best gift ever! Read Romans 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:21; or 1 Peter 3:18.

We respond. Tell kids that they can respond to Jesus. Read Romans 10:9-10,13. Review these aspects of our response: Believe in your heart that Jesus alone saves you through what He’s already done on the cross. Repent, turning from self and sin to Jesus. Tell God and others that your faith is in Jesus.

Offer to talk with any child who is interested in responding to Jesus. Provide I’m a Christian Now! for new Christians to take home and complete with their families.

The Northern Kingdom of Israel 115 APPLY the Story

Key passage activity (5 minutes) • Key Passage Poster Inflate a balloon. Instruct the kids to form two teams and • Allergy Alert bop the balloon into the air. Each time a kid bops the • balloon • beach ball (optional) balloon, she must say the next word of the key passage. If a player bops the balloon without saying the correct next word, that player’s team gets a strike. Teams also get strikes if one of their players is the last person to bop the ballon when the balloon touches the ground. After a team gets three strikes, the game ends and the other team is declared the winner. SAY • Our key passage comes from the New Testament and reminds us that God is loving and patient toward sinners. God does not want anyone to be away from Him, so He is waiting for more people to repent before He sends Jesus back to fix the world and punish sin. We don’t know when Jesus will return though, so we must not delay in sharing the gospel with others. • Bibles, 1 per kid • Story Point Poster Discussion & Bible skills (10 minutes) • Small Group Timeline Distribute a Bible to each kid. Help kids find 2 Kings 17. and Map Set (005802970, optional) You may use the small group map set to locate Assyria. (Old

Younger Kids Leader Guide 116 Unit 14 • Session 3 Testament Mediterranean Map, D11–12) Ask the following questions. Lead the group to discuss: Option: Retell or 1. Who was the final king of Israel, the Northern review the Bible Kingdom? (Hoshea, son of Elah; 2 Kings 17:1) story using the bolded text of the 2. Why did Hoshea turn to Egypt for help? (Hoshea did Bible story script. not want to pay money to Assyria, 2 Kings 17:4) 3. Why did God allow Assyria to defeat and capture Israel? (The people would not listen to the prophets or obey God, 2 Kings 17:13-18) 4. How is God’s discipline a sign of His love? Guide kids to understand that sin hurts us and everyone around us. If God did not discipline His people for their sin, it would show that He does not want what was best for them. God’s discipline helps teach His people to obey Him, which is for their own good. 5. What is the difference between consequences of sin and punishment for sin? Guide kids to see that sin still carries a price. When we make sinful choices, it still hurts us and those around us. Those are the consequences of sin. But the punishment of sin—death and separation from God forever—was laid on Jesus. When we believe in Jesus, His sacrifice covers our sin and makes us new. 6. How do we know that believers in Jesus will never be punished for sin? Help kids see that Jesus’ sacrifice was the ultimate and final sacrifice. It was sufficient for all our sin. He rose from the dead, proving that sin no longer has power. When we believe in Jesus, we are declared righteous and united to God forever. SAY • Israel ignored God’s prophets and was captured. Even so, God was faithfully keeping His promise to send a Messiah. At just the right time, Jesus came to pay for sin.

The Northern Kingdom of Israel 117 Activity choice (10 minutes) OPTION 1: One-handed tasks Challenge kids to complete some simple tasks using only one hand. Ask for volunteers to try to open a water • bottle of water bottle, tie a shoe, button a shirt, and put their hair into a • shoe with laces • button-down shirt ponytail—all using just one hand. Give time for them to • elastic hair tie discuss how hard these activities were. If time allows, take other volunteers to try the different tasks. Tip: Use this SAY • As Christians, we might have to do some things that activity option to reinforce the seem hard or even impossible, just like Dr. Wallace. missions moment He had to keep treating patients on the boat when found in Teach the they had to leave the hospital. The Bible teaches that Story. all things are possible with God. No matter how difficult things may seem, we can trust God to help us obey Him. Why should we obey God? We should obey God because He made us, He loves us, and His plans are good.

OPTION 2: Chain breakers • strips of paper Provide each kid with a strip of paper. Help the kids write • pencils on their strips things they have done in the last week that • tape • Gospel Plan Poster were dishonoring or disobedient to God. Use tape to make the strips into loops and connect them together to form a paper chain. Stretch the chain out to show how long it is. Then, explain the gospel, and allow the kids to tear through the chain. You may wish to use the gospel poster. SAY • In our story today, God’s people were led away in chains because they kept sinning against God. The Bible teaches us that sin enslaves us. Thankfully, God sent Jesus to rescue us from sin and give us freedom to love and obey God. Jesus breaks the chains of sin that hold us and gives us new life with God forever.

Younger Kids Leader Guide 118 Unit 14 • Session 3 Reflection and prayer (5 minutes) Distribute a sheet of paper to each child. Ask the kids • pencils and crayons • paper to write about or draw a picture to answer the following • Bible Story Coloring questions: Page, 1 per kid • What does this story teach me about God or about the gospel? • What does this story teach me about myself? • Whom can I tell about this story? Make sure to send the sheets home with kids alongside the Tip: Give parents activity page so that parents can see what their kids have this week’s Big been learning. Picture Cards for If time remains, take prayer requests or allow kids to Families to allow families to interact complete the Bible story coloring page provided with this with the biblical session. Pray for your group. content at home.

The Northern Kingdom of Israel 119