God Is Great

Session 12

Session 12: God Is Great FOR THE God Is Great LEADER Nahum 1–3 Though the Book of Nahum is a treatise of destruction against Nineveh, the personal name of Nahum means “comforter” or “consolation.” Even as Nahum delivered a dire message to Nineveh, he shared an equal message of hope and comfort to the people of Judah—God is a refuge in times of trouble to those who trust in Him. By Nahum’s time in history, the nation of Israel no longer existed. The people had already fallen and had been taken as captives. The two tribes of Judah were all that remained of the people who had entered the promised land. Obviously, this is the same Nineveh to whom Jonah prophesied and who repented of their sin and experienced God’s favor. During Jonah’s time, Assyria was spared and, as had happened with Israelite nations, Assyria forgot about God as soon as things started going well for them again. Once Assyria regained their power, they began committing atrocities against nations. These heinous actions were far worse than those the Assyrians had committed just a few years earlier. Nahum’s warning was stern and exact, letting the people of Nineveh know that God would not stand by and watch their sin go unpunished. Chapter 1 of Nahum is a summary of the following two chapters, opening with God’s warning to Nineveh of the destruction to come, and ending with a promise of rest for Judah. While God abhors evil, He also cares for people who obey Him—in this case, Judah. Judah had been oppressed by Assyria, and now God would free them from that oppression. This chapter celebrates God’s greatness and His majesty. The final two chapters of Nahum are a complete play-by-play description of how the destruction of Nineveh would happen. In this instance, however, God declared that no way of escape existed. Nineveh and Assyria were going to fall and there was nothing they could do to stop it. In 612 BC, Nineveh was invaded by the Babylonians and completely destroyed. Remnants of the city could not be found until the mid 1800s AD.

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EXPLORE THE BIBLE SESSION FOCUS TEXT CONNECTION TEXT TRUTH • Nahum lived in Judah. God cares for people who obey Him. At this point in history, only Judah remained of BIBLE STORY the nation of Israel. The Nahum 1–3 people of Judah were also on the brink of being taken BIBLE VERSE captive and their city being Nahum 1:3a destroyed because of their continued unfaithfulness. CHRIST IN CONTEXT The prophet Nahum sent a message of warning to the people of • Nahum’s message was for Nineveh. Because God is Holy and perfect, He must punish sin. the people of Nineveh. When 12 Jonah preached to Nineveh, Jesus rescued us by taking the punishment for our sin. the people turned to God. BIBLE SKILLS After some time, though, they went back to their old • Understand the Bible teaches us what God and Jesus are like. ways and began mistreating • Begin to pronounce the names of the books of the Bible. God’s people.

• God sent Nahum to warn Nineveh that they would be completely destroyed. This was good news for Judah, ARRIVAL ACTIVITIES (5 MINUTES) who knew that God would be their refuge. As preschoolers arrive, offer choices of self-guided activities that set the stage for Bible explorations. • The people of Nineveh ignored Nahum, and God sent Babylon to destroy ▸▸ Arrange letters ▸▸ Read books ▸▸ Use play dough. Nineveh. This destruction on a magnet about God. was so complete that no board. remnants of the city were found until the 1800s AD. Tools: Bible, Prophet Tools: Bible with Tools: Bible, Bible Letter Match Pages: a ribbon marking Name Cards: Nahum • Many years before God Nahum (Enhanced Nahum 1:3, (Pack Item 21), used Joseph to interpret CD), magnetic letters 3 or 4 preschool fresh play dough, the dreams of pharaoh and books about God geometric-shaped help save a remnant of (see old Leader Packs cookie cutters, craft people who would eventually for simple books) sticks, child-sized become the nation of Israel. rolling pins FAMILY AT HOME ▸▸ After everyone has had an opportunity to do one or more arrival Print this week’s devotional activities, direct preschoolers to Exploration Stations. page (Enhanced CD) to give (See next page.) to families.

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TEXT TRUTH God cares for people who obey NAHUM TALKED ABOUT GOD Him. Nahum 1–3

Nahum was a prophet, someone God chose to tell people His messages. BIBLE VERSE Nahum 1:3a Nahum’s name meant “comfort” and the messages he told the people of Judah brought comfort to the people. Nahum lived in Judah during the time of good kings and bad kings. The bad kings led the people to worship idols (other gods) rather than God. The people became disobedient and forgot about God’s commandments. Nahum loved God. He knew that God is good and would not allow people to continue to disobey His laws. Nineveh was a city filled with disobedient people. Once another prophet had warned the people in Nineveh to stop disobeying and start following God. And the people did for a while. Then they started disobeying again. So God sent his messenger, Nahum, to the city of Nineveh to warn the people again. Nahum told the people that God is good and strong. He loved the people, but He could not allow them to keep on disobeying Him. God was angry with the people. He would have to punish them. Nahum said the whole earth listens to God’s voice and obeys Him. Nahum wanted the people to know they must listen and obey. “God is good,” Nahum said to the people in Nineveh. “He cares for the people who come to Him for help.”

BIBLE VERSE LEADER TIP You choose! Are your From the Bible text: preschoolers ready to learn The Lord is slow to anger but great in power. Nahum 1:3a memory verses? Decide which wording of the Bible verse you want to use with Paraphrase: your group. God is patient and good. Nahum 1:3a

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CIRCLE TIME (10-15 MINUTES, DEPENDING ON YOUR AGE GROUP)

GATHER OPTIONS 1. Arrival Activities • Put individual words of today’s Bible verse in Bibles (one word per Bible). 2. Circle Time Put the Bibles around the room in different places. 3. Exploration Stations

• Play the Enhanced CD as children clean up the areas where they have OR been working. Say: “Thank you for doing what I asked you to do. That’s a way to obey. The Bible tells us that God cares for people who obey Him.” 1. Arrival Activities 2. Exploration Stations 3. Circle Time HEAR THE BIBLE STORY • Hold the Jonah Bible Name Card (Pack). Then show the Story Picture: Designer will have to move A Job for Jonah (Pack). Remind children what God wanted Jonah to do blue dots behind the numbers and how Jonah responded. manually. • Open a Bible to the Book of Nahum and say: “God sent another prophet, Nahum, to the same city. Listen to more about Nahum.” TOOLS • Enhanced CD • Tell the Bible story. Afterward, pass the Story Picture: Nahum Talked • 6 Bibles About God (Pack) around the circle. • words of today’s Bible verse and reference written on • Say: “God used different people to be prophets or messengers. The individual index cards and prophets wanted to help people know that though God was unhappy placed in Bibles with them, He was patient and good.”

• Help children recall the names of prophets you have learned about in PACK ITEMS recent weeks. Show the Bible Name Cards for Amos, Hosea, Jonah, Nahum. 11 S tory Picture: A Job for Jonah 12 Story Picture: Nahum PRACTICE BIBLE SKILLS Talked About God • Ask preschoolers for their help in locating several Bibles that are in the 17 February Bible Markers room. 21 Bible Name Cards • Say: “Look in your Bible for a card with a word written on it. Let’s match your word to the ones on the Bible Marker.” • Assist children in arranging the Bible verse words correctly, then help them say the Bible verse together. Locate the Bible verse in one or more of the Bibles.

PRAY • Thank God for each child and his family. • Pray that God would show His love and care for each child.

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TEXT TRUTH God cares for people who EXPLORATION STATIONS (45-60 MINUTES) obey Him. Set up at least three stations to provide choices of multisensory activities and movement for busy preschoolers. BIBLE STORY Nahum Talked About God Nahum 1–3

STEP UP & TALK BIBLE VERSE Nahum 1:3a

Tools: Bible, Story Picture: Nahum Talked About God (Pack), child’s step stool PLAY A CHOICES GAME • Show a child the Story PACK ITEMS Picture and point to 12 Story Picture: Nahum Nahum. Say: “Nahum Talked About God Tools: Bible, bag, Choices Cards cared about the people in 25 Choices Cards (Pack), yellow and brown paper Nineveh. He knew they were disobedient to God • Spread the Choices Cards and forgot the things God for children to see. Talk did for them.” about the situations shown • Mention that Nahum is on the cards, then drop the standing on a step to talk cards in the bag. to the people. Say: “Let’s • Invite children to play a pretend to be Nahum.” game. Say: “Reach in the • Ask the preschooler to step bag and get a card. Look at up on the stool and hold the picture and decide if his hand up as Nahum is it shows a good choice or shown doing. Then lead the a bad choice. If it is a good child to repeat today’s Text choice, stand on the yellow Truth or Bible verse. paper. If it is a bad choice, go to the brown paper.” • Give other preschoolers turns to pretend to be • Give each child a turn. Nahum. Then tell everyone • Say: “Nahum reminded the Bible story. the people they had made bad choices and disobeyed God.”

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CREATE A BOOK USE SCISSORS & FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS Tools: Bible; picture cutouts of people, food, clothing, homes; paper; glue; crayons and Tools: Bible, child’s safety washable markers; photo album scissors, index cards in several colors, manila paper, glue sticks HOPSCOTCH TO THE • Use one sheet of paper for BIBLE the book cover. Write the • Spread items on a table. title God Is Good. Tell children: “When you follow instructions, you • Invite children to make a Tools: Bible, masking tape do what someone asks you book about God’s love and to do. I’m going to give care. • Use tape to make a you some instructions to • Lead children to look for hopscotch grid on the follow. Listen carefully.” floor. Make the sections pictures that help them • Give instructions such as: larger than a child’s foot. think about God’s love for “Find a blue card and cut Alternate one-square rows them. Some children may it into four pieces.” “Find and two-square rows. Lay enjoy drawing pictures a pink card and cut it into the Bible at the head of the that help them think about two pieces.” “Place a yellow grid. God. card next to a green card.” Show a child how to hop on • After children complete • • Give instructions for one foot, two feet, one foot, pages for the book, put creating pictures. Tell and so on. At each step, say them with the cover page . children to choose a letter in the word Bible into the photo album. different-colored paper Rest on row six. • Tell children that Nahum pieces and glue them on told the people they had • After the child completes paper. Or preschoolers can forgotten how good God a turn, tell her to get the glue pieces that are the had been to them. Bible. Help her find the same color. Book of Nahum. • Talk about Nahum. Say: • Remark: “We read in the “Nahum helped people in Old Testament about a Nineveh know they should man named Nahum. He follow God’s instructions.” went to a city and told the people what God said.” • Open the Bible to Nahum 1:3a and say the Bible verse with the child.

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NEXT HOUR (MORE EXPLORATIONS FOR PRESCHOOLERS)

OPTIONS WORK A BIBLE PUZZLE 1. Continue activities from the first hour. (Kids learn Tools: Bible, Holy Land Map Floor Puzzle (LifeWay, 005159905) or other through repetition.) Bible-related puzzle, index card with the name Nahum printed on it 2. Try something different. Choose two or three new • Slip the card in the Bible to mark the Book of Nahum. activities. • Ask two children to work together to complete the puzzle. Prop the box top nearby as a guide. • Ask a child to open the Bible to the card. Say: “You found the Book of TEXT TRUTH Nahum. Nahum is the story of a man who took an important message to God cares for people who obey some people in the city of Nineveh.” Him. • Point to the letters on the card and the same letters printed in the Bible.

BIBLE STORY Nahum Talked About God DELIVER MAIL Nahum 1–3 Tools: Bible, child’s backpack or a large purse, envelopes, some “ junk” mail, The Bible story is printed on Activity Page, 2 shoe boxes, marker the back of the Story Picture. • Talk with the children about the mail that comes to their homes. Suggest BIBLE VERSE that people sometimes receive important mail. The mail carrier delivers Nahum 1:3a the mail to the people. • Lead a child to be the mail carrier and drop off mail into the shoe boxes. Pretend you are the recipient of the mail. Talk about each item and how it could remind you that God is good. • Remark: “Nahum had an important message for the people of Nineveh. Nahum said the people should obey God and remember His goodness.”

MATCH PICTURES Tools: Bible, Message Match Cards (Pack Item 34), Story Picture: Nahum Talked About God (Pack Item 12)

• Put the match cards on a table facedown. Invite a child to turn over two pictures at a time to find matching cards. • As the child sees the pictures, talk about what is shown. Remark that each picture shows a way to share important news or information with someone.

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• Comment: “Nahum went to Nineveh and used his voice to tell the people LEADER TIP! what they should do. He knew God cared about the people.” Form groups of two or three preschoolers and a teacher. • Look at the Story Picture and recall the Bible story. Look at the Activity Page, review the Bible story, and say the Bible verse. BUILD WITH ALPHABET BLOCKS Tools: Bible with ribbon placed at Nahum 1:3, Bible Name Cards (Pack Item 21), alphabet blocks, wooden blocks

• Lay the Nahum Bible Name Card with the blocks. • Invite a child to build with the blocks. Point to the card and read the name. Comment that this is the name of a person in Bible times who told people what they should do. • Help the child find letter blocks to spell Nahum’s name.

CIRCLE TIME GATHER PRACTICE BIBLE SKILLS • As children get to the circle, sing • Distribute Bibles to children. Give (tune Mary Had a Little Lamb): each pair of children a card with God is patient. God is good. God is the word Nahum printed on it. good. God is good. God is patient. God is good. God is good. • Say: “Look at your card. N-A-H-U-M. Can you find the • Comment: “Those words are in Book of Nahum in your Bible?” the Bible in a book called Nahum.” • Ask teachers to help preschoolers locate the Book of Nahum. REVIEW THE BIBLE STORY • Help children practice saying • Lay the Story Picture (Pack) on “Nahum.” the floor so all children can see it. DON’T FORGET! Give every child this week’s • Toss a beanbag to a child and ask PRAY Activity Page and Preschool him to tell one thing he recalls Family Card. • Pray that God would remind us of from the story. Give hints and the ways He shows His love and information if needed. care. Ask Him to help us obey.

Look for printable Next Hour helps on the Preschool Enhanced CD.

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