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Balaam and Balak Unit 7 • Session 3 Use Week of: Unit 7 • Session 3 Balaam and Balak BIBLE PASSAGE: Numbers 22–24 STORY POINT: God commanded Balaam to bless His people. KEY PASSAGE: Proverbs 3:5-6 BIG PICTURE QUESTION: What does it mean to sin? To sin is to think, speak, or behave in any way that goes against God and His commands. • Countdown • Review (4 min.) • Introduce the session (2 min.) • Key passage (5 min.) • Big picture question (1 min.) • Group game (5–10 min.) • Giant timeline (1 min.) • Sing and give offering (3–12 min.) • Tell the Bible story (10 min.) • Missions moment (6 min.) • Christ connection • Announcements (2 min.) • Group demonstration (5 min.) • Prayer (2 min.) • Additional idea Additional resources are available at gospelproject.com. For free training and session-by- session help, visit www.ministrygrid.com/web/thegospelproject. Kids Worship Guide 34 Unit 7 • Session 3 © 2018 LifeWay LEADER Bible Study God’s people, the Israelites, were in the wilderness. They had arrived at the promised land decades earlier, but the people had rebelled—refusing to trust God to give them the land. They believed it would be better to die in the wilderness than follow God (Num. 14:2), so God sent them into the wilderness for 40 years (vv. 28-29). In time, all of the adults died except for Joshua, Caleb, and Moses. The children grew up and more children were born. The Israelites disobeyed God time and again, but God still provided for them. He planned to keep His promise to give Israel the promised land. As the Israelites traveled, God gave them victory over attacking armies like the Canaanites and Amorites. Not surprisingly, when Israel set up camp in the plains of Moab, on the east side of the Jordan River, Balak— 3 the king of Moab—was terrified. The king knew he could not defeat the Israelites on his own, so he called on Balaam, a pagan prophet, to put a curse on them. Though Balaam did not follow God, he knew of God and God spoke to him. God told Balaam, “You are not to curse this people, for they are blessed.” God’s plan all along was to bless humanity (Gen. 1:28), specifically through the nation of Israel (Gen. 12:3). So each time Balaam spoke over Israel, God did not allow him to curse the Israelites. Instead, Balaam spoke in four clear messages, insisting that God would bless the Israelites. One of the ways God would bless the Israelites is found in Numbers 24:17: “A star will come from Jacob, and a scepter will arise from Israel.” Balaam told of a powerful future king who would be victorious over his enemies. This prophecy referred to and was ultimately fulfilled by Jesus. Teach the kids in your group that God protects His people. His promises are sure. In Jesus, God fulfilled His promise of bringing blessing to the whole world. Wandering in the Wilderness 35 © 2018 LifeWay The BIBLE Story Balaam and Balak Bible Storytelling Tips Numbers 22–24 • Pause for effect: The Israelites came to the edge of the promised land. They Use pauses and camped in the plains of Moab . silence between near the Jordan River (MOH ab) By paragraphs to now, all of the previous generation had died except for Moses, Joshua, capture kids’ and Caleb. attention. Balak (BAY lak), the king of Moab, saw • Display art: Show the Bible the Israelites and was afraid. If the story picture or use Israelites moved into Moab, they a flannelgraph to could take over! King Balak sent depict the story as you tell it. his messengers to a man named Balaam (BAY luhm). The king said, “Come and curse the Israelites so that I might be able to defeat them.” The king believed that whomever Balaam cursed became cursed, and whomever he blessed became blessed. When Balaam went with the king’s officials, God sent an angel to stop Balaam. Balaam could not see the angel, but his donkey could. Three times the angel stood in the way, and three times the donkey stopped. First the donkey went off the road. Then she ran into a wall. Finally, she crouched down on the ground. Balaam didn’t understand why the donkey was stopping. He hit the donkey with his stick, so God gave the donkey the ability to speak. Kids Worship Guide 36 Unit 7 • Session 3 © 2018 LifeWay Balaam and Balak “What have I done to you that made you beat me three Bible Storytelling Tips Numbers 22–24 times?” the donkey said. “You made me look like a fool!” Balaam said. • Pause for effect: The Israelites came to the edge of the promised land. They God then allowed Balaam to see the angel, and Use pauses and camped in the plains of Moab . Balaam said, “I was wrong. I didn’t know you were silence between near the Jordan River (MOH ab) By paragraphs to now, all of the previous generation had died except for Moses, Joshua, trying to stop me. If you don’t think I should go, I’ll capture kids’ and Caleb. return home right now.” attention. Balak (BAY lak), the king of Moab, saw The angel said, “It’s all right for you to go. But you • Display art: Show the Bible the Israelites and was afraid. If the must only say what I tell you.” story picture or use Israelites moved into Moab, they When he arrived, Balaam told the king, “I will only say a flannelgraph to could take over! King Balak sent what God tells me to say.” depict the story as you tell it. his messengers to a man named Balaam told the king that God had blessed the Balaam (BAY luhm). The king Israelites. So Balaam blessed them too. In fact, he blessed said, “Come and curse the them three times. Israelites so that I might be The king was angry! “I brought you here to curse the able to defeat them.” The Israelites, but you have blessed them!” he said. “Go home!” king believed that whomever Before Balaam went home, he had a special message Balaam cursed became cursed, for the king. Balaam said that one day the Lord would and whomever he blessed be born to the people of Israel. The message was a special became blessed. promise: “I see him, but not now; I perceive him, but not When Balaam went with near. A star will come from Jacob, and a scepter will arise the king’s officials, God from Israel.” After Balaam had said these things, he went sent an angel to stop Balaam. home. Balaam could not see the angel, but his donkey could. Christ Connection: Balaam could not curse God’s people. Three times the angel stood in God had blessed the Israelites, so Balaam blessed them too. the way, and three times the donkey Fourteen hundred years after Balaam announced God’s stopped. First the donkey went off the road. promise, Jesus was born. God sent Jesus to bless the whole world Then she ran into a wall. Finally, she crouched by rescuing people from sin. down on the ground. Balaam didn’t understand why the donkey was stopping. He hit the donkey with his stick, so God gave the donkey the ability to speak. Wandering in the Wilderness 37 © 2018 LifeWay TEACH the Story SESSION TITLE: Balaam and Balak BIBLE PASSAGE: Numbers 22–24 STORY POINT: God commanded Balaam to bless His people. KEY PASSAGE: Proverbs 3:5-6 BIG PICTURE QUESTION: What does it mean to sin? To sin is to think, speak, or behave in any way that goes against God and His commands. Countdown • countdown video Show the countdown video as your kids arrive, and set it to end as worship time begins. Introduce the session (2 min.) • leader attire • joke book [Katie enters the room with a tray of food and medicine for • tray of food Tyler. Tyler is sitting on the bed reading his joke book.] TYLER • Hey, Katie! Is it time for breakfast already? I’ve been reading my trusty joke book, and the time is flying! Here’s a funny one for you. Why did the clown go to the doctor? KATIE • I don’t know, why? TYLER • Because he was feeling funny! KATIE • Haha, that’s a good one! Your jokes always make me laugh, Tyler. And I’m glad you’re feeling well this morning. I’ve brought your breakfast and your medicine. TYLER • Oh no! I don’t like taking medicine. It tastes awful. KATIE • I know it’s not your favorite thing to do. I wish you didn’t have to take medicine at all. TYLER • Then why not just let me skip it this time? KATIE • The doctor wants you to take this medicine so you’ll get well. She knows what she’s doing, so even if it were up to me, I’d still make you take it. I don’t Kids Worship Guide 38 Unit 7 • Session 3 © 2018 LifeWay want you to stay sick, and neither do you. TYLER • Oh alright then. I do want to get well so I can get out of here! I’m ready to be home with my mom and dad. My joke book has gotten me through OK, but I can’t wait to be out of this hospital bed running around outside again. I’m tired of doing everything the doctors want me to do! KATIE • I know it’s hard to be sick for so long.
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