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.

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© 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.

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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.

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© 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.

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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

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© 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. And you’ll be out of here before you know it. I know what will help! I have another Bible story to tell you. TYLER • Oh good! I was hoping we’d get to hear another story today. KATIE • This story is about a man named Balak who wanted a man named Balaam to help him go against God. But Balaam could only do as God told him. TYLER • Kind of like how I want to go home but I have to listen to the doctor? KATIE • A bit! Let’s check out our story.

Big picture question (1 min.) • Big Picture Question KATIE • Do you remember our big picture question we’ve Poster been talking about? TYLER • Yeah! What does it mean to sin? To sin is to think, speak, or behave in any way that goes against God and His commands. Only Jesus can cure our sin! He did it by dying on the cross for us so our sin could be forgiven! KATIE • Exactly. When we trust Jesus our sin is forgiven, but that doesn’t mean we don’t still sin. As you listen to the story think about how sin crept into the hearts of the people and what God did about it.

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© 2018 LifeWay Giant timeline (1 min.) • Giant Timeline TYLER • Last week we learned how the Israelites complained to God and He punished them by sending snakes into the camp to bite them. But God also provided a way for the people to be healed. God told His people to look at the bronze snake to be healed. KATIE • The Israelites continued to wander in the desert for many years. God gave them victory over many of their enemies, and the surrounding countries began to fear them. They knew that Israel’s God was powerful and would fight for His people. That’s where today’s story begins.

Tell the Bible story (10 min.) • Bibles, 1 per kid Open your Bible to Numbers 22–24. Use the Bible • “Balaam and Balak” video (optional) storytelling tips provided with the Bible story script to help • Bible Story Picture you tell the story, or watch the Bible story video “Balaam Poster and Balak.” • Story Point Poster TYLER • Wow, it wasn’t very smart of Balak to go against God’s people! God always fights for His people. He had promised to bless them, and Balak thought Balaam could curse them anyway. He sure was in for a surprise! KATIE • God commanded Balaam to bless His people. Even though Balak tried to do evil against the Israelites, he wasn’t able to. God was in complete control. No one can stop God’s plan. That reminds me of our big picture question. What is sin? TYLER • To sin is to think, speak, or behave in any way that goes against God and His commands. God had a plan for His people and had told Balaam that he was not to curse them. But Balak disobeyed God by

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© 2018 LifeWay trying to make Balaam curse the Israelites anyway. KATIE • God wasn’t surprised about Balak’s sin; God was in control the whole time. And God is still in control today. We might go through hard times in our lives. Things might not always go the way we expect. But we can trust and know that God is still good. He is on our side, and He will fight for us! Tip: Consider using Christ Connection your Bible and the gospel poster KATIE • The message that Balaam gave to the king of Moab provided to explain was a promise from God. God promised that the to kids how to Savior of the world would be born into the nation of become a Christian. Anytime you invite Israel. He was talking about Jesus! kids to respond TYLER • Fourteen hundred years after Balaam announced in a large group God’s promise, Jesus was born. Wise men followed setting, make sure a star to the place where He lay, and they worshiped you have counselors available to Jesus as king. (Matthew 2:2) God sent Jesus to bless speak with kids the whole world by rescuing people from sin. individually to answer questions. Group demonstration (5 min.) Show the kids a variety of objects that you would use for • variety of protection protection and ask them to tell you what that item protects items • toy donkey you from. Suggested items: • bike helmet • swimming goggles • oven mitts • football pads • warm coat or parka • sunblock lotion TYLER • There are tons of things we need for protection, huh? We get hurt so easily! But what’s this one for?

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© 2018 LifeWay [Hold up a toy donkey.] How in the world does a donkey protect us? KATIE • Don’t you remember our story? Balaam was about to walk straight into the Angel of the Lord, whom he couldn’t even see. But God used the donkey to protect Balaam. He could have died, but God spared his life. TYLER • God sure does have some interesting ways of protecting us! KATIE • Are you surprised that God used a donkey to protect Balaam? All of creation is God’s. God can use whatever means He wants to bring Himself glory, even opening the mouth of a donkey.

Review (4 min.) TYLER • Let’s review what we’ve learned from our story! Invite the kids to answer the following questions: 1. Who was the king of Moab? (Balak, Num. 22:2) 2. What did Balak ask Balaam to do? (curse God’s people, Num. 22:6) 3. What animal spoke to Balaam? (a donkey, Num. 22:28) 4. Why wasn’t Balaam able to curse the Israelites? (God commanded Balaam to bless His people, Num. 23:12) 5. What does it mean to sin? To sin is to think, speak, or behave in any way that goes against God and His commands. 6. What does this story teach me about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, or the gospel? 7. What does this story teach me about myself? 8. Are there any commands in this story to obey? How are they for God’s glory and my good?

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Key passage (5 min.) • Key Passage Poster Read Proverbs 3:5-6 and encourage the kids to read along in • “Trust!” song their Bibles. Display the key passage poster for kids to read. You may also sing the key passage song. TYLER • Balak tried to rely on his own understanding and power. He didn’t acknowledge God as the one true God. He thought he could get away with his sin and do things his own way. KATIE • Instead of relying on ourselves and trying to get our own way, we can trust God, and He will show us the right path. He wants us to live for Him! He wants to bless our lives when we obey Him and try to honor Him.

Group game (5–10 min.) CUPS AND DOWNS • plastic cups Scatter plastic cups on their sides around the room. Form two teams. One team will try to get all the cups standing right side up; the other will try to place them all upside down. When you say go, kids will go around the room trying to turn the cups to orient them the way their team needs them to be. After 30 seconds or so, stop the game and count the cups oriented each direction. The team with the most cups standing their way wins. KATIE • In this game, the two teams had goals that were directly opposite from one another. Neither team could achieve its goal without undoing some of the efforts of the other team.

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© 2018 LifeWay TYLER • The king of Moab wanted to go against God and His people. He hired Balaam to curse God’s people. Balak’s and God’s goals were directly opposite, so Balaam could not do what Balak wanted. KATIE • God commanded Balaam to bless His people so that’s just what Balaam did! Not only did Balaam bless the Israelites but he also prophesied about the coming Messiah, Jesus!

Sing and give offering (3–12 min.) • “Walking by Your TYLER • God is for us not against us. He wants good things Side” song and other songs of your choice for us, and ultimately He gives us the best thing: Himself. Let’s worship Him with thankful hearts for the good things God has given us! Sing “Walking by Your Side,” choose from the songs provided this quarter, or sing other songs as time allows.

Missions (6 min.) Explain that you are going to play a game called “Would you or wouldn’t you?” You will share a scenario. If kids decide they would do it, instruct them to run to the right side of the room. If they would not do it, instruct them to run to the left side of the room. Suggested scenarios: • Ride in a car on a narrow road with big trucks and livestock on one side and the edge of a mountain on the other. • Eat rice with fried chicken head and chicken feet. • Sleep in a room with roaches and lizards. • Use a “squatty potty” (hole in the ground). • Tell people about Jesus in a place where sharing the gospel is not allowed.

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© 2018 LifeWay KATIE • These scenarios are actual things Morgan Grace and her team faced during their trip to share the gospel in East Asia. The Bible says to trust in the Lord with all your heart. Sometimes God asks missionaries to go places, do things, say things, and even eat things in order to tell people about Jesus. Obedience requires a lot of trust in God!

Announcements (2 min.) TYLER • Thanks for telling me the story of Balak and Balaam. The Bible sure is full of interesting stories about God and His people. I hope we can hear another one again soon. KATIE • Of course! I’ll see you again soon, and I’ll have another story for you then. In the meantime, I need to go check on my other patients. But first, we have some announcements to make. Make any announcements from your kids’ ministry.

Prayer (2 min.) KATIE • Tyler, would you pray for us? TYLER • God, we are so thankful that You always keep Your promises. No one can mess up the wonderful plans You have for Your people. We thank You for this story of Balaam because it reminds us that You are in control. What You say You will do, You do! Give us hearts that love and trust You. Amen.

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© 2018 LifeWay Additional idea • index cards SILLY SPEAK • pen Write silly phrases or tongue twisters on index cards. Choose one kid to be the caller. She will come and draw an index card, and must attempt to read the card to the whole class without laughing or smiling. If she is successful, she may draw another card and continue. If not, she will return, and a new kid will attempt to read the card without laughing or smiling. Play until all cards have been read. Suggested phrases: • Leo the lion licked a lemon-lime leopard. • Paula Piper plucked a pack of ‘peño pepper poppers. • The junk trunk stunk like skunk. • The minks and lynx filled sinks with sausage links. • Plane Jane’s plain mane is stained with Spain rain. • Theres a moose on the loose on the Tuscon caboose. TYLER • Some of those phrases were tough to say, especially without cracking up. But to win the game, you had to read exactly what the card said. KATIE • In a way, that’s like Balaam’s situation. He had to say what God told him to say, even if it was hard. God commanded Balaam to bless His people, and that’s just what Balaam did.

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© 2018 LifeWay 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.

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