Sunday, May 11, 2014 Kidzone KG and 1st Grade Small Group TEACHER BIBLE STUDY Zerubbabel Led the Captives Home Ezra 1:1 2:2; 2:64 3:13 God s people had been living in Babylon for 70 years. Some of God s people had died in Babylon. Some of their children and grandchildren were born in Babylon and grew up there. But Babylon was not their home. Before the people of Judah were exiled, God had spoken through the prophet Jeremiah. These are the words of the Lord: These nations will serve the king of Babylon for 70 years (Jer. 25:11). Then the Lord said, When 70 years for Babylon are complete, I will attend to you and will confirm My promise concerning you to restore you to this place (Jer. 29:10). The time had come for God s people to go back home. Cyrus, the king of the Persian empire, overthrew Babylon. Cyrus took over the kingdom, including the lands of Israel and Judah. In the following year, the Lord did something miraculous in Cyrus s heart. He prompted Cyrus to issue a decree: All the Jewish exiles are free to return to their ancestral homes. The exile was over! God s people were free to return to their own land. They were free to live as God s special people. The first group of Judean exiles returned home under the leadership of Zerubbabel (zuh RUHB uh buhl). Zerubbabel was the grandson of King Jehoiachin, who had been taken to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. (See 2 Kings 24:8-13.) Ezra 2:64-65 says nearly 50,000 people traveled back to Judah. When they got to Jerusalem, they began working to rebuild the temple that the Chaldeans had destroyed. (See 2 Chron. 36:19.) The temple was the place where God met with His people. Jesus came to earth to rescue God s people from sin. When Jesus returns, He will restore the earth and will dwell with His people forever. YOUNGER KIDS BIBLE STUDY OVERVIEW Session Title: Zerubbabel Led the Captives Home Bible Passage: Ezra 1:1 2:2; 2:64 3:13 Big Picture Question: How did God keep His promise to the Israelites? God changed King Cyrus s heart so the Israelites could go home. Key Passage: Zechariah 9:9 Unit Christ Connection: God saved His people who were in physical captivity as He would one day send Jesus to save and restore His people who are in spiritual captivity. Unit 21 Session 2 Younger Elementary 1
Sunday, May 11, 2014 Kidzone KG and 1st Grade Small Group Welcome time Activity page (5 minutes) Session starter (10 minutes) Key passage activity (5 minutes) Small Group Time Bible story review (10 minutes) Activity choice (10 minutes) Journal (5 minutes) Prayer (5 minutes) THE BIBLE STORY Zerubbabel Led the Captives Home Ezra 1:1 2:2; 2:64 3:13 Many years before God s people were taken to Babylon, God made a promise. He told the people His promise through the prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah said that the exile would last 70 years, and then God would bring His people back home. This was God s promise, and God always keeps His promises. Cyrus was king of Persia when God gave him an idea. King Cyrus made a decree. A decree is like a law; everyone had to obey it. Cyrus said, Let all of God s people go back to Jerusalem so they can rebuild the Lord s temple. Give them gold and silver and animals. Give them gifts for God s temple. What wonderful news! The exile was over! God s people were free to go back to Judah to their homes. God s people got ready. Their neighbors gave them gifts like Cyrus had commanded gold and silver and animals and other expensive things. King Cyrus gave them the things Nebuchadnezzar had taken from God s temple when the exile began. Zerubbabel (zuh RUHB uh buhl) and the high priest led God s people back to Judah. They hadn t been home in 70 years. Many of the people were born in Babylon; they had never seen the land God had given their parents and grandparents. In all, thousands of people went back to Judah. They took with them all the gifts and many animals. They settled in their hometowns and set up their houses. Then the people met together in Jerusalem to rebuild the Lord s temple. First, the priests rebuilt the altar in the same place it used to be. They followed all the laws of God for building. When the altar was finished, they offered burnt offerings to God. The people also obeyed the law about special celebrations. They had a festival like God had told them to do, and they made sacrifices to God. Then God s people gave money to stonecutters and carpenters who would work on God s temple. They paid people to bring cedar logs to Jerusalem. Finally, when everything was ready, the people started to work. They laid the foundation of the temple. The foundation was important; it would make the building strong. Unit 21 Session 2 Younger Elementary 2
Sunday, May 11, 2014 Kidzone KG and 1st Grade Small Group When the foundation was finished, the priests put on special clothes, and the people praised God. They sang, The Lord is good. His faithful love will last forever. Then the people shouted and praised God. They were so happy! The foundation of the temple was complete! Not everyone was happy though. Some of the older people remembered what the temple had looked like 70 years ago, before it had been destroyed. They cried. The noise of the crying and shouting was so loud that the people could be heard far away. Christ Connection: Zerubbabel led God s people back to the temple to rebuild it. The temple was the place where God met with His people on earth. Jesus came to earth to rescue God s people. One day Jesus will return to restore a greater home for all of God s people, and we will spend eternity with Him. SMALL GROUP OPENING Session Title: Zerubbabel Led the Captives Home Bible Passage: Ezra 1:1 2:2; 2:64 3:13 Big Picture Question: How did God keep His promise to the Israelites? God changed King Cyrus s heart so the Israelites could go home. Key Passage: Zechariah 9:9 Unit Christ Connection: God saved His people who were in physical captivity as He would one day send Jesus to save and restore His people who are in spiritual captivity. Welcome time Arriving Activity: Sock golf sock orange table tennis ball Place an orange in a tube sock; it will be the golf club. Provide a table tennis ball. Invite the kids to take a swing at the ball with the sock to see who can hit it on the ground the farthest. If you have several kids, make more than one club. Say Babylon was a lot farther from Jerusalem than you could ever hit the ball. God s people had been forced to live away from their homes for 70 years, but God had a plan to send them home. Unit 21 Session 2 Younger Elementary 3
Sunday, May 11, 2014 Kidzone KG and 1st Grade Small Group Activity page (5 minutes) Way Back activity page, 1 per kid pencils Guide boys and girls to complete the activity page. Say In today s Bible study, some of God s people traveled back to Jerusalem. We will find out what they did once they returned home. Session starter (10 minutes) Option 1: Take it tape small items, 3 per group Form two or more groups. Give each group three small items (maybe a ball, a toy, a pencil). Make sure each group has the same set of items. Place the items on one side of the room. Invite each group to line up single file near the items. Tape a finish line several feet away. To play, the leader should call out Take it: (name one of the items). The first kid in each group should grab the correct item and race it to the other side of the finish line. The first one to do so wins that round. For the next kids in line, the leader can call out either Take it or Take it back followed by the item. If the command is Take it, the item must be rushed to the finish line. If the command is Take it back, the kids must race to the finish line, grab the item, and get it back to the starting point first. Play until each kid has had a turn. Say The people in Babylon took items from the temple when they forced the people of Judah to leave Jerusalem. In today s Bible story, God s people took the items back where they belonged. Option 2: Food jewelry O- shaped cereal or dry pasta string Provide cereal or dry pasta and 24- inch pieces of string. Demonstrate how to tie a knot on one end of the string, and then run the string through the food. For bracelets, use 10- inch pieces of string. String measurements do not have to be exact. Say In today s Bible story, we will see how God s people were allowed to return home to Jerusalem with gifts from those who once took them prisoner. Unit 21 Session 2 Younger Elementary 4
Sunday, May 11, 2014 SMALL GROUP LEADER Kidzone KG and 1st Grade Small Group Session Title: Zerubbabel Led the Captives Home Bible Passage: Ezra 1:1 2:2; 2:64 3:13 Big Picture Question: How did God keep His promise to the Israelites? God changed King Cyrus s heart so the Israelites could go home. Key Passage: Zechariah 9:9 Unit Christ Connection: God saved His people who were in physical captivity as He would one day send Jesus to save and restore His people who are in spiritual captivity. Key passage activity (5 minutes) Key Passage Slide or Poster dry erase board and markers (optional) large sheet of paper markers Show the slide or poster of the unit s key passage, Zechariah 9:9. Lead the boys and girls to read the verse together. Say The people were able to go home, but they would continue to wait for the Savior God promised them. He would come hundreds of years later. Jesus was righteous and victorious. He lived a perfect life and beat sin by His death on a cross. Write the words to the first half of the key passage out of order on a large sheet of paper. Hang the piece of paper on the wall. You may also use a dry erase board. Feel free to keep the key passage slide or poster where the kids can see it. Choose a volunteer to point out the first word. Invite that volunteer to give a high five to another kid who will come up and point out the next word. Continue until the first half of the verse is complete. Then say the entire verse aloud together. Repeat as time allows. Bible story review (10 minutes) Bibles, 1 per kid Small Group Visual Pack Big Picture Question Slide or Poster Encourage the kids to find the Book of Ezra in their Bibles. Help them as needed. Say Is Ezra in the Old Testament or New Testament? (Old Testament) Ezra is in the division of the Bible called History. Ezra describes the Israelites return to their homeland after being held captive in Babylon. Unit 21 Session 2 Younger Elementary 5
Sunday, May 11, 2014 Kidzone KG and 1st Grade Small Group Use the small group visual pack to show kids where today s Bible story is on the timeline. Review the Bible story provided using the bolded text, or summarize the story in your own words. As you talk about the people returning to their homes, lead the kids on a walk. You can create an obstacle course in your room or walk to somewhere in the church and back. As you talk about the people receiving and taking gifts, encourage the kids to pretend to give each other gifts. When you return, lead the kids in a praise song or familiar chorus. Say Many of those who were captured from Judah were allowed to return home. God had promised them even before they were taken that He would return them to their land. Seventy years after being taken from Judah because of their sin, the people would have a new start. Those who had never seen Judah and the old temple were happy, but those old enough to remember the first temple were sad. Show the big picture question slide or poster. Say How did God keep His promise to the Israelites? God changed King Cyrus s heart so the Israelites could go home. Activity choice (10 minutes) Option 1: Things at home Encourage the kids to think about something they really love at home. It can be a pet, a game, a family member, and so forth. Let them share. Then, invite the kids to form a large circle. Name something that might be found in their homes. Encourage them to run to the middle of the circle if that item is in their home. Name pieces of furniture, types of pets, food items, and so forth. Play as time allows. Say Home is a very important place for all of us. The people of Judah had been away from their homes for 70 years. That means many of them had never even seen the land God gave His people. God promised that His people would get to return, and God always keeps His promises. How did God keep His promise to the Israelites? God changed King Cyrus s heart so the Israelites could go home. Option 2: Dream Home paper markers Invite kids to draw their dream home or dream room. Encourage kids to be detailed. What would be inside? Unit 21 Session 2 Younger Elementary 6
Sunday, May 11, 2014 Kidzone KG and 1st Grade Small Group What color(s) are the walls? What electronic features are in the house or room? What toys, furniture, and supplies are present? Invite kids to share about their dream homes/ rooms. Say Have any of you moved homes before? What was it like? Did you miss your old home? Was it exciting to be in a new home? The Israelites had waited 70 years to be able to return to their homes. The consequence of their sin was that they were conquered and taken to Babylon. God promised the Israelites that He would bring them back home one day. How did God keep His promise to the Israelites? God changed King Cyrus s heart so the Israelites could go home. Journal and prayer (5 minutes) Journal Page, 1 per kid markers or crayons Bible Story Coloring Page Distribute each child s journal page provided with this session. Instruct the kids to draw a picture of the temple being rebuilt. Writers can write their favorite things about their homes. Say Here s our last look at the big picture question, How did God keep His promise to the Israelites? God changed King Cyrus s heart so the Israelites could go home. If time remains, take prayer requests or allow kids to complete the coloring page provided with this session. Pray, thanking God for always keeping His promises. Pray for each child by name, asking God to bless the homes of all the kids. Dismiss to parents Make sure to check security tags when dismissing children. Unit 21 Session 2 Younger Elementary 7
Unit 21 Session 2 Zerubbabel Led the Captives Home OK TO PRINT The Exiles Returned 2013 Lifeway
2013 LifeWay Christian Resources. UNIT 21 Session 2 Younger Kids Activity Pages ª -JGF8BZ Instructions: Help the Israelites find their way back to Jerusalem. The Exiles Returned