EXTREME FAMILY DEVOTIONS
LESSONS 22-24
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Session 22: Who is Elijah?
Guided Reading: 1 Kings 16:29 – 19, 2 Kings 1-2:18
Four chapters and a few extra verses today. We are taking a little break from all the reading last week.
Kids Zone: Watch this episode of SuperBook: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhy_I6354SM
Lesson: The theme of turning back is going to be repeated all through the Bible and it will be repeated as long as we are on this side of heaven. Wouldn’t faith be easy if we witnessed God coming down in a pillar of fire? The fire was so hot and intense that it burned the bull, the wood, the stones, the dust, and the water. Yes, even the water was on fire!
My youth group was maybe not typical when I was growing up. We had some characters who vandalized the church and stole things. They were devout atheists. I am not sure why they kept coming to youth groups, but there they were. We played a lot of ping pong in the youth group. One day they said, “I will believe in God when that ping pong ball shoots across the room by itself.” Wouldn’t that be nice?! A sure fire sign that God exists; pun intended.
I think there are a few things wrong with the expectation that God will give you a sign when you tell him to. He doesn't work that way. I have certainly asked for signs that never show up. I have learned though that signs are available to us if we know where to look. I see them in nature, in other people, and in situations. The other thing that I see as a problem with signs is that even witnesses to the greatest signs recorded in the Bible turned away from God. I am not sure how you turn away from God after witnessing the ten plagues, parting of the Red Sea, and the battle of Jericho, but it happened.
So, if the ping pong ball did shoot across the room, would you drop everything and turn to God and become a monk and live the rest of your life in total devotion to God? Or, would you try to rationalize it? It was someone pulling a trick on me, it was just the wind, it was… fill in the blank. There-in lies the problem.
So, why did God give Elijah and the Israelites this sign? It could be because Elijah was the only prophet of the lord left and all of Israel worshiped Baal. Why don’t we seem to get these signs today? Good question. Thank you for asking. There are small signs everywhere. As I said before, I think some signs are personal signs that only you will receive. Others will come to groups. I am somewhat hesitant to call Covid-19 a sign, but maybe we are on the verge of a “great awakening.” Are people going to turn back to God after all this is over? Maybe they will. So many Christians that I admire have been talking about a great revival for years. Is this it? I don’t say anything with certainty, but I do wonder.
Teen Time: Elijah seemed to know how to throw a good BBQ party. He got the whole neighborhood to come out to his BBQ. He dug a swimming pool and had plenty of water. I am just kidding, of course. However, this did get me thinking. As the weather gets warmer and people are allowed to meet again, why not throw an Elijah party?! Have water balloons and squirt guns for fun. Build a fire pit and cook up some good BBQ. Just a little tip; don’t dump the water on the BBQ and don’t overcook the food.
Worship Zone: I can’t think of Elijah without thinking about this song. It’s old but I remember singing it many, many times in church. It's so catchy. If you listen to this just be warned it might get stuck in your head. There is a line in this song, “It’s the year of jubilee.” Jubilee might just mean happy or celebration to us. However, the year of jubilee is something that happens every seven years. It’s the year when all of your debts are forgiven. You don’t owe a penny. So, when we sing this song, we are singing that Jesus has forgiven our debts. www.youtube.com/watch?v=ca9LnzJnpjQ
Session 23: Who is ELIsha?
Guided Reading: 2 Kings 2:19 – 7, 13:14-24
Split the reading between you or use www.biblegateway.com to listen. As you are listening, follow along in your Bible. Highlight or underline things that stand out to you.
Kids Zone: Watch this episode of Superbook: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Nz-pzJsOJU
Lesson: The Spirit of Elijah. The Jewish people still wait for the return of Elijah who was taken away by chariot. They expect him to announce the arrival of the savior, who in their eyes has not returned. Every year as they celebrate Passover they hope that Elijah will come. This spirit that they hope will come has already come in John the Baptist. Jesus said, “John is Elijah, whom they said would come.” Matthew 11:14. John announced the arrival of Jesus.
The Spirit of Elijah passed to Elisha. In fact a double share of the spirit was given to Elisha. Even though Elijah was considered the greatest prophet, Elisha was able to do greater things. Jesus tells his disciples that after his death the Spirit will allow them to do even “greater works” than himself, yet Jesus remains greater than the disciples. “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” John 14:12.
In an amazing show of foreshadowing, even after Elisha’s death amazing things continued to happen. The Israelites hastily buried a man and just threw him in a grave; Elisha’s grave. When the dead man touched the bones of Elisha, he “revived and jumped to his feet.” Read Matthew 27:50-53. When Jesus gave up his Spirit, the ground shook, and dead and buried believers returned to life. Death cannot hold back the power of God. Death has been defeated.
Teen Time and Game: As random as some of the activities I choose are, I just have to share what comes to mind when I work on these lessons. This one we play often in the High School youth group; Jackbox Games. These games are so much fun and you play with your phones/tablets and a TV screen. You can buy the game on several devices: Firestick, Xbox, Playstation, Nintendo Switch, or on your computer with a program called Steam. The game that came to mind is: Murder Trivia Party. It’s a game where you die if you answer questions wrong, and come back to life if you answer questions better than the other players. It’s a little creepy so you might not want to play with young kids but there are other games that you can play with younger kids. Murder Trivia is found in party pack 3 and 6.
Worship: Death is Defeated, the King is Alive. Enjoy this worship song: www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3RRU25dpPg
Session 24: Who is Ezra and Nehemiah?
Guided Reading: Ezra and Nehemiah
You will be reading two books today. It is a lot of reading however it's only a total of 23 chapters. Split the reading between you or use www.biblegateway.com to listen. As you are listening, follow along in your Bible. Highlight or underline things that stand out to you.
Watch Yourself: Overview of Ezra and Nehemiah:
Kids Zone: Superbook actually started in the 1980’s. Enjoy this classic version of Superbook about Nehemiah. www.youtube.com/watch?v=53NsL4a9PzA The Superbook was so much more polite about it back then! Haha.
Lesson: The temples of Jerusalem:
1) Moses’ Temple was portable and moved from place to place.
2) David made a partial copy of Moses’ Temple. It was dismantled upon completion of Solomon’s Temple.
3) Solomon’s Temple was magnificent. Solomon’s Temple was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar.
4) Zerubbabel built the second permanent Temple. Many elders wept after seeing that the foundation for it was not as great as Solomon’s Temple.
5) This second Temple was renovated and enlarged by King Herod. This Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70AD. Another Jewish temple has not been built. Jesus prophesied the destruction of this temple in Matthew 24:1-2.
So, from the time of Moses through Jesus there was pretty much a Temple available for every generation of Jews. The significance is that Jesus replaced the temple and God now dwells in each of us who believe. When Jesus died the curtain separating the Holy of Holies from the people was torn top to bottom. God is now accessible to us all.
The Wailing Wall is where many Jewish people gather and place prayers written on pieces of paper. They place these prayers in the cracks of the wall. It is all that remains standing of Herod’s temple.
The Temple had a part called the Holy of Holies. The foundation of the Holy of Holies is well known and visited to this day. What currently sits there is the Dome of the Rock. It’s exactly what it sounds like; a dome over a rock. This rock under the dome is a foundation stone of the last Jewish temple of King Herod. The rock has a hole in it called the well of souls. The Dome of the Rock is a Islamic shrine which Muslims believe is the site of the prophet Muhammad’s ascension into heaven.
Nehemiah is responsible for rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem. It is believed that parts of this wall have been uncovered and can be seen today.
Watch Yourself:
Moses’ Tabernacle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mFGsLEpKKk
Solomon’s Temple: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xt6lQAe8ues
New Temple https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTnq6I3vUbU
We are a temple where God dwells and rules!
More Information: The Dome of the Rock https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCXjQHFQF14
Will a third Jewish Temple ever be built? The rebuilding of the Temple probably marks the end of the world and the second coming of Christ so I won’t get into that. You can read Matthew 24 and 25 and Revelation 11.