CHILDREN'S SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON 20
JANUARY – JUNE, 2023.
SUNDAY, 14TH MAY, 2023.
TOPIC: JEREMIAH IN PRISON
BIBLE TEXT:
2 Kings 25:1-21; Jeremiah 38:1-18, 39:1-14, 40:1-6
MEMORY VERSE:
If we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him he will also disown us. 2 Tim 2:12 (NIV).
TARGET:
To help the child realise that Jeremiah stood firm for God even when he or she was rejected and cast into a dungeon.
OBJECTIVES:
During and after the lesson, each child will show that he or she understands the lesson by:
1. Giving examples of times he or she can stand up for what he knows is right and saying how he or she can encourage others to do so too.
2. Reciting the memory verse correctly and explaining what it means.
3. Praying and asking God to help him stand true for Him.
OUTLINE:
1. Jeremiah Is Cast into a Dungeon - Jeremiah 38:1-18
2. Jerusalem Falls to the Babylonians - Jeremiah 39:1-10
3. Jeremiah Is Set Free - Jeremiah 39:11-14; 40:1-6
INTRODUCTION:
God's prophets faced many difficult situations. Some people made fun of them. Others refused to listen to their messages from God. Most often, people rejected and hated the prophets, and these were the very people they were trying to help. Has anyone ever made fun of you when you have done something to obey God?
This week, we shall study about Jeremiah, a prophet who faced both rejection and imprisonment because he faithfully obeyed the Lord.
1. IS CAST INTO A DUNGEON - Jeremiah 38:1-18
Jeremiah had just spoken to all the people. He told them that God said that Jerusalem would be given to the king of Babylon's army. Anyone who goes over to them would live, but all who refused to surrender would die. Because of this, the officials and false prophets hated Jeremiah and wanted him dead. They went to the king and told him that Jeremiah should die because he was discouraging the people by the Word of God he was proclaiming. They said he was not seeking the welfare of the people. The king agreed and told them to do what they wanted with Jeremiah.
The officials then took Jeremiah and threw him in a dungeon. A dungeon is probably an underground cistern that had mire, that is several feet of wet mud in the bottom. The idea in putting Jeremiah there was to make him sink slowly and die when he grew tired of standing. Thus his death could not be blamed on the officials. He would have died there but for the intervention of Ebed-melech, one of the king's servants.
When Ebed-melech heard that Jeremiah had been put into the dungeon, he quickly went to the king and told him about it. He expressed his fear that Jeremiah might die from hunger there. On hearing this, the king ordered Ebed-melech to take thirty men with him and bring Jeremiah out of the dungeon. The thirty men were to help overcome any opposition that might come from those who had put Jeremiah in the dungeon. Ebed-melech obeyed. He took thirty men, ropes, and some old rags. He let down the rags by ropes to Jeremiah. Jeremiah put the rags under his armpits under the ropes and was then pulled out of the dungeon with the ropes.
2. JERUSALEM FALLS TO THE BABYLONIANS - Jeremiah 39:1-10
The people of Judah continued to disobey God. In the end, the army of the Babylonians arrived in Jerusalem and took over the city. When the king and his officials saw them, they fled and went out of the city by night. The Babylonian army went after them, overtook them and captured them. They killed the king's sons before his eyes and also killed all his officials. Then they put out the king's eyes, bound him with chains and took him to Babylon.
The Babylonians then broke down the walls of Jerusalem, destroyed the temple, and burned the king's house and the houses of the people with fire. They took the people as captives to Babylon. Only the very poor people who had nothing were left in the land of Judah. These were given vineyards and farms to take care of.
3. JEREMIAH IS SET FREE - Jeremiah 39:11-14; 40:1-6
Initially, Jeremiah was arrested and put in chains with the other captives who were carried away to Babylon. This may have been a mistake. Later, however, he was released by the captain of the army and was told to go. The captain told him that the Lord had brought about the doom He pronounced on Jerusalem because of the sins of the people. He gave him a choice, either to go with the captain of the army to Babylon and be fully provided for or to stay with the poor survivors and help them. Jeremiah chose the later. The captain told him to go to the man that the king of Babylon had made governor of Judah. His name was Gedaliah. Jeremiah went to this governor and lived with his own people.
APPLICATION:
God has promised to help us always to obey Him, and do what is right. He wants us to ask Him for help. The memory verse says that we shall reign with Him if we endure with Him, but that He will disown us if we disown Him before the world.
Jeremiah had a choice. He could leave his people and have e full provisions, ,or stay with the poor survivors and help them. He chose the latter. In the same way, we have a choice whether to follow the Lord or follow the world and all it stands for.
Jeremiah was imprisoned because of the Word of God. In the same way, we can face trials and difficulties because we are Christians. We should always stand for God and not allow anything whether hardship, imprisonment, beatings, or even the threat of death to stop us from living for God.
QUESTIONS:
1. Why was Jeremiah persecuted and sent to prison? Because ________
(A) He stole the Book
(B) He disrespected the king
(C) He delivered the message God sent to the king
(D) He lied.
2. Why did the army of Babylon take over Judah and destroy Jerusalem?
(A) They did not believe Jeremiah's message
(B) Babylon loves Judah and Jerusalem
(C) For no reason
(D) They believed the message of Jeremiah.
3. What does the release of Jeremiah from the prison mean to us?
(A) It means nothing
(B) People do not die in Prison
(C) God is able to deliver us from all evil
(D) Jeremiah was a strong Prophet.
Monday: Assurance of Deliverance - Isaiah 43:1-2
Tuesday: Why Are We Persecuted? - Matt 13:21; Rev 2:10
Wednesday: Escaping from Persecution - Rom 8:35
Thursday: When Persecution Comes - 1Cor 12:10
Friday: Who Is Our Persecutor? - Rev 12:12
Saturday: Stronger after Persecution - 1 Thess 3:7.
BIBLE TEXT:
2 Kings 25:1-21; Jeremiah 38:1-18, 39:1-14, 40:1-6
MEMORY VERSE:
If we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him he will also disown us. 2 Tim 2:12 (NIV).
TARGET:
To help the child realise that Jeremiah stood firm for God even when he or she was rejected and cast into a dungeon.
OBJECTIVES:
During and after the lesson, each child will show that he or she understands the lesson by:
1. Giving examples of times he or she can stand up for what he knows is right and saying how he or she can encourage others to do so too.
2. Reciting the memory verse correctly and explaining what it means.
3. Praying and asking God to help him stand true for Him.
OUTLINE:
1. Jeremiah Is Cast into a Dungeon - Jeremiah 38:1-18
2. Jerusalem Falls to the Babylonians - Jeremiah 39:1-10
3. Jeremiah Is Set Free - Jeremiah 39:11-14; 40:1-6
INTRODUCTION:
God's prophets faced many difficult situations. Some people made fun of them. Others refused to listen to their messages from God. Most often, people rejected and hated the prophets, and these were the very people they were trying to help. Has anyone ever made fun of you when you have done something to obey God?
This week, we shall study about Jeremiah, a prophet who faced both rejection and imprisonment because he faithfully obeyed the Lord.
READ ALSO>>> Teens Sunday School Lesson 20: Sunday, 14th May, 2023.
LESSON COMMENTARY1. IS CAST INTO A DUNGEON - Jeremiah 38:1-18
Jeremiah had just spoken to all the people. He told them that God said that Jerusalem would be given to the king of Babylon's army. Anyone who goes over to them would live, but all who refused to surrender would die. Because of this, the officials and false prophets hated Jeremiah and wanted him dead. They went to the king and told him that Jeremiah should die because he was discouraging the people by the Word of God he was proclaiming. They said he was not seeking the welfare of the people. The king agreed and told them to do what they wanted with Jeremiah.
The officials then took Jeremiah and threw him in a dungeon. A dungeon is probably an underground cistern that had mire, that is several feet of wet mud in the bottom. The idea in putting Jeremiah there was to make him sink slowly and die when he grew tired of standing. Thus his death could not be blamed on the officials. He would have died there but for the intervention of Ebed-melech, one of the king's servants.
When Ebed-melech heard that Jeremiah had been put into the dungeon, he quickly went to the king and told him about it. He expressed his fear that Jeremiah might die from hunger there. On hearing this, the king ordered Ebed-melech to take thirty men with him and bring Jeremiah out of the dungeon. The thirty men were to help overcome any opposition that might come from those who had put Jeremiah in the dungeon. Ebed-melech obeyed. He took thirty men, ropes, and some old rags. He let down the rags by ropes to Jeremiah. Jeremiah put the rags under his armpits under the ropes and was then pulled out of the dungeon with the ropes.
2. JERUSALEM FALLS TO THE BABYLONIANS - Jeremiah 39:1-10
The people of Judah continued to disobey God. In the end, the army of the Babylonians arrived in Jerusalem and took over the city. When the king and his officials saw them, they fled and went out of the city by night. The Babylonian army went after them, overtook them and captured them. They killed the king's sons before his eyes and also killed all his officials. Then they put out the king's eyes, bound him with chains and took him to Babylon.
The Babylonians then broke down the walls of Jerusalem, destroyed the temple, and burned the king's house and the houses of the people with fire. They took the people as captives to Babylon. Only the very poor people who had nothing were left in the land of Judah. These were given vineyards and farms to take care of.
3. JEREMIAH IS SET FREE - Jeremiah 39:11-14; 40:1-6
Initially, Jeremiah was arrested and put in chains with the other captives who were carried away to Babylon. This may have been a mistake. Later, however, he was released by the captain of the army and was told to go. The captain told him that the Lord had brought about the doom He pronounced on Jerusalem because of the sins of the people. He gave him a choice, either to go with the captain of the army to Babylon and be fully provided for or to stay with the poor survivors and help them. Jeremiah chose the later. The captain told him to go to the man that the king of Babylon had made governor of Judah. His name was Gedaliah. Jeremiah went to this governor and lived with his own people.
APPLICATION:
God has promised to help us always to obey Him, and do what is right. He wants us to ask Him for help. The memory verse says that we shall reign with Him if we endure with Him, but that He will disown us if we disown Him before the world.
Jeremiah had a choice. He could leave his people and have e full provisions, ,or stay with the poor survivors and help them. He chose the latter. In the same way, we have a choice whether to follow the Lord or follow the world and all it stands for.
Jeremiah was imprisoned because of the Word of God. In the same way, we can face trials and difficulties because we are Christians. We should always stand for God and not allow anything whether hardship, imprisonment, beatings, or even the threat of death to stop us from living for God.
QUESTIONS:
1. Why was Jeremiah persecuted and sent to prison? Because ________
(A) He stole the Book
(B) He disrespected the king
(C) He delivered the message God sent to the king
(D) He lied.
2. Why did the army of Babylon take over Judah and destroy Jerusalem?
(A) They did not believe Jeremiah's message
(B) Babylon loves Judah and Jerusalem
(C) For no reason
(D) They believed the message of Jeremiah.
3. What does the release of Jeremiah from the prison mean to us?
(A) It means nothing
(B) People do not die in Prison
(C) God is able to deliver us from all evil
(D) Jeremiah was a strong Prophet.
READ ALSO>>> Teens Sunday School Lesson 20: Sunday, 14th May, 2023.
Monday: Assurance of Deliverance - Isaiah 43:1-2
Tuesday: Why Are We Persecuted? - Matt 13:21; Rev 2:10
Wednesday: Escaping from Persecution - Rom 8:35
Thursday: When Persecution Comes - 1Cor 12:10
Friday: Who Is Our Persecutor? - Rev 12:12
Saturday: Stronger after Persecution - 1 Thess 3:7.
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