1.

9
Bible Passage: Joshua 1—6
(Jericho)

REMEMBER VERSE
God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts.
Use them well to serve one another.
1 Peter 4:10 (NLT)

God Is Faithful
Equip
God is faithful. He proves this to His children again and again. Still, the first generation that left Egypt during
the exodus had a hard time trusting God. They knew the promise God gave to their forefathers—to take them
to a land flowing with milk and honey, where they could live as a nation set apart for Him (Exodus 33:1–3).
They also agreed to the covenant at Sinai, during which God gave His people the Ten Commandments and
called them His treasured possession.
The Israelites saw God’s faithfulness when He rescued them from slavery in Egypt. They experienced His
provision when He gave them food in the wilderness. Yet they continued to grumble and complain because
they didn’t truly trust Him. And though their spies discovered that the Promised Land was, indeed, a good land,
they weren’t excited, for they also heard the cities were full of powerful men (Numbers 13:26–29). Their fear
blinded their trust that God would be faithful to His promise. Because of this, God said that no one in the first
generation would enter the land (Deuteronomy 1:35–36).
The next generation, though they also would grumble and complain, spent their entire lives depending on
God to provide for their every need. When God asked them to do unconventional things, they followed His lead.
Because God’s Spirit was with them, the second generation crossed a flooded river, marched around the
fortified city of Jericho, and overtook it. The second generation saw the land God had promised.
God kept the promise He made to bring His people into a good land, and He proved to His people that He
was—and is—always faithful. He only asked that they trust Him and follow His lead so He could transform them
into faithful people who served Him with their whole hearts.

Support
Sometimes it’s easier to acknowledge the faithfulness of God when life is easy instead of painful. During
trials, hardship, or even despair, it can be difficult to see how God is at work. But one thing remains true amidst
our circumstances: God’s constant faithfulness.
The faithfulness of God is much like His character. It doesn’t change. Regardless of what’s happening in your
life, He’s always faithful. Lamentations 3:22–23 says, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
God’s faithfulness isn’t just constant; it’s renewed each day. Spend some time reflecting on this promise. Ask
God to show you, every day, the immense depth of His faithfulness. Ask God to give you the ability to be a
faithful servant who asks the following question: “What needs to be done to serve God and His people?”

1
© 2012 David C. Cook. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church
and a national network of family and c hildren’s ministry leaders. All rights reserved.
 1.9
Lesson Overview
Experience Time Summary Supplies/Prepare
(Master Supply List under Resource Tab)

Anticipate// 5–10 Encourages interaction Promised Land Fun

min. among kids, leaders, and Trumpets
Small Group
parents; engages the kids
Check-In
in curiosity and anticipation
of the lesson; and creates
an inviting atmosphere.

Celebrate// 20–35 Establishes community PowerPoint: RV, Connect, Timeline, Story

min. and tells stories both images
Large Group
personal and biblical in a
fun and engaging way.
Respond// 15–20 Discusses truth, reflects on Reflect: God Is Faithful
min. the lesson, engages in Create: Building Jericho
Small Group relationships, and creates
a project or a piece of art
individually or together.
Bless// 5 min. Sends the kids out with a HomeFront Weekly
sense of peace and
Small Group blessing so they can be a
blessing to their families
and others.

2
© 2012 David C. Cook. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church
and a national network of family and c hildren’s ministry leaders. All rights reserved.
 1.9
SMALL GROUP
SECTION

Anticipate
Small Group Leaders

Promised Land Fun

After leading the Israelites in the wilderness for 40 years, God was ready to lead the new generation
into the Promised Land. God miraculously opened the river so the people could cross it safely into
their new homeland. Once the Israelites arrived, God told them to march around the city of Jericho for
seven days while the priests blew their trumpets. On the seventh day, they gave a loud shout, and the
walls came crashing down! God had given the people victory over the city.

SUPPLIES (I will prepare this)

• paper towel rolls
• paper or foam bowls
• scissors
• glue
• aluminum foil
• pens or pencils
• photo examples

SET UP
Ahead of time, cut off the top third of each bottle (remove the cap) and cover any sharp edges with masking
tape. Print the example image. Set out the prepared bottles and the decorating supplies.

ENGAGE
As the Israelites walked around the walls of Jericho, they blew their trumpets. Let your kids make trumpets of
their own with the prepared bottles and supplies. Encourage them to get creative as they decorate their
trumpets. Then give the kids time to practice making sounds!

LARGE GROUP
SECTION

Celebrate//
Host/Storyteller

REMEMBER VERSE
God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts.
Use them well to serve one another. 1 Peter 4:10 (NLT)

Connect
Question
When was the last time you were really homesick? Where were you?

3
© 2012 David C. Cook. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church
and a national network of family and c hildren’s ministry leaders. All rights reserved.
 1.9
Prayer of Release
At the end of Connect, pray a Prayer of Release. This is a time for kids and leaders to pause, be still, and ask
God to quiet their hearts and minds. If you would like, encourage kids to hold their hands out in front of them in
a spirit of releasing their worries and distractions in order to better receive what the Holy Spirit might have for
them. Encourage kids to quiet their voices and take a seat. Then ask them to pray with you.

The Big God Story

Leader Tip
Before sharing this part of The Big God Story, tell your kids that they’re about to hear a true story that’s recorded in
the Bible. Open your Bible to hear Joshua 1—6, and invite kids to follow along in their own Bibles as you storytell.

God Is Faithful
SUPPLIES (I will prepare this)
• Bible
• PowerPoint: Timeline slide, images, sounds

ENGAGE
Before you begin today’s storytelling time, invite the kids to play a quick game of Follow the Leader. If you have
a small group, form the kids into one line and have them follow the path and movements of the child in the
front. After 30 seconds, change leaders. If you have a large group, invite three children onstage. Play upbeat
music and invite the kids to follow the dance moves of one child onstage for 30 seconds. Then invite them to
follow the dance moves of the next child, and so on.

We just played a fun game of Follow the Leader. Today we’re going to hear about how the Israelites
followed the leader God had chosen for them—Joshua—into the Promised Land. But first let’s
remember what we’ve already discovered.

For the past couple of weeks we’ve seen how the Israelites traveled through the wilderness on their way
to the Promised Land. We heard about how they sent spies ahead to see the land, and these spies reported
that the land was great! But lots of big, strong men lived there. This made the Israelites afraid. They didn’t
want to face these huge men, even though God promised to be with them. Because the Israelites didn’t trust
God, God didn’t allow that generation to enter the Promised Land. God is always faithful to promises, and
requires faith from God’s children.

What does it mean to be “faithful”? (Encourage kids to answer.) To be faithful means you are loyal and
committed to someone or something, no matter the cost. God is faithful to us. And God is looking for
faithful people who trust God with their lives. God gives us this kind of faith through the power of the
Holy Spirit. This kind of faith makes us into people whose hearts want what God wants. It makes us into
people who desire to serve God and others. God gives us this kind of faith and the ability to ask this
question: “What needs to be done to serve God and God’s people?”

The older generation of Israelites didn’t have a faith that allowed them to trust God to take care of
them. Because of this, God kept the people in the wilderness for 40 years. As they wandered, the older,
unfaithful generation died. Then, when the time came, God led the new generation into the Promised
Land (Joshua 1:1–3). This new generation was led by a man named Joshua.

4
© 2012 David C. Cook. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church
and a national network of family and c hildren’s ministry leaders. All rights reserved.
 1.9
God spoke to Joshua and told him to get the people ready to cross the Jordan River and enter the
Promised Land. God said, “Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit
the land I swore … to give them” (v. 6). So the Israelites gathered all of their things and got ready to
cross the river. At this time of year, the Jordan River was at its flood stage, meaning the water was very,
very high, and some think it may have been a mile wide! On their own, the Israelites might not have
been able to cross it. But, just as God had parted the Red Sea years ago, He was faithful to part the
water of the Jordan River so the people could cross it safely.

The priests were the first to cross. They carried the ark of the covenant (show image of ark). The ark of
the covenant was the symbol of God’s presence with them. It was very holy, and no one could touch it.
As the priests carried the ark across the river, the water parted, creating a wall of water (show image of
parted Jordan River) that the people would walk past. About a million Israelites crossed the river into the
Promised Land that day!

They’d made it! The Israelites had crossed the river and reached the Promised Land! But there was
still more to be done. God told the people that they could defeat those living in the land. And the first
city God told them to defeat was Jericho—a very strong city with a wall that wrapped all the way
around it (show image of Jericho). The Israelites probably felt afraid and felt small next to Jericho’s
mighty walls. But God told Joshua, “I have delivered Jericho into your hands” (Joshua 6:2). And God
would help to win the battle for the people.

God gave the people specific instructions about how they would defeat the city. (Encourage the kids to
open their Bibles and follow along in Joshua 6:3–5, and act out this next part as you share it.) God said,
“March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry
trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with
the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the
people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man
straight in” (vv. 3–5).

How do you think people usually fight battles? (Encourage kids to answer.) Do battles involve
marching around a city and blowing trumpets? This definitely wasn’t the military strategy the Israelites
would have thought of themselves. In fact, it wasn’t a military strategy at all! But Joshua and the
Israelites trusted that God would bring them into the land just as promised. So they did exactly what
God said.

Let’s imagine what this would be like. (Play marching music. If you want, march seven times around the
room as you storytell. Optional: Have the kids play their “trumpets” from ANTICIPATE.) After the Israelites had
marched around the city seven times, they all gave a great shout! (Have the kids shout as loud as they
can.) Then guess what happened? The walls all came down, and the army marched straight into
Jericho. God had been faithful! God had defeated the city for the people! (Encourage the kids to cheer.)

God faithfully fulfilled the promise that was made to the Israelites’ ancestors—to bring the people
into the Promised Land. But God wasn’t in a hurry. God waited for a generation that would be faithful.
Though the generation that entered the Promised Land wasn’t perfect, God led them to be the kind of
people who ask, “What needs to be done to serve God and His people?” God led them to serve by
trusting God and following God’s lead as they were cared for.

Today God calls us to have the same kind of faith. When Jesus was on earth, God spoke of the day
when God would return. And when Jesus returns, Jesus will look for people with faith (Luke 18:8)—

5
© 2012 David C. Cook. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church
and a national network of family and c hildren’s ministry leaders. All rights reserved.
 1.9
people who ask the question, “What needs to be done to serve God and others?” But here’s the good
news: We don’t have to try harder to be faithful servants on our own. God helps us to live out this kind
of faith through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Part of living out our faith means looking around the world and asking God, “Lord, what needs to be
done?” And not only listening to what God tells us, but having a willing heart to actually go and do the
things He calls us to do. God is faithful to us, always. And God calls us to be faithful to Him.

SMALL GROUP
SECTION

Respond//
Small Group Leaders

Reflect: God Is Faithful

God waited for a whole new generation to be ready before He brought the people into the Promised
Land. This new generation trusted in God’s faithfulness and was willing to do whatever was asked of
them. Because of this, God brought them through the Jordan River and into the city of Jericho.
(Leaders: Encourage the kids to open their Bibles and read the referenced passages.)

Questions
• What is faith? What does it mean to be faithful? (Hebrews 11:1, 6)
• How do you know God is always faithful?
• Why wasn’t the older generation allowed to enter the Promised Land? (Deuteronomy 1:32–35)
• What do you think the Israelites thought when God told them to march around the city? (Joshua 6:2–5)
• Has there ever been a time when you found it hard to trust God’s faithfulness?
• What needs to be done to serve God and others in our own lives?

Create: Building Jericho

SUPPLIES (I will prepare this if you request)
• sugar cubes or blocks
• paper plates

SET UP
Set out the materials for the kids to use.

ENGAGE
Jericho was a mighty city with huge walls surrounding it. The Israelites would have been in big trouble
if they’d gone against a city like that without a good military strategy. Instead, God told the Israelites to
march around the city, which probably didn’t make a lot of sense to them. They had never won a battle
by just marching in circles and blowing trumpets. But God asked them to do this because it required
them to have faith.

6
© 2012 David C. Cook. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church
and a national network of family and c hildren’s ministry leaders. All rights reserved.
 1.9
God wants us to have faith. He wants to know that we can trust Him, even when we’re asked to do
something we may not understand. When we choose to live out our faith, God gives us the ability to be
living sacrifices—people who follow God anywhere and ask, “What needs to be done to serve You and
Your people?”

The new generation of Israelites was willing to serve God by doing whatever was asked of them—
even walking around a huge wall seven times. Let’s talk about God’s faithfulness while we make our
own walls of Jericho.

Point out the supplies and let the kids create their own walls. As they work, encourage them to talk about how God
has been faithful in their own lives. You might ask: What does it mean to be faithful? Why do you think Jesus
will look for faith when He returns? If the kids choose to build a sugar cube wall, once they’re done, let them
knock it down.

Resource Tip (I will prepare this if you request)

“Minute to Win It” activities are available for this lesson.

Partner Church Comments

“We incorporated a ‘trust fall’ activity for this section. It created great dialogue about why it’s hard to trust someone
you can’t see and then led to how we do this in our relationship with God.”
 Good Shepherd Church

SMALL GROUP
SECTION

Bless//
Small Group Leaders

Encourage the kids to hold their hands in front of them, palms up. Then open a Bible and read
Romans 12:1–2:

In view of God’s mercy … offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this
is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will
is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
May you see God’s faithfulness in your life. May you give your entire life as a sacrifice to Him in
worship. May you allow God to transform you so you will know and submit to His perfect and
pleasing will for your life.

7
© 2012 David C. Cook. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church
and a national network of family and c hildren’s ministry leaders. All rights reserved.