Teshuvah Four Focuses of Turning Back

Transcription

1 Teshuvah Four Focuses of Turning Back A Preschool 1 st grade children s curriculum for Teshuvah ( הבושת) preparing for the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur

2 By Danielle Olson All Copyrights reserved. All materials are only for nonprofit, personal or church use. Photo by Pixabay

3 Teshuvah, the Fall Feasts, and Repentance in the Bible The Hebrew word teshuvah is usually translated as repentance, although it s more closely translated as shuv, which means to turn back to God. No matter how far we have walked away, He still beckons us to turn back to Him. Teshuvah is 40 days before the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, the second of the fall feasts. The Day of Atonement is the most somber day of the biblical holy days, where we are to deny ourselves, typically by food and water physically, but also spiritually to be convicted and turn away from our sins after the Day of Trumpets, eventually the Messiah s return, and before the Feast of Tabernacles, when one day our King will tabernacle (live) with us. We see many times in the Scriptures that a period of forty days or years is set to prepare us for entering God s promises. The Messiah s forty days in the wilderness, where He was tested, was also during teshuvah, and the forty years in the wilderness of preparation for the Israelites to enter the Promised Land mimics this modeim s central point: prepare and turn back. Let s examine the commands and instructions which God has asked us to turn back to.

4 Part I The Ten Commandments The Ten commandments, and other laws given to Moses are to be the guiding rules in our lives. The Ten Commandments are really just ten of the instructions given to us called the torah. Read through the Ten Commandments and write on the following page what it means to obey each one. Write the areas which you could improve upon following these commands.

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6 The Ten Commandments Writing Assignment 1. What it means: 2. What it means: 3. What it means: 4. What it means: 5. What it means: 6. What it means:

7 7. What it means: 8. What it means: 9. What it means: 10. What it means:

8 Part II The Fruit of the Spirit and the Fruit of the Flesh The Scriptures tell us that the fruit we produce (our works) come from the motives of our heart. A good heart produces good fruit, and a bad heart produces bad fruit. We are also told what each of these fruits looks like. Sometimes, we can identify what is wrong in our hearts by the bad things we do. We then need to trace back that action to what is sinful in our hearts, and make a change. Draw 3 fruits of the Spirit that you need to work on. Write how you can improve on these in your everyday life. Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law

9 I need to work on What are 3 fruits of the flesh which you struggle with? Write how you can improve on these in your everyday life. Galatians 5:19-20 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God I need to work on

10 Part III The Motives of our Heart The world says to follow your heart, but God says to follow Him and His commands. We need to consistently review what s in our heart, fix the broken places, and be sure that we are giving God all of it. Read the following verses and spend some time answering these questions honestly. The heart is deceitful above all else, and without cure. Who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9 How is the heart deceitful? Where can it lead you? What can following your heart to do your future and what God wants for you? For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21 Where is your treasure? Is there anything you wouldn t give up?

11 Is there anything that could happen that could make you turn away or not trust God? Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5 It s time to examine your heart. Ask God to test and try you, and to expose the places in your heart that need healing and a righteous change. What parts of you struggle? What situations give you fear or worry? Write what you need to change in your heart here:

12 Part IV- Psalm 51 David Speaks of Teshuvah Read all of Psalm 51. Answer the questions below about verses in this Scripture. Look at verse 3. Is David forgetting his sin? Read verses Does sin separate us from God? Why? How can we become close with him again? Read verse 13. What good comes out of David s confession? How is he using his repentance to help others? Read verse 17 to see what type of repentance God wants. Notice how He focuses on our hearts, not our physical signs.

13 Psalm 51 (NASB) A Contrite Sinner's Prayer for Pardon For the choir director. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. 1Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. 2Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity And cleanse me from my sin. 3For I know my transgressions, And my sin is ever before me. 4Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge. 5Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. 6Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom. 7Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8Make me to hear joy and gladness, Let the bones which You have broken rejoice. 9Hide Your face from my sins And blot out all my iniquities. 10Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

14 11Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit. 13Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be converted to You. 14Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation; Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness. 15O Lord, open my lips, That my mouth may declare Your praise. 16For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. 17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. 18By Your favor do good to Zion; Build the walls of Jerusalem. 19Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices, In burnt offering and whole burnt offering; Then young bulls will be offered on Your altar. Resources More information on Teshuvah