Preschool Teacher Guide Session Title: Josiah s Reforms Bible Passage: 2 Chronicles 34-35 Big Picture Question: How did Josiah help God s people? Josiah helped the people obey God. Key Passage: Zephaniah 3:17 Unit Christ Connection: God judges sin but redeems those who faithfully follow His commands. Redemption for all comes through faith in Jesus Christ. TEACHER BIBLE STUDY Prep Time Josiah was 8 years old when he became king. His father, Amon, had been assassinated by his own servants, and the people of Judah made Josiah king. (2 Kings 21:23-24) Think of the 8-year-olds you know. Are any of them suited to rule over a kingdom? Josiah did well as king of Judah, and he didn t step into the easiest of circumstances. Amon s reign was short, but he was a wicked king, and Judah was corrupt with idolatry. Amon abandoned the Lord God of his ancestors and did not walk in the way of the Lord (2 Kings 21:22). Josiah was not like his father. When he was a teenager, he began to seek God the God of his ancestor David. Then Josiah made changes in Judah. He tore down the altars and idols of false gods, and he initiated the repairing of the Lord s temple. During the temple repair, the high priest found the book of the law of the Lord. The court secretary read the book of the law to Josiah, and Josiah tore his clothes. He knew the Lord s righteous requirements, and the people of Judah fell short. Josiah gathered the people and read the law aloud. He made a covenant to follow God and obey His commands, and then those listening vowed to do the same. When Josiah died, he was remembered as the greatest king in Judah. (2 Kings 23:25) When we stand before the law, we too should mourn over our sin. We have fallen short of God s standard and are cursed. (Rom. 3:23; Gal. 3:10) But the gospel is good news. When Jesus came to earth, He fulfilled the law by obeying it perfectly. He died on the cross to pay for our sins. When we trust in Him, His righteousness is credited to us. Our debt is laid on Him, and He redeems us. (Gal. 3:13) Welcome/Transition Time (15 minutes) Lesson Snack/Video Activities 1 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources
WELCOME/TRANSITION TIME (15 minutes) Greet boys and girls as they arrive. Direct them to work on the color/activity page. After that, they may choose to play with a favorite toy or do another activity that you have provided. Set out interlocking blocks, logs, or any other construction toys available. Say How did Josiah help God s people? Josiah helped the people obey God. One way Josiah helped was by collecting money to fix the temple. Workers bought wood and stone to use in the building. Color Page/Activity Sheet: What Doesn t Belong? - provided Crayons or colored pencils color/activity sheet, 1 per child Say Josiah hired workers to clean and repair the temple. Circle items that did not belong in the temple. Kids will probably notice that the tennis shoes, bed, and refrigerator don t belong. They may not realize that electric cords and plugs had not been invented in Bible times. Note for leaders: The table in the picture belonged in the temple. It is the gold table for the 12 loaves of bread of the Presence; loaves were placed in 2 stacks of 6 loaves representing the 12 tribes of Israel. The gold altar of incense was also inside the temple; a special recipe of incense burned there all the time. Find the Bibles- provided Count the Bibles you have gathered. Select two kids to hide the Bibles while the remaining children in the room cover their eyes. Send the temple cleaners to find the Bibles. Count the Bibles to be sure all have been found. Change hiders and play again. Say What lost thing do you think was found in the temple in today s Bible story? You may guess now, but you ll have to wait for the Bible story time to learn the answer!. WORSHIP Classroom DVD contains worship songs for each unit that the children will enjoy learning. Unit 17 DVD Transition to Lesson Use your usual transition cue to signal that it is time for Bible study. Ring the bell, show the countdown video, flip the lights, or clap a simple rhythm for children to copy to gain attention 2 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources
LESSON Story Time Comment that Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible. Moses writings make up the book of the law that workmen found in the temple. The book of the law was lost in the temple before Josiah became king. Say Many kings of Judah did not obey God. Nobody read the book of the law to the people. The people forgot about God s laws. Watch (or listen to) the Bible story to learn what happened when the book of the law was found. Show the video Josiah s Reforms, or tell the Bible story with your Bible open to 2 Chronicles 34. THE BIBLE STORY Josiah s Reforms 2 Chronicles 34 35 Josiah was just a boy when he became a king! Josiah was the king of Judah, and he was a good king. He did what was right. When Josiah was a little bit older, he started to follow God. Josiah wanted people to obey God, but some people in Judah did things that God did not like. They worshiped idols people and things that were not God. So Josiah got rid of the things people worshiped, and he destroyed the places where they weren t supposed to worship. The temple of God needed to be fixed. Josiah collected money for the workers to buy stones and wood. The workers would fix up the temple and make it like new again. While the workers were fixing the temple, the high priest in the temple found an old book. It was a very important book that Moses had written down long ago. The words were from God. The words told the people what they were supposed to do. I have found the book of the law! the high priest said. He gave the book to Shaphan (SHAY fan), the secretary, who took the book to King Josiah and read it to him. When King Josiah heard God s law, he was very upset. He tore his clothes. God is very angry with us! Josiah said. Our people have not obeyed God for a long, long time. They did not do everything this book says to do! Josiah sent some men to ask God about the book that had been found. The men went to a woman named Huldah (HUHL duh). Huldah gave the men a message from God. God said, I will punish the people of Judah for worshiping other gods. They did not love Me or obey Me. But there was a different message for King Josiah. God said, Because you heard the law and were sorry for your sin, you will not be punished. I will punish the people of Judah after you have died. Then the men told Josiah everything they heard. Josiah went to the temple of God. He invited all of the people to the temple, and he read the law to them. The people heard what God wanted them to do, and Josiah made a promise to God. We will follow You and obey You, Josiah said. We will do what You want us to do. All the people agreed. As long as Josiah was king, the people followed God and obeyed Him. That year, Josiah and the priests did everything Moses had written down about how to celebrate 3 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources
Passover. The people remembered what God had done for His people to rescue them from Egypt. They did everything like they were supposed to. Christ Connection: Josiah respected God s law. He obeyed God and did what God said. Josiah wanted God s people to love God and obey the law too. When Jesus came to earth, He obeyed the law perfectly. * Use only the words in bold to review the Bible story or tell it to younger preschoolers. Review/Key Passage Key Passage Poster Big Picture Question Poster Say Josiah knew God is mighty and good. He wanted to do what God said. How did Josiah feel when he heard the law? (upset) Why was Josiah upset? (The people had not obeyed God for a long time. They were worshiping idols.) What is an idol? (An idol is something or someone people worship that is not God.) Josiah invited all the people to the temple. What did he do when they came? (He read the law to them.) How did the people celebrate Passover that year? (They did everything Moses wrote in the law about how to celebrate Passover. They remembered how God had rescued them from Egypt.) How did Josiah help God s people? Josiah helped the people obey God. SNACK/VIDEO Snack Signal for cleanup time using the countdown video or whatever method you prefer. Take a bathroom break and wash hands before the snack. Ask for volunteers to help set up and serve the snack. Remind kids to wait until everyone has been served before eating. Thank God for your snack. Watch Video Show the video Josiah s Reforms (from Classroom DVD) 4 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources
ACTIVITIES Search For Hidden Objects - provided Hide small objects mentioned in the Bible story stones, pieces of wood, or coins in sand or rice. Challenge kids to discover the hidden objects using shovels, spoons, or strainers. Caution them to dig carefully to avoid flinging sand or rice out of the tub and into someone s eyes! Say Josiah asked people all over the land to give money to help repair the temple. Those in charge of the building project used the money to pay the workers and to buy wood and stone for fixing the temple. How did Josiah help God s people? Josiah helped the people obey God. Pick up Preschool children need to be picked up by a parent/grandparent and the adult must show the parent receipt with matching I.D. number. If the tag is missing, the adult can go to the Welcome Center and have a receipt reprinted. Welcome the second session teachers and tell them what they need to know about the children who are present. 5 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources