Joseph in Egypt. In this lesson, children are introduced to the principal of trusting God in both good times and in bad times.

Joseph in Egypt In this lesson, children are introduced to the principal of trusting God in both good times and in bad times. TOPICS Following God, Joseph, Provision, Trust AS KIDS ARRIVE (10 minutes) Who is Second? (Activity) page 6 In today's Bible story, Joseph is second in command during three different times in his life. This activity will help younger children understand what it means to be second. BIBLE VERSE (5 minutes) Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5a NIV Explain that success comes from the Lord. God works things out for those who love Him, even though we may not be able to understand it at the time. Repeat the verse together several times as a class, using hand motions for some of the key words such as heart, lean, and understanding. BIBLE STORY (15 minutes) Gather the children around you in preparation for story time, using the same items used during the opening activiy. After the introduction, read the children's version of the Bible story about Joseph becoming second in command. As an option, you can read the story directly from the Bible. Introduction: In today's story we see that Joseph's life appears to go from bad to worse, but there is a surprise ending. By the end of the story we see that all things work together for the good of those who love God. Joseph, Second in Command (Story) page 2 (Option) Read Genesis 39-41 Discussion Questions: 1. Joseph was sold to an Egyptian official, what was the official's name? (Potiphar) 2. Why did Potiphar put Joseph in charge of everything he owned? (Potiphar noticed that the Lord gave Joseph success in everything he did.) 3. Potiphar's wife told lies about Joseph and had him thrown into prison. While in prison which two of the king's servants did he meet? (Cupbearer and Baker) 4. How did Joseph help the cupbearer and the baker while they were in prison? (Joseph explained the meaning of a dream for each of the men.) 5. Later the Pharaoh had two troubling dreams, but none of his wise men could figure out the meaning of the dreams. The cupbearer knew someone who could explain dreams and told the Pharaoh. What is the name of the person who could explain dreams? (Joseph) 6. What did the Pharaoh's dreams mean? (There would be seven years with plenty of food, but then seven years where people could not grow food.) 7. Who did Pharaoh put in second of command over all of Egypt? (Joseph) FUN TIME (20 minutes) Seven Good Years - Seven Bad Years (Craft) page 3 ALTERNATE FUN TIME (10 minutes) Storing Up the Wheat (Game) page 4 CLOSING ACTIVITY (5-10 minutes) Joseph in Egypt - Count and Color (Activity) page 5

Joseph in Egypt JOSEPH, SECOND IN COMMAND The story of how God continued to use Joseph in good times and bad. TOPICS: Blessings, Faith, Joseph, Patience, Protection DURATION: Approximately 10 minutes Joseph's jealous brothers sold him to a group of Ishmaelites. These men took Joseph to Egypt and sold him to an official named Potiphar. Potiphar noticed the Lord gave Joseph success in everything he did, so he put Joseph in charge of everything he owned, both in the house and in the field. Joseph was a trustworthy servant and second in command. The Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. Genesis 39-41 (Paraphrased) Potiphar's wife was a wicked woman who told lies about Joseph. She had him thrown into prison. However, God continued to be with Joseph and showed him kindness. The prison warden saw that the Lord was with Joseph and put him in charge of all the people in prison. With Joseph in charge the warden knew things would run smoothly. Joseph was a trustworthy servant and second in command. The Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did. While in prison, Joseph met the king's cupbear and baker. They were put in prison for offending the king. One night both the cupbearer and the baker had dreams that they could not figure out. The next morning, Joseph saw that the cupbearer and baker were sad and asked them what was wrong. The men explained that they both had dreams the night before, but could not figure out what the dreams meant. God had given Joseph the ability to explain the meaning of dreams, so Joseph told his friends the meaning of their dreams. Both of the dreams came true, just as Joseph said. Two years later, Pharaoh had two dreams on the same night. In the morning he was troubled because of the dreams. Pharaoh sent for all the wise men of Egypt and told them his dreams, but none of his wise men could figure out the meaning of the dreams. It was at this the time the cupbearer remembered Joseph and told the Pharaoh that Joseph could figure out the meaning of his dreams. The Pharaoh sent for Joseph and told him that he had two dreams in the same night, but none of his wise men could explain the dreams. Joseph explained that the dreams of the Pharaoh were one and the same. The dreams revealed what God was going to do. God was going to send seven years where there would be more than enough food for all the people, but for seven years after that, people would not be able to grow food. Joseph told the Pharaoh that he should store up the excess food for the next seven years and then use this food to feed the people during the seven years in which they would not be able to grow food. The idea seemed good to Pharaoh and he put Joseph in charge of the whole land of Egypt. Joseph was a trustworthy servant and second in command. During the seven good years, Joseph had the Egyptians store up more than enough food to feed the people during the seven bad years. The dreams came true just as Joseph had explained. THE END

Joseph in Egypt SEVEN GOOD YEARS - SEVEN BAD YEARS Children create a colorful grain silo to demonstrate the seven good years and seven bad years during the time f Joseph was in Egypt. by Nan Arnold TOPICS: Helping, Joseph, Provision, Sharing MATERIALS: Empty 12oz. Juice Cans Cone template page 7 Copies of picture for cover page 8 Paper wheat stalks (optional) page 9 Items to go inside can (see options below) Brown card stock or construction paper Crayons or markers, tape DURATION: Approximately 20 minutes page 10 PREPARATION: Before class, print out the cone template and cover pictures for the juice can covers. Make enough copies of each for every child. Use brown card stock or heavy brown construction paper for the cone, to use as a silo top. If you are teaching younger kids, you may wish to construct the cone tops and tape them to the juice cans before class. Choose what you would like for the children to place inside the can from the options below: Options for silo contents: Note: You will want to supply enough of any of the following so each child can put seven into their silo. Pretzel sticks Small bread sticks Cut stalks of wheat (if available) Copies of paper wheat stalks WHAT YOU WILL DO: Have the children color the paper with the 7 good years and the 7 bad years. On the 7 good years side, have them color a nice gentle rain with the sun and colorful wheat stalks, and on the bad years side have them color a big sun with no rain and dry brown grain. When finished, have them tape or glue it to the outside of the juice can. Next, they will cut out and tape their cone top together and then tape one side to the top of the can on the inside of the cone and the inside of the can to make a hinge. Have them count 7 of whatever item you chose for the contents, and have them fill their silo. This represents storing up grain during the 7 good years to prepare the people for the 7 lean years. As the children are completing their craft, explain how God revealed to Joseph the meaning of Pharaoh's dream, that there would be seven good years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. Because the Pharaoh was pleased that Joseph was able to tell him the meaning of his dream, he put Joseph in charge of storing up grain so when the famine came, everyone throughout the land would have plenty to eat. You can also suggest that the children can use their silo at home as a bank to store up their coins for a rainy day.

STORING UP THE WHEAT Joseph in Egypt Children race to be the first team to store up seven years of grain like Joseph. TOPICS: Joseph, Provision MATERIALS: Masking Tape 14 Wheat Stalk Circles page 11 2 Different Colored Markers (Optional) DURATION: Approximately 10 minutes PREPARATION: Print out four sheets of wheat stalk circles. Cut out each of the circles. Select an open area to play the game. Use the masking tape to make two separate sets of grids on the floor, removing the lines so you have seven squares like the diagram below. Example Each square should be a little larger than the wheat stalk circles. Separate each set of squares by about 4 feet. As an option, you may color each set of squares a different color to make it easier for the children to play the game. Place the wheat stalk circles face up at the other end of the room directly across from the tape squares on the floor. WHAT YOU WILL DO: Divide the children into two teams. If you colored each set of squares use these colors as the team name, for example the green team and the purple team. Have each team stand in a single file line behind their team's squares. When the leader says go, the children at the front of the lines race down to collect one wheat stalk circle, run back and place it in an empty space on their team's squares, tag the next person in line and then take their place at the end of their team's line. The next child in line repeats the process. The first team to successfully fill their squares with wheat stalk circles wins the game. Depending on the number of children on each team, some students may run the race more than once.

Joseph in Egypt JOSEPH IN EGYPT - COUNT AND COLOR Students learn about grouping items together using Joseph's adventures in Egypt as the basis of the activity. TOPICS: Following God, Joseph, Provision, Trust MATERIALS: Coloring activity page page 12 Crayons or colored markers DURATION: Approximately 10 minutes PREPARATION: Before class, print out one copy of the activity page for each child. WHAT YOU WILL DO: Have the children count and color 7 of the wheat stalks yellow. Next, have the students put an X over the wheat stalks that have not been colored and record their answers in the space provided. If time permits allow the children to color the pyramids, camels and Joseph. As the children work on their activities recap the the story of Joseph's rise to power found in Gensis 41:39-57. Discussion Questions: 1. Why did Pharaoh make Joseph second in command? (He saw that the Lord had given Joseph wisdon and discernment.) 2. How many years did Joseph have the Egyptian cities store up grain? (Seven) 3. Once the seven years of plenty ended a famine came over the face of the earth, how long did it last? (Seven years)

Cone Template Cut out on solid lines and tape flap to opposite side. Color brown or cut out from brown construction paper.

Color light brown or print onto light brown card stock. Cut out a narrow oval shape around each stalk.

Joseph in Egypt - Count and Color Count and color 7 of the wheat stalks yellow. Then put an X over the remaining wheat stalks that have not been colored. How many wheat stalks were not colored yellow? 2 0 1 0-2 0 1 2 K i d s S u n d a y S c h o o l P l a c e, I n c. A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d.