Christian Churches of God No. CB44_2 Lesson: Reward and Punishment (Edition 1.0 20060218-20060212) In this Lesson we will review the study paper Reward and Punishment (No. CB44). We aim to help children understand the basic concepts related to reward for obedience to God’s Laws and punishment for disobedience as outlined in Leviticus chapter 26 and the blessings and curses of Deuteronomy chapters 27 and 28. Christian Churches of God PO Box 369, WODEN ACT 2606, AUSTRALIA E-mail: secretary@ccg.org (Copyright Christian Churches of God, Vicky Jean-Joseph, ed. Wade Cox) This paper may be freely copied and distributed provided it is copied in total with no alterations or deletions. The publisher’s name and address and the copyright notice must be included. No charge may be levied on recipients of distributed copies. Brief quotations may be embodied in critical articles and reviews without breaching copyright. This paper is available from the World Wide Web page: http://www.logon.org and http://www.ccg.org Page 2 Lesson: Activity - Reward and Punishment Page 3 Lesson: Activity - Reward and Punishment Lesson: Reward and Punishment Goal: To review the basic concepts related to the Blessing and Cursing in Leviticus 26. Objectives: 1. Children will be able to understand the blessings of keeping God's covenant. 2. Children will understand curses and punishments that result from breaking God's Covenant. 3. Children will identify a blessing or curse that results from keeping or breaking the Commandment of God. 4. Children will be able to identify a blessing or a curse and correlate them to Mount Gerizim or Mount Ebal. Resources: Reward and Punishment (No. CB 44) The Ten Commandments (No. CB 17) The Law of God (No. CB 25) Relevant Scriptures: Deuteronomy 11:26-28 Leviticus 24:10-23 Leviticus 26:1-46 Leviticus chapter 27 Exodus 40:17 Numbers 1:1-3, 17-19, 45 Memory Verses: Deuteronomy 11:26-28 “Today I am giving you the choice between a blessing and a curse! 27 You will be blessed if you obey the commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you today. 28 You will receive a curse if you reject the commands of the LORD your God and turn from his way by worshiping foreign gods. Format: 1. Open with Prayer. 2. Lesson on Reward and Punishment. 3. Activity associated with Reward and Punishment. 4. Close with Prayer. Lesson: 1. Read through Reward and Punishment (No. CB 44). 2. Questions and Answers. Children’s questions are in bold. Q1. Does mankind know what is good and evil? A. No, it is God that reveals to us what is good and evil (Job 28:12-13). Page 4 Lesson: Activity - Reward and Punishment Q2. What is idolatry? A. Idolatry isn't only worshipping idols; it is placing anything or anyone before God (1Cor. 10:6-13). Q3. What are the promises for obedience to God’s Laws? A. Plenty of rain (Lev. 26:4) Abundance of food (Lev. 26:5) Freedom from wild animals (Lev. 26:6). Peace and victory over enemies (Lev. 26:7-8). Many children and grandchildren (Lev. 26:9). God will dwell amongst them (Ex. 29:45). Q4. What are the promises for disobedience to His Laws? A. Constant worries (Lev. 26:16). Sickness (Lev. 26:16). Starvation (Lev. 26:20). Drought (Lev. 26:19-20). Enemies will kill them and take their homes and crops (Lev. 26:16). Wild animals will kill their children and livestock (Lev. 26:22). They will live in fear (Lev. 26:17). God will be against them (Lev. 26:17). Q5. What does God say we have to do to obtain His blessings? A. We have to follow His decrees and obey His commands. Q6. What is the key ingredient to living God’s way? A. Obedience. Q7. What is the reason God would send curses? A. If we do not obey God and do not carefully follow His commands all the curses will come upon us. Q8. Is God talking to individuals or to nations here? A. Both. Q9. Why don’t people obey God and prevent all these curses happening? A. At the present God has left Satan in charge of this world and he has deceived people into believing that God’s Laws have been done away because Christ died for our sins. Q10. Does God warn the nations before He sends these curses? A. Yes, God has sent his prophets and leaders over the centuries to warn the people and to teach them the right way to live. But they don’t listen and certainly don’t obey. Q11. Are people and nations being warned today? A. Yes. God’s Church has the task of preaching the gospel to the nations. The truth is being made available to anyone who will listen and the warning is going out. Q12. Why does God require capital punishment? A. God created us; He knows what the correct punishment is for certain sins. Those who Page 5 Lesson: Activity - Reward and Punishment are killed for their sins will have an opportunity to repent in the Second Resurrection (Jn. 5:25-29). Q13. Where else in the Bible does it talk about reward for obedience to God’s Laws and punishment for disobedience? A. Deuteronomy chapter 28 talks about the blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience to God’s Laws. Q14. What did Moses instruct the people to do before they entered the Promised Land? A. He told them to build an altar on Mt. Ebal and set up large stones, and to write on them all the words of the Law. Q15. What else did Moses tell them to do? A. He named six of the tribes to stand on Mt. Gerizim and pronounce the blessings on the people for obedience, and six tribes were named to stand on Mt. Ebal to pronounce curses for disobedience (see Deut. Chapter 27). Activity Options: Reward and Punishment cards On one board, write down Mount Gerizim. On a second board, write down Mount Ebal. On the 3”x 5” cards write the blessings and curses from Leviticus 26. Place the cards at the correct mountain. Discuss the blessings and curses that follow from breaking or keeping the Commandments. Supplies needed: Two tag boards or dry-erase boards, poster board, 3”x 5” card markers, scissors, tape/glue sticks. 12 Tribes of Jacob cards On one board, write down Mount Gerizim. On the second board, write down Mount Ebal. On the 3”x 5” cards write the twelve tribes of Jacob from Deuteronomy 11-13 and place the cards at the correct mountain. Supplies needed: Two tag boards or dry-erase boards, poster board, 3”x 5” cards markers, scissors, tape/glue sticks. Bookmarks Supplies needed: construction paper, typed bookmarks of Deuteronomy 11:26-28, scissors and possibly fancy scissors, glue sticks, glitter glue, stickers for the children to decorate the bookmarks with. The children can keep the bookmarks or hand them out to the congregation or send the to the sick and infirm. Close in prayer.