Joshua Tricked by Strangers
Joshua 9:3-27
The kids will understand:
- The account of Joshua being tricked by the Gibeonites.
- That the Gibeonites thought they were safe because of their lies.
- That lies will not stay hidden.
We have an advent chain activity when kids arrive……
Activity – Video
Supplies:
YouTube video download
Download the following YouTube video beforehand. It’s called “Kermit Reports News on Pinocchio.” If you have difficulty downloading, we have provided an instruction file for both Mac and PC users.
Watch “Kermit Reports News on Pinocchio.”
- What happened when Pinocchio told a lie?
- What happened when he told the truth?
- Does anything like that happen when you tell a lie?
- Can other people “see” when you tell a lie?
Some people won’t look you in the eyes when they’re lying. Other people show it by getting real quiet, or talking real fast and loud, or going to their room … without being told to. People lie to keep the truth hidden. Sometimes, it’s because they’re scared of what might happen … like when they’re in trouble. And, other times people lie to get what they want. Most of the time, the person lying thinks that no one will find out, but someone usually does … and they’re nose doesn’t have to grow to make it obvious!
Today, we’re going to learn about a whole group of people who tried lying by pretending to be people they weren’t. Let’s go to our Bibles and find out what happened.
Bible Account
Supplies:
lots of army men
Today’s story is an amazing story about someone being tricked … BIG time!
Oh wow! I love these things! Dump out a bunch of army men. Let’s see if we can act out the Bible story by using these fun army men. Set up an army of men in one area on the floor in front of you. This group of army men is Joshua and the Israelites. Joshua and the Israelites had just experienced a HUGE victory as an army. God had given them the land of Jericho. They had marched around Jericho seven times, God caused the walls around the city to fall, and now Jericho belonged to the Israelites.
Set up another group of army men in another area on the floor in front of you. This is the army of Jericho. Word spread throughout the land that Joshua and the Israelitesbeat the people of Jericho in battle.Set up more army men to demonstrate yet another army.This is some other armies. The other armies started to get nervous. They didn’t want their land to also be captured by the Israelites. They talked about what they could do so they wouldn’t be next to lose to the Israelites.
One of the groups was from a place called Gibeon. Can you say Gibeon? They came up with a great plan to trick the Israelites. They decided that they would act like they were friends with the Israelites and pretend they were from far away.Move the army group towards the Israelite army men.The Gibeonites dressed up as if they’d been on a long journey. They wore worn out shoes, brought dry, moldy bread, and loaded their donkeys to the max with worn out sacks of their things.
As they approached Joshua, they said, “We’re from a far away land and want to be your partners.” Joshua wanted to know where they had come from. Theytold Joshua that they’d heard reports about how God had helped the Israelites and all that God had done for them.
Joshua decided that it made sense to make an agreement with the Gibeonites.Combine the two armies by moving the army men together. Joshua and the Israelites made a promise to be friends with the Gibeonites and that they’d do their best to protect them, too.
Three days later, the Israelites learned the truth that the Gibeonites were actually really a neighboring army, not visitors from a far away country. The Israelites were upset that they’d been lied to! But they made an unusual choice. They chose to honor the promise that they’d made to the Gibeonites. They did not want to go back on their word. They decided to let the Gibeonites staywith them, but they told the Gibeonites that they would have to serve them as slavesin the tabernacle. Maybe this would be the one opportunity the Gibeonites would have to actually hear about the One True God. They were used to worshipping false gods, so this would be a new experience for them.
Small Group Time –
- Break up into two groups.
- Have snack and water ready and take to your group time.
- One group can stay inside, the other go out to picnic table. Put most distracted group inside
- Ask questions below!
- Take prayer requests using request booklet- Our hands we fold, our heads we bow, so we can talk to God right now!
Questions and Answers
1. Did the men of Gibeon live near or far from the Israelites?
(near)
2. What did the men of Gibeon do to the Israelites?
(lied to them)
3. How did the Gibeonites disguise themselves?
(They wore old clothes, had moldy bread, and loaded their donkeys with worn out things.)
4. What lies did they tell?
(that they were far away from their home and had been traveling a long way)
5. Why did the Gibeonites lie to Joshua?
(They were scared the Israelites would conquer them and make them slaves.)
6. What did Joshua find out about the men of Gibeon after he made a promise to them?
(They had lied to him and weren’t really from far away.)
7. What did the Israelites and Joshua do to the Gibeonites after they discovered the lie?
(made them work as slaves in the tabernacle)
8. Who did the Gibeonites hear about while working as slaves in the tabernacle?
(the One True God.)
Game
Supplies:
army men
marker
tape
Beforehand, use the marker to number the bottoms of army men with numbers 1-8. Mix in several army men without numbers on the bottom. Set up the men at one end of the area, and tape a starting line at the other end. If you are setting up more than one game, then make a set for each group.
Divide the kids into teamsof 2-4 children. One child from each team will line up at the start line. Theseplayers will run from the starting line to the men, choose 1 man, and bring him back to the team. If any child has chosen a numbered army man, that team will get to answer the corresponding question. Continue with a second child from each team, and again until all questions have been answered or all players have had a turn.
Message
Supplies:
PowerPoint slides
(show slide #2)Disguises
The Gibeonites dressed up like they had been traveling from far, far away for a very long time and they lied to Joshua and the Israelites about who they were. They were disguising the truth or hiding it from Joshua with their lies.
When you lie to your parents or to your teacher or to a friend, you’re hiding the truth from them. You’re trying to DISGUISE the truth. You’re trying to keep them from finding out what really happened by making up a different story.
The kids will turn to a neighbor and share about a time when they’ve told a lie.
Let’s look at some reasons the Gibeonites lied to Joshua and see what we can learn about ourselves. The Gibeonites lied because they were …
(show slide #3)Yikes!
They were scared of what Joshua and the Israelites would do to them if they found out that they were really an army of people from nearby. They were scared of what MIGHT happen.
When people get scared of what MIGHT happen to them, or how they MIGHT get in trouble, they lie. They make up a story, thinking that will make it all go away and keep them safe from getting in trouble.
Have you ever thought you were going to get in trouble, so you made up a story about what happened, hoping it would get you out of trouble? The kids will turn to a neighbor and share a lie they told, because they thought it would get them out of trouble.
Another reason people hide behind a lie is because they think it’s a way to …
(show slide #4)Gimme, gimme, gimme
The Gibeonites hid behind a lie to get what they wanted, and what they wanted was protection. They tricked Joshua, because they thought that was the only way to get what they wanted.
Oh, this is so us! You lie to get what you want. You lie about how many pieces of candy you ate because you want them to let you have more. You lie to get what you want! You lie and sayyour toys are picked up, because you want to watch TV now. You lie to get what you want.
What usually happens with a lie?
(show slide #5)It’s found out.
The Gibeonites kept their lie hidden for about three days, and then Joshua found out. What usually happens when a lie is found out? You get punished! Joshua punished the Gibeonites by making them do chores around the temple. They deserved to be punished for their lie, but Joshua did it in a very creative way so they would hear about God.
When you lie, most of the time, it’s found out. It doesn’t stay hidden. Even if your parents or teacher never find out about your hidden lie, though, God always knows. He knows the truth. And, God gives you a chance to make it right—to say you’re sorry for lying. And the good news is that He forgives you!
Object Lesson
Supplies:
match
cupcake
trick candle
Show the kids a cupcake that has a candle (a trick candle) in the top. Don’t tell them that this is an unusual candle. Light the candle. While it’s lit, start the object lesson. Let’s say we’ve done something we shouldn’t have. That’s like this lit candle. It’s pretty obvious what we’ve done. And then, we tell a lie to try to cover up the truth—to try to put out the truth. Blow out the candle. There! What really happened is gone. It’s covered up. It’s blown out! About this time, the candle will relight. Oh no! It’s back! I’ll have to tell another lie to try to cover up what happened. Blow out the candle again. There! I got it this time. No one will ever find out now. The candle will relight again.
When we tell a lie, no matter how we try to cover it up, it has a way of being found out. The truth will come out. Remember, that no matter how we think we’ve covered it up, even if other people don’t find out, God always knows the truth.
Object Lesson
Supplies:
camouflage clothing
Either the leader or a guest should enter wearing camouflage clothing. Anyone have any idea why I’m wearing this special clothing today? Do you know what they call this kind of clothing? I’m going to go out in the woods with a friend of mine to watch for wild animals. When I wear this clothing, it’s easier to blend in with the trees and plants and the animals don’t notice me as much. It’s kind of like a DISGUISE I put on so I can hide from the animals. What would happen if I wore bright yellow and red out in the woods? Could I hide very well? Point out a couple of the kids who are wearing bright-colored clothes today. Could I sneak up on an animal if I was wearing something like Marissa is? Marissa’s outfit is nice, but it’s not for hiding in the woods. It’s not camouflage!
- How did the Gibeonites “hide” from Joshua and the Israelites?
- Were they just hiding or were they lying?
- When we lie, what are we hiding? (the truth)
- What are some lies we tell that hide the truth?
Object Lesson
Supplies:
picture of a penguin from end of lesson
Show the picture of a penguin. Ask the kids to describe this animal. Would you ever describe the penguin as wearing camouflage? Remember that camouflage is something that keeps someone or something hidden. You might not think of the penguin as wearing camouflage, but for his environment he really is.
When he’s swimming along in the water, his white side is underneath and the black side is on top. If you look down into the ocean from above, it looks really dark. So, when another animal that eats penguins, a predator, is looking down into the water, the only side they see is the black side of the penguin and it blends in with the darkness of the ocean. From way down in the depths of the ocean, when you look up, the sun is shining down and it makes the water above you look white in the light. A predator underneath the penguin in the daytime wouldn’t notice him, because the white side would blend in with the sunlight coming down at the water.
The penguin’s camouflage keeps the truth hidden about where he’s swimming. Camouflage just means to hide something. Some things are good to hide and other things aren’t. Do you think it’s good for the penguin to have a way to hide? Is it good to hide a banana under your bed all summer? Is it good to hide a key to the house in case you get locked out? Name some things that are good to hide. Name some things that are not good to keep hidden.
What about the truth? Hiding the truth is called a _____? Lie! Why is it wrong to hide the truth? What can happen when you hide the truth?
Blessing
May you rely on the truth to set you free.
Game
Supplies:
cheap paper plates
Hershey’s Kisses
regular plates
Divide kids into two teams and from there, divide each team in half. Give each team one paper plate with candy piled high in the middle. Each team will put half of their players at one end of the room and the other half of the team at the other end of the room. At the signal, the first person on each team will carry the plate of candy to their awaiting team members at the other end … BUT, they can only hold the plate by the very edges. When the player reaches the other end, they will hand the plate off to the first team member there, who will return the plate. Keep doing this until all team members at both ends have had a chance to carry the flimsy plate of candy.
Now, repeat the game, only this time pile the candy on a regular plate. Still, they can only hold onto the edges.
Show both plates. Which of these proved to be better to carry the candy? Why? The strength of these two plates was completely different. When you tell the truth, it makes you a stronger person. Lies make you weak. Do you know someone who lies a lot? They will want to name names, but discourage this. Just ask for a “yes/no” answer. Do you respect that person? Is that person someone you would go to for help or good advice? Why not? I would have a hard time believing anything they said.
Puppets
Supplies:
mother puppet
girl puppet
ripe banana
black rotten banana
signs
Make two signs: “Two weeks later” and “Girl’s bedroom.”
Girl:Oh, I am stuffed. I ate so much, but it seemed like Mom made all my favorites. I don’t think I could eat another bite. (looking at one lone banana) Look at this one last banana. I loooovvvvve bananas!
Love, love, love, love, love, love, love bananas! But there’s only one banana left. I can’t eat it now, but if I don’t, then someone else will eat it before I get hungry. I know … I’ll take it and hide it in my room until I get ready for it. (takes banana and exits)
Mother:(enters, looking for banana) I thought I had one banana left. I’m sure I didn’t eat it, because I knew I needed it for the banana muffins. Where could that banana have gone?
Girl:(enters, whistling lightly)
Mother:Hi, Honey. Hey, did you happen to see where I put that one banana? I’m sure it was here on the counter earlier today?
Girl:Uh … no … I’m not sure what you’re talking about, Mom.
Mother:I packed the other bananas in lunches today, but there was one left.
Girl:Uh … I really think you must’ve miscounted and put it in someone’s lunch.
Mother:That’s too bad, because I was going to make some of those yummy banana muffins for tomorrow’s breakfast. I saved it just for that.
Girl:Well … you’ve been really busy lately, Mom. You probably just forgot that you had already used it.