Christian Churches of God
No. CB48_2
Lesson:
Water from the Rock
(Edition 1.0 20060825-20060825)
In this Lesson we will review the study paper Water from the Rock (No. CB48). The aim is to help children understand the basic concepts related to the Rock and water and the symbolism that is involved in each.
Christian Churches of God
PO Box 369, WODEN ACT 2606, AUSTRALIA
E-mail:
secretary@ccg.org
(Copyright ã 2006 Diane Flanagan ed. Wade Cox)
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Lesson:
Water from the Rock Activity
Goal:
To review the basic concepts related to the Rock and water and the symbolism that is involved in each.
Objectives:
Children will be able to understand the meaning of what God instructed Moses to do when the people and their livestock needed water.
The children will understand how important it is to obey God’s directions exactly.
The children will identify what the Rock and water symbolised.
Resources:
Water from the Rock (No. CB48)
Relevant Scriptures:
Numbers 20:7-12
Format:
Open with Prayer.
Ask the children what they think the symbolism of Moses striking the rock is.
Activity associated Water from the Rock.
Close with Prayer.
Lesson:
Read through Water from the Rock (No. CB49) unless the lesson is read as a sermonette.
Children questions are in bold.
Q1. How many years did the Israelites wander in the wilderness?
A. 40 (Num. 32:13).
Q2. What does the number 40 symbolise?
A. 40 is the number for probation (for repentance).
Q3. What else can you think of that has the number 40?
A. 40 Jubilees that the Church was in the wilderness; Judah was given 40 years to repent after Christ was killed before the Temple was destroyed; Nineveh was given 40 days to repent; Christ and Moses each fasted for 40 days; there are 40 beings in the Outer Council.
Q4. Where was Israel camped when Miriam died?
A. Kadesh.
Q5. Is there water at Kadesh now?
A. No.
Q6. What did the Israelites do when they realised there was limited water?
A. They complained (Num. 20:1-5).
Q7. What did Moses do when the Israelites complained and complained?
A. Moses and Aaron went to the tent of meeting and prayed to God.
Q8. What was God’s response?
A. "Take the rod, and gather you the assembly together, you, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shall bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shall give the congregation and their beasts drink" (Num. 20:8).
Q9. How did Moses respond?
A. "Listen you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?" Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his rod. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank (vv. 9-11).
Q10. What did striking the rock represent?
A. Striking the rock and the water flowing out symbolises Christ as the spiritual Rock (1Cor. 10:4) being the means by which we receive the living waters of the Holy Spirit of God (Jn. 7:37-39).
Q11. What do the Rock and water symbolise?
A. The Rock symbolises Eloah, and the water symbolises the Holy Spirit.
Q.12 When was the first time God told Moses to strike a rock?
A. See Exodus 17:6.
Q13. Were there other times Moses was instructed to have water come from a rock?
A. Yes. See Numbers 20:8ff.
Q14. Did Moses always do exactly what God said?
A. No. In the first instance (Ex. 17:6) Moses did listen to follow God’s instructions. In the second instance (Num. 20:8) God told Moses was told to speak to the rock, but instead Moses struck the rock two times.
Q15. Why did Moses strike the rock when God told him to only speak to the rock?
A. He let his frustration or anger at the people get the better of him and he struck or hit the rock two times with Aaron’s rod.
Q16. What was God’s response?
A. "Because you did not trust in me enough to honour me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them". Due to his actions, Moses was not allowed to bring Israel into the Promised Land (v. 12).
Q17. Did Moses demonstrate the right attitude?
A. No. By his actions Moses gave the people the impression that it was through his power and not God’s that a miracle would produce water. Aaron, spoke and acted in agreement with his brother’s wrong attitude.
Q18. Does God play favourites?
A. No, even though Moses and Aaron repented of their thoughts and actions they were not allowed to go into the Promised Land. Though we repent of our actions many times there are still consequences for our behaviours.
Activity: Water Balloon Rock
Supplies needed: 1 helium balloon per child, water, newspaper, Elemer's glue, two disposable plates or cups per child, paint and paint brushes. Have the children wear old clothes or work outdoors or on a covered surface.
Have each child fill his/her balloon three fourths full with water. Tie it closed with a knot.
Have the children rip the newspaper in strips about 1½ inches by 3-4 inches. Dip the strip of newspaper in water then in a mixture of ½ part water and ½ part school glue to form a paste and apply to all surfaces of the balloon. Put on 2-3 coats and allow drying time between coats – this works better than one heavy coat. Once the first coat or two is on the balloon the children can add crumbled newspaper on the balloon and paper-mache over the crumbled paper to give it a more rock-like appearance.
Once the rock is dry and has a hard coat of paper-mache on it, it is ready to be painted.
After the rocks are dry, take all the children’s rocks outside in a safe area and review what God told Moses to do and then what Moses actually did. Allow one child at a time to break his/her rock. Once the child breaks the rock ask him/her to state at least one time they saw God’s Holy Spirit at work or had a prayer answered.
Closing Prayer
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