Today in my Preschool Sunday School class at church, I taught the lesson, Nehemiah and the People Rebuilt the Wall.
Here is the lesson that I used…
SET THE STAGE: Set up a table at front. Have paper cups ready. Create a small pool noodle “sword.”
BIBLE LESSON:
Say, The people were back home! The temple was rebuilt!
But the wall was still broken down. How could they defend their city and feel safe when an enemy could walk right in and destroy their temple again?
They were sad at the thought that their beautiful temple might be destroyed again.
Can you show me a sad face?
Meanwhile, Nehemiah was still in Babylon. He had a good job working for the King there. He was the king’s cupbearer. That meant that he made sure the kings food and drink was safe for him to eat and drink.
One day, Nehemiah’s brother came to see him. Nehemiah asked how things were back home. His brother told him about the wall. This made Nehemiah sad.
Can you show me a sad face again?
Nehemiah was still sad when he went to do his job. The king saw he was sad. He asked Nehemiah why he was sad. Nehemiah told him that it was because he heard about the broken down wall back home.
God caused the king’s heart to soften toward Nehemiah. He told Nehemiah he could go home and help.
Nehemiah was happy at this news!
Can you show me a happy face?
Nehemiah went home and led the people to get busy rebuilding the wall.
However, neighbors around them didn’t want the wall rebuilt. They told Nehemiah and the people to STOP!
The people were sad again.
Can you show me a sad face?
Then Nehemiah said. Don’t be sad!
Read exactly what Nehemiah said from the Bible in Nehemiah 4:20b, “…Our God will fight for us.”
Let’s all say that line, “Our God will fight for us.”
Nehemiah told the people to not be afraid. Keep building!
The people were happy once more. Then knew they could trust God!
Can you show me a happy face again?
The people kept working and watching. With one hand they built and with the other they had a sword ready to defend the wall.
***My students LOVED this… Have one student at a time come up and try to knock the wall down. You stand in front of the table and start building the cups into a tower with one hand and as a student comes over, bonk them on the head (gently) with the pool noodle. Instruct them in advance that they must go sit down one tapped with the pool noodle. Continue until everyone has a turn. Note: Some determined will inevitably get through and knock the cups down, but just build them up again! 😉
Finally, the wall was rebuilt only just 52 days! WOW! There are 52 weeks in a year. Seems like it should have taken a whole year to complete a project that big! But, it only took 52 days!
The people learned that they can trust God! We can trust God too! He fights for us!
SING: (Tune: London Bridge)
We can trust the Lord our God, Lord our God, Lord our God.
We can trust the Lord our God, each and every day.
Our God will fight for us, fight for us, fight for us.
Our God will fight for us, each and every day.
CRAFT: Toilet Roll Binoculars
Provide two toilet rolls (or roll up paper) for each child. Allow them to wind colorful yarn around and around to secure the toilet rolls together like binoculars.