The Golden Calf

Destinee's coloring page of Psalms 121:1-2.

Central Truth: We must always be patient and wait upon the Lord.

Scriptures: Exodus 24:12-18; 31:18; 32

When God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, he did so within their hearing. When the people saw the thunder, lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the smoking mountain, they were afraid. They told Moses that he should go to speak to God so they would not die. Moses then went up the mountain to receive the law and the commandments. 

Moses was on Mount Sinai talking to God for forty days and forty nights. When Moses returned to the Israelite camp, he discovered that they committed a great sin. In his absence, they convinced Aaron to fashion a golden calf to worship as the god who brought them out of Egypt. Aaron took their earrings and melted the gold to create the golden calf. God was so angry, he wanted to destroy all of the people, but Moses pleaded with God to spare their lives by reminding God of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. When Moses saw with his own eyes what the people had done, he was angry and broke the tables of stone that God had written the Ten Commandments. He then melted the calf down, grounded it into powder, and made the people drink it. 

Interactive Display

To help the story to come alive for the children, I put together an interactive display for the story of Moses. Each week, something new is either revealed or added or taken away. Today we marked the location of where the children of Israel sinned by worshiping the Golden Calf (number 9 on the map):

Lots of action happening at Mount Sinai on the map!

The Ten Commandments

Keepthecommandments.com

Central Truth: God cares about our relationships.

Scriptures: Exodus 19; 20:1-21

After the battle with the Amalekites, Moses led the Israelites to Mount Sinai where they made camp. God called to Moses from the mountain and instructed him to prepare the people to receive the laws and covenant. God promised that as long as they kept his covenant, then they will be a "kingdom of priests, and an holy nation" (Exodus 19:6). Moses told the people to wash their clothes and purify themselves for two days. On the third day, the Lord came down on Mount Sinai in a thick cloud and fire and gave Moses the Ten Commandments within the hearing of all the people.

The Ten Commandments

1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.

3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.

4. Remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy.

5. Honor your father and your mother.

6. Thou shalt not kill.

7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

8. Thou shalt not steal.

9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

10. Thou shalt not covet.

Interactive Display

To help the story to come alive for the children, I put together an interactive display for the story of Moses. Each week, something new is either revealed or added or taken away.  After traveling for three months, the Israelites make it to Mount Sinai where the laws and covenant were given to them. Mount Sinai is marked with a number 8 on the map:

Rephidim

Battle with the Amalekites (picture from freebibleimages.org).

Central Truth: The Lord is our banner.

Scriptures: Exodus 17

The children of Israel continued their journey through the wilderness of Sin to Rephidim where there was no water to drink. The Israelites complained to Moses who prayed to God. The Lord told him to take his rod and strike a rock. Moses obeyed and water came out of the rock for the people to drink.

Then the Israelites faced their first enemy since the destruction of Pharaoh's army at the crossing of the Red Sea. As they traveled through the wilderness, they were attacked by the Amalekites who were descendants of Esau, the twin brother of Jacob's. Moses appointed Joshua to be commander over the Israelite army and face the Amalekites in battle. Moses watched the battle from a nearby hill with his brother Aaron and Hur. As long as Moses held his hands up to God, the Israelites prevailed in battle but, when his arms grew tired and he lowered them, the Amalekites prevailed. Moses then sat upon a stone while Aaron and Hur held up his arms, one on either side of him, until the sun set. As a result, the Israelites defeated the Amalekites.

Interactive Display

To help the story to come alive for the children, I put together an interactive display for the story of Moses. Each week, something new is either revealed or added or taken away. This week, we traveled from Marah to Rephidim located near the tip of the Sinai Peninsula (marked with the number 7 on the map).

Rephidim and the battle with the Amalekites on the map.