21. Jericho

Materials Needed

• different colored sheets of construction paper
• magazines with lots of pictures (one per child)
• stapler or tape
• markers or colored pencils
• scissors
• glue

Setting The Stage

As a family you are constructing a magazine that could have been made by the people inside the wall of Jericho. In Joshua chapters 2, 3 and 6 we see the Israelites finally coming to take over their land – the land that God had given them. The people in this land were not willing to follow God. Except for Rahab. You will want the pages to illustrate how the people felt as they waited to see what was going to happen. The lesson is for everyone and will remind your children how important it is to be on God’s side.

Project

Each person receives a piece of construction paper and a magazine. A pair of scissors and some glue will need to be shared among you. Each person is to receive an assignment chosen from the ideas section below. Look through the magazines to find a picture that best depicts the emotion of the person for whom your child is writing. Only the picture is necessary, but if the older children would like to write a sentence or two, you will find some ideas below.

Details:

Before you begin the magazine you need to share a few details about the story with your children.

• God was giving the land to the Israelites. The people there needed to side with God and obey God, but they didn’t want to do that.
• The first city the Israelites were to take over was Jericho. Jericho had a huge wall around it and when the gate was closed no one could get in or out.
• Spies were sent to see what the city was like. Rahab, a woman inside the city of Jericho, decided to side with God so she hid the spies. She helped them escape in a basket down the side of the wall.
• Rahab was told she would be saved along with her family.
• Rahab had to wait for a while and keep a red piece of cloth hanging out of her window so the Israelites would know which place was hers.
• The Israelites set up camp outside the walls and started to march around the walls every day.
• The Israelites were told by God to sound the trumpets and the walls would fall down. The city of Jericho would be theirs.

Ideas:

1. “How Strong Are Our Walls?” written by the Gate Watchman

(Picture of a worried man, Lego blocks, wooden blocks, fence around a yard)

2. “How Did They Get Away?” written by the Policeman

(Picture of a policeman, boys or men running, someone peeking around a corner, a room with no one in it)

3. “The Trumpets Will Sound” written by the Court Composer.

(Picture of any musical instruments, someone singing, people marching in a row)

4. “Waiting, How Hard It Is!” written by Rahab.

(Picture of a basket, rope, red piece of material, woman looking for something, someone sitting and waiting)

5. Make up your own. There are also the points of view of Rahab’s family, the king, the army who wants to fight or the common person who does not understand what is happening.

Finished Product:

Make a cover for your magazine. The magazine could be called “The Jericho Wall”. Put it together with a stapler or tape. When it is all together, take the time to read it as a family and talk about the fact that the Jews outside the camp were concerned as well, but they had sided with God and they knew that they could trust God.

Finish the devotional by sharing with the children these details:

• The wall did fall down when the trumpets blew.
• God did give the city to the Israelites without them even having to raise a sword.
• Rahab did go to live with the Israelites.
• Years later we see that Rahab became the great, great grandmother of King David.

Prayer

“Help me learn to side with you, because I know that in the end you always win!”