Elementary Level, Block 8—Ezra / Nehemiah / Esther
Week 71
Zerubbabel and Nehemiah—Being Strong Governors and Very Able Leaders
Point to Emphasize: We need someone over us to supervise and direct us.
Reading Reference: Ezra 1:1-5; 2:1-2; 3:10-13
Memory Verse: But all things must be done becomingly and in order. (1 Corinthians 14:40)
Story Sample
Our stories about Daniel have been so good! What have you liked most about Daniel? (Have the children answer according to past stories.) But there is one thing about Daniel that was not so good. It was where he lived. God’s people were carried away to Babylon when Daniel was younger. But God’s people belonged in the good land, not in Babylon. So, when Daniel was an old man, God arranged that His people return to the good land and especially to the city of Jerusalem. God used three leaders among the children of Israel to do this. Today, we are going to hear about two of them, Zerubbabel and Nehemiah. I doubt any of you have heard stories about these two. The first one-Zerubbabel has a super name, doesn’t he! It is such a super name to say-Zerubbabel!
Well, Zerubbabel was the one whom God chose to be the strong leader of the people when they returned to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, and Nehemiah was there later for the rebuilding of the city wall. Everything that was in Jerusalem before had been thoroughly destroyed, so both rebuilding projects took years to complete. There was lots of work to do and lots of people to organize and manage, so that the projects could be completed. These projects needed very good leaders, but it also needed many people who could listen to directions and follow the supervision of the good leaders that God had provided.
Here is an example:
When I was a child, a group of us decided to build a clubhouse in the desert close to our homes. We would go out to the place we had chosen and discuss what we needed to do and what we wanted it to look like, etc. But soon, we needed someone to direct the work. Otherwise, one would start here, and one would start there, and another would be over there. All of us would be working, but it would turn out to be a mess and not a clubhouse. So, we asked my dad if he would oversee the project. When we built our clubhouse, having a leader meant that we could not just go and do it our own individual ways. We had to check with my dad and go along with how he directed. He was a good leader because he cared about our clubhouse, he knew how to build things, and he cared about all of us who were building it. But a good leader can only be as good as those he directs and manages. If we had not taken his directions and suggestions, the clubhouse would not have turned out so well. [Storyteller, give your own example of being under someone’s leadership in doing a project or activity. Bring out the point that sometimes we don’t like doing what others direct us to do.]
Well, it was the same situation for the children of Israel. They had gone back to the good land to rebuild, but if they just showed up and worked in the way they wanted to, the work would be a mess. There needed to be good leaders, ones able to supervise and direct the work, BUT there needed to be those that willingly followed their directions and supervision. Sometimes it is not so easy to be under someone else’s direction, but we need to learn that, as we grow, we will be in many situations under someone’s supervision. Have you ever wondered why we have lunch or recess monitors at school? Why do we have guards at the cross-walk? [Bring in a discussion showing that without supervision we will not always conduct ourselves as we should.]
Now and then we may be the leader or the captain who chooses the team, or the one who leads the salute to the flag, or the one who needs to direct a group for a school project, BUT most often we will be those who are under someone else’s leadership and direction. It is really good to know that being one who cooperates with the leader is so important. Even though both Zerubbabel and Nehemiah were such outstanding leaders, NOTHING could have been accomplished without the hundreds of Israelites who were willing to be under their leadership and direction!