Advanced Level, Block 5—Frustrations in the Land
Week 42
Believing Delivers Us from Destruction
Point to Emphasize: It is a blessing to be in a household that believes!
Reference Reading: Joshua 2:1-24, footnote 111
Memory Verse: One thing I have asked from Jehovah; / That do I seek: / To dwell in the house of Jehovah / All the days of my life… (Psalms 27:4a)
Story Sample
When the children of Israel crossed the river Jordan, they came to a city named Jericho. I’m sure many of you have heard the stories of what happened to this city. Joshua sent two men as spies inside the city. When they came back to the children of Israel, they gave a report. They said that God had given all the land to them. As part of their report, they shared a remarkable story of a woman named Rahab.
Rahab was not a Jew. She was not part of the children of Israel. But, she heard how Jehovah led them through the Red Sea after leaving Egypt and how their enemies were destroyed. After hearing these things, Rahab believed in the God of Israel. She knew her city would be destroyed and all who lived in it would be killed. So, she was willing to risk her life by receiving the spies, hiding them, and helping them exit the city when they were being pursued by the king of Jericho. In return, she pleaded with them to deal kindly with her father’s house. She asked for the lives of her whole household to be preserved. This included her father, mother, brothers, and sisters. Rahab did according to what the spies instructed her to do. She was told to tie a scarlet thread in her window and to bring all of her family to her house. During the destruction of Jericho, she and her family members remained inside the house.
The outcome of Rahab’s believing in the God of Israel and dealing kindly with the spies was that her whole household was saved from destruction. With this story, there is a wonderful matter that we can all treasure. By believing in God, she and her household were saved from destruction. It is a precious thing to be part of and grow up in a family that believes in God.
Like many of you, I was born into a family that believes in God, that is, a believing family. As a child, I have many memories of my dad and mom reading the Bible and singing hymns at home. I remember many times where we would gather after dinner and would memorize a Bible verse. We would compete to see who would remember all the books of the Bible or who would remember a song or Bible verse with a specific word in it. Even when I was just 10 or 11 years old, I was certain I belonged to the family of God. Many of my neighbors, aunts, and uncles, and classmates did not believe in God, but my family was different. We practiced different things, celebrated different things, and even when I did not understand why we were different, I knew I was being protected from damaging things just by being born into this family. I am so thankful to God for my family. There has never been a day that I’ve wished to leave. [Storyteller, share your experience if you were raised in a believing family or invite someone who can share their experience of growing up in a believing family.]
God has planned every family perfectly. Your mother, your father, brothers, and sisters, are all very important. Now, sometimes you might not like your household. You might be not happy that your dad is this way or that your mom is that way. You might not like that your family is different from others. You might not like that your family doesn’t celebrate this or that. Or you might not like all the meetings you have to go to with your parents. But, remember Rahab’s story. Outside of her house, there was destruction. Rahab and her household were saved from destruction because they stayed in their house! And it is the same with you today. You can be saved from many things that could destroy you just by staying “in the house”, by going along with how your parents are raising you. As you continue to grow as a young person, you need to remember this story and never think that another way of life is better.
Remember, outside of Rahab’s household everything was destroyed. I hope that each one of you also decide to stay with the family of God all the days of your life!