9.                  MOSES  - THE LAWGIVER                               (part 2 - LAWS)

Preparation.  Creative work;  crayons, and paper for each child as in diagram 9.

Prayers.

Song.  As last week

News Time and Birthdays.

Revision and Introduction.  Briefly retell the story of Moses.  Put some questions to the children to see how much they remember.  Today we are going to talk about The Commandments of Moses.

What is a commandment?  A commandment is when you are told to do something and you must obey.  Why did Moses have to give the Israelites commandments?

Do you remember there were lots and lots of people travelling with Moses in the desert places?  Sometimes they were not happy₁ but were very grumpy and cross.  Some days Moses would have to stop walking, sit down and listen to the problems of the people.  One person might complain that someone had stolen a sheep and another might say that one family were too noisy and rude.  There were all sorts of problems and so many people that it took all day to put things right.

One day, Jesse, Moses father-in-law, came to visit Moses and when he saw all the people surrounding him, all talking at once and some fighting, he said to Moses, "Moses, you will wear yourself out, and the people to.  It Is too difficult for you to sort everybody's problems out.  First you must give the people some laws and teach them how to live good lives.  Then you must choose some very good men and they can be judges.  If anyone has a problem they can go to one of the judges, and when he has heard the problem he can tell the person what to do".

And that is what Moses did.  Soon after that God gave Moses laws which the Israelites had to obey.  There were lots of them, telling them how to look after their animals, their children and their neighbours, and how to worship God also.  And If anybody did steal or tell lies, God gave them punishments for disobeying.

The most important commandments are known as the TEN COMMANDMENTS.
1.Only worship God.
2.Don't make any images or statues of anything and pretend that they are God.
3.Don't swear using God's name.
4.The Sabbath day is Holy and no-one must work on that day.
5.Love and obey your parents.
6.Do not kill.
7.Always keep pure thoughts In your mind.
8.Don't tell lies.
9.Don^'t think about wanting things that belong to other people.
10.Don't steal.

So when the Israelites remembered the Commandments, and obeyed them, life was very good and  everything went well.  But when they forgot ……    life was very miserable indeed, because God only gives us laws that are good for us and help us in life.

Reading:        Exodus 19, verses 65-6

"Now therefore, if you will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, Then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people:  for all the earth is Mine."

Type or write out the verse for the children to stick in their books. Explain the meaning.  Covenant means a promise to do something.  Peculiar means special and belonging to one person only.

Creative work.  Diagram 9 shows six of the 10 Commandments.  They can be coloured in bright colours. 

Diagram 9.

 Last modified: May 22, 2001

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