The Wilderness Test

Wildside May 19, 2019

The Wilderness Test

Bible Passage:

Main Point: God provided for the physical needs of His people.

Key Passage:

Big Picture Question: What is God’s plan? God’s plan is to rescue His people from captivity.

Small Group opening

(10–15 minutes)

Large Group Bible study

(25–30 minutes)

Small Group activities

(25–30 minutes)

Leader BIBLE STUDY

The Israelites’ future looked incredibly bright. The Lord, through Moses, had rescued them from slavery in Egypt. He fought for them, displaying His power by parting the Red Sea and subsequently destroying Egypt’s army. God was working out His plan to bring the Israelites to the promised land—the land God promised to Abraham’s family.

But the journey from Egypt to Canaan was not direct. The Lord led His people into the wilderness. The Israelites’ bright future seemed to fade. Their dry mouths and rumbling, empty stomachs produced complaints and accusations. They doubted the Lord’s goodness.

The Israelites traveled three days into the wilderness and were unable to find water. When they found water at Marah, they must have rushed to it—only to find the water was too bitter to drink. The people grumbled to Moses. Of course, Moses had no power to change the water. But the Lord did. Moses cried out to the Lord, and He showed Moses a tree. Moses threw the tree into the water, and the water became drinkable.

Then the Israelites moved farther into the wilderness. Their hunger produced despair: “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt … Instead, you brought us into this wilderness … to die of hunger!” ().

Again, the Lord gave the Israelites what they needed. Moses and Aaron explained the purpose behind the Lord’s provision: “You will know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt” (). God sent bread from heaven and quail for the Israelites to eat. They ate manna in the wilderness for 40 years.

The Lord is our Provider. Like He provided for the physical needs of His people in the wilderness, He provided for our spiritual needs by sending His Son, Jesus—the Bread of life ()—so we can live forever.

The BIBLE Story

The Wilderness Test

Moses led the people away from the Red Sea, and they came to the wilderness. They could not find good water to drink, and they complained to Moses. God said, “If you obey Me and do what is right and keep My commands, I will not punish you like I punished the Egyptians. I am Yahweh, who heals you.” The Israelites came to a place called Elim (EE lim) where they found plenty of food and water. They camped there.

The Israelites left Elim and journeyed into the wilderness. They were hungry. They complained to Moses. “We wish we had died in Egypt! At least there was food to eat,” they said. “You brought us out here to starve to death!” But Moses had not brought them out there to die. God knew what He was doing.

God said, “I have heard the complaints of the Israelites. Tell them: In the evening you will eat meat, and in the morning you will eat bread until you are full. Then you will know that I am Yahweh your God.”

So at evening, quail came into the camp. In the morning, fine flakes like frost were on the ground.

“What is it?” the Israelites asked.

Moses said, “It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat.”

The Israelites called the bread manna, which means “what is it?” God gave the people instructions. He told them to collect just enough to eat for the day. If they collected too much, the leftovers went bad. He told them to collect twice as much on the sixth day, because the seventh day was the Sabbath, a day to rest.

The Israelites did not always follow God’s instructions. Sometimes they collected too much manna, and sometimes they tried to collect manna on the Sabbath day. Moses was angry that the people refused to obey God. The Israelites ate manna for 40 years while they were in the wilderness.

The Israelites moved about the wilderness as the Lord told them to do. One day, they came to a camp with no water. “Give us something to drink,” they told Moses. “Why are you complaining to me?” Moses asked. “You brought us out here to die” the Israelites said. They forgot that the Lord had a plan for them.

“Lord, what should I do?” Moses cried out. God showed Moses a rock and instructed him to hit it with his staff. Water came out of it, and the people drank. It was a sign that the Lord was with them.

Christ Connection: In the New Testament, Jesus said that He is the Bread of life. () God provided manna from heaven for His people’s physical hunger, and later He provided His Son, Jesus, for our spiritual hunger. The Israelites needed bread to live for a little while, but whoever has Jesus will live forever!

Small Group Opening

Welcome time

Greet each kid as he or she arrives. Use this time to connect to your group and make sure each student is checked in.

As kids arrive, ask for volunteers to think about a time that they were hungry or thirsty. What was the situation, and how did you feel? Did you complain?

Transition to large group

Table Wars

Large Group LEADER

Today we are going to talk about how God Provides. But before we do that we need to review what happened last week. Now, where are we? Last week, God showed the Egyptians His power in a mighty way through the plagues, the Passover, and the crossing of the Red Sea. God rescued His people from physical captivity in Egypt.

Today’s story is called “The Wilderness Test.” Oh, wow! I do not like tests. I wonder what kind of test God gave them.

Big picture question

Leader • Now, does anyone remember our big picture question? What is God’s plan? God’s plan is to rescue His people from captivity. In today’s Bible story, the Israelites forgot that the Lord had a plan for them. They complained to Moses. Let’s find out why. Listen carefully!

Tell the Bible story

Open your Bible to . Let’s watch the Bible story video.

Leader • Moses led the Israelites from the Red Sea into the wilderness. There God tested them, saying, “If you obey Me and do what is right and keep My commands, I will not punish you like I punished the Egyptians. I am Yahweh, who heals you.” [See .] Now I’m about to give you a different kind of test: a true-false test!

Challenge kids to determine if the statement is true or false.

The Israelites found plenty of food and water at Elim. (true, )

The Israelites were hungry, but they did not complain to Moses. (False, the Israelites complained to Moses; )

Moses brought the Israelites into the wilderness to die. God did not know what He was doing. (False, God wanted to see if they would trust Him; )

God provided food so the Israelites would know He is Yahweh. (true, )

The Israelites called the bread manna, which means “What is it?” (true, )

God told the Israelites to collect twice as much food on the sixth day, because the seventh day was the Sabbath, a day to rest. (true, )

The Israelites always followed God’s instructions. (False, sometimes they collected too much manna and sometimes they tried to collect manna on the Sabbath; ,)

Israel ate manna for 40 years. (true, )

God gave the people water from a rock. It was a sign that the Lord was with them. (true, )

Leader • God provided for the physical needs of His people. God provided manna from heaven for His people’s physical hunger, and He provided His Son, Jesus, for our spiritual hunger. The Israelites needed bread to live for a little while, but whoever has Jesus will live forever!

Key passage

Show the key passage. Lead the boys and girls to read together .

Leader • We learned that God provided for the physical needs of His people. We have a greater need—a need to be forgiven for our sin. God provided His Son, Jesus, so we can be forgiven. [See .] Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead, so we are no longer captives to sin. [See .] What is God’s plan? God’s plan is to rescue His people from captivity.

Discussion starter video

Show the “Unit 4, Session 3” discussion starter video.

Leader • Have any of you ever been camping? Did you forget any supplies? Sometimes when we make our own plans, we forget things we need and we let down ourselves or other people.

God’s plan is to rescue His people from captivity, and He will never let us down. God provides everything we need for salvation.

Lead kids to discuss ways God has provided for them. Point out that sometimes a blessing may seem coincidental, but every good gift comes from God. (See .)

Pray

Invite kids to pray before dismissing to small groups.

Leader • Lord God, thank You for being our Provider! And we rejoice in the provision of Your Son, Jesus. Help us trust that through Jesus, we are rescued from spiritual captivity. We love You. Amen.

Dismiss to small groups

Small Group LEADER

Session Title: The Wilderness Test

Bible Passage:

Main Point: God provided for the physical needs of His people.

Key Passage:

Big Picture Question: What is God’s plan? God’s plan is to rescue His people from captivity.

Key passage activity

Have every student find the key passage in their bible. Lead the kids to read it aloud together. Then choose a volunteer to roll a numbered cube. If she rolls a 2, kids should take turns saying the key passage, two words at a time. If she rolls a 4, kids should say four words at a time, and so on.

Encourage kids to say the key passage from memory. If a kid does not know a word, invite the rest of the group to help him. Then allow another kid to roll the cube and play again. As kids begin to master the passage, have them close their bibles.

Bible story review

Instruct kids to open their Bibles to . Ask for volunteers to recall what happened in . (Moses Was Born and Called; The Plagues, the Passover and the Crossing of the Red Sea)

Remind kids that in today’s Bible story, God tested the Israelites in the wilderness. There He said, “If you obey Me and do what is right and keep My commands, I will not punish you like I punished the Egyptians. I am Yahweh, who heals you” (See ).

Form two groups. Provide pencils or markers and five index cards to each group. Challenge groups to test each other with five questions about today’s Bible story. The groups will compete to earn points for each correct answer. Help the groups formulate questions if needed.

Sample questions:

What food did God provide in the morning? (bread, manna)

What food did God provide in the evening? (quail)

How much bread did the Israelites gather on the sixth day? (twice as much, enough for two days)

Say • Awesome job! Do you remember the main point of today’s Bible story? God provided for the physical needs of His people. That’s right!

In today’s Bible story, the Israelites complained to Moses of their thirst and hunger; they forgot that God had a plan for them. For 40 years, Moses and the Israelites ate food and drank water that God provided. [See ; .] For those 40 years, the food and water that God gave each day was a reminder to the Israelites that He is Yahweh, the Lord our God. [See .]

Prayer

Distribute pencils and prayer cards. Remind kids that God provided for the physical needs of His people. Prompt kids to write a short prayer thanking God for His provision in a time of need.

Close in prayer or have a volunteer student close your group.