Family Devotional: Elisha and the Army
Dear Parents,
After Elijah was taken to heaven in a whirlwind, his successor Elisha continued Elijah’s work as a prophet to Israel. God used him, like Elijah, to perform miracles—multiplying the oil of a poor widow, raising a Shunammite woman’s son from the dead, purifying a poisoned pot of stew, and more.
At this time, Israel was ruled by King Joram. The land of Aram to the northeast (located in present-day Syria) was ruled by King Ben-hadad. In 2 Kings 5, Naaman—the commander of the army for the king of Aram—sought out Elisha for healing of a skin disease. Naaman recognized the one true God (2 Kings 5:15), but Aram was an enemy of Israel and waged war against the people.
Each time the king of Aram made plans to attack Israel, God revealed the plans to Elisha and he alerted Israel’s king so Israel could thwart their enemy’s plans. When Aram’s king discovered Elisha was to blame, he was determined to kill God’s prophet and sent an army to surround the place where Elisha was hiding. Elisha’s servant saw the enemy army and was afraid, but Elisha could see something the servant couldn’t see: an army of the Lord outnumbering the Arameans covered the mountain, ready to protect Elisha.
God blinded the enemy army, and Elisha led them to Samaria where the king of Israel could have killed them. Instead, Elisha told the king to feed the men and send them home. Those raiders did not come into Israel’s land again.
This story in 2 Kings 6 reveals that the world is not limited to what is seen. As you talk with your kids this week, emphasize that God opened the eyes of Elisha’s servant so he could see God’s protection. God is always with us. Jesus came to earth as the visible image of our invisible God. God’s protection from sin and death is given to everyone who trusts in Jesus.
Family Devotionals: Elijah and Elisha
Dear Parents,
Following God’s great display of power at Mount Carmel, Elijah fled for his life and traveled to Mount Horeb where he encountered God in a soft whisper. God instructed Elijah to anoint a man named Elisha as his successor. Elijah found Elisha plowing a field. Elijah put his cloak over Elisha to show that Elisha would be a prophet like Elijah. Elisha followed Elijah and served him for many years. In time, King Ahab of Israel appointed his son Ahaziah as king. When Ahaziah died, his brother Joram became king.
Elijah’s ministry came to an end, and God took him to heaven in an unusual way. First, Elijah and Elisha traveled from Gilgal to Bethel to Jericho and then to the Jordan River. Elijah met with other prophets and their families. Despite Elijah’s insistence otherwise, Elisha did not leave Elijah’s side.
A group of prophets watched as Elijah parted the Jordan River by striking the water with his mantle (cloak) so he could cross. In Elijah’s final moments, Elisha requested, “Please, let me inherit two shares of your spirit” (2 Kings 2:9). Elisha wanted power to continue God’s work and confirmation as Israel’s next prophet.
A chariot of fire and horses of fire suddenly appeared and separated the men. Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind, and Elisha cried out after him. When Elijah was out of view, Elisha picked up Elijah’s cloak and struck the water of the Jordan River. The water parted—a sign that Elisha had received power from God. Elisha would continue the work of Elijah as a prophet to Israel.
As you talk with your kids this week, remind them that God gave Elisha the same spirit that was in Elijah so Elisha could carry out his mission as a prophet. Years later, Jesus told His followers to wait for the Holy Spirit. God gives believers the Holy Spirit so they can share the gospel with the world.
Family Devotional: Elijah at Mt. Carmel
Dear Parents,
King Ahab was an evil king. In fact, “Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him” (1 Kings 16:33). God wanted His people to be faithful to Him, but King Ahab led them away from God.
God chose Elijah to get Ahab’s attention. In 1 Kings 17, Elijah told Ahab that a drought was coming. God prevented rain in the land for three years. For Ahab, a man who worshiped Baal—the false Canaanite god of rain and fertility—the drought sent a strong message about the one true God.
When God was ready to send rain on the earth, Elijah appeared to Ahab and instructed him to gather the Israelites and the prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel. Elijah challenged the people to choose: Follow God or follow Baal. They couldn’t do both.
Elijah set up a challenge to prove who is the one true God. He faced off against the prophets of Baal. They prepared a bull on an altar and called on their deity to send fire from heaven. The prophets of Baal called and cried and cut themselves, but Baal did not answer.
Elijah poured water on and around his altar. He called to God, and God sent fire from heaven. Everything was burned up! The Israelites could not deny that the God of Elijah is the one true God. Finally, God sent a great rain to end the drought.
Elijah fled from the wrath of Ahab’s wife, Jezebel. He met with God on a mountain, and God revealed Himself to Elijah in a soft whisper. God gave Elijah a friend and successor in Elisha and assured him of 7,000 people in Israel who had not turned to Baal.
The false god Baal had no power. The people who worshiped the false god Baal danced and cried out for hours to show that they loved Baal. But the one true God is not like the false gods. We do not have to work hard to show God we love Him. Instead, He showed His love for us by sending His Son, Jesus. Jesus died to rescue us from sin, and He hears us when we cry out to Him. As you talk with your kids about the Bible story this week, emphasize that only God—the one true God—has power to help His people and to save them. And He saves them through His Son, Jesus.
Family Devotional: Elijah and the Widow
Dear Parents,
After King Solomon died, the tribes of Israel split into two kingdoms—the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Jeroboam was the king of Israel, and Solomon’s son Rehoboam was the king of Judah. These two kingdoms were frequently at war with each other, and they rotated through mostly evil kings for decades. Ahab was the king of Israel when the prophet Elijah came to him.
The name Elijah means “My God is Yahweh.” We don’t know anything about Elijah’s background or family, but God chose Elijah (and later the prophet Elisha) to warn the Israelites of their future destruction. For years, God sent prophets to warn His people about the consequences their sin would bring. He wanted them to turn back to Him, but they would not.
Three significant events occur in 1 Kings 17. First, Elijah announced a drought in the land of Israel. Evil King Ahab and his wife Jezebel encouraged Baal worship, so the drought was punishment for Israel’s idolatry—according to the law of God. (Deut. 11:16-17) God provided for Elijah during the drought.
Second, Elijah visited a widow. God promised that the widow would provide for him. Lack of rain caused a famine in the land. God provided food for the widow and her son. Elijah stayed with the widow for two years.
Third, Elijah raised the widow’s son from the dead. Elijah asked God to bring the boy back to life, and God did. The woman believed that Elijah was a man of God and that his words from God were true.
Help your kids connect this story to Jesus. God miraculously provided through Elijah to give food to the widow and life to the widow’s son. Many years later, God miraculously provided through His own Son, Jesus. Jesus is greater than Elijah. In Jesus, God provides salvation and life to everyone who trusts in Him.
Family Devotional: The Kingdom Divided
Dear Parents,
King Solomon loved God. He received wisdom from the Lord and was dedicated to building His temple. But early on, we see hints that Solomon’s heart was not completely devoted to God. He married foreign wives who turned Solomon’s heart away from God. (1 Kings 11:4)
Solomon gradually abandoned what he had believed. Israel had a history of turning away from God, and Solomon was no exception.
God was angry with Solomon. He had warned him twice not to turn to false gods. God planned to discipline Solomon by taking the kingdom away from his family. God was going to take the kingdom from Solomon’s son Rehoboam—every tribe except for one. God graciously left one tribe for Rehoboam, keeping the promise He made to David. (See 2 Sam. 7:16.)
God set apart Jeroboam, one of Solomon’s servants, to become leader over 10 tribes of Israel. Parts of the tribe of Benjamin followed Jeroboam, and some followed Rehoboam. When Solomon died, all of Israel gathered to make Rehoboam their new king. They asked Rehoboam to lighten the burden of service Solomon had given them, but Rehoboam refused. In fact, he promised to make their work even harder.
Israel rebelled against Rehoboam and made Jeroboam king. Only the tribe of Judah stayed with Rehoboam. So the kingdom was divided into two kingdoms—the Northern Kingdom was called Israel (ruled by Jeroboam) and the Southern Kingdom was called Judah (ruled by Rehoboam).
King Solomon failed to lead God’s people perfectly. God’s people needed a better king, a perfect king! Through David’s family, God would send His own Son, Jesus Christ, to be a perfect King over God’s people forever. Jesus is greater than Solomon. Jesus brings His people together and leads them back to God.
Family Devotional: David Sinned And Was Restored
Dear Parents,
The Ammonites were no strangers to the Israelites. They often fought over the region of Gilead, which stretched east of the Jordan River. David had tried showing kindness to the Ammonites, but they humiliated the Israelite ambassadors. (See 2 Sam. 10:1-5.) Thus began a war between the Israelites and Ammonites. This context sets the scene for the story of David’s sin and restoration.
David had experienced a season of blessing from God and success on the battlefield. The tribes of Israel united under David. But the upward trajectory of David’s life did not continue much longer.
One evening, David looked from his rooftop and saw Bathsheba bathing. He found out that she was the wife of Uriah, one of David’s elite soldiers. Her married status alone made her off-limits to David, but he nevertheless called for her and slept with her. David probably assumed his sin would go unnoticed, until Bathsheba told him she was pregnant. With Uriah gone to war, it was obvious the baby was not her husband’s.
David called Uriah home from the battle and encouraged him to be with his wife. But Uriah refused. Uriah didn’t think it was fair for him to be with his wife while other men were at war.
So David instructed his army commander to position Uriah in the most violent part of the battle so he would be killed. This time, David’s plan worked. Uriah was killed, and David took Bathsheba as his wife.
God knew David’s sin and sent Nathan the prophet to confront David. David’s confession is recorded in Psalm 51. God wanted David’s heart to change so he would not want to sin again.
Like David, we need more than a changed lifestyle to be made right with God; we need new hearts. Jesus died to satisfy God’s wrath against sin so that we could be made alive in Him.
When David sinned against God, God forgave him, but sin always comes with a price. God spared David’s life, but David’s son died. When we sin, we deserve death. But we can receive God’s forgiveness because God sent His Son, Jesus, to pay the price for our sin.
Family Devotional: David's Kindness
Dear Parents,
Though King Saul was an adversary to David, Saul’s son Jonathan loved him as much as he loved himself. (See 1 Sam. 18:1.) Before David fled from King Saul and journeyed toward Moab, Jonathan appealed to his friend David, “If I continue to live, show me kindness from the Lord, but if I die, don’t ever withdraw your kindness from my household” (1 Sam. 20:14-15a).
Following the deaths of King Saul and his son Jonathan, David was made king over Israel. The Lord was with David, and he experienced numerous military victories. David remembered the promise he made to his best friend Jonathan and was determined to keep it.
David asked a servant of Saul’s family if anyone remained from Saul’s family. The servant mentioned Jonathan’s son. Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth (meh FIB oh sheth) had been injured when he was five years old, so his feet were crippled. (2 Sam. 4:4) David brought Mephibosheth to his house. Mephibosheth fell facedown before David. As a descendant of Saul, he was right to fear the king. But David said, “Don’t be afraid.”
David showed kindness to Mephibosheth, promising to restore to him all of Saul’s fields. He appointed servants to work the fields. The fields would provide an income for Mephibosheth. David also announced that Mephibosheth would eat meals at David’s table, just like one of the king’s sons. So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem and always ate at the king’s table.
King David showed surprising kindness to Mephibosheth even though he didn’t have to. In a greater way, God shows surprising kindness to us. Because of Jesus, He invites us into His family and gives us life with Him forever.
Family Devotional: God's Covenant with David
Dear Parents,
The path to Israel’s throne was not easy for David. Saul had tried multiple times to kill him, and David had to flee for his life, leaving behind his good friend Jonathan. But God had appointed David to be king, and God was faithful. Leading up to 2 Samuel 7, Jonathan was killed in battle against the Philistines.
Saul fell on his own sword, and David became the king of Israel. David moved the ark of God to Jerusalem—a cause for joyous celebration—and settled into his palace there. God blessed David and gave him peace from his enemies. But when David looked around, something didn’t seem right. He was living in a majestic palace while the ark of God was in a tent! David determined to build God a temple. That night, God gave the prophet, Nathan, a message for David. “Have I ever asked you to build Me a house?” God said. No, for four hundred years—since God brought the Israelites out of Egypt—He had dwelled in a tent.
David had been a shepherd, but God made him a king! God promised to give the Israelites a place to stay so they wouldn’t need to move around anymore. God promised to give His people rest from their enemies so they could stop fighting. Though God denied David’s desire to build God a house, God promised to make a house for David: a dynasty of his descendants and an everlasting kingdom.
God promised David that every future king of Israel would come from David’s family, and David’s kingdom would last forever. God kept His promise by sending His Son, Jesus, as one of David’s descendants. Jesus is our King who will never die; He will rule over God’s people forever.
Family Devotional: David Showed Mercy
Dear Parents,
David’s relationship with King Saul was complicated. Early on, David served the king by playing the lyre for him whenever he felt unwell. After David killed Goliath, he became good friends with Saul’s son Jonathan. But David’s success made Saul jealous. Saul could see that David was rising in popularity. He won victory after victory. Saul made several attempts on David’s life, and David fled to the land of Moab.
David wasn’t alone. His family and other men—anyone who was “desperate, in debt, or discontented” (1 Sam. 22:2)—joined David, and he became their leader. About 400 men were with David. Once in Moab, the prophet Gad instructed David to return to the land of Judah. When Saul found out David’s location, he pursued David, intending to kill him. Yet God protected David from Saul.
Saul was in pursuit of David when he stopped to relieve himself. Imagine David’s surprise when Saul entered the very cave in which David and his men were hiding. This was David’s chance! Saul was outnumbered and could easily be defeated. David got up and secretly cut off the corner of Saul’s robe, but he did not allow his men to hurt Saul.
When Saul left the cave, David followed after him. He acknowledged Saul’s authority—”My lord the king!” (1 Sam. 24:8)—and showed Saul the corner of his robe, proof of David’s passed-up opportunity. Saul wept upon realizing David’s mercy toward him. God had put Saul in David’s hand, and David let him go unharmed. Saul realized God had clearly chosen David to be Israel’s king.
David showed mercy to Saul, his enemy, because David trusted God’s plan. Jesus also trusted His Father’s plan. He died on the cross so His enemies could experience God’s mercy and live forever as part of God’s family.
Family Devotional: David Was Anointed
Dear Parents,
Samuel had anointed Saul as king over Israel, but it wasn’t long before Saul’s disobedience led God to reject him as king. God sent Samuel to Bethlehem to meet Jesse—a man in the family line of Judah. God had chosen one of Jesse’s sons to be Israel’s king.
When Samuel saw Jesse’s oldest son, Eliab, he thought, “This must be the one God has chosen!” Eliab was likely tall and good-looking. Why wouldn’t God choose someone like that? But God doesn’t make decisions like people do. Read what God said to Samuel in 1 Samuel 16:7.
Jesse’s sons took turns passing before Samuel, one by one. Samuel was probably eager to hear which son God had chosen to be Israel’s next king! Abinadab? No, not him. Shammah? No. “The Lord hasn’t chosen this one either.”
It seemed Samuel was out of options, but Jesse had one more son; his youngest, David, was out tending the sheep. David came in and God said, “This is the one.” Samuel anointed David, and the Spirit of the Lord was with David.
David did not become king right away. Saul was still on the throne, and David was still young. One day, David found himself at the battle where the Philistines had gathered to fight the Israelites. The story of David and Goliath is one of the most well-known accounts in the Old Testament. When the Israelites cowered in fear, David—with God’s power—stepped up and defeated the enemy with just a sling and a stone.
David did not look like a king or a mighty warrior, but God chose him to be king over Israel and gave him victory over Goliath. The Israelites were too weak and afraid to face Goliath; they needed David to fight on their behalf. In a similar way, though Jesus did not look like a warrior or king, we need Him to fight for us. Jesus gives us victory over sin and death.
Family Devotional: Israel's First King
Dear Parents,
This week’s Bible story picks up more than 20 years after the Philistines returned the ark of God to the Israelites. During that time, Israel began to seek God again, and Samuel led them to remove their foreign gods and worship God only.
Samuel had judged Israel throughout his lifetime, but he was getting old. So Samuel made his sons, Joel and Abijah, judges over Israel. But like many sons before them, Joel and Abijah did not follow the example of their father. They disobeyed God and caused problems for Israel. The elders of Israel spoke to Samuel about his sons and demanded a king. All the other nations around them had kings, they pointed out. Samuel knew their desire to imitate the nations around them was sinful, and he prayed to God.
“Give them what they want,” God said. “They have not rejected you; they have rejected Me as their King.” Samuel explained to the Israelites what rights a king would have over them; he warned them that when they regretted asking for a king—and they would regret it—God would not help them.
The people insisted on having a king, so God chose a man named Saul to be the king. By all appearances, Saul was a good king. He was handsome, taller than most people, and God had blessed him. But Saul failed to obey God. First, Saul sinned by burning offerings in Samuel’s absence. Later, when the Israelites defeated the Amalekites, Saul did not follow God’s instructions for destroying everything. The Lord regretted making Saul king.
Help your kids understand that Saul was not the king the people needed. God intended for a heavenly king to rule over Israel, but the Israelites did not trust God’s plan and wanted a king like the nations around them. God gave them a king, but Saul did not obey God. God had a plan to send His Son, Jesus. King Jesus trusted and obeyed God perfectly and died so sinners could be forgiven and accepted.
Family Devotional: The Ark Was Captured
Dear Parents,
The ark of God (also called “the ark of the covenant”) was an important symbol in the lives of God’s people. Not only was the ark the original container for the Ten Commandments, it symbolized God’s presence with His people.
In Exodus 25, God gave Moses instructions for creating the ark. It was made of acacia wood and overlaid with pure gold. God forbade anyone from touching the ark, so it was carried by two poles. God would speak to Moses from between two golden cherubim on top of the ark, which was called the mercy seat. (See Num. 7:89.)
During the time of the judges, the Philistines were a near-constant threat to Israel. Under Samuel’s leadership, the Israelites went out to fight the Philistines. But Israel was defeated because of their sin.
The elders of Israel realized that God had allowed their defeat. He hadn’t fought for them against the Philistines. So they did what seemed logical to them; they took the ark—the symbol of God’s presence—and carried it to the battlefield. But the ark was not a good luck charm. Not only was Israel defeated, the Philistines captured the ark and killed Eli’s sons. When Eli heard the news, he fell over and died.
Having won the victory, the Philistines concluded that their god, Dagon, was better than the God of Israel. They moved the ark to Dagon’s temple, where God showed His power over Dagon. (See 1 Sam. 5:1-5.) As the ark moved between Philistine cities, God afflicted the people and made them sick. The message was clear: No one is like the LORD. God is greater than everything and everyone.
The Philistines returned the ark, which was a great encouragement to God’s people. The ark of God reminded the Israelites that God was with them. Years later, God gave His people something greater than a sign that He was with them; God gave them His Son Jesus—God in the flesh. One of Jesus’ names is Immanuel, which means “God with us.”
Family Devotional: Hannah and Samuel
Dear Parents,
The time of the judges was turbulent for God’s people. The Israelites had conquered the promised land of Canaan, but after Joshua’s death, they fell into a cycle of sin. This was the culture in which Hannah and her husband Elkanah lived. They were ordinary Israelites—Elkanah, a devoted worshiper of the Lord; and Hannah, a woman who wanted nothing more than to be a mother. But the Lord had closed her womb. (1 Sam. 1:5)
One year, when Elimelech went to make sacrifices and worship God, Hannah went too. She could no longer hide her grief over being childless. She prayed so fervently to the Lord—asking for a child and vowing to dedicate him to God—that Eli the priest rebuked her because he thought she was drunk.
God answered Hannah’s prayers, and she named her son Samuel, which means “requested from God.” When Samuel was old enough to wean, Hannah presented him to Eli. First Samuel 2 records Hannah’s triumphant prayer. Hannah glorified God for His sovereignty; then she went home with her husband, leaving Samuel to serve God under the leadership of Eli.
Hannah visited Samuel each year and brought him a robe. Samuel faithfully served God. On the other hand, Eli’s sons—though they were priests—had no regard for God. They did not listen to Eli, so God rejected Eli’s family. This hard news came to Eli through the boy Samuel.
Review 1 Samuel 3. Note how Samuel responded to God’s call: “Speak, for your servant is listening.” This week, help your kids identify Samuel’s role as God’s messenger. God called Hannah’s son to share God’s plan. Lead them to them connect Samuel to Jesus. Samuel used God’s words to tell the people what God is like. John 1:1 says that Jesus is the Word. Jesus—the Son of God—told the world about God’s plan and showed what God is like.
Family Devotional: Ruth and Boaz
Dear Parents,
Only two books in the Old Testament bear the name of a woman: Ruth and Esther. Ruth’s story occurs at the time when judges ruled over Israel. God’s people were characterized by rebellion and immorality. At a time when the Israelites desperately needed a king to lead them back to God, Ruth’s story of faithfulness points us to Jesus Christ, a coming Redeemer who will make all wrong things right again.
Ruth was the daughter-in-law of Naomi, a woman from Bethlehem who settled in Moab with her husband and two sons to escape a famine. Naomi’s husband died, and her two sons married Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. They lived in Moab for 10 years; then Naomi’s sons died.
Naomi heard that the Lord had provided food for His people during the famine, so she decided to go back to Judah. Naomi encouraged Orpah and Ruth to return to their families. Orpah returned home, but Ruth clung to Naomi. Ruth said, “Wherever you go, I will go … your people will be my people, and your God will be my God” (Ruth 1:16). So Naomi and Ruth traveled back to Bethlehem together.
Naomi permitted Ruth to gather fallen grain in a field. The owner of the field was Boaz, a relative of Naomi’s late husband and a family redeemer. A family redeemer was someone who would help his close relatives if they were in trouble. Boaz noticed Ruth and told her she could safely gather grain in his field. At Naomi’s urging, Ruth sought to be redeemed by Boaz. Boaz bought back the land Naomi and Ruth had lost when their husbands died, and he married Ruth. They had a son named Obed, whose grandson would be King David.
Boaz was a family redeemer. He helped his close relatives who were in trouble. Boaz cared for Ruth and Naomi because their husbands had died. In a similar way, Jesus is our Redeemer. We need help because we sin. Jesus bought our salvation for us by taking our punishment when He died on the cross. God gave Ruth—a foreigner—a special place in the lineage of Jesus Christ. As you talk about this story with your kids, introduce them to Jesus, our Redeemer. He bought for us salvation, paying the price with His very own blood.
Family Devotional: Samson
Dear Parents,
Samson was the last of the major judges of Israel. He was born to parents who dedicated him to the Lord as a Nazirite after the Angel of the Lord announced that Samson would be born to save the Israelites from the power of the Philistines. Samson grew up, and God blessed him with great strength. But when Samson requested to marry a Philistine woman, his parents were confused. Samson was supposed to deliver the Israelites from the Philistines. Why would he want to marry one of them? But God had a plan in all of this. (See Judg. 14:4.)
As Samson prepared for the wedding, he gave a riddle to the men with him about an event that occurred on his way to Timnah. (See Judg. 14:9-14.) Days passed, and the men convinced Samson’s wife to tell them the answer to the riddle. This action sparked a series of events that would eventually lead to the death of Samson.
When the men solved his riddle, Samson was so angry that he torched the fields of the Philistines. He used the jawbone of a donkey to kill 1,000 men, and he left his wife. The Philistine leaders determined to kill Samson. When Samson fell in love with a woman named Delilah, the leaders bribed her into telling them where Samson’s strength came from.
A man came and shaved the braids from Samson’s head. He lost his strength and became helpless. The Philistines gouged out his eyes and took him prisoner. They had him stand between the pillars of a pagan temple. In a final plea to God, Samson asked for his strength back. God gave him strength, and Samson knocked over the pillars, collapsing the temple. In his death, Samson killed more Philistines than he had killed in his life. (Judg. 16:30)
Though Samson disobeyed God, God used him to accomplish His purpose of delivering the Israelites from the Philistines. As you talk to your kids about this story this week, remind them that Samson’s sin led to his own death, but God used his death to save the Israelites from their enemies. Samson’s story reminds us of Jesus. Jesus never sinned, but God sent Him to die on the cross and rise again to rescue people from sin and give them eternal life.
Family Devotional: Jesus Was Born
Dear Parents,
We are taking a break from the chronological journey through the Bible to focus on Christmas. From the moment sin entered the world, its consequences were obvious. God’s people were separated from Him; they did not enjoy the intimate relationship with their Creator for which He had created them. People were affected by sickness and pain. Corruption spread quickly throughout the earth. The situation seemed hopeless, yet God did not leave His people without hope.
It was into this hopelessness that God spoke. Hundreds of messages came through the prophets concerning a coming Messiah—One who would rescue people from their sins. But when would this Promised One come? How would He come? Would the people recognize Him?
The prophet Isaiah—who lived hundreds of years before Jesus was born—spoke specifically of the Messiah’s birth. Isaiah told King Ahaz what the Lord would do. “The virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel” (Isa. 7:14). He described the birth of a “Prince of peace”—a Son of David who will reign forever. (Isa. 9:6-7) Isaiah said that He would be a King! (Isa. 11:1-5)
Everything God said about Jesus’ birth came true. Hundreds of years later, Jesus was born into the world. After Jesus was born, Mary laid Him in a manger. A king in a manger! It was so unlikely. But Jesus was no ordinary baby. He was God’s Son, sent in the most humble of positions, “not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life—a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28).
As you celebrate Christmas with your children, remind them that the birth of Jesus was good news! Jesus was not an ordinary baby. He was God’s Son, sent to earth from heaven. Jesus came into the world to bring peace between people and God. He came to save people from their sins and to be their King.
Family Devotional: Gideon
Dear Parents,
Last week, your kids learned about Deborah and Barak. This week, Judges 6 starts out in a familiar way: “The Israelites did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.” The period of Judges was not a good time for the Israelites. Their cycle of sin, bondage, deliverance, and peace clearly showed the law alone could not save them from sin.
The Israelites were oppressed by the Midianites, and they cried out to God for help. God chose a man to save them, and his name was Gideon. Gideon was an unlikely leader, and he knew this. Gideon said, “Please, Lord, how can I deliver Israel? Look, my family is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house” (Judg. 6:15).
God doesn’t need the biggest and the best to accomplish His plan. In fact, He often uses the weakest and least of people to fulfill His plans because that is what gives Him the most glory. God had a plan to empower Gideon in his weakness: “But I will be with you,” He said. (Judg. 6:16)
Gideon and an army of men assembled. God told Gideon he had too many men. God didn’t want the men to think they had the power to defeat the Midianites themselves. When the army was reduced to just 300 men, they prepared for battle. (See Judg. 7:1-7.)
The men ran toward the Midianites’ camp, blowing their trumpets and shouting. God turned the swords of the Midianites against each other. They ran away, but Gideon and his army chased after them and killed them.
God was with the Israelites when they went to battle. The Israelites did not win the battle themselves; God fought for them. As you reflect on this story with your kids this week, point out that the Israelites cried out to God because they knew they could not save themselves. Even Gideon was not enough to save them; God used Gideon to help His people, but God fought the battle for them. The people needed someone who was mighty to save. Jesus Christ came to save us from sin because we cannot save ourselves. Only God, through Christ, can save us.