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Wednesday, September 22, 2021

Stale Bread And Cracked Wineskins, Sub-Junior, Lesson - 12

SUB-JUNIOR
AGE: 8 - 9 YEARS
STANDARD/GRADE: III & IV

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LESSON – 12

STALE BREAD AND CRACKED WINESKINS

In the previous lessons we had learnt about the Israelites’ journey from Egypt to the promised land Canaan. After their leader Moses passed away due to old age, Joshua led the Israelites. The Israelites entered the land of Canaan after crossing the Jordan River miraculously under the leadership of Joshua (Refer Lesson 9). Even though they had entered Canaan, the promised land, the Israelites had to capture many Canaanite cities from other Canaanite tribes before they could make it their homeland. 

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Joshua, the leader of the Israelites led them in a series of battles against various Canaanite tribes ruling over these cities. Soon Joshua captured the cities of Jericho and Ai. God helped the Israelites and performed many miracles, so they could easily win these battles. The kings of the neighbouring Canaanite cities were worried. Gibeon was one of the Canaanite cities nearby. It was a big city like one of the royal cities and its men were good fighters.

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The people of Gibeon realized that God was with the Israelites, so they did not want to fight the Israelites. They thought of a plan to make peace with the Israelites and protect themselves. The Gibeonites sent ambassadors to Joshua, loading their donkeys with weathered saddlebags and old, cracked and patched wineskins. They put on worn-out, patched sandals and ragged clothes. And the bread they took with them was old, stale and moldy. 
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(Saddlebags are pouches hanging across the back of a horse or a donkey behind the saddle; A wineskin is a container made of animal skin, usually from goats or sheep, used to store or transport wine during olden days).

A donkey with a saddlebag on its back, www.pixabay.com

A wineskin (a container made of animal skin)

The Gibeonites arrived at the camp of Israel at Gilgal, and they told Joshua and the men of Israel that they had come from a distant land to make a peace treaty with them. Initially the Israelites were suspicious and they refused to make any treaty with them. But the Gibeonites deceived the Israelites by showing their stale bread and cracked wineskin and convinced them that they had travelled a large distance to reach them.

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The Israelites examined the stale bread, but they did not consult the Lord. Then Joshua made a peace treaty or covenant with the Gibeonites and guaranteed their safety, and promised not to harm them in any way. Three days after making the treaty, Joshua and the Israelites learned that the Gibeonites actually lived nearby! 

Sweet Publishing / FreeBibleimages.org.

The Israelite people were not very happy with their leaders. They complained to them that the Gibeonites should not be allowed to get away with this, but the leaders said that they had to keep their promise not to hurt them. Despite the Gibeonite’s deception, the leaders of Israel honored the covenant made, because they understood that God takes promises very seriously. Finally, they decided that they would keep their promise not to hurt the Gibeonites. The Gibeonites, however, would have to do work for the Israelites. From then on, the Gibeonites worked as water carriers and woodcutters for the Israelites.

Sweet Publishing / FreeBibleimages.org.

Bible Reference: Joshua 9

Memory Verse: Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I trust your commands (Psalm 119:66 NIV).

For Sunday School activities and stories in English https://jacobsladderactivity.blogspot.com/

ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES 

Answer the following questions: 

1. Name the two cities captured by Joshua?

    .......................................................................

2. Who wanted to make peace with the Israelites and protect themselves?    …………………...........................

3. What kind of bread and wineskins did the Gibeonites bring to deceive Joshua?

    ........................................................................

4. Why did the leaders of the Israelites honor the covenant they made with the Gibeonites?

    ........................................................................

5. What work did the Gibeonites have to do for the Israelites? …………………………………….…………. 

Answer Yes (    ) or No (    )

1.    The Israelites could make Canaan their homeland as soon as they entered it (    )

2.   Gibeon was a small and weak city (    )

3.  The Gibeonites told Joshua that they had come from a faraway land (    )

4.  The Gibeonites visited Joshua wearing fancy clothes and new sandals (   )

5.   The Israelites did not consult the Lord before making the peace treaty with the Gibeonites (    ) 



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