Children’s Bible Program – Level 2: Lesson 53 “God Leaves His House”
Featured Passage: 2 Chronicles 36; Ezekiel 10-11
After the days of King Solomon, the Kingdom of Judah and the city of Jerusalem were ruled by many different kings. Some were good kings who led the people to serve God and worship Him properly at His temple, and God was pleased with them. Sadly, not every king wanted to follow God’s laws, but rather they turned away from God to worship pagan idols and led the people to sin against God’s commandments. This made God very sad, and as time went by the problem seemed to get worse and worse. As God had told the Israelites many years before, if they turned away from Him to worship false gods, He would no longer protect them and He would have to leave the people and the house that was built for Him. After all, there was no longer room for Him in a house filled with idols. Just as the prophets of God had warned the people, if they didn’t repent of their sins God was going to leave His house and teach them a hard lesson.
Discuss:
- Who was the last king of Judah? What kind of attitude did he have toward God?
- The prophet Ezekiel was shown a vision of the glory of God leaving the temple in Jerusalem. Why did God remove His glory from the temple?
- Why did God send prophets to warn the people? What did the people of Jerusalem do when the prophets of God warned them what would happen if they didn’t listen to God?
- Who were the enemies who surrounded and conquered the city of Jerusalem? What happened to the temple and the things in it?
- Even though God removed His glory from the temple, did that mean that God would leave His people forever? What are some of God’s promises to the people of Judah and Israel?
- After the first temple was destroyed, who was the person God worked with to proclaim that the temple could be rebuilt?
Memory Challenge:
2 Chronicles 36:23
Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: “All the kingdoms of the earth the Lord God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah. Who is among you of all His people? May the Lord his God be with him, and let him go up!”