Scripture Story Activity
“The Israelites Prepared Ahead for the Sabbath”
- Items needed: Bible for each family member, one piece of heavy paper, exacto knife, glue,
- Print and cut out the PDF or Word illustrations. Fold back the tabs on the basket. With an exacto knife, cut slits on the family picture along the side edges of A and C. Line up the bottom edge of the basket to the bottom edge of B on the family picture, and then tape tab B down (the tab should be inside the basket, not facing outward). Insert the A and C basket tabs into the A and C side slits. Tape those tabs to the back of the picture. The top of the basket should bow out like a basket. Fold the tabs back on the bottom of the Israelite family picture. Tape the tabs to the top of a heavy piece of paper. The family figure should be standing up on the heavy paper, but you should be able to fold it down to store the picture.
- Cut out the scripture references (and the two numbers), and glue one to the back of each manna piece. (Israelite family and manna images are from the Friend Nov. 2004 pg. 390
Display the picture of the Israelite family on the table or floor so that the family figure is standing up. Put the manna pieces in front of the family figure.
Tell the family that after Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt, the Israelites had to travel through the wilderness to reach the Promised Land. They did not have enough food to make such a long journey, so the Lord provided manna from heaven for them to eat.
Tell the family they are going do an activity that will teach them more about the story of the manna from heaven.
Have each family member take turns choosing pieces of manna until they are all gone. Have them look up the scripture references that are on the back of their manna pieces. (A couple of pieces will have numbers instead of scriptures on them. Those will be used later in the activity.)
Going in numerical order read the following questions to the family. After a question is read, ask the family if anyone has the answer to it. Have the person tell what the answer is. (Optional: Also have them read the scripture) After they tell the family the answer, have them put that piece of manna into the basket.
- Why did the children of Israel murmur against Moses and Aaron? (murmur means to complain or rebel) Exodus 16:2-3
- Why would the murmuring against Moses and Aaron really be murmuring against the Lord? Exodus 16:6,8
- What food did the Lord provide for the Israelites in the mornings, and what food did the Lord provide in the evenings? Also describe how the food arrived. Exodus 16:11-15
- Describe the manna’s characteristics such as what it looked like, and what it tasted like. Exodus 16: 14, 21, 31
- How much manna did the Lord command the Israelites to gather each day? Exodus 16:16-18
- What happened the next day to the manna when more was gathered than was needed? Exodus 16:19-20
- What did the Lord instruct the Israelites to do differently in regards to the manna on the day before the Sabbath? Exodus 16: 22-23
- How were the Israelites blessed by preparing ahead for the Sabbath? Exodus 16: 24, 29
- What happened when some of the people did not prepare ahead and expected to gather manna on the Sabbath? Exodus 16:27
- What did the Israelite people do on the Sabbath? Exodus 16:30
- How long did the Lord provide food for the Israelites? Exodus 16:35
* Have the family members with the numbered manna pieces answer the following questions.
- What did the Israelites learn about the Sabbath? (That they should not work on the Sabbath. They should prepare ahead for the Sabbath so they can rest on the Sabbath day because it is a holy day.)
- The Israelites prepared for the Sabbath by gathering twice as much food the day before. Name three things we could do to prepare ahead so that our Sabbaths can be peaceful, restful, and holy?