Why is this study so important?
What we teach our children by word of mouth and by example, stay with them all of their lives. The values and morals we teach will help to establish the ethical behavior of our children as adults. That is why it is so important that children are well grounded in Biblical truth and know how to apply that truth to their daily life. Therefore, we must be an example to them always.
Learning about Joshua and the battle of Jericho can help us understand how God works in the lives of his people. This can have a tremendous impact on your child's personal behavior. That is why it is so important that the facts presented in this Biblical story be remembered and applied. That is why this story is important, because in it we see how God works in the lives of His people.
As Joshua obeyed God and did exactly what God told Him to do, we as parents and teachers can emphasize the importance of that act and make the application real in our own lives today. As this story is repeated, the learning experience will be retained and your child will remember this life-changing Biblical example so that this action will become an integral and vital part of your child's daily life. That is why the Jackal is reminding us of what God did and will do in our lives as well.
How to use this study
As you read this Story to or with your children, point to the pictures that illustrate the story so your children begin to associate the words with the actions.
By reviewing the Video with your child and by asking questions and reinforcing the truths and values in the film as detailed in this guide, you will be placing these concepts into your child's mind so that they are reinforced each and every time your child watches and enjoys this film.
The Audio can be copied to your computer where you can then transfer it to a CD or a portable media device such as an MP3 player. Then you can take the story with you. Remember to make this learning experience fun for you and your child.
The Quiz will allow you the opportunity to see what your child has learned from experience, so that you will be able to apply these truths to your child's daily walk with God. These questions can be asked in a conversational manner rather then like a test if you so desire.
Talk with your child about this Biblical story and what it means to them in order to reinforce these truths. This will lead to a proper understaning and application of this story to your children's daily walk with the Lord.
What are we learning?
The Jackal tell us about the great battle of Jericho where God caused the walls of that city to fall down as He had promised, because Joshua and the people did exactly as God had commanded. The importance of their obedience and the results cannot be overemphasized. It is imperative that we apply this fact to our lives.
The Jackal tells us of the children of Israel and their faithful march around Jericho. He relates to us what happened on the seventh day when they marched around the city seven times and gave out a loud shout as the trumpet blew. As parents, we should discuss the importance of these events with our children. The opportunity for such a discussion is surely provided as a logical progression of this story, especially when the Jackal reminds us to apply what we have learned.
The significance of the story of Joshua and his willingness to follow completely God's specific commands has special appeal to children. If God spoke to you and gave you a specific task, would you do it? How would you respond? These are good questions to ask your child. Joshua did exactly what God told him to do, without hesitation or question, even of the unusual circum- stances invovled in this miraculous event.
But, notice also the response of the people. Without questions or wavering they did what God required of them as well. Such trust and obedience is the key to succesfully serving God. We must learn to let God be God and do as He says in His Holy Word.
Now, how would we have reacted to this task if God had asked us to march around Jericho? Would we be obedient? Would we do exactly what God told us to do or would we try to help God out? Sometimes it never occurs to us that God can and will have His way. God does have a plan for each of our lives and we must learn to follow that plan. We need to apply this truth to our own lives. We must learn to trust God always and let Him have His way with us in our daily lives. Only then, will we experience the joy of eternal life right here, on earth.
To understand the importance of faith and obedience to God. God requires us to live each day for Him. Just as He spoke to Joshua, He speaks to us in His word. We must accept His Word to us and act on it as Joshua did.
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Joshua gave us an example of obedience and the results, so we can see how we should live. We should expect great things from God and when we do, our lives will be changed. We must learn therefore, to do what God wants us to do, to obey God each day. We must learn to apply this truth always. It begins as a child, as we learn from this film and this study, and it is demonstrated each day as we live our life in obedience to God's word. We must realize the importance of obeying God and living with Him each day. Obedience is the key then, to living our life as God wants, even now, with eternal values and truth a vital part of our daily lives.
It is not often that we encounter a Jackal in the city, but whenever we visit the zoo, or see one on TV, this is an opportunity to talk about the Biblical account of Joshua and the battle of Jericho. As we remember this story, we can help our children apply these great Biblical truths of eternal value, so that they live them each day.
To see any truth come alive in our children we must teach by both word and example. We need to remind them of Joshua and what happened at Jericho and what happens in our own lives when we obey God. To see a true change in our children's actions we must make the story real. We must also keep the application alive by constantly reinforcing this concept whenever and wherever the opportunity arises. Therefore, we will achieve our goal of a life-changing attitude geared toward eternal values for which we will all be held accountable when we stand before God.
Our purpose of making the Scriptures come alive can only be accomplished if the application is kept simple and these truths are understood. Thus we accomplish our spiritual objective by explaining the eternal consequences of our daily actions. Joshua's life and his obedience to God's Word is very seldom discussed and yet this story of obedience is an excellent example of God's miraculous intervention into the lives of His people. We need to learn to live this way as well.
We must teach obedience to God's commands and to His Word, so that our children will know the importance of obeying God and trusting Him daily in their own lives. But, we must also apply this truth in our own lives as well. By watching this film and by using the Student Guide, children will learn by repetition and reinforcement. You will have the opportunity to explain, discuss and apply spiritual truth in a real and meaningful manner that will truly have an eternal effect on your child's life.
As an added learning objective, a vocabulary test or quiz can be created from the story. Such a test could be difficult using words like "believed" and "recieved" or very simple using words like "dry" and "cry", depending on your child's age. The "words to live by" section of the Student Guide provides an excellent beginning point for a vocabulary test as well as a way to test your child's comprehension of the subject at hand.
A similar test or quiz could be given on the vocabulary words mentioned above or on different words to challenge your child's spelling ability and to enhance the learning process. The level of difficulty and the number of words selected is up to you, but the more you utilize the tools provided in this series and reinforce these truths, the more you can expect living results in your child's actions and attitudes.
It is not necessary to force these activities on your child as tests in the formal sense, but you can make a game of it as somthing new to learn or a special fun time. These tests on vocabulary words or spelling do not need to be given at the same time or all at once. A few words each day while riding in the car or even while waiting in a line at some event, not only provides your child with an additional learning experience, but also opens the door to further discussion and allows you to emphasize again the important Biblical truths related to us by the story "Jackal at Jericho".
These truths have eternal consequenses for all of us.
Some things to remember
The following questions are given to help your chilren understand the truths that are presented in "The Jackal at Jericho " and why it is so important that we remember these truths and obey God each day.
Discuss these questions with your children and have them write down their answers on a separate piece of paper or talk about them with you. Be sure that they understand how to apply these truths.
What happened whtn the spies entered Jericho?
Why is this event so important?
How did the people cross over the river?
What did God do to help them?
Why did Joshua spare Rahab?
What did Joshua do when he met the man with the sword?
Why should we obey God and worship Him each day?
What happened on the seventh day?
God worked a mircale at Jericho, does He still perform miricals today? How? Be specific.
What did you learn from "The Jackal at Jericho" about serving God and being available to do His Will?
How will this help you each day as you live for Him?