Jeremiah for Me: Lesson 4: "The Lion in the Thicket" A Jeremiah Journey, Journal, and Puppets
After you read the lesson especially check out the journal pages and the puppet ideas below. All of it goes together. Notice the unique ways to use the Babylonian soldier puppet with Scripture verses. Always click on the photos to make them larger.
Read Aloud: Verses: 1-3, 5-10, 13-22, 29-30 Begin by reading "aloud" the verses with your kids or group. These lessons have one overall goal to get the reader into the Word, and to make it live!! Yes, we too should as Jeremiah repeated over and over, "Hear the Word of the LORD!"
Note: IYB=In Your Bible; and IYJ=In Your Journal
Jeremiah's The If-if Then Verse: Chapter four begins with the word "If" you will "return, ... return unto me!" and "if" you will put away your evil practices or abominations God tells his people then you won't be captured, IYB: Highlight the "Ifs" and "then." Underline "return." IYJ: Depict Jeremiah n' the first verse. Click on photo below.
Jeremiah's "In the Lord" Verse: Wow, I like Jeremiah 4:2. IYB* draw happy faces beside it. This verse tells us God is truth, just, and good. Listen to what it says: "The Lord liveth (is real), in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness." And it also says, "all nations will bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory." IYB highlight the "in" words. IYJ: Illustrate the "in" verse. View photo!
Jeremiah's Message: Jeremiah was to declare, publish and cry out this message that because of bad things God's people were doing that God would being evil from the north. This evil would come just like a lion who was hiding in some thickets (bushes). When that comes, says Jeremiah, kings, priests, princes, and prophets would be so astonished they would exclaim, "Woe is us!" IYJ: Draw a lion hiding in the bushes. Inside an "Exclaim Frame" show persons exclaiming, "Woe is us!" Find a map showing Babylon and Jerusalem. Glue it into your journal or draw one of your own! See photo!!
Jeremiah's Gem Verse: IYB make or stick a heart by Jeremiah 4:14 which says, "O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness (sins) that thou mayest be saved." IYJ draw a series of hearts; print the verse inside. Sticky hearts may also be used. Look at the photograph at the end.
Jeremiah's "My Soul!" Face Place Jeremiah was so upset thinking of how God would have to judge and punish his people that he cried out, "My soul, my soul!" twice, and "O My Soul" once. Look at journal pic.
The Last Question: Verse thirty is the last question and oh such an important one. It asks the people when they were captured what would they do? And what would you do if trouble came to you? Would you ask the Lord for his help? Would you obey his words? Or would you refuse to listen to God's words and do your own thing? Later on in Jeremiah we will read how God said they might not be hurt by the Babylonians if they didn't do something important. Read on in our lessons to find out what that was!
Where In the Word Are These Vocabulary Words? Find a verse within chapter four where these words are used. IYB * them. * Here are the words: destruction (ruin), spoiled (robbed), declare (shout out), north (direction), thicket (bushes), abominations (evil practices), destroyer (Babylon), sackcloth (coarse cloth), lament (mourn), and howl (loud cries), whirlwind (a violent wind), and Gentile (pagans). * Make an asterisk sign in front of verse, and highlight word found.
Lion n' Thicket Tubes and the Babylonian Soldier Tube Puppet
Lion Puppet: Cut toilet tube in half, roll in paper, and tape and tuck. Add a yarn or rope tail. Draw or use a lion image face. Pop out top of head and ears. For thicket trees: color or cut out green cloud-like treetops. For thicket bottom roll half a toilet tube in brown paper and tape and tuck. Hide "lion" behind bushes. See photo! Say: Jeremiah is filled with many picture symbols. The lion is a picture of Babylon which would sneak into Judah and Jerusalem. P.S. Did you know that a symbol for Babylon was a winged lion? Find winged lion info here: images of winged lion from babylon - Bing images
Babylon Soldier Puppet: Roll toilet tube in light paper, and tape and tuck. Using a 3"X3" yellow sticky note draw a simple helmet on the sticky end. Cut it out. Stick to puppet top. May also add rick rack if you like. Add eyes, nose, mouth, and beard. To see sample, click on photo to make it bigger. Hint: I use foam stickers for eyes/nose, and mouth. I even have removed google eye black pupils and used them. View puppet below!
Scripture Picture Frame Tray: Place puppet inside black clean food tray. Round the edges stick cutouts--clouds, wind curls, and eagle heads*--that frame the soldier puppet. This is such a simple way to make a scripture verse come alive. Jer.4:13 describes exactly how the Babylonians would come in to capture Judah and Jerusalem. It says: "Behold, he (Babylon) shall come as clouds, and his chariots shall be as a whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles." Throughout Jeremiah you will see word pictures beginning with "like" and "as."
* By the way the eagle head used here is a Short-toed Eagle which might have been an eagle seen round the Jerusalem area.
O Frame Box: Cut out an oversized O to fit over the Soldier Man puppet. Put it in a tray or box. Onto O frame glue "chapter four war words" you've discovered in lesson--there are at least twenty of them. Once again see O Frame Box below. Just like today the sound of the alarm of war was upsetting for the people and Jeremiah too. Notice that just like those at war today the people would flee. Where? They would run for the thickets and rocks!
A Caution! Should you choose to write a little script for your puppets remember never to add your own thoughts and details not found in Scripture. Stick to Scripture!!!
