FOR THE LEADER

Do God’s WorkHaggai 1:1-15; 2:1-9

Cyrus became king of Persia in 539 BC. Shortly after attaining the throne, Cyrus freed the exiles living in Babylon to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their temple. The temple in Jerusalem had been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, who took away all of the items used for worship. Cyrus returned the items and many people to Jerusalem. Those who returned rebuilt the foundations of the temple, but stopped with that. Hindered by opposition and other diversions, the Jews stopped rebuilding the temple for more than 20 years.

God sent Haggai, the prophet, to remind the people of their task and to refocus their attention to rebuilding the temple. The Book of Haggai has one of the most detailed chronologies in all of Scripture. Haggai actually recorded months and days of activities which can be easily calendared to show the impact of Haggai’s preaching. Haggai actually has the distinction of being the first prophet to whom the people actually listened. Had earlier generations of Israelites listened when warned, perhaps Haggai’s message never would have come as the people would never have ended up in captivity and the temple would still be standing.

Haggai’s prophecy is a two-fold prophecy, split into four speeches. Israel had allowed outside influences to distract them from their task. The first part of Haggai’s message encouraged the people to renew their commitment to rebuild the temple. But the people were more worried about their own houses than the house of the Lord. Crops had not prospered and Haggai knew why. Once the people heard Haggai’s message, they responded immediately and went back to rebuilding the temple.

The second part of Haggai’s message declared promises from God. God promised to inhabit the newly constructed temple and dwell once again with His people. While this new structure paled in comparison to Solomon’s temple, God introduced hope for the future by promising one day to make a temple far greater than the one Solomon built.

Session 7Session 7: Do God’s Work

54 Explore the Bible: Preschool Leader Guide© 2020 LifeWay

7

OVERVIEW

SESSION FOCUSTEXT TRUTHGod’s work is important.

BIBLE STORYHaggai 1:1-15; 2:1-9

BIBLE VERSEPsalm 40:8

CHRIST IN CONTEXTHaggai encouraged the people to remain faithful and complete the work God had called them to do. Jesus fulfilled the role God had for Him and will one day bring all things to completion.

BIBLE SKILLS • Begin to use simple tools for Bible discovery.• Begin to pronounce names of books of the Bible.

ARRIVAL ACTIVITIES (5 MINUTES)

As preschoolers arrive, offer choices of self-guided activities that set the stage for Bible explorations.

FAMILY AT HOMEPrint this week’s devotional page (Enhanced CD) to give to families.

▸▸ Make a happy face picture.

Tools: Bible, happy face stickers, happy face rubber stamps, inkpads with washable ink, baby wipes, copy paper

▸▸ After everyone has had an opportunity to do one or more arrival activities, direct preschoolers to Exploration Stations. (See next page.)

▸▸ Match shapes to form a Bible verse.

Tools: Bible, Bible Verse Shapes Board (Pack Item 19), Word Shapes: Psalm 40:8 (Pack Item 20)

▸▸ Sort buttons in an ice cube tray.

Tools: Bible, ice cube trays, large colored buttons

55Session 7: Do God’s Work© 2020 LifeWay

BIBLE STORY

HAGGAI TOLD GOD’S MESSAGEHaggai 1:1-15; 2:1-9

The temple had been torn down for many years. No one bothered to rebuild it. The people said, “The time has not come for God’s house to be rebuilt.”

But God was not pleased with this. God chose Haggai to give an important message to Zerubbabel, a leader for the people.

This was God’s message: “You have built homes for yourselves, while My house (temple) is in ruins. Think carefully about what you have done. You work, eat, and clothe yourselves, but you’re never happy.”

God told the people to go to the hills to get lumber and build the temple. “Then I will be pleased,” God said.

God told Haggai to tell Zerubbabel to be strong. “Work! I am with you,” said God. “Don’t be afraid.”

The people obeyed God’s message. They began work on God’s house.

When the people finished building the temple, God said it would be even greater than the one before.

TEXT TRUTHGod’s work is important.

BIBLE VERSE Psalm 40:8

LEADER TIP! The Holman Christian Standard Bible® uses the word delight in its translation. Define “delight” to preschoolers as “finding joy in or being happy to.”

BIBLE VERSEFrom the Bible text: I delight to do your will. Psalm 40:8

Paraphrase:I am happy to obey God. Psalm 40:8

LEADER TIPYou choose! Are your preschoolers ready to learn memory verses? Decide which wording of the Bible verse you want to use with your group.

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CIRCLE TIME

TOOLS• Bible

PACK ITEMS 7 Story Picture: Haggai Told

God’s Message16 Story Review Cube17 Bible Books Poster18 Bible Poster Add-ons:

Haggai25 Prophet Figures: Haggai

LEADER TIPShow preschoolers where the Book of Haggai is located on the Bible Timeline for Kids.

CIRCLE TIME (10-15 MINUTES, DEPENDING ON YOUR AGE GROUP)

GATHER• When children are seated in the circle, lead them to sing the song “If

You’re Happy and You Know It.” Sing a few stanzas.

• Say: “Let’s talk about things that make you happy. If I say something that makes you happy, give a ‘thumbs up.’ If I say something that doesn’t make you happy, give a ‘thumbs down.’ ”

• Name things like eat ice cream, play with toys, eat broccoli, slide, fall down, go to church, go to bed, obey God. Encourage children’s conversation.

HEAR THE BIBLE STORY• Hold the Bible. Comment that learning from the Bible is something that

makes you happy. Learning what God says to do makes you happy.

• Remark: “Today we are learning about a man named Haggai. Haggai had an important message from God for the Israelite leader Zerubbabel.”

• Open a Bible to Haggai. Show preschoolers the Haggai Prophet Figure (Pack). Tell the Bible story in your own words.

• Pass the Story Picture (Pack) around the circle, then prop it in a chair next to you. Use the Story Review Cube (Pack) to ask questions to help preschoolers think about today’s story.

PRACTICE BIBLE SKILLS• Attach today’s Bible Poster Add-on (Pack) to the Bible Books Poster

(Pack).

• Open the Bible to the Table of Contents. Say: “In the front of a Bible there is a Table of Contents. This lists all the books in the Bible and tells you where to find them. Can anyone tell how many books are in the Bible? There are many! (66) How many books are in the Old Testament? (39) New Testament? (27)”

• Repeat the questions and help children recall facts about the Bible.

PRAY• Ask God to help preschoolers be happy as they obey God. Sing a simple

prayer.

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EXPLORATION STATIONS

TEXT TRUTH God’s work is important.

BIBLE STORYHaggai Told God’s MessageHaggai 1:1-15; 2:1-9

BIBLE VERSEPsalm 40:8

PACK ITEMS 7 Story Picture: Haggai Told

God’s Message

EXPLORATION STATIONS (45-60 MINUTES)

Set up at least three stations to provide choices of multisensory activities and movement for busy preschoolers.

GUESS THE TOOLS

Tools: Bible, several toy or

actual tools, bandana, toolbox

• Spread the toy tools on

the floor. Encourage the

children to look at the tools

and name each one.

• Cover the tools with the

bandana. Choose one

preschooler to help you.

Direct the other children to

close their eyes.

• Lift the bandana and tell

the preschooler to take

away one tool and place it

in the toolbox.

• Tell the other children

to open their eyes and

decide what tool is missing.

After several guesses and

success, ask the preschooler

to choose a friend to take a

turn. Repeat the sequence.

• Ask a child to hold the

Bible as you tell the Bible

story from Haggai.

LOAD “LUMBER”

Tools: Bible, 2 or 3 large toy dump trucks, wooden blocks and/or toy wooden logs, cardboard tubes, Activity Page

• Show a child the picture on the Activity Page. Comment that Haggai told the leader God was not pleased that people had not built a temple.

• Say: “Haggai told the leader that the people in the town needed to go to the hills and cut wood (lumber) to build a temple for God.”

• Suggest that the child load up blocks and other supplies to take to a pretend construction site.

• Say: “God’s work is important.”

58 Explore the Bible: Preschool Leader Guide© 2020 LifeWay

EXPLORATION STATIONS

DECORATE A BOOKMARK

Tools: Bible, wallpaper samples

cut into wide strips, scissors,

happy face stickers, washable

marker

• Cut the wallpaper into wide

strips about 8 inches long.

Write today’s Bible verse on

each strip.

• Give a strip of paper and

several happy face stickers

to a child. Invite the

preschooler to decorate the

strip. Read the Bible verse.

• Say: “God wants us to obey

Him with happy hearts.

It can be hard to obey, but

we should try our best

to always do what God

wants.”

• Help a child find

Psalm 40:8 in the Bible.

Use a wallpaper strip to

mark the page.

• Point to the words in the

Bible as you lead the child

to say the Bible verse.

PLAY RED LIGHT, GREEN LIGHT

Tools: Bible, Story Picture: Haggai Told God’s Message (Pack), masking tape

• Make a long horizontal tape line on the floor. Begin with children standing at a starting line and a leader standing at the finish line.

• When the leader says “Green Light,” children should walk toward the finish line. When the leader says “Red Light,” everyone must stop. Repeat commands until everyone crosses the finish line.

• Say: “You listened and obeyed the leader. God wants us to obey what He tells us. The Bible tells about people who stopped obeying God.”

• Show the Story Picture as you tell children the Bible story.

MAKE A BUILDERS COLLAGE

Tools: Bible; Preschool Family Card; contact plastic; tape; building supplies such as sandpaper, craft sticks, yarn, paint sample strips, other items associated with building; a few large interlocking blocks; toolbox or box lid

• Tape a long piece of contact plastic to a wall or tabletop with the sticky side facing out. Cut the building supplies into small pieces and put them in a toolbox or box lid.

• Show children the Family Card and remark that Haggai told the leaders in the town that the people should be building a temple (church) for God. Instead, they had built homes for themselves.

• Invite children to choose building supplies to put on the plastic to make a collage. As children work, say: “God’s work is important.”

59Session 7: Do God’s Work© 2020 LifeWay

NEXT HOUR

OPTIONS1. Continue activities from

the first hour. (Kids learn through repetition.)

2. Try something different. Choose two or three new activities.

TEXT TRUTHGod’s work is important.

BIBLE STORYHaggai Told God’s MessageHaggai 1:1-15; 2:1-9The Bible story is printed on the back of the Story Picture.

BIBLE VERSEI am happy to obey God.Psalm 40:8

PACK ITEMS 7 Story Picture: Haggai Told

God’s Message19 Bible Verse Shapes Board20 Word Shapes: Psalm 40:8

NEXT HOUR (MORE EXPLORATIONS FOR PRESCHOOLERS)

MATCH TOOL SHAPESTools: Bible, Activity Page, toy carpentry tools, poster board, marker

• Trace outlines of various tools on the poster board. Set the tools next to the poster board. At the top of the poster board, write today’s Text Truth.

• Show children the picture on the Activity Page. Comment that Haggai told the people they should build a new temple for God.

• Help a child identify some tools. Direct her to match the tools to their outlines. Talk about ways people use the tools in building structures.

• Open the Bible to Haggai 1 and summarize the Bible story.

WORK A VERSE PUZZLE Tools: Bible, Bible Verse Shapes Board (Pack), Word Shapes: Psalm 40:8 (Pack)

• Open a Bible to Psalm 40:8. Read the verse aloud and help a child say the verse with you.

• Show the child the Shapes Board and one Word Shape. Read the word. Say: “This is one of the words in the Bible verse. Can you find a shape that is the same as this one?”

• Lead the child to place all the Word Shapes on the Board. Remark that this verse reminds us that God is pleased when we listen to Him and obey Him.

BUILD WITH BLOCKSTools: Bible, wooden unit blocks or plastic interlocking blocks, Story Picture: Haggai Told God’s Message (Pack), toy people figures

• Show preschoolers the Story Picture. Say: “God gave a message to Haggai. God said Haggai should tell the people it was important for them to rebuild the temple. God was not pleased that the people built their houses before they worked on the temple.”

• Encourage children to work together to build a temple using the blocks. After building the temple, children might build houses for the people figures.

60 Explore the Bible: Preschool Leader Guide© 2020 LifeWay

NEXT HOUR

PLAY SAND BLOCKS & SINGTools: Bible, sets of sand blocks, Enhanced CD, Preschool Family Card

• Play songs about God and sing along. Invite children to rub sand blocks together to the rhythm of the music.

• Use a made-up tune to sing today’s Text Truth. Sing: God’s work is important, God’s work is important, God’s work is important. We learn that from the Bible.

• Say: “Haggai told the people it was important for them to get busy building a temple for God. Haggai said to obey God and do His work.”

• Show preschoolers the picture on the Family Card and recall the story.

CIRCLE TIME GATHER• Sit in a circle. Make a rhythm by

clapping and patting your knees. Encourage children to join you.

REVIEW THE BIBLE STORY• Say: “Our Bible story today

reminds us of the importance of obeying God.”

• Open a Bible to Haggai. Show the Story Picture (Pack) as you summarize the Bible story.

• State: “Haggai obeyed God by telling His message. The people obeyed God by building the temple.”

PRACTICE BIBLE SKILLS

• Invite children to take turns tossing a beanbag or crumpled paper into a bucket. Each time, direct the child to open the Bible to a marker placed at Psalm 40:8.

• Help the child say the Bible verse.

• Repeat so every child has a turn to say the verse.

PRAY• Ask children for their prayer

requests.

• Pray that God will help children be happy to obey Him.

Look for printable Next Hour helps on the Preschool Enhanced CD.

DON’T FORGET! Give every child this week’s Activity Page and Preschool Family Card.

61Session 7: Do God’s Work© 2020 LifeWay