THE NAMES OF JESUS by Karen Caroe

The Names of Jesus:A Unique HolidayUnit Study

Edited and Adapted with PermissionBy Kathryn M. MartinezNovember 2004

Originally Written by Karen Caroe1998

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgments . 3

Introduction 4

How To Use This Unit .. 5

General Supply List .. 6

Day 1: Alpha and Omega 7

Day 2: Wonderful Counselor .. 12

Day 3: The Mighty God ... 18

Day 4: The Everlasting Father 24

Day 5: The Prince of Peace 27

Day 6: The First Born of Every Creature ... 31

Day 7: Unspeakable Gift .. 37

Day 8: Lamb of God . 43

Day 9: Good Shepherd 49

Day 10: Star .. 56

Day 11: The Christ/Anointed One/Messiah . 61

Day 12: Immanuel 66

Day 13: Holy One . 71

Day 14: Light of the World .. 79

Day 15: Day Spring . 86

Day 16: The Word 91

Day 17: Servant 98

Day 18: King . 104

Day 19: Rose of Sharon . 113

Day 20: Lily of the Valley 119

Day 21: Friend . 122

Day 22: Savior . 130

Day 23: Shiloh . 136

Day 24: Ancient of Days 138

Other Names 143

Claydough Recipes . 146

Final Notes 149

Acknowlegements

This unit would not be possible without the original hard work of Karen Caroe, the author of several unit studies including A Blessed Christmas. Although Ive expanded her daily lesson suggestions, this is in no way meant to detract from her original unit and purpose, but to compliment it. I appreciate her permission to expand on this unit.

Id also like to acknowledge the various websites and books, many of which are cited through out this unit, that provided ideas and inspirations fore expanding each days activities.

And of course Id like to thank all the help I received from individuals, including my family, my internet buddies, and those folks who took the time to help me edit and refine my writing.

INSERT A GRAPHIC THAT SAYS HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Please note: Each family may make the number of copies they need of each section in this unit for educational and developmental purposes; however, this unit was freely given and is not to be re-sold in any format or fashion.

Biblical verses quoted in this unit are from the New International Version (NIV); however, you can use alternate translations without impacting these unit lessons.

INTRODUCTION

I have used this unit on several occasions while it was still in Ms. Caroes original format for both Christmas and Easter holiday unit studies. It was a wonderful blessing for all of the family to work on. The unit is very compatible with teaching multiple ages/levels simultaneously. However, just like with the original Blessed Christmas[footnoteRef:1] the kids wanted more activities to go along with each Name. [1: Now available at INSERT URL HERE in a fully expanded version.]

Just like with Blessed Christmas, I obtained Ms. Caroes permission to expand on her unit. I did this by adding additional Bible verses, discussion questions, lesson activities, recipes, service project ideas, crafts, puzzles, etc.

Do not fret over trying to complete every activity within the unit. There is no practical way to do everything for each day in a single day, particularly. You are expected to pick and chose the activities that best suit your familys interests and age appropriateness under each Name. The unit may be used supplementary to other curriculums and resources; however, I have tried to include enough cross-curricular activities to allow it to stand-alone as well.

Above all, enjoy the unit and study the meanings behind the Names given to Jesus in the Bible and how they pertain to us today.HOW TO USE THIS UNIT[footnoteRef:2] [2: Text appearing in red are Ms. Caroes unedited, original words.]

In every age and every culture names are important. Parents often struggle to select just the right name to give their child. It is more than just a label of identification. In Biblical times, a name had a significant meaning--often denoting a characteristic or something related to the history of the person or his time. Sometimes a new name was given to indicate a change of character or a major event in one's history.

Some possible pre-unit or unit-expansion activities is to look up some of the Biblical people who had their names changed. Why did they change? Did they change names on their own or did someone else give them a new name? Was their new name a good one? Did they live up to their name?

Names often run in families and keep alive family traditions. In the Bible a name and the way in which it is chosen holds significant meaning. A messenger from God tell Zachariah to call his child John. His close family and friends would have expected the baby to receive a more traditional name, familiar within the family. Similarly, Jesus name was announced by an angel before His birth. During His life He was given other names and titles by those who followed Him, to describe the man, what He did and what people believed of Him.[footnoteRef:3] [3: From http://www.encounterchristianity.co.uk/lesson/Inwords.htm]

Throughout the Old and New Testaments, it is possible to find more than 100 names and titles for Jesus Christ. Why so many names for Jesus? Perhaps it is because a name is descriptive but it is also restrictive. A name or title has a self-imposed limitation and no one single name could begin to describe or define Jesus. His glory and His greatness defy description and definition!

This Funschooling Unit is one that my family often uses as we enter into the Christmas Season. We alternate our studies each year between the Symbols of Christmas [the expanded version is better known as Blessed Christmas[footnoteRef:4]] and Names of Jesus. The unit is meant to begin on December first and continue each day through December twenty-fifth. It is a combination advent devotional and unit study. It is recommended that your family make a NAMES OF JESUS journal while doing this unit. It will be fun for the whole family and a testimony to Jesus when people visit during the holiday season. We leave ours sitting out where others can enjoy it. This unit is suitable for the entire family and activities can be added or changed to meet the needs of the very young child or the older student. [4: The unit known as A Blessed Christmas can be found at URL http://www.easyfunschool.com/Blessed.pdf ]

However, this unit is just as equally fit for studying at other times of the year. Easter would be a particularly advantageous time of year to implement this unit.

Additional hints for using this unit:

Feel free to re-arrange the order in which you study each Name. Also, Ive included additional Names at the end of this unit that you may want to substitute in your study to make an adjustment for your familys need or interest.

I have arranged this unit to make printing each individual days lessons as easy as possible, so you do not have to print out the entire unit at one time. Also, while the graphics are in color, it is not necessary for you to have a color printer. I chose graphics with maximum clarity in both color and black-and-white printings.

Before beginning this unit, it is beneficial to review the entire unit and pick and chose the activities that you want to do for each day. The supply list is a simply one, but you will want to make sure that you have your supplies in advance so as not to have to unexpectedly skip any activity just for want of a simple item.

Where at all possible I have included each of the following type of item for each of the first twenty-four 24 Names of Jesus: Bible verse(s), discussion question(s), lesson activities, recipe(s), service project idea, appropriate hymn or sheet music, handwriting sheet, prayer suggestions, craft(s), journal sheet, and coloring page.

Most of the names in this unit were taken from the King James Version of the Bible. Other translations may use slightly different names; however, they should not conflict. If you run into this issue, simply adjust the name, but the meaning should remain the same.

For understanding why names are important in the Bible, I suggest you use the study located at http://www.bsc300.org/bible_names.htm . This study disects the idea the a name not being merely a combination of sounds used to describe something or someone, but is actually the meaning of what they sounds mean.

GENERAL SUPPLY LIST:

Below is a list of general supplies that you will need to do many of the activities within this unit. Some of the activities will require additional supplies, such as the science experiments and the cooking activities. While there are some suggestions for journaling activities included within most of the days, these are not mandatory but they do offer additional learning opportunities.

1. Binder or notebook for the holiday journal2. Construction Paper3. Glue4. Scissors5. Markers, crayons, colored pencils, etc.6. Old magazines, books, etc that can be cut up.7. Stickers.8. Holiday hymns, carols, and songs.9. Hymns that use some of the names of Jesus10.Bible

I used an online Bible for cross-referencing the various names and additional verses. At the time of publication of this unit the URL was http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=NIV&passage=all

Another program that Ive found useful for Bible study is http://www.e-sword.net which is actually a download with many uses.

Yet one more resource that you may be interested in is the free Bible curriculum for children that can be found at http://www.calvarychapel.com/children/site/curriculum_n.htm and which is divided into Old and New Testament stories. For example, to go along with the name Good Shepherd you may wish to include http://www.calvarychapel.com/children/site/pdf/New/Curr206.pdf which covers the same subject.

DAY 1

ALPHA and OMEGA Revelation 22:13

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

As the first and last of the Greek alphabet, the Alpha and Omega represent the One in whom creation began and by whom it will one day end. Its usage as an early Christian symbol is based upon Revelation 1:8: "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty".

These are "red letter" words--meaning they were spoken by Jesus about Himself.

Discuss: The verse and the name. Talk about beginnings and endings.

MATH: You may wish to discuss the geometric shape of a circle. Does a circle have a beginning or an ending? Let the little ones identify as many circles as they can find. Older students may wish to explore geometry such as the formulas for the area of a circle, how to find the radius and/or diameter of a circle, and the concept of pi (3.14.)

LANGUAGE ARTS: Learn the Greek Symbols for Alpha and Omega. (Altnernative: Learn how to say and write whole Greek Alphabet)

JOURNAL ACTIVITY: Do your journal page. (For your journal, you could take pictures of the children making the activity below. Then take a picture of them holding it up.)

HISTORY/GEOGRAPHY: A possible discussion could be about the development of the alphabet up to the Greek and Roman alphabets and how they were used in Biblical times.

COOKING RECIPE: You may wish to make one of the homemade clays (recipes at the end of this book) and use the clay to create a chi ro symbol.

CRAFT: Decorate your home with a Christmas banner showing the Greek symbols Alpha and Omega. Use about a yard of felt for the background. Make a casing and insert a dowel pole or stick to hang it from. Use other colors of felt to cut out your decorations and glue them to the background.

SERVICE PROJECT IDEA: Make a thinking of you card. Decorate the front of it with a chi ro symbol (see the graphic above from day one). On the inside of the card, send a note to someone who is house bound or in the hospital letting them know that you are thinking of them and also explain about the meaning of the chi ro symbol.

SAMPLE PRAYER: Thank you for being the beginning and the ending and all things in between. Thank you for always being there. Help me to remember that I am never alone because you are with me always. Amen.

ALTERNATIVE BIBLE VERSE CITATIONS: Revelation 1:8, Revelation 21:6

Alpha and Omega

G E T T E F B S R V J Y B R T

Y N F P T U H I K R M R X X X

F B I H H R H T B D T F R B S

X P R N R A D I N S T V F D P

F O S Q N O I T A L E V E R W

Z Y T H G I M L A R B M N O Z

L R K E E R G E S J A W S L E

I E M S D X X E G N H Y X F L

I A I Z U L E H B A P B V P N

F E M O L S Y M B O L O H L A

I Y B Q G T E N D A A T H S Y

S J Z Z O J Q J H X O U H B A

R O J U L O Z O P B Q F G L S

K H O Y J X K Q Y J R Y Y C W

S S S K C Z W B A Z V R E S K

ALMIGHTY

ALPHA

ALPHABET

BEGINNING

END

FIRST

GOD

GREEK

JESUS

LAST

LORD

NAME

OMEGA

REVELATION

SYMBOL

TITLE

VERSE

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Revelation 22:13

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Revelation 22:13

DAY 2

Wonderful Counselor (Isaiah 9:6)

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Note: The King James Bible separates this name into 2 titles. We study them as one title here. Read and Discuss the verse and the meanings of the words. What qualities do they ascribe to Jesus? Lesson: What is a Counselor? What are some other verses in the Bible that talk about counselors? What are the character qualities of a Counselor: (Close to us--accessible, confidential--we can take our intimate matters to him, compassionate, cognizant--of our needs, capable, communication--we communicate to Christ in prayer but how does He communicate with us?)

SCIENCE EXPERIMENT: In the movie and/or book Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory there is a candy called the everlasting gobstopper. Basically this candy was what was commonly called a jaw breaker. As an experiment, have your child see how long an everlasting gobstopper lasts (or a piece of hard candy) in their mouth (without chewing). After the candy is gone, compare their everlasting with what the Everlasting means in this Name.

MATH: A synonym for everlasting is infinite. Using general math principles, discussed the terms finite and infinite.

LANGUAGE ARTS: Present your children with a "problem." What kind of counsel will they give. Have them write it out. Focus on what they are learning in grammar. Use adjectives, verbs, don't forget to capitalize--whatever they need to be working on at the time. Include writings in Christmas journal

WRITING: Have them write about a time when they received wise (or foolish) counsel. What happened?

JOURNAL ACTIVITY: Design a page for your journal showing Wonderful Counselor

HISTORY/GEOGRAPHY: Nothing physical is truly everlasting. Even if it takes a long time, the hardest surfaces of our planet still get worn away and change. You may wish to cover the concept of erosion and how it affects even large mountain ranges.

COOKING RECIPE: Use a favorite hard candy recipe and use it as the basis of the science experiment listed above.

CRAFT: You and your child may wish to begin a book of good advice. Pay particular attention to short verses from such books of the Bible such as Proverbs and the letters of Paul. Your child may wish to illustrate the book or you may wish to use those particular verses as handwriting exercises.

SERVICE PROJECT IDEA: Older children may wish to volunteer their time at a shelter or counseling center. Younger children might make arrangements to deliver a donation to a shelter or counseling center.

SAMPLE PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank you so much for all of the good advice and wise counsel that you have in the Bible. Help me to remember to read my Bible daily so that I can learn all that you want me to learn and avoid being foolish.

Wonderful Counselor

S G F A N T A S T I C W J E P O D N

U Q Q V S U O L E V R A M B Y N R Q

O W O R O T N E M A D M I R A B L E

R H P H E N O M E N A L A A E S I W

D S G T O N G U E G L N M Y G A G O

N U N N U D L A N O I T A S N E S N

O O I Y I E C I V D A E Z U I C R D

W D R N E D F F R K I K I O R T O E

G N I H S I N O T S A N N L E R L R

A E P S C T A A B E C L G U G E E F

W P S E U R R R T R N T A C G M S U

E U N U T O I U E S E I E A A E N L

S T I X P L L D C A T L V R T N U O

O S E S L E I U C T T U K I S D O Q

M P W I V B R H B I O A O M D O C C

E M A N L W E B T A B R E D I U G S

U N H E A R D O F L F A D V I S O R

T N E L L E C X E T A C O V D A Y L

1

21

ADMIRABLE

ADVICE

ADVISOR

ADVOCATE

AMAZING

ASTONISHING

ASTOUNDING

AWE-INSPIRING

AWESOME

BRILLIANT

COUNSEL

COUNSELOR

DIVINE

EXCELLENT

EXTRAORDINARY

FABULOUS

FANTASTIC

GUIDE

INCREDIBLE

INSTRUCTOR

MAGNIFICENT

MARVELOUS

MENTOR

MIRACULOUS

NAME

OUTSTANDING

PHENOMENAL

REMARKABLE

SENSATIONAL

STAGGERING

STUPENDOUS

SUPER

SUPERB

TEACHER

TITLE

TONGUE

TREMENDOUS

UNHEARD-OF

WISE

WONDERFUL

WONDROUS

And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

DAY 3

The Mighty God[footnoteRef:5] (Isaiah 9:6) [5: You or your older child may wish to read Rev. C.H. Spurgeons sermon concerning this Name at http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0258.htm ]

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Discuss: The name and it's meaning(s) . You may also wish to point out that because of Gods exceptional strength he is not overwhelmed by our problems, in fact he is always powerful enough to overcome them.

SCIENCE EXPERIMENT/CRAFT: In ancient Egypt, bricks were made by the Israelites to be used in building the mighty pyramids and statues. On the next page you will find an experiment on brick-making where your children make their own bricks and then test them for hardness.

MATH: Study weights and measures with the younger child. The older child may be interested in physics and mathematical formulas used in testing for strength.

LANGUAGE ARTS: Look up "mighty." What does it mean? How does it pertain to Jesus? Use the words for a vocabulary activity. (fortress, bulwark, etc.) Look up more verses with the word "mighty."

JOURNAL ACTIVITY: Find pictures that show "mighty." The great Redwood Trees. The bright sun. A high Mountain. A weight lifter. Christ is mightier than all of those. Cut out the pictures to put on page for journal

HISTORY/GEOGRAPHY: You may wish to study mighty warriors in history Alexander the Great, Napoleon, Genghis Khan, Charlemagne, etc. Compare the mightiness or greatness of the historical figure(s) with the mightiness and greatness of Jesus.

COOKING RECIPE: Some ideas include making barbell shaped cookies, skewering meatballs on both ends of a toothpick (to look like a barbell), and other weight-training themed finger foods and goodies.

SERVICE PROJECT IDEA: Check your community for charities that specialize in home repair or home building. Become involved in this charity and use your strength to help build a better future for someone else.

SAMPLE PRAYER: Thank you for being so strong that no matter what my problems are, I can come to you and you are strong enough to conquer them. Help me to remember to always lean on you for my support.

ALTERNATIVE BIBLE VERSE CITATIONS: Psalm 28:7, Proverbs 18:10, 1 John 4:4, Luke 1:37, Ephesians 6:10

HANDWRITING SHEET: See day two for a handwriting sheet for Isaiah 9:6

The Mighty God

J V L P O G E L S U T D G U I

E G Z U X N N F S J T A G P D

H E W W F O O R E K A M E Y P

O M I F Y R Q C R E A T O R Y

V E X N C T E J T O U B F T G

A R X E V S Q W R L W V I C I

H P F G N I L L O R T N O C H

N U P E K A N S F P I H J F P

L S T E F Y B C Z V L O C M K

I N A M N A T L I C T L D I P

I F P D H I N D E B V I A G E

D K K I N W V G R L L N N H F

N Y J U O M N I P O T E N T V

O W T A A M X T D Q L S R Y S

K S O Y N G O F A Y Z S V W Q

ABLE

ABSOLUTE

ALL-POWERFUL

CONTROLLING

CREATOR

DIVINE

DIVINITY

FORCEFUL

FORTRESS

GREAT

HOLINESS

INTENSE

INVINCIBLE

JEHOVAH

LORD

MAKER

MIGHTY

OMNIPOTENT

POWER

STRONG

SUPREME

"My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices inGod my Savior...for the Mighty One has donegreat things for me -- holy is his name."Luke 1:46, 49 (NIV)

The Ancient Middle East: Brickmaking

Clay was ancient Mesopotamias most important raw material. Most buildings were made out of clay bricks. Even the huge, protective walls that surrounded the cities were made of clay bricks. Here are simple directions for experimenting at making a clay brick.

1. Use a shoebox, or a box of similar size, for a mold.

2. Mix different cominations of dirt, sand, clay, grass, weeds, straw, flour, and water. You may not use any cement, plaster, or tile grout.

3. Tightly pack your mixture into your mold.

4. Allow your brick to dry in a warm place for several days.

5. Remove the dried brick from the box. If the brick is still damp, allow to finish drying.

In ancient Mesopotamia, a brick was considered goo if:

*Bricks can be rolled to building sites without crumbling or falling apart.*Bricks can withstand the weight of other bricks stacked on top of them.*Bricks are dried so well that they do not wash away in the rain.

How do you think your finished brick(s) will measure up?

1. Roll your brick end over end five times. Does it crumble apart?

2. Stack 50 pounds of weight on top of any brick that passes test #1. Does your brick break or crumble?

3. Submerge any brick that passes both tests #1 and #2 in a bucket of water for 30 seconds.

If your brick doesnt fall apart after test #3, then your brick would pass ancient Mesopotamian brick standards! Congratulations!!

Music: Learn "A Mighty Fortress is our God."

You can also learn the childrens song below that is sung to the tune of Ive Got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy Down in My Heart.

Power Song

God is all powerful and there is nothing He cannot do!

Nothing at all!

Nothing at all!

God is all powerful and there is nothing He cannot do,

Nothing He cannot do!

God is all powerful and He can help me do anything!

Do anything!

Do anything!

God is all powerful and He can help me do anything,

Do anything at all!

God is all powerful and He can help me do the right thing!

Do the right thing!

Do the right thing!

God is all powerful and He can help me do the right thing,

Do the right thing for Him!

DAY 4

The Everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6)

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Discuss: The name and it's meaning. How it applies to Christ.

Activity: Brainstorm "everlasting." What was before the world? What is eternity."

ADDITIONAL BIBLE VERSES: Romans 6:23

BIBLE: Romans 6:23. What is the significance of this verse? How does it relate to the name of Jesus.

SCIENCE: This might be an opportunity to discuss the difference in the biology of males and females. Alternately you could study have the male of various species interact with their offspring. For instance, the behavior of the male seahorse is different from many other species in that the male is the one who tends the young. Older students may wish to debate on whether it is nature or nurture that makes a male a good father. Another concept you may wish to discuss is everlasting. Consider whether there is anything man-made that is truly everlasting.

MATH: Depending on age of child, discuss circles. Learn radius, diameter, pi, etc. Expand into fractions by dividing the circle into sections. Use the circle for a clock face to introduce telling time. Discuss infinity

LANGUAGE ARTS: You may wish to debate the points of what makes a good father. See the ideas for service projects listed below .

JOURNAL ACTIVITY: Have students draw a family tree and label all of the fathers. If possible, tell them anecdotal stories about their male ancestors that illustrate what type of character each man had.

HISTORY/GEOGRAPHY: There are several instances through out history when leaders were referred to in a patriarchal way. For instance, some leaders within different churches are addressed as Father. Find out how and why these leaders are addressed as Father and whether you consider it to be an appropriate title for their position.

CRAFT: Make an evergreen wreath. The wreath is "eternal." It is circular having no beginning and no end. Evergreens symbolize eternal life. Hang a wreath in your home for Christmas

SERVICE PROJECT IDEA: A couple of things spring to mind here. You could either focus on the actual fathers in your own family and create a special card or gift for them; or, you might have an older child research organizations such as Big Brothers that tries to meet the needs of children who do not have a father figure in their lives. At that point you may also wish to discuss the importance of having a father-figure in a persons life and whether or not another male figure can substitute for a biological fathers absence.

SAMPLE PRAYER: This may be a perfect time to introduce or re-introduce memorization of the Lords Prayer, paying particular attention to the term Our Father.

HANDWRITING SHEET: See day two for a handwriting sheet for Isaiah 9:6

The Everlasting Father

E I N F I N I T E L G I D H S I O

H U N C E A S I N G C E O R G M G

D D S X I H C R E A T O R C L M J

O A G N I Y D N U P S T S A A O Y

B I C O N T I N U O U S U P O R R

R G N I D N E R E V E N E I W T E

E N A B E N R D R L I R M C T A H

E I B O S E T M E T M P E T N L T

I D I U T J B S N A E C S C R I A

F N D N R U A O N R T T D T M M F

N E I D U E C E I S E H H E O I Y

S N N L C O N S T A N T L G W T R

U U G E T T H L A N R E T E U L N

E S V S I A Z A P C S Q V F S E S

S E R S B F D Q H S E N D L E S S

H E R L L A U T E P R E P A Z S O

M A E V E R L A S T I N G S L V K

ABIDING

BOUNDLESS

CEASELESS

CONSTANT

CONTINUAL

CONTINUOUS

CREATOR

DEATHLESS

ENDLESS

ETERNAL

EVERLASTING

FATHER

IMMORTAL

IMPERISHABLE

INCESSANT

INDESTRUCTIBLE

INFINITE

LASTING

LIMITLESS

NEVER-ENDING

PERMANENT

PERPETUAL

TIMELESS

UNCEASING

UNDYING

UNENDING

UNINTERRUPTED

DAY 5

The Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6)

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Read and Discuss the name and its application to Christ. What does it mean to have peace in our lives? Does it mean "no war?" What is the work of the Prince of Peace? (Enables us to have Peace with God, Peace within ourselves, peace with others.) Bible: What does it mean to be a "peacemaker?"

SCIENCE: some topics to discuss with this might be the science of war, the science of peace, biology of doves, how does todays science effect the peace effort world-wide, the effect of peace/contentment (as opposed to stress) on human biology, etc.

MATH/HISTORY: Estimate how many years of war there have been in relationship to years of peace? Begin anywhere you want to. Easiest would be start with Declaration of Independence to now. etc

LANGUAGE ARTS: You may wish to encourage your older students to read such classics as War and Peace, The Diary of Anne Frank, My Brother Same Is Dead, books on the American Civil War and the American Revolution, etc. placing special emphasis on who war affected children and families directly.

JOURNAL ACTIVITY: Write a paragraph or essay on what peace means to them and/or how that compares to the peace offered by Jesus

HISTORY/GEOGRAPHY: For younger children discuss the difference between war and peace. For the older child you may wish to discuss specific instances of war and/or peace, particularly applying this to the Middle East. Use a map to find the countries and/or areas that you are discussing.

CRAFT: What are some symbols of peace? Draw pictures of them

SERVICE PROJECT IDEA: Challenge: Commit to sharing the gospel of peace with someone this week.

SAMPLE PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank you so much for the peace you offer. In you we can find tranquillity and understanding. With you with can find reconciliation. You are truly sovereign and worthy of worship. Amen.

HANDWRITING SHEET: see day two for a handwriting sheet for Isaiah 9:6

Prince of Peace

N C M T R Z V S S Z S T U J Z

B O W F R I E N D S H I P I V

G N I D N A T S R E D N U O O

C C K T H Z N F M O N A R C H

C O T Y A J R Q B Y Y N D S H

T R R E X I U H U T G A G Q I

C D O Y H B L E W I L L L B R

Y M P W U A E I E M L H U T Y

U U P F N X R R C I K L N T Y

Z A A G R E E M E N T Q I D I

Q D R L U V A T O A O N O T M

A A C C O R D R V N U C N E Y

D Z F S N V C Q Z U Y D E S Q

Y H T A P M E C I T S I M R A

O V I Q H U L S G R T G N J L

ACCORD

AGREEMENT

ARMISTICE

CONCILIATION

CONCORD

CROWN

EMPATHY

FRIENDSHIP

HARMONY

HEIR

LOVE

MONARCH

RAPPORT

RECONCILIATION

ROYALTY

RULER

SOVEREIGN

TRANQUILLITY

UNANIMITY

UNDERSTANDING

UNION

UNITY

DAY 6

The Firstborn of Every Creature (Colossians 1:15)

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

Read and discuss the verse. Why is it important to see Christ as the first-born? What are the privileges of a first-born?

SCIENCE: A possible activity here is to study the animal kingdom and see if any animals make a differentiation between first born and later offspring. From your results, explain the difference between human kind and animal kind and why these differences exist.

MATH: In many cultures, the 1st born received 1/2 the family wealth (land) as an inheritance and the other children split the remainder. Draw your home and land. Split it and color-code it. Who gets what? Caution: keep this light. There shouldn't be any hard feelings among the siblings. It should be fun and funny.

LANGUAGE ARTS: Have children write a paragraph telling what it is like to be 1st, 2nd, 3rd born, etc

JOURNAL ACTIVITY: Put a picture of your first-born on a page. Put the other children's pictures under the firstborn's

HISTORY/GEOGRAPHY: Create a map from your math activities showing the lines of division of your familys holdings.

COOKING RECIPE: Have each child make a cookie based on their birth order first born is the number one, second born is the number two, etc. Allow them to decorate their cookie with their favorite frosting, sprinkles, etc.

CRAFT: You may wish to create a homemade manger scene, illustrate a simplified version of the plague of Egypt which killed the first born of all creatures unless the blood of the lamb was on the lintel, draw a family tree and illustrate it, etc. While you work on which ever project you chose, discuss Jesus and His place as the first born of every creature.

SERVICE PROJECT IDEA: Possible ideas include volunteering time in a day care setting for older students, sharing what you have learned thus far in thinking of you type cards to shut ins and people in assisted living facilities, creating a puppet show to share with younger children about Jesus being the first born of every creature, etc.

MUSIC: Listen to selections for Handel's Messiah.

The First Born of Every Creature

G N P E N D G F X R R D S U E

N W O R C F A N A Q F Z B S E

I D R S I W O Y K O J U E A W

S M E B I N Z G M O R N N F S

S U D H E B H S O O I H E D O

E E C J T L L E R O E V F C S

L J E C N A T I R E H N I O O

B I O S E G E I N I H Y C D F

N Y Y R A S T U T G T T I F P

E E X P R Y S P Q S S O A A E

U S U P E R I O R E W R R F V

B V N V H V X I R I B E Y V J

W D L R T W F N L Z N U Q E I

V E Q Y O I X L Z T P C S C S

T K A G M B I E S T A T E H O

BENEFICIARY

BEQUEATHED

BLESSING

BORN

CROWN

ESTATE

FATHER

FIRST

FUNDS

HEIR

INHERITANCE

INHERITOR

MOTHER

PARENTS

PRINCE

SENIOR

SENIORITY

SIBLINGS

SUCCESSOR

SUPERIOR

TITLE

WILL

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. Colossians 1:15

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. Colossians 1:15

DAY 7

Unspeakable Gift (2 Corinthians 9:15)

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

Read and discuss the verse. Look it up in other translations to get more meaning of "unspeakable."

Discuss: At Christmas we give gifts. Christ was God's gift to us. Think of a really special gift you have received. Describe how you felt?

SCIENCE: take a scientific poll and see how many people know what unspeakable gift that 2 Corinthians 9:15 is referring to.

CRAFT IDEA: Wrap up a box to decorate your home. Call it your box of love to remind the family that God's gift of Jesus is a gift of love. Indescribable.

MATH: During the holiday it is a good idea to create a budget before beginning your gift buying. Allow children to create their own gift buying budget and allow them to be realistic. While they are doing math for their budget, also discuss how sometimes the best gifts are things that cannot be purchased and how that idea applies to Jesus.

LANGUAGE ARTS: Write a Thank-you note to God for his gift of Jesus. Be sure to use the correct form for writing Thank-you notes.

JOURNAL ACTIVITY: Make a list of words that describe love. Put the list from your language arts activities in your journal. Read the list. Does it cover everything about love?

HISTORY/GEOGRAPHY: Discuss the various trade routes for the raw materials that go into creating the gifts we purchase during the holiday season.

COOKING RECIPE: Follow the recipe on the next page for making Resurrection Rolls.

CRAFT: Design some Thank-you notes you can use to write thank-yous for Christmas gifts you may receive.

SERVICE PROJECT IDEA: A possible idea is for your child to take on extra chores or neighborhood type jobs (i.e., lawn mowing, baby sitting, etc.) to earn money to donate to a local charity. Or, your family may wish to adopt a child from a local charity and donate something from their wish list.

SAMPLE PRAYER: Dear Jesus, you are the best gift anyone could ever receive. Thank you for coming into my life. Please help me to share your gift to me with others so that they too can accept your gift of Salvation. Amen.

Resurrection Rolls

Ingredients:

3/4 cup warm water1 large egg3 cups flour1 teaspoon salt3 Tablespoons sugar6 Tablespoons butter3 Tablespoons dry milk1-1/2 teaspoon yeast1/2 cup butter1 cup sugar1 Tablespoon cinnamon24 marshmallows

Directions:

1. Combine first 8 ingredients. Let rise till double. Divide into 24 balls and flatten.

2. Mix sugar and cinnamon together. Dip rolls in melted margarine, then into sugar mixture.

3. Wrap roll around a marshmallow, covering completely. Dip once more into butter, and again into sugar. Place rolls in a large greased pan and allow to rise till double. (approx. 35 min)

4. Bake at 375 for about 15 minutes, or until done.

Final result: Rolls should be completely empty when cooled ... like the empty tomb.

The Unspeakable Gift

H P U I S S E L E R U S A E M A Q R

E R F C C E L E S T I A L T M B B I

L O S Y C W J Q E E L B Y H K U E U

B D S L U N T E L L A B L E U N Y N

A I E N L J S B B K T M L R O D O I

B G L E E E A I A E N U A E Y R N M

I I E V S F V E L N E N U A N E D A

R O M A F V P B U I D U T L X A W G

C U A E V S I P C V N T I P S M O I

S S N H N D P O L I E T R S T E R N

E I B U E G U H A D C E I A A D D A

D E W R C F T S C D S R P C G O S B

N S C U Y O M D N S N A S R G F L L

I N C O M M U N I C A B L E E Z A E

I E Y M U M L B H L R L B D R S E C

U M A H M M L O V A T E E Z I O D F

R M S C R E L B A N I F E D N I I F

M I G H T Y I C I T N A G I G R S W

BEYOND

BEYOND WORDS

CELESTIAL

DIVINE

ETHEREAL

GIGANTIC

HEAVENLY

HOLY

HUGE

IDEAL

IMMENSE

INCALCULABLE

INCOMMUNICABLE

INCREDIBLE

INDEFINABLE

INDESCRIBABLE

INEFFABLE

INEXPRESSIBLE

MAMMOTH

MEASURE

MEASURELESS

MIGHTY

NAMELESS

PRODIGIOUS

SACRED

SPIRITUAL

STAGGERING

TRANSCENDENT

TRANSCENDENTAL

UNDREAMED OF

UNIMAGINABLE

UNSPEAKABLE

UNTELLABLE

UNUTTERABLE

VAST

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

2 Corinthians 9:15

DAY 8

Lamb of God (John 1:29)

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

Read and discuss this name. Bible: Who made this statement? Was it prophetic? What is a prophecy?

The word lamb referring to Jesus is significant. Not only is Jesus gentle and meek in spirit like a lamb, but he was also innocent of any wrongdoing. Jesus was without sin yet He gave His life and shed His blood for the redemption of all mankind. In the Old Testament, the Jewish people sacrificed a lamb to pay for their sins that stood between them and a relationship with God. Jesus willingly became the sacrifice for our sins so we could come to a new relationship with God. As a result of Jesus sacrifice the old covenant was replaced with a new and better covenant between God and man. This new covenant is entered into by faith in believing and accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior.[footnoteRef:6] [6: Celebrate! The Names of Jesus page 15.]

SCIENCE: Study lambs/sheep. They are mammals. They live in herds. What can you find out about them. Write a report about sheep and or sheep farming

MATH: You could talk about counting sheep. How many sheep does it take to make you sleepy?

LANGUAGE ARTS: Read some poetry about sheep. Have your children write a poem about a lamb or sheep

JOURNAL ACTIVITY: Turning their hand upside-down, trace their hand onto the journal page. Using the thumb as the sheeps head, and the fingers as the four legs, turn the tracing of the hand into a picture of a sheep.

HISTORY/GEOGRAPHY: Do some research into the sacrificial lambs. Be sure your children understand the Passover and its significance.

CRAFT: Make lambs out of cotton and cardboard. Set them in a little display to remind yourselves of the Lamb of God.

HOME ECONOMICS: What are some products we get from sheep? (Wool, lanolin, meat) Try locating some raw wool to card or spin.

SERVICE PROJECT IDEA: During the cold winter months, many homeless individuals could use a blanket. Follow the train of thought in terms of what products are available from sheep, you may want to participate in making and/or gathering donated blankets to take to a homeless shelter.

SAMPLE PRAYER: Oh Jesus, Lamb of God, you are worthy of our thankfulness, our praise, and our worship! Thank you for being so kind and gentle. Thank you for your sacrifice on the cross that we may one day be with you in Heaven. Amen

ALTERNATIVE BIBLE VERSE CITATIONS: Revelation 5:12

The Lamb of God

W B C X Y B C P Y J T F E U T

K D O O G M O X L L U C W N G

Z E I E Q A H G P V O L E M V

W R J B P L J S R E V R O P W

I C Q H Q O Y Q A M E Z D R K

K A I A V V U M Y V D H I U N

G S Y L Y I R M E P I P S A D

R T U L E N R R R W V O B Y B

U X O O T G W T F H I M R F A

T H P W E N N N U F N B E L X

C E L E S T I A L O E S Y Y D

V E I D U C H A Y A U G Z N W

N Z K X S J A G S O A S H B S

V L Y T E I D C I E T S J I M

B T G E J H S P V R E E N Y I

ANGELIC

CELESTIAL

DEVOUT

DIETY

DIVINE

GOOD

HALLOWED

HOLY

JESUS

LAMB

LORD

LOVING

PIOUS

PRAYERFUL

REVERENT

RIGHTEOUS

SACRED

SAINTLY

SAVIOR

SHEEP

VIRTUOUS

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29

DAY 9

Good Shepherd (John 10:11)

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Read and discuss. Note that this is another "red-letter" title. Jesus gives the title to himself. Bible: Read John 10:1-21 for more full understanding.

SOME DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

How does Gods name of Shepherd emphasize his nature as protector?

SCIENCE: Shepherds use many tools to keep their flocks safe, including specially trained dogs. A practical science experiment could be to train a pet to do something and track how long does it take, what incentive does it require, etc. Another scientific study could be on the biology and life cycle of sheep. Additional biological studies could include the various predators of sheep.

LANGUAGE ARTS: Compare/Contrast how Christ can be the lamb and the shepherd

JOURNAL ACTIVITY: Encourage the student to write a story about how Jesus performed the position of shepherd in their own lives.

HISTORY/GEOGRAPHY: Using an atlas, locate areas of the world where sheep and shepherding are one of the main products.

COOKING RECIPE: Using one of the edible claydoughs at the end of this unit, make shepherds crooks.

CRAFT: : Begin to set up a nativity scene. Put in Mary, Joseph, shepherds and lambs thus far.

SAMPLE PRAYER: You may wish to have the student memorize Psalm 23 (The Lord is my Shepherd .)

ALTERNATIVE BIBLE VERSE CITATIONS: Psalm 23, Hebrews 13:20

After reading Psalm 23s familiar words, discuss how these verses refute the common misconception about the character of God in the Old Testament? Why does God compare believers as sheep in need of a shepherd? (both are prone to wander, cannot protect themselves, need care, are ignorant of danger, difficult to train).

MUSIC: Learn "While Shepherds watched Their Flocks by night."

The Good Shepherd

N E L B A T U P E R N M Y O D R Z A P

O O O O E C H A R I T A B L E I V A M

M G E T H I C A L A U R T E T P S N D

S Y W T N E C O N N I E H H P T I K P

T S E N O H N C R M N S U O U T R I V

A D E L B A H C A O R P E R R I G M O

F V L L L U F I T U D E E W R R U R P

F F B D E A P R O T E C T I O N I C Z

K L A E S M V C B M Z T E R C R L H S

K E R G C S A F E G U A R D N U T T S

L E I U U N E L A M B B E V U N L H E

T C M I Q U E L B A P L U C N I E G Y

R E D D O F N U B A B E W B C E S I C

A G A E X E M P L A R Y S N P A S R L

I P R E D A T O R F M A P C F W O P A

N R I G H T E O U S N I U E O O V U R

R U N T A I N T E D I I T O K R A R O

T P U R R O C N I H Z Y L S P U T E M

I D R E H P E H S G U N O R E P A H C

ADMIRABLE

BLAMELESS

CHAPERON

CHARITABLE

CROOK

DUTIFUL

ESCORT

ESTIMABLE

ETHICAL

EWE

EXEMPLARY

FLEECE

FODDER

GUIDE

GUILTLESS

HONEST

HONORABLE

INCORRUPT

INCULPABLE

INFLUENCE

INNOCENT

IRREPROACHABLE

LAMB

LANOLIN

LEAD

MORAL

PASTURE

PRAISEWORTHY

PREDATOR

PROTECT

PROTECTION

PURE

RAM

REPUTABLE

RESPECTABLE

RIGHT

RIGHTEOUS

SAFEGUARD

SAFETY

SHEEP

SHEER

SHEPHERD

STAFF

TRAIN

UNCORRUPTED

UNTAINTED

UPRIGHT

VALLEY

VIRTUOUS

WOOL

WORTHY

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. John 10:11

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. John 10:11

DAY 10[footnoteRef:7] [7: Note: You may wish to use some of the activities from the star symbol from A Blessed Christmas unit study available at http://www.easyfunschool.com/IndexChristmas.html ]

Star (Numbers 24:17)

Bright and Morning Star (Revelation 22:16)

I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel.

I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.

Read and discuss. These are challenging verses. What important star do we talk about at Christmas? Jesus is even brighter than that star. Wise men followed the star. If we follow the star--Jesus--where will it lead us?

SCIENCE: Study what a star is. In the Bible it discusses why God placed stars in the heavens. Do you believe that the purpose of stars have remained the same after thousands of years? What do we call the star in our solar system?

MATH: You may wish to discuss the distance from the Earth to the Sun and to various other stars in our galaxy. What are the properties of our son (color, size, temperature, etc.)?

LANGUAGE ARTS: Make a word poem from STAR: S is for_________ T is for ____________ and so on.

JOURNAL ACTIVITY: Write your poem from the language arts experiment in your journal. You may also wish to include a copy of your cookie recipe in your best handwriting.

HISTORY/GEOGRAPHY: You may wish to study the era of when it was thought that the Earth was the center of our solar system vs. what we know today. You may also wish to read biographies of famous Christian astronomers of history and how their discoveries affect our lives.

COOKING RECIPE: Make star-shaped cookies from sugar cookie dough.

CRAFT: Decorate your home with stars for Christmas

SERVICE PROJECT IDEA: Create a sun catcher or mobile and give it to a shut-in to brighten their day.

SAMPLE PRAYER: Thank you Jesus for being the Bright and Morning Star. You give life, hope, and the power to live for You everyday. You are faithful in every way. Amen

The Bright and Morning Star

T Y G K M D E T H G I L Y L X T G

K X G N I W O L G N I N R U B G X

W U G L I T T E R I N G E M N P S

A Q G C W N N P B R S R V I F L R

Y G N I M A E B Y E R T L N L J A

X T I M X I D T B M V K I O A G D

N N Z A Y L N D S M N H S U S E I

S E A D G L E A M I N G E S H Z A

U C L T N I L R W H L M E S I A N

E S B U G R P T J S D G I O N L T

M E A I S B S P A R K L I N G B V

M D T I N T E N S E O T G B N A Y

T N E C S E R O H P S O H P I H C

E A Q H K S Q O W O L G A G N V A

F C I M L E C H U D I V I V I T D

G N I L Z Z A D E S A P T O H L S

Y I L L U M I N A T E D V J S B A

ABLAZE

AGLOW

ALIGHT

BEAMING

BLAZING

BRILLIANT

BURNING

DAZZLING

FLASHING

GLEAMING

GLISTENING

GLITTERING

GLOWING

GOLDEN

ILLUMINATED

INCANDESCENT

INTENSE

LIGHT

LIGHTED

LUMINOUS

LUSTROUS

PHOSPHORESCENT

POLISHED

RADIANT

RESPLENDENT

SHIMMERING

SHINING

SHINY

SILVERY

SPARKLING

TWINKLING

VIVID

A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. Numbers 24:17

A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. Numbers 24:17

DAY 11

The Christ/Anointed One/Messiah (Mark 8:29)

"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ."

Read and discuss the name(s)/title(s). What does it mean to be "anointed"? What are some examples of "anointing" in the Bible? Bible for older children: Read the prophecies of Daniel (Ch. 9) What do they say about the Messiah?

LANGUAGE ARTS/JOURNAL ACTIVITY: Write Mark 8:29 in your best handwriting. Put it in your journal.

HISTORY/GEOGRAPHY: Jewish people who believe in Jesus are called Messianic Jews or Completed Jews. What does this mean? Why do you think Jewish people do not accept Jesus as the Messiah? What are they looking for in the Messiah? How can we share the Messiah with Jewish friends?

COOKING RECIPE: Use the recipe for Resurrection Cookies found in day seven of this unit.

CRAFT: You may wish to use one or more of the ideas included in the list of Palm Sunday activities on the following page. Alternately, you could build a nativity scene with your child(ren). The nativity is the beginning of Christs earthly walk and the Palm Sunday activities emphasize the last days of Jesus earthly walk. Also, whether you are using this unit as a Christmas study or as an Easter study will influence you choice here.

SERVICE PROJECT IDEA: Challenge: for the student who accepted Christ as their Savior they can share their testimony

SAMPLE PRAYER: Thank you, Jesus, for sending the Holy Spirit into my life to teach me and to open my eyes to the truth of Your Word. Help me to learn and continue to grow in your likeness that I might share your gift with others. Amen

ALTERNATIVE BIBLE VERSE CITATIONS: Matthew 16:16, Matthew 1:6, Acts 2:36, 1 John 5:1

The Messiah

S M A R V E L O U S S Y L F N

A E E A A F A M J E P Q P S A

L S D R E I R N A V E T I A I

V S A I Y O U I T D R N J L D

A I R L V V T S W E F E U V R

G A O L L I A C E L E S L A A

E H T M A G N I F I C E N T U

R W C S N O R E H V T R S I G

E O E F R I E N X E Q P U O L

S R T U E D P T R R U I P N O

C T O B T J U O I E C N R O R

U H R V E A S X T R S M E U I

E Y P R E S E R V E R O M F O

R S A C R E D E F E N D E R U

Q W M Z T L I B E R A T O R S

DEFENDER

DELIVERER

DIVINE

ETERNAL

GLORIOUS

GUARDIAN

HERO

HOLY

LIBERATOR

MAGNIFICENT

MARVELOUS

MESSIAH

OMNIPOTENT

OMNIPRESENT

OMNISCIENT

PERFECT

PRESERVER

PROTECTOR

RESCUER

SACRED

SALVAGER

SALVATION

SUPERNATURAL

SUPREME

WORTHY

"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ." Mark 8:29

"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ." Mark 8:29

DAY 12

Immanuel (Matthew 1:23 and Isaiah 7:14)

The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"--which means, "God with us.

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Read and discuss. What are the implications of God With Us? What does it mean? How do we know God is with us?

SCIENCE: Discuss the creationism versus the theory of evolution with your child. With the older child, you may wish to take it further and discuss the evidences of intelligent design. While this subject may seem difficult at first glance, there are many wonderful free resources on the internet that can help with any age/level in mind.

MATH: Statistically, what are some of the most popular names today. Compare these statistics with the popular names of the previous decades.

LANGUAGE ARTS: Weve covered several names thus far in this unit, but Immanuel (or Emanuel) is the first one that is relatively frequently used today. Do you know anyone named Immanuel? What is the meaning of your name?

JOURNAL ACTIVITY: Write a short paragraph or essay on how your name affects how you view yourself and how others view you. Compare this with how names were viewed during Biblical times.

HISTORY/GEOGRAPHY: During or after completing the language arts activities, you may wish to find out what country your name originated in, or what language. Find this country and/or region on a world map. Compare your name with the names of other members of your family.

COOKING RECIPE: Using your favorite cookie dough, and/or an edible or non-edible dough recipe from the end of this unit, make a cookie in the shape of the letter of your first name. Allow them to decorate the cookie to their taste. If the cookie is large enough, they may share it with others.

CRAFT: Have the student draw or paint a picture of God With Us means to them.

SERVICE PROJECT IDEA: Help set up a community nativity scene (at Christmas) or take part in a community production of the life of Jesus (usually found going on during the Easter/Passover holiday)

MUSIC: Learn "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" This is a great Christmas hymn and if you can get all the verses, it is full of names of Jesus.

The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14

The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Isaiah 7:14

DAY 13

Holy One (Mark 1:24)

I know who you are--the Holy One of God!

Read Mark 1:21-28 to get the full understanding of the verse. Who is naming Jesus the "Holy One" in this verse? What does it mean to be holy? Can we be holy?

SCIENCE: This exercise might be easier for older students. Many people say they dont believe in God because they cant prove there is a God. Even if they believe in God (or in a god) they dont necessarily believe that Jesus is the Son of God. How would you address these statements? What constitutes proof and what needs to be take on faith? (Note: Older students might be interested in exploring creation science or reading books by scientists who have converted to Christianity AFTER they became scientists such as Jay Wile, Ph.D.).[footnoteRef:8] [8: Dr. Jay Wile is the author of such books as Exploring Creation With Biology, Exploring Creation With Chemistry, Exploring Creation With Physical Science, Exploring Creation With General Science, Exploring Creation With Physics, Reasonable Faith: The Scientific Case for Christianity, and several others. His website is www.apologia.com ]

LANGUAGE ARTS/JOURNAL ACTIVITY: Write a definition of "holy" for your journal. List ways we can be holy.

LANGUAGE ARTS: Homonyms: learn the difference between holy and wholly.

HISTORY/GEOGRAPHY: Locate the Holy Land on a world atlas. Gather a list of place names found in the Holy Land. Older students can research the history of the Holy Land and how its ancient history is still affecting modern times and political directions.

COOKING RECIPE: Depending on the level and/or interest of the student(s), there are a couple of different approaches you can take in this area. First, in conjunction with the language arts activity you can make and/or eat doughnut holes. This activity would probably be most popular with the younger students. Older students may wish to try their hand at duplicating ethnic recipes from the Holy Land region of the world.

CRAFT: Make a relief map of the Holy Land area of the world using a salt dough/clay or any of the clay or dough recipes located at the end of this unit. Alternately you could make a banner with holy as the theme.

SERVICE PROJECT IDEA: Assist in a church clean up and/or beautification project. Or, build a place in your yard (or local park) that encourages worship.

SAMPLE PRAYER: Dear Jesus, You are Holy and worthy of praise and worship. Please help me to hold You in the highest esteem and to set You as the example that I should follow. Amen.

MUSIC: Sing "Holy, Holy, Holy" and "O, Holy Night."

I know who you are

- - the Holy One of God! Mark 1:24

I know who you are - - the Holy One of God! Mark 1:24

Holy, Holy, Holy

T B V E N E R A T E D E S S E L B

U P R I G H T V V E N E R A B L E

O R E V E R E D V I R T U O U S G

V A S N D E W O L L A H C W P V S

E Y S A N C T I F I E D I V I N E

D E T A C I D E D E I F I R O L G

E R F M O R A L T N E C O N N I W

L F S N N G O A G O O D P I O U S

I U A S S F L S P T C E F R E P P

F L K X E U N T A I N T E D I V O

E J B R C L O C U N C O R R U P T

D X U A R H T E C B C C I B K B L

N P M S A R A L T D E T O V E D E

U M V O T K I S U H U M B L E H S

I R E V E R E N T A G C L E A N S

J S Y L D O G R L E F I R F J F W

F A I T H F U L Y L D L R O W N U

BLESSED

CHASTE

CLEAN

CONSECRATED

DEDICATED

DEVOTED

DEVOTIONAL

DEVOUT

DIVINE

FAITHFUL

FAULTLESS

GLORIFIED

GODLY

GOOD

HALLOWED

HUMBLE

IMMACULATE

INNOCENT

JUST

MORAL

PERFECT

PIOUS

PRAYERFUL

PURE

REVERED

REVERENT

RIGHTEOUS

SACROSANCT

SANCTIFIED

SPIRITUAL

SPOTLESS

UNCORRUPT

UNDEFILED

UNTAINTED

UNWORLDLY

UPRIGHT

VENERABLE

VENERATED

VIRTUOUS

I know who you are--the Holy One of God! Mark 1:24

I know who you are--the Holy One of God! Mark 1:24

DAY 14

Light of the World (John 8:12)

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

Read and discuss. Commit this verse to memory.

Activity: Light a candle at your dinner table during the Christmas season to remind yourselves that Jesus is the Light of the World.

SCIENCE EXPERIMENT: Discuss sources of light. Which ones are natural? Which ones are man-made? Project: Go into a dark closet with a match, and a flashlight. See how the slightest bit of light breaks the darkness. What is the practical application of this in Christian life?

MATH: discuss the concept of candle power meaning approximately how many candles would it take to equal the light given off by an alternative source. You may also want to discuss watts and volts as part of this topic. Compare the physical knowledge that you have gained in this discussion with the light that is offered by Jesus.

LANGUAGE ARTS: Write a poem about light

JOURNAL ACTIVITY: Write your light poem into your journal in your best handwriting.

HISTORY/GEOGRAPHY: Research how people have used and created light since the beginning of history. Fire, oil, candles, electricity, etc. can all be a part of this study.

COOKING RECIPE: Make the candle salad from the recipe on the following page.

ART/CRAFT: Look at some "religious" paintings in an encyclopedia. What do you notice about "light"?

SERVICE PROJECT IDEA: Often homeless individuals have to make do with natural lighting when they are on the street. When it gets dark, there isnt a convenient switch to flip. The use of fires and candles are often prohibited by local safety codes. Contact your local homeless shelter about donating batteries and flashlights for the needy. You may wish to turn this into a group activity by including other family members, support group members, church families, etc.

SAMPLE PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank you for being such a Light in my life that there is no darkness that you cannot shine through. Thank you for being the Light that even the blind can see. Amen.

ALTERNATIVE BIBLE VERSE CITATIONS: Any Bible verse that talks about the light or light of the world would work well with this lesson.

Candle Salad

Ingredients:

Pineapple ring 1/2 Banana Lettuce leaf Cottage cheese Maraschino cherry

Directions:

1. Place a pineapple ring on top of a lettuce leaf

2. Place 1/2 banana in the middle of the pineapple ring

3. Decorate around your candle or rocket with cottage cheese and cherries

Serves one.

"...The rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine onthose living in darkness and in the shadow of death,to guide our feet into the path of peace."Luke 1:78-79

Find the Light

Directions: Escape the dark center to find the light!

I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12

I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12

DAY 15

Dayspring (Luke 1:78)

Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,

Read Luke 1:67-80 for Zechariah's prophecy. Note all the other Names for Jesus in this passage. What does "dayspring" mean. How is it more commonly translated today?

SCIENCE: Literally translated, dayspring refers to the first light of day or the dawn. Discuss how dawn occurs. When the sun rises what it is actually doing in relation to the Earth.

MATH: With younger children you may wish to cover telling time. For older children they may wish to learn how the forecasted time for dawn and sunset are arrived at by meteorologists.

LANGUAGE ARTS: Read various, adjective-rich descriptions of sunrise. Compare these to the various descriptions of Christ. How are they similar? How are they dissimilar? What is a simile? Write some similes of your own describing Jesus.

JOURNAL ACTIVITY/ART: Draw, paint, etc, a dayspring for your Christmas journal.

HISTORY/GEOGRAPHY: Research the role that the sun played in ancient cultures. Does it have a similar role today?

COOKING RECIPE: In earlier times the sun was a major component of food preservation. Many foods were sun dried. On the following page you will find a recipe for homemade fruit roll ups. While this version of the recipe uses the heat of an oven instead of the heat of the sun, you should still be able to discuss all the reasons the sun is still important to us today and tie in the discussion how appropriate the name Dayspring is for Jesus.

SERVICE PROJECT IDEA: Make homemade thinking of you cards with a sunrise on the front. On the inside neatly print Luke 1:78 and share these cards with unsaved friends and/or family.

ALTERNATIVE BIBLE VERSE CITATION: Job 38:12Homemade Fruit Roll-Ups[footnoteRef:9] [9: Ive given you directions for drying fruit in an oven; however, you can sun dry fruit as well (just figure out a way to keep the insects off of it until it is completely dried. Or, you can use a dehydrator. Not too long ago, people would get these as wedding gifts as often as they used to get fondue pots. You can sometimes find these at yard sales when people get tired of them taking up cabinet space. I have one myself and have found it very useful that was inexpensively purchased from a major discount store chain. The plus of using a dehydrator is that your foods will dry quicker thereby retaining more nutrients and you are less likely to over dry them.]

Making your own fruit roll ups is easier than you would think. Fruit Roll-Ups is actually a commercial name for a disappearing practice of food preservation called fruit leather. You might ask, if I can save time and energy by buying them ready made in the store why bother? The answer is that most fruit leathers that you buy in the store are more candy than anything else and have very little nutritional value. You can change that by making your own. Its a great activity for using with a study on pioneering or nutrition, a way to avoid the junk food habit, or a simple trail snack for your nature hikes or maybe your just looking for a way to use up that over ripe fruit.

SUPPLIES:

Fresh, canned, or frozen fruitBlenderNon-stick baking sheets*Non-stick baking spray (e.g. PAM is a commercial brand)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Wash and prepare fruit including puree fruit in blender until it is very smooth. To make a leather that is 18 inches x 14 inches x inches, you will need about two and a half cups of puree.

2. Add as little water or juice as possible when pureeing.

3. You may now add any sweetening or spices but beware, the more liquid in your puree, the longer it will take to dry. You dont have to use processed sugar for sweetening; try honey, cane syrup, molasses, maple syrup, brown sugar, etc. (See below for more ideas on flavorings and spices).

4. Lightly spray the baking sheet with non-stick spray.

5. Pour the puree onto the prepared sheet.. Slightly tilt the tray to spread the puree around evenly. You could also make 4 to 6 inch size pancake shapes instead of one huge sheet.

6. At this point, you make garnish your leather if you desire (see below for variations).

7. Preheat your oven to about 150 degrees (no higher as you will cook the fruit rather than dry it). Note: below is an option if your fruit leather dries too long that is really good.

8. Put your baking sheet in the oven and prop the oven door open. The drying is going to take a long while the time depends on how much moisture is in your puree.

9. Remove the leather from the sheet while it is still warm and roll it up. Or, before you roll it up you could spread a filling on the leather and then roll it, this makes for a great variation and suggestions can be found below.

STORAGE: For very short term storage of about a week, cut the rolled leather into bite sized pieces, lightly dust with cornstarch, and wrap in plastic wrap. And then store the plastic wrapped bites in air tight storage containers. Store in a cool, dry, dark place such as a pantry. For longer storage, store the prepared bite-sized rolls in air tight storage containers and store in refrigerator or freezer. Rolls that contain nuts or coconut need to be stored in the freezer.

FRUIT LEATHER CHIPS: If your fruit leather dried too long it may become brittle and crack as you try to peel it off the baking sheet. Dont despair about wasted effort and wasted fruit this can be turned into a good thing! You can crush this and use it as toppings for ice cream, yogurt, milk shakes, or hot breakfast cereals even cold breakfast cereals get a tasty boost from this. These chips can also be reconstituted and used as baby food or in baby cereal just make sure that youve soaked or crushed the chips enough so that there are no sharp edges left.

VARIATIONS: Spices allspice, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, ginger, mace, mint, nutmeg, pumpkin or apple pie spice blends.Flavorings almond extract, lemon extract/juice/peel, lime juice or peel, orange extract or juice or peel, vanilla flavoring, etc.Garnishes shredded coconut, chopped dates, chopped dried fruit, granola, miniature marshmallows, chopped nuts, chopped raisins, sunflower or poppy or sesame seeds, etc.Fillings melted chocolate, softened cream cheese, processed cheese spreads, fruit fillings made from jams or jellies, marmalade, marshmallow cream, peanut butter, etc.

Sun Maze

Directions: navigate your way from one side of the circle to the other. This maze is for the older student.

DAY 16

The Word (Revelation 19:13 and John 1:1)

He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Read and Discuss. Bible: Read John 1:1-5and 1:14 How does it summarize much of what you've learned about Jesus. What names could be fit into this passage.

SCIENCE: Different words can cause people to react differently. Scientifically study what various words bring to mind for different people. Make a list of fairly simple words or terms. Ask each person in your survey to tell you what word immediately comes to mind after you say each word on your list to them. Survey at least three people. Compare their responses. Did any one word have all the same responses for each person surveyed? If so, why do you think that was?

MATH: How many words are in your dictionary? If they is too large a task, the student can determine how many words are in the A section (or perhaps in the section of the first letter of their name) or on a page, etc.

LANGUAGE ARTS: Talk about words--written and spoken. Learn or review the 8 parts of speech. How is God's Word both written and spoken? How is Jesus, "the word"?

JOURNAL ACTIVITY/ART: Make a collage--using words--that has Christmas as the theme. You could do this as a regular size page for notebook or turn it into a banner you can hang for the holidays

HISTORY/GEOGRAPHY: Books and words are incredibly important in our world today. Research the development of writing and language for various societies through out time. Alternately you may wish to learn how the Bible was shared verbally and in written form.

COOKING RECIPE: Use the recipe on the following page. Have the student look up the citation to find out the correct ingredient.

CRAFT: Make a scroll using a long piece of paper and sticks, cardboard tubes, etc. to roll the paper on. On the paper itself write John 1:1

SERVICE PROJECT IDEA: Get involved with a group who distribute Bibles to those that cannot afford their own. Alternately, assist a missionary get the Word out to people around the world.

SAMPLE PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank you for the Bible, Your eternal Word. Thank You for guiding us in the way we should go. Amen.

Bible Bars[footnoteRef:10] [10: Taken from http://www.recipegoldmine.com/cookbar/cookbar288.html ]

1 cup I Samuel 30:12 (raisins)Amos 4:8 (water) 1/2 cup Leviticus 3:9 (shortening) 1 cup Jeremiah 6:20 (granulated sugar) 1 Isaiah 10:14 (egg) 2 cups Exodus 29:2 (flour) 1 teaspoon Exodus 13:7 (baking powder) 1 teaspoon II Chronicles 9:9 (cinnamon) 1 teaspoon I Kings 10:10 (nutmeg) 1 teaspoon Luke 23:56 (allspice) 1/2 teaspoon Exodus 13:3 (baking soda) 1/2 teaspoon Leviticus 2:13 (salt) 1 cup Numbers 17:8, chopped (almonds)

Cook raisins in water; drain, saving 3/4 cup of liquid for later use.

Mix together shortening, sugar and egg.

Combine remaining ingredients and add the raisins and the 3/4 cup of reserved liquid. Follow the directions in Jeremiah 7:18.

Bake 20 minutes in a greased jellyroll pan at 350 degrees F. Frost if desired.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

DAY 17

Servant (Matthew 12:18)

Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.

Read and Discuss. This passage calls Jesus a servant. What is a servant? Where are there actual examples of Jesus being a servant? How can we be a servant?

SCIENCE/MATH: There is a scientifically/mathematically correct way to measure work.[footnoteRef:11] Older students may to solve algebraic equations using these formulas. Younger students can discuss such concepts as horsepower and work load. [11: A website to see the formula for work and torque and other associated formulas can be found at http://www.racquetresearch.com/sevencri.htm ]

LANGUAGE ARTS/JOURNAL ACTIVITY: Write a family story about a servant. One child writes the first paragraph, then the second child writes and so on until the whole story is finished. Type it, illustrate it, put it in your journal.

HISTORY/GEOGRAPHY: Discuss the different between a servant and a slave. Find various examples of these through out history. Compare the human idea of being a servant to the definition of servant exemplified by Jesus.

COOKING RECIPE: Rather than a specific recipe, you can have the student(s) serve a meal or snack to someone else. If you have more than one student participating in this unit, I suggest having them serve one another. Afterward you may wish to have them discuss the pros and cons of being a servant and how serving made them feel.

CRAFT: Have the student(s) make coupons that can be redeemed by the receiver. The coupons should be for things that are above and beyond normal and expected chores but within the students capabilities.

SERVICE PROJECT IDEA: Participate in helping a food kitchen (may also be called a soup kitchen). If the student is too young for this, have them help cleaning up after a church function or some type of community function. Also, see if there is someone in your neighborhood, church, or family who is in need of assistance with housework, yard work, etc. This help is to be given without financial compensation. This activity should reinforce the idea of having the heart of a servant.

SAMPLE PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for being so helpful and giving. Help me to grow a true servants heart for Your ministry and not complain about or question the direction You have for me. Amen.

ALTERNATIVE BIBLE VERSE CITATIONS: Look for verses showing Jesus exemplifying a true servants heart (i.e., foot-washing lesson, serving the Passover meal, etc.).

True Servant

T Y N M Q F E R H A F D S B C

N N O A S Z Q O I K K G A B H

H C A T P R E T S I N I M T X

K J M T Q T M I U C G T L W O

E F R E S G I V R M X F N Z S

N V M N S I S R R Q F G B X V

J O P D T R S E O P A C B B Z

E D I A E O A S G C A K R T E

R S K N W H R G A N K G Y D T

S F I T A I Y Y T R D K D O A

L A E Y R P T F E O Z H T P A

V O I Q D V M P D B J B I A D

C M B Y H Q L O S T U I J Y B

E X L O C E J Q C K O B G S I

T O A B H D W R M V F A V A E

AIDE

ASSISTANT

ATTENDANT

COMPANION

EMISSARY

HELP

HELPER

MINISTER

SERF

SERVITOR

STEWARD

SURROGATE

Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight. Matthew 12:18

Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight Matthew. 12:18

DAY 18

King (Zechariah 9:9)

Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Read and Discuss. Who is the King in this story? Is this prophecy? Was it a prophecy that has been fulfilled?

MATH: There are several concepts that you might want to cover here depending on the age of the student. You could create faux jewels or coins and cover counting, addition, and subtraction skills. For older children you may want to cover percentages in regard to taxes or cover counting money. For advance students, you may wish to cover topics such as fiscal accountability, the idea of taxes, responsible budgeting, etc.

LANGUAGE ARTS: How can Jesus be a servant and a king? Learn the literary term "paradox." Have your children think of more examples of a paradox.

JOURNAL ACTIVITY: Make a list of all the adjectives that they can that describe a good king. Younger children may wish to illustration what they think a good king looks like.

HISTORY/GEOGRAPHY: Talk about some Kings in the Old Testament or any other time period. Were they good kings or bad kings? Why? Civics: Why doesn't the U.S. have a King? You may also find the chart of Kings on the following pages interesting to use with the older children.

COOKING RECIPE: Epiphany, celebrated in European countries, marks the coming of the wise men who brought gifts to the Christ Child. Epiphany is also called Little Christmas on the Twelfth Night, and is celebrated twelve nights after Christmas. People from all of the world celebrate Epiphany by exchanging gifts and feasting. A very popular custom that is still celebrated is the making of the "King's Cake" which represents the three kings who brought gifts. A plastic baby is baked inside the King Cake, and the tradition is whoever receives the baby in their piece of cake must buy the next King Cake or throw the next party. King Cakes are made of a cinnamon filled dough in the shape of a hollow circle. The cake is topped with a delicious glazed topping and then sprinkled with colored sugar. The three colors of the sugar are Purple (representing Justice), Green (representing Faith) and Gold (representing Power). Follow the recipe on the following page to make your own king cake.

CRAFT: Make crowns. Older children can perhaps illustrate the combination of Jesus as servant and king.

SERVICE PROJECT IDEA: Be a leader and start any community and/or service project, enlisting others to help you.

SAMPLE PRAYER: Thank you Jesus for being my King. Help me to let you lead and guide me in the actions I should take in my life. Give me the courage and wisdom to share your sovereignty with others. Amen.

King Cake Recipe[footnoteRef:12] [12: taken from http://www.soulard.com/renaissance/mardi97/kingcake.html ]

This recipe has a lot of steps but none of them are difficult. Now that you know how time-consuming it is to make a King Cake, you can appreciate why many people just order one up from their favorite bakery!

Ingredients

1/2 cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees)2 packages active dry yeast1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar31/2 41/2 cups unsifted flour1 teaspoon nutmeg2 teaspoons salt1 teaspoon lemon zest1/2 cup warm milk5 egg yolks1 stick butter cut in slices and softened, plus 2 tablespoons more1 egg slightly beaten with a tablespoon of milk1 teaspoon cinnamon1 tiny plastic doll (not more than 1")

Directions

Pour the warm water into a small shallow bowl and sprinkle yeast and 2 teaspoons sugar into it. Allow the yeast and sugar to rest for three minutes, then mix thoroughly. Set bowl in a warm place for 10 minutes until yeast bubbles up. Combine 31/2 cups of flour, remaining sugar, nutmeg and salt and sift into a large mixing bowl.

Stir in lemon zest. Separate center of mixture to form a hole and pour in yeast mixture and milk. Add egg yolks and using a wooden spoon, combine dry ingredients into the yeast/milk mixture. When mixture is smooth, beat in 8 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon at a time and continue to beat 2 minutes or until dough can be formed into a medium soft ball.

Place ball of dough on floured surface and knead, gradually adding up to 1 cup more of flour. When dough is no longer sticky, knead 10 minutes more until shiny and elastic.

Using a pastry brush, coat the inside of a large bowl evenly with one tablespoon softened butter. Place dough ball in the bowl and rotate until the entire surface is buttered. Cover bowl with a heavier kitchen towel and allow dough to rise in a warm place for about 11/2 hours or until it doubles in volume. Coat a large baking sheet with one tablespoon of butter and set aside. After the first rising, place the dough on a floured surface and punch it down with a heavy blow. Sprinkle cinnamon, then pat and shape the dough into a long 'snake' or 'cylinder'. Form a twist by folding the long cylinder in half, end to end, and pinching the ends together. Then twist the dough. Form a ring with the completed twist pinch the ends together. Place the completed ring on the buttered baking sheet, cover it with a towel and allow it to rise for 45 minutes or until it doubles in volume.

After the second rising, brush the top and sides of the cake with the egg and milk wash. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 25-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack and hide the plastic baby in the cake.

Icing (2 parts)

Colored sugarGreen, purple and yellow coloring paste (sold with cake decorating supplies)12 tablespoons sugar

Divide sugar into three portions (for green, yellow and purple).Add a tiny amount of the coloring paste to each sugar portion. Try mixing the sugar and colored pasted between your palms for best results. Set aside.

Poured icing

3/4 cups confectioners sugar1/4 cup lemon juice36 tablespoons of water

Combine ingredients until smooth, adding more water if it's too thick. Spoon icing over top of cake. Immediately sprinkle on colored sugars, alternating between the three colors. Serve in 2"3" pieces.

Jesus Is King

P R N I X M R D Z S S R I F N

R B F N R X A S W U X O V G G

N O P E O A S H L I I F I Y V

F X Z B I R E T A T N E T O P

H V C L S H A H X R R L T E Y

M M S T D N C B P E A H O Z K

X C K J Y W C R V Y R J I M L

E A M H E T H O O O O B A D Y

M L E B O S S R N G L G G H A

J I T V R U L E R S N B O Y F

I P P V P P C P J A B I U R N

I H C R A N O M T A Z B K T V

A R E S I A K E I C M C M H E

W M H R N H E O W F K I N S Q

E A P O F K O T R S V P F C E

BARON

BOSS

CAESAR

CALIPH

CHIEF

CZAR

EMPEROR

KAISER

KHAN

KING

MAGNATE

MAHARAJAH

MAJESTY

MONARCH

PASHA

POTENTATE

PRINCE

RAJAH

REX

ROYAL

ROYALTY

RULER

SHAH

SOVEREIGN

SULTAN

SUPREME

THRONE

As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:"A voice of one calling in the desert,'Prepare the way for the Lord,make straight paths for him.' "Luke 3:4

See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Zechariah 9:9

See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Zechariah 9:9

Kings of Israel and Judah[footnoteRef:13] [13: The reigns of some of the rulers are not known for sure. Also, some of the information has been left blank to give you an opportunity to do your own research. You may also wish to add further information to the chart for future reference. Saul, David, and Solomon were the kings of the united kingdom, before Israel and Judah were split into Northern and Southern kingdoms and are therefore not listed in this table. There are several other resources, both text and internet, that offer a more detailed description of the kings reigns, but this will help organize your research.]

Israel (Northern Kingdom)Judah (Southern Kingdom)

NameYears of Reign

Comments

Name

Years of Reign

Comments

1. Jeroboam

Sinful

1. Rehoboam

17

Sinful

2. Nadab

2

Sinful

2. Abijah

3

Sinful

3. Baasha

24

Sinful

3. Asa

41

Godly

4. Elah

4. Jehoshaphat

25

Godly

5. Zimri

7 days

Sinful (wifes name was Tibni)

5. Jehoram

Wife was Athaliah and was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel

6. Omri

12

2nd most sinful king

6. Ahaziah

Sinful

7. Ahab

22

Most sinful king. Created false god Baal. Wife was Jezebel.

7. Athaliah

6

Sinful

8. Ahaziah

2

Sinful

8. Joash

9. Joram

12

Sinful

9. Amaziah

39

Semi-Godly

10. Jehu

Sinful, but destroyed Baal worship

10. Azariah

52

Started Godly but became proud

11. Jehoahaz

17

Sinful

11. Jotham

16

Godly

12. Jehoash

Sinful

12. Ahaz

16

Sinful

13. Jeroboam II

41

Sinful

13. Hezekiah

39

Godly

14. Zechariah

6 months

Sinful

14. Manasseh

55

Sinful to Good

15. Shallum

1 month

Sinful

15. Amon

2

Sinful

16. Menahem

10

Sinful

16. Josiah

31

Godly

17. Pekahiah

2

17. Jehoahaz

3 months

Sinful

18. Pehah

20

Sinful

18. Jehoiakin

Sinful

19. Hoshea

9

Sinful. Last king due to Assyrian conquest.

19. Jehoiachin

3 months

Sinful

20. Zedekiah

11

Sinful. Last king due to Babylonian captivity.

DAY 19

Rose of Sharon (Song of Solomon 2:1)

I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.

Note: This concept may be too advanced for younger children. In that case, select an alternate name listed at the end of the unit. Read and Discuss. These names have become part of our devotional language. They are taken from this passage of love and are an expression of devotion in married love.

Rose of SharonWhile we are uncertain of the modern translation of "Rose of Sharon", many scholars agree it is most likely the cistus, or rock-rose commonly found in the Mount Carmel area of Palestine. Jesus is often called the "Rose of Sharon" because of the beauty and sweetness His presence brings.[footnoteRef:14] [14: Information taken from http://www.oil-of-gladness.com/biblicalscents/aboutourscents.html]

SCIENCE EXPERIMENT: You may wish to do the science experiment that is included in the following pages called Fragrant Science.

What does a Rose of Sharon look like? (It was probably a common, abundant plant like a crocus or narcissus. It has a delicate beauty and gentle fragrance. It speaks to us of the beauty and fragrance He brings to those who know and love him.)

LANGUAGE ARTS: Parables. What is a parable in general? Read this Parable from the Persian Poet Saadi: The poet was given a bit of ordinary clay. The clay so vibrantly smelled of sweet perfume that its fragrance filled the room. "What are you, musk or ambergris?" he asked. "I am neither," it answered, "I am just a bit of common clay." "From where then do you have this rare perfume?" the poet asked. "I have been all summer in the company of the rose," it replied. Discuss how this relates to the Christian life. (We are just bits of clay but if we keep company with the Rose of Sharon, some of his fragrance will pass into us. Hopefully, then, we will be a fresh and sweet influence on the world around us.)

JOURNAL ACTIVITY: Draw your version of a rose-of-sharon based on the different descriptions that you have read.

HISTORY/GEOGRAPHY: Locate on a map all the areas where the flower currently knows a the rose-of-sharon could grow. Alternately, locate Mount Carmel area of Palestine on a world map.

CRAFT: Make a flower boquet to grace your home for Christmas

SERVICE PROJECT IDEA: Make homemade rose-of-sharon corsages to give away and/or donate colorful flowers to shut-ins or house bound individuals.

ROSE WORD SEARCH PUZZLE

M H Y I U K U O B C N C K J I

F S S R J E X H Y A V S O F P

N X Y A M R A C B M Z L D W P

L R A F R R Y O F T U P R K X

L Y L R T I U O P M Y K G C P

I G E H E Q K S V F H Q O W A

P I R S U B D B T J O Z R D Y

N T W E K U T N T A P O J Q H

E I T T B I D N H L S G I C R

F U T X S E T N O A Q M V X N

S F G S B L C Y R X J H H A T

B M E R U T A I N I M Z J A G

C G A S A A A T S M U S X H N

F S I E E N D D E N M N Z M J

P M X C M S D I H P A V B P X

C Z G B J J O I V R B