Isaiah & King Hezekiah
Construction/Hands on Discovery
Overview: Students will learn about the water tunnel designed by King Hezekiah, build their own model of Jerusalem under siege and water tunnel with clay and learn how to tap into God’s provision during difficult times.
Memory Verse: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him." 2 Chronicles 32:7 (NIV)
Supplies:
- Block of clay
- Clay working tools
- LOD Trojan War Greeks vs. Trojans plastic soldiers (2 bags)
- two bowls
- Pitcher of water
- TV/DVD Player
- DVD • MP3 sound “Babbling Brook” on CD
- Index cards with the words of 2 Chronicles 32:7 printed individually on them.
Intro
Welcome the students. [If you’re on week 2 or later, ask them what they’ve learned about King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah so far.]
Ask: Have you ever been afraid that you might lose something? What did you do to protect that item?
Say: In our Bible story this month, King Hezekiah was afraid that the bully Assyrian army might come in, attack Jerusalem, and steal their homes. They had done that to other cities before, and King Hezekiah knew that the Assyrians wanted to take over Jerusalem as well. But he didn’t want that to happen. Today we’re going to learn what King Hezekiah did to protect his city. Let’s watch a recap video of this month’s Bible story.
Show the video “Isaiah and King Hezekiah” to give a overview of the Bible story.
After showing the video, say: When King Hezekiah heard that the Assyrian army had come to make war against the city of Jerusalem, not only did he pray to God to protect the city, but he also led the people in a couple of building projects to help make Jerusalem secure from attack.
Let’s take a look at that the Bible says about these building projects as recorded in the book of 2 Chronicles chapter 32:
1 After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, thinking to conquer them for himself. 2 When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he intended to wage war against Jerusalem, 3 he consulted with his officials and military staff about blocking off the water from the springs outside the city, and they helped him. 4 They gathered a large group of people who blocked all the springs and the stream that flowed through the land. “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find plenty of water?” they said. 5 Then he worked hard repairing all the broken sections of the wall and building towers on it. He built another wall outside that one and reinforced the terraces of the City of David. He also made large numbers of weapons and shields. 30 It was Hezekiah who blocked the upper outlet of the Gihon spring and channeled the water down to the west side of the City of David. He succeeded in everything he undertook.
Ask: Why do you think King Hezekiah had his army build stronger walls around the city and reroute the water from the Gihon spring to keep it within the city walls?
Ask: If we were put in charge of defending our town from an invading army, what kind of building projects you do you think we would need to do to protect the people who live here?
Say: Let’s take a closer look at the water tunnel that King Hezekiah built. Here’s a short video about how that tunnel was constructed.
Show the video: “The Siloam Inscription”
After the video is over, say: Although King Hezekiah believed in God, he took some steps to protect the city from the invading Assyrian army. The tunnel that he had constructed to divert the water of the Gihon spring is an amazing an feat of engineering, with workers digging the tunnel from both sides and meeting somewhere in the middle to let the water flow, protected, underground to the Pool of Siloam so that this water source remained within the city walls to provide water for the people who lived in Jerusalem and keep it out of reach from the invading Assyrian army.
What’s amazing is that if you were to visit the Holy Land and Jerusalem today, you could actually visit the water tunnel that King Hezekiah had constructed nearly 2,700 years ago. Even more amazing is that water still flows through it, providing water for the people of Jerusalem just like it did when King Hezekiah was alive.
Ask: What do you think inspired King Hezekiah to protect the water that flowed out of the Gihon spring? (Let students give answers.)
Say: We’re not sure who inspired King Hezekiah. Perhaps it the was the prophet Isaiah, who Hezekiah knew and trusted as an advisor, as someone who spoke the word of God. You see, Isaiah had earlier spoke a prophecy about how God would defend God’s people and give them water from wells of salvation. It is recorded in Isaiah 12:2-3:
2 Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.” 3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
Ask: How do you think it felt for the people to be able to draw water out of the Pool of Siloam, after King Hezekiah’s water tunnel was completed, knowing that the water was safe and secure from being taken by the invading Assyrian army?
Today, we’re going to have a chance to build our own replica model of Jerusalem under siege along with the water tunnel that King Hezekiah built to protect the city.
The Construction Project
Divide the students up to build various parts of the Jerusalem siege and Hezekiah’s water tunnel.
Divide block of clay so that some students will build walls of Jerusalem protecting the Gihon spring and Pool of Siloam. Have students tunnel through another block of clay to construct a mini replica of Hezekiah’s tunnel so that water poured into the Gihon spring and flow through the tunnel to the Pool of Siloam. Place toy soldiers so that one army is perched on inside on the wall to protect Jerusalem while the other army soldiers stand on the outside of the city walls as the Assyrians army did.
After the project is complete, take time to let kids pour water through the water tunnel and admire their work. Play the MP3 sound “Babbling Brook” on CD player or other device while kids are admiring their project to enhance the scene.
Ask: If you were the people living in Jerusalem as saw everything that King Hezekiah did to prepare the city to avoid an invasion from the Assyrian army, how would you feel? Do you think Hezekiah did enough? What more would you do?
King Hezekiah felt confident in what he did to protect the city, because he knew that he was not the only one working to protect it. God was there too, providing strength and inspiration to defend the city as well. Hezekiah shared that confidence in God when he shared our memory verse: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him." 2 Chronicles 32:7 (NIV)
Memory Verse Activity
Scatter index cards with the words of this month’s memory verse printed on them on a table. Have student work together to put the words of the memory verse in order.
Closing
Say: Chris Tomlin wrote a song that shares this confidence that King Hezekiah had when he was surrounded by his enemy, the Assyrian army. Let’s watch a music video of that song and take time to let its words give us confidence for us today.
Watch: “Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies)”
End with prayer:
Dear God, we thank you that you are always by our side. You give me strength when I feel weak. When I feel all alone, you stand by my side. Guide me and protect me with your word, just as you did Isaiah and King Hezekiah. Help me to trust in you so that I might proclaim you as my salvation and joyfully draw hope from the resources you give. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
A Lesson written by Rev. Ron Shifley of Immanuel Evangelical Church, Needville, TX
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Printed from Rotation.org
