“Lesson 23: Joshua Leads Israel,” Primary 6: Old Testament (1996), 101–5
“Lesson 23,” Primary 6: Old Testament, 101–5
Lesson 23
Joshua Leads Israel
Purpose
To help the children choose to serve the Lord.
Preparation
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Prayerfully study:
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Deuteronomy 34:9—Joshua is ordained by Moses to be the prophet and leader of Israel.
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Joshua 1:1–3, 5–11—The Lord tells Joshua to take possession of the promised land.
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Joshua 1:16–18—Joshua is commanded to have courage.
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Joshua 2:1–24—Joshua sends spies to Jericho, where Rahab protects them. They promise to save Rahab and her household.
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Joshua 3:6–17; 4:13–18—The Israelites cross the Jordan on dry ground.
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Joshua 6:1–25—The walls of Jericho fall and the city is destroyed; only Rahab and her household are saved.
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Joshua 24:14–15, 24, 31—Joshua and his people covenant to serve the Lord.
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Study the lesson and decide how you want to teach the children the scripture account (see “Preparing Your Lessons,” p. vi, and “Teaching from the Scriptures,” p. vii). Select the discussion questions and enrichment activities that will best help the children achieve the purpose of the lesson.
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Materials needed:
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A Bible for each child.
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A Book of Mormon.
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A blindfold.
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Pictures 6-29, Joshua Taking Jericho, and 6-30, Moses Ordaining Joshua.
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Suggested Lesson Development
Invite a child to give the opening prayer.
Enrichment Activities
You may use one or more of the following activities any time during the lesson or as a review, summary, or challenge.
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Draw simple figures, similar to the following, on the chalkboard to illustrate the events of the Israelites taking the city of Jericho as you tell the story:
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Without the other children hearing your instructions, ask two children to pantomime movers lifting a very large, heavy object. Have the two children stand three feet (one meter) apart facing each other. They then should pretend to lift the object, try to simultaneously move it toward each other, but be unable to make any progress forward or backward. As the children are pantomiming, tell the class that two movers struggled for several minutes one day trying to move a heavy object through a doorway. Finally, exhausted, the movers gave up. One mover said, “I’ve used all my energy, but I don’t think I’ll ever be able to get this thing inside the door.” “Inside the door?” said the other. “I thought we were trying to move it out the door!”
Explain that it is impossible to go two directions at the same time. We have to choose which direction to go. Ask the children why it is not possible to follow both Jesus and Satan at the same time. (See Matthew 6:24; Alma 5:38–40.)
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Help the children memorize the following scripture: “Choose you this day whom ye will serve; … but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).
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Before class make a copy of the following wordstrips and tape them under the children’s chairs:
The Holy Ghost stays with us.
The Holy Ghost leaves us.
We gain faith.
We lose faith.
We are more able to resist temptation.
We are less able to resist temptation.
We gain spiritual blessings.
We lose spiritual blessings.
We find happiness.
We find misery.
Write the following headings on a chart or chalkboard:
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Results of Following Jesus Christ
Results of Following Satan
Have the children find the wordstrips and put them under the correct heading. Explain that if we choose to serve the Lord now, we can avoid much pain and sorrow and we receive greater happiness. A latter-day prophet has told us that Satan loves it when we are discouraged and hesitant to make decisions because it is easier for him to tempt us. The prophet said, “If you have not done so yet, decide to decide!” (Spencer W. Kimball, in Conference Report, Apr. 1976, p. 70; or Ensign, May 1976, p. 46).
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Discuss and memorize the eleventh article of faith. Point out that Heavenly Father gives us our agency in everything, including the choice of whom we will worship. We know that all of the Lord’s children can worship as they please, but through the scriptures and our prophets, we know that the right choice is to worship God.
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Sing or read the words to “Can a Little Child like Me?” (Children’s Songbook, p. 9), “Seek the Lord Early” (Children’s Songbook, p. 108), or “Choose the Right Way” (Children’s Songbook, p. 160).
Conclusion
Testimony
You may want to testify that only as we serve the Lord will we find true and eternal happiness. Repeat as a class the following in unison: “Choose you this day whom ye will serve; … but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).
Suggested Family Sharing
Encourage the children to share with their families a specific part of the lesson, such as a story, question, or activity, or to read with their families the “Suggested Home Reading.”
Suggested Home Reading
Suggest that the children study Joshua 3:13–17, 6:1–5, and Joshua 24:15 at home as a review of this lesson.
Invite a child to give the closing prayer.