Provision:(a) God provided for His people (Food, Water, Light for night journey and Shade for sunny days journey, Ex. 16: 1-21; 17: 1-7; 13: 20-22; (b) God provided sustenance for Elijah and Zarephath widow during draught, 1 king 17: 1-16
WEEK 8
SUBJECT: CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS STUDIES
CLASS: SS2
DATE: ………………………………
TOPIC: PROVISION
CONTENT: PROVISION:
- God provided for his people (food, water, light for night journey and shade for sunny days journey).
- God provided sustenance for Elijah and Zarephath widow during draught.
- God requires our obedience to affect his provision.
- Abraham genesis 22: 1-13;
- Elijah 1 king 17: 10-16;
- Israelites Exodus 16: 19.
- Widow of Zarephath. 1kings 17: 10-16.
- Why were provisions stopped Joshua 5: 11-12, 1 king 4: 1-6.
Sub-Topic: 1. PROVISION:1. GOD PROVIDED FOR HIS PEOPLE (FOOD, WATER, LIGHT FOR NIGHT JOURNEY AND SHADE FOR SUNNY DAYS JOURNEY, EX. 16: 1-21; 17: 1-7; 13: 20-22;
FEEDING
When the Israelite left Elim where there were springs of water and palm trees, they came to the wilderness of Sin. Here, they complained bitterly to Moses and Aaron that they wished God had killed them in Egypt because there they had meat and bread to eat while in the wilderness they were starving.
The Lord heard their complaint and rained down from heaven (manna) and quails for meat. He instructed them through Moses to collect only what they would eat each day (an Omer) except the day before Sabbath when they should collect twice.
Moses asked Aaron to assemble the congregation as he addressed them. The bread solidifies when the sun starts rising, melted and evaporated when the sun heat is high; while the quails flew down every evening, which they killed for meat.
WATER
At Rephidim, the people complained again about water and reason for their journey through the wilderness instead of staying in Egypt and were about to stone Moses. Moses cried to the Lord again and God instructed him to take his rod, the elders and go ahead of the people to the rock of Horeb. He should strike it with his rod in the presence of the elders and water would come out of it.
Moses did so and water gushed out for the people to drink. The place was called MASSAH and MERIBAH because the people complained and tested the Lord.
LIGHT
God kept a clear demarcation of space between the Israelites and Pharaoh’s host by the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. The Israelites moved through the Red sea on dry ground while the host of Pharaoh were trapped in the sea as Moses stretched his rod over the Red Sea the second time.
God used the pillar of cloud, Angel, cloud of darkness and clogged the wheels of Pharaoh’s chariots as protective devices for the Israelites against Pharaoh and his entire host.
EVALUATION
- God instructed the Israelites to gather quantity of manna per day.
- The Israelites complained about thirst in .
- What kept the demarcation between the Egyptians and the Israelites?
- The complaint about food was in .
- The rock that supplied water was in .
Sub-Topic: 2. PROVISION:
1. GOD PROVIDED SUSTENANCE FOR ELIJAH AND ZAREPHATH WIDOW DURING DRAUGHT. 1 KING 17: 1-16
Elijah the Tishbite of Tishbe in Gilead was a Prophet of God who had performed great works in Israel. Here comes a time he told Ahab about the prophecy of drought in the land. Elijah was directed by the spirit to turn eastward and lodge by the brook of Cherith that is east of Jordan where he is going to have water for drinking and fed by the ravens (with bread & meat). After a while, the brook dried up because there was no rain in the land.
The word of the Lord came to him again that he should arise and go to Zarephath which belongs to Sidon
– a place where God had made provision for him to be fed by a widow.
On arrival at the gate of the city, he saw a widow gathering sticks. He called the woman and told her to give him water in a vessel to drink; as the woman was going to brink it, he summoned her back and asked for a morsel of bread. The woman told him about her predicament of getting ready to eat the last meal with her son and afterwards expect death. Elijah told her to obey and believe in his God that there shall be provision for her from the Lord.
The widow obeyed in faith as it was recorded “….and she went and did as Elijah said and she and he
and her household ate for many days”.
EVALUATION
- Elijah the Prophet was from .
- He was fed by the brook of Cherith.
- What was Elijah’s request from the widow?
- The Prophet Elijah lodged with a widow at .
SUB TOPIC:3. GOD REQUIRES OUR OBEDIENCE TO EFFECT HIS PROVISION.
- Abraham. Gen. 22: 1-13;
- Elijah. 1 kgs. 17: 10-16;
- Israelites Exo. 16: 19.
- Widow of Zarephath 1kgs. 17: 10-16.
Sub-Topic 3: GOD REQUIRES OUR OBEDIENCE TO AFFECT HIS PROVISION.
- ABRAHAM GENESIS 22: 1-13; Abraham obeys God’s call
Abraham’s father was Terah. He was the descendant of one of those people who were scattered in small language groups after the Tower of Babel incident. He grew up in Ur of Chaldeans. When Terah died in Haran, Abraham a young man took over the responsibilities of his family. Abraham lived with his family till he was seventy years.
Abraham demonstrates his obedience
When Abraham was ninety years old, God appeared to him and made a covenant (agreement) with him, which also extends to his descendants, with two conditions:
First, Abraham and his descendants were to circumcise all their male children on the eight day. The second was to sacrifice his only son Isaac.
The birth of Isaac and the circumcision of male children
Exactly eight days after the promise given to Abraham and Sarah was fulfilled – the birth of Isaac, Abraham demonstrated his obedience to God by circumcising him.
The sacrifice of Isaac
When Isaac was about twelve years of age, God asked Abraham to go and offer the child as a sacrifice to Him in the land of Moriah, testing his obedience and confidence in Him. Abraham obeyed God’s command without question, but God provided him a ram in place of his son and he called that place
–‘The Lord will provide – Jehovah Jireh.’God was so happy with the obedient trust of Abraham that He decided to reward him for his faithfulness.
Blessing for obeying God’s call
God promised Abraham four things:
- A new land.
- A great nation.
- Bless those who bless Abraham.
- A blessing to all mankind or generation.
From Haran, Abraham and his group travelled southwards for weeks and months. Abraham and his group stopped by the sacred tree – ‘Oak of Moreh’ and spent the night there. In the night, God appeared to Abraham in Shechem and promised him the land – Canaan to give him and his descendants.
ELIJAH 1 KING 17: 10-16;
Elijah had meal as a result of obedience and in continual communion with God who directed him to different sources of meal during the famine that ravaged the land. The widow of Zarephath took care of his feeding and benefited immensely from it.
ISRAELITES EXODUS 16: 19.
The Israelites were fed by God with heavenly meals of frost (manna) and quails. They were not fed based on merit but on God’s mercies. They fulfilled no concrete obedience but were only told not to keep them till the next morning except days before Sabbath when they were to pick double to care for the next day. Some of them disobeyed and faced the consequence of decayed bread and meat.
WIDOW OF ZAREPHATH 1KINGS 17: 10-16.
The widow at Zarephath enjoyed unlimited blessings of God through His Prophet Elijah when she obeyed in faith by SACRIFICING her last meal for the man of God. She was blessed endlessly as the Bible recorded“….and she went and did as Elijah said and she and he and her household ate for many days”.
Sub-Topic 4: WHY PROVISIONS WERE STOPPED JOSHUA 5: 11-12; 1 KING 4: 1-6.
The Israelites camped in Gilgal as they kept Passover on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening on the plains of Jericho. Two days after their camping, the provision of manna and quails stopped when they ate the produce of the land – unleavened cakes and parched grains.
EVALUATION
- Mention the four blessings God gave Abraham for his obedience.
- Narrate what made Elijah enjoy God’s supply.
- What part did the widow at Zarephath play in God’s provision to his children?
- The provision of manna and quails stopped, when, where and why?
GENERAL EVALUATION:
Objective Test:
- Elijah was from Tishbite in a. Galilee b. Gilead c. Gath d. Israel
- Elijah was fed by the raven in the brook of . a. Cherry b. Chile c. Gilead d. Cherith
- He was fed by the widow in a. Zarephath b. Zorro c. Zion d. Zaphenath
- The draught stayed for a period of years. a. One b. Two c. Three d. Four
- The complaint about food by the Israelites was in . a. Zin b. Sin c. Tabor d. Luz
- One of these is not a promise God gave Abraham for his obedience a. new land b. Great nation c. blesses those who bless him d. kill all his enemies
- took care of Elijah during the drought in the land. a. Eagle b. Widower c. Widow d. Angel
- The Israelites camped in as they observed the Passover in the plains of Jericho. a. Jericho
- Gilgal c. Gath d. Jerusalem
- The land of Canaan was promised Abraham by God in a. Shechem b. Jericho b. Jordan
- Egypt d. Dothan
- The Israelites kept the Passover on
Thirteen d. Fourteenth
ESSAY QUESTIONS:
- How was Elijah fed during the draught?
- How and with what did God feed the Israelites? day of the month. a. Eleventh b. Twelfth c.
Discuss briefly:
- Abraham
- Elijah
- Israel
- Widow of Zarephath
WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT:
- Trace the event that led to Elijah’s pronouncement of draught in Israel. (JUNE 2003 WASSCE. Q3a)
(b) What two lessons can be learnt from the action of Elijah? (JUNE 2003 WASSCE. Q3b)
- Why did Elijah pronounce draught in Israel and how did Ahab react to this?(AUGUST 1991 SSCE. Q2a)
- In what ways does this teaching apply to us? (AUGUST 1991 SSCE. Q2b)
PRE-READING ASSIGNMENT:
- Study about God’s requirements for effective provision and requirements fulfilled by these:
- Abraham ii. Elijah iii. Israelites
iv. Widow of Zarephath
- Read these texts on God’s protection: Exo. 14: 10-31; Dan. 6: 16-23; Ps. 91.
WEEKEND ACTIVITY:
- Read these passages in Joshua 5: 11-12 & 1 king 4: 1-6. Summarize why provisions are stopped.
- Read these texts on God’s protection: Exo. 14: 10-31; Dan. 6: 16-23; Ps. 91.
REFERENCE TEXTS:
- CRS for SS2 by L.O Udokporo et al; by Melrose Publishers.
- Fundamentals of CRK for SSS Book One/SSCE Section A by A.E. Osubele; Doves Publishers.
- Essential CRK for SSS by Edmond Okoli; Tonad Publishers Limited.
- Revised Standard Version Holy Bible (RSV); Bible Society
QUIZ QUESTIONS:
Results
GOOD
POOR
