Sabbath School January 7

Nature Corner: Fallen Trees

Fallen Tree photo #1567793 by Karl Lipschitz, courtesy of FreeImages.com

Have you ever walked in the woods and found a fallen tree?  It will someday become dirt, but how?  There are many bugs that will eat it and break it down.  There is fungus, too, that eats it up.  Soon, it will become so brittle it will break apart.  As the bugs and microorganisms eat it, it will become dirt.  Fallen trees remind me of the Bible verse, Genesis 3:19, which says, "For dust you are, and to dust you shall return."  Just like trees that fall and die become dirt, God said people become dirt, too, when they die.  Can dirt talk?  Can dirt think?  No.  The same is true of dead people.  Beware of anyone that claims to talk to dead people.  They are really talking to evil angels.

Memory Mastery: God's Special Book

We are still working on memorizing important facts about God's special book, the Bible.  Can you show your child a Bible while you listen along?  Then, try to answer the questions below.

• What's the name of God's special book?
• How many little books are in the Bible?
• What are the 2 big parts of the Bible called?
• Who helped each Bible writer to write his book?
• The Bible tells us the story of ___ from ___ until __________.
• Who will we see leading God's people in all the Bible stories?
• How can we have Jesus lead us in our daily lives?

Mission Helper: Church at School

Iustina and Thea are best friends in Ireland.  They go to the Adventist church on Saturdays.  At school, they get to tell others about the Sabbath.  Sometimes they go to the park with others from church and wear t-shirts that say, "Free Hugs."  Their church meets in a school right now.  Part of our 13th Sabbath offering will go to build a new church for Iustina and Thea.

Bible Story: The Last Days of Saul

Reference: 1 Samuel 28, 31

The Philistines wanted to attack Israel again, and King Saul was scared.  He wanted to know what to do, but God would not answer him through the priests and prophet Samuel was dead.  

The Philistines wanted to hurt Israel. King Saul was scared. Can you point to King Saul and the tents of the Philistines? Courtesy of Sweet Publishing and FreeBibleImages.org

​King Saul decided to ask a medium for help.  A medium is someone who works for Satan by calling Satan or his evil angels to pretend to be someone who has died.  God says, we should never ask a medium for help.  We should only pray to God for help.  

King Saul asked a woman who talks to evil angels what he should do. Shake your head, no! Courtesy of Sweet Publishing and FreeBibleImages.org

​"Who shall I call for you?" the medium lady asked King Saul.  "Please call Samuel," he said.  Then, an evil angel appeared and pretended to be Prophet Samuel.  The evil angel said to Saul, "You and your sons will go to battle with the Philistines and you will all die."  King Saul was even more scared now.  

The evil angel pretended to be the dead prophet Samuel. The evil angel told Saul he would die in battle. Can you put both fists together like a battle? We should never try to talk to dead people. Courtesy of Sweet Publishing and FreeBibleImages.org

​The next day, Israel battled with the Philistines and King Saul and his sons died.  How sad that King Saul did not wait to seek help from God!  How sad that he wanted to listen to the devil!

Our prayer verse is Ecclesiastes 9:5, which says, "For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing."  Dead people are in their graves sleeping.  They cannot hear, they cannot talk, they do not wake up until Jesus calls them at the end of time.  We stay far away from mediums, witches and wizards who work for the devil.  We only pray to God for help.

Dear Father God, I know the dead cannot hear anything.  I will pray only to You.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.