2
The Temple is Destroyed
Aim
To become familiar with the story of the destruction of the Temple
by the Babylonians
To explore own experiences of loss.
Lesson
Begin by recapping what was taught in the previous week. Josiah was a good King, who kept God's laws. But the kings who came after him didn't love God and didn't keep His laws. They made the Temple into a very unholy place. God sent prophets again and again to warn the Kings, but they refused to listen.
Then, something terrible happened. About 580 BC, the city of Jerusalem was attacked by an enemy army, the Babylonians. They broke down the walls of the city. They stole all the gold and jewels and precious things from the Temple and they set it on fire. And they put all the people who lived in Jerusalem in chains and led them back to their own country to be slaves.
Activity
Following discussion, children could:
- write / talk about a time when something they loved was destroyed.
- read Psalm 137 or extracts from the book of Lamentations to find out how the Jewish people felt about the destruction of their Temple and their city.
- look out for contemporary news stories that feature exiled peoples.
- continue their Temple timeline.
