Transcript Unit 1 – Do We Nourish God’s Gift of Faith

6th Grade Religion
Chapter One
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What are ways that you discover new ideas or
gather new information?
How do you use your senses to help you gain
information?
How does your own experience help you to
learn about yourself and the world?
How does the experience of other people
help you to learn things?
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REASON – our natural ability to reach sound
conclusions
Through our gift of reason we conclude God
is our creator:
◦ The universe did not make itself
◦ The universe has a maker
◦ We believe the maker of the universe is God
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St. Paul said the human mind can find God “in
what he has made” (Romans 1:20).
How can we find God? List examples.
These natural means are limited. To fully
know God, he has to tell us about himself.
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Homework Reflection:
◦ How have God’s creations allowed us to get to know
something about God’s power, beauty, loving
kindness, and generosity.
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What do you do when you meet a new
classmate?
God wants us to have a close friendship with
him, to reveal himself: “to make known”
Divine Revelation – God’s making himself
known to us
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God revealed himself gradually:
◦ Creation of the first humans
◦ His interactions with the ancient Israelites and
Jewish people
◦ Through the Bible
◦ Through Jesus Christ
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God’s revelation is full and complete in his
son, Jesus Christ
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By sending his Son, Jesus, God tells us what
we need to know about himself.
“No one has ever seen God. The only Son,
God, who is at the Father’s side, has revealed
him” (John 1:18)
Blessed Trinity – God the Father, God the Son
and God the Holy Spirit; the three persons in
the one God
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Quick Check
What is the special term we use to talk about
God revealing himself to us?
How has God revealed himself to us?
Chapter Two
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The BIBLE is the recorded history of God and
his people
Each book in the bible connects in a special
way with the COVENANT, or special
agreement between God and his people
THE BOOK OF GENESIS (beginning) is the first
book in the bible
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Genesis contains stories describing the
beginning of God’s relationship with
humanity:
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Not necessarily factual
Tells actual religious truths
Vivid descriptions
Simple plots
Not many characters
Easy for people to understand
Easy to remember and pass down
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Biblical writers used symbols to tell their
stories.
◦ Give the story deeper meaning
◦ Make the story more realistic
◦ Symbols express ideas and beliefs about God
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Scientific theory does not contradict religion:
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Science helps us understand our universe
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Religion enables us to believe in a God who
created all things out of his goodness
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Scientists have many theories about how and
when the universe came into being
Scripture and Tradition reveal to us who
created the universe, why it was created, and
where it is heading
Book of Genesis contains two stories of
creation; both acknowledge God as creator
◦ Religious Truth: All creation is good and depends
on God
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First story, Genesis 1:1-2:4
Beautiful and imaginative story
Simple yet poetic language
“Day” does not mean 24 hours
Biblical writers show God creating the universe in 6
days, because that was the normal Israeli workweek
◦ Not a scientific study of creation
◦ Not an exact recording of God’s work in a certain
time frame
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Genesis reveals the truth about creation:
◦ Everything is created by God
◦ Everything depends on God
◦ Everything that God created is GOOD
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Genesis helps us know some of God’s
attributes, or characteristics
God is unique – God is the one true God
◦ Personal God, not an object or an idea
◦ Ancient peoples believed in many Gods; some of
them lifeless objects
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God is eternal – always was and always will
be. God is not part of creation; God is
changeless and timeless
God is all powerful – God is perfect; God
makes no mistakes, unlike the gods of
ancient people who made mistakes and
sometimes failed
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God is all knowing – knows the past, present
and future; yet this knowledge never keeps
people from choosing and acting freely
God is ever present – God is everywhere at all
times; unlike ancient gods who are described
as travelling from place to place
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Genesis tells us that only human beings were
created in the image and likeness of God:
◦ Each person uniquely reflects God and is called to
friendship with him
◦ Only humans can love and think
◦ Only humans know the difference between right
and wrong and have responsibility
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Each of us is a unique person who possesses
human dignity, the value and worth that
comes from being made in God’s image and
likeness
God gave us free will, the freedom and ability
to choose
God gave us conscience, the ability to know
the difference between good and evil.
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Being made in God’s image is a serious
responsibility
◦ We are called to respect and care for all God has
given us
◦ Since God has given us the freedom to think and
choose, we must choose our actions carefully
Chapter Three
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What are some things that human beings do
that other creatures cannot do?
In the second Genesis story, Genesis 2:5-25,
God created humans before he created plants
and other creatures. (Read account)
But the accounts agree:
◦ God is the creator
◦ Both emphasize that humanity is the highpoint of
creation
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Human bodies have the same elements as the
rest of the universe
The breath of life from God is our immortal soul,
which distinguishes us from God’s other
creations
Each person is a union of body and soul
Soul – the invisible spiritual reality that makes
each of us human and that will never die
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God’s creation of woman from the rib of man
symbolizes:
◦ That females and males share the same
human dignity and are equals
◦ That all humans are united to one another
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Read pgs. 44-45
What is the status of humanity in the process
of creation?
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What are some things you do each day to
show you care for God’s creations?
So what happened after God created the first
humans?
◦ God allowed humans to partner with him and one
another in continuing his work of creation
◦ God asked humans to be responsible for the Earth
and all the living things in it
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Symbolism
◦ The Garden of Eden – a symbol of total happiness in
the presence of God
◦ God allowed humans to name the animals – a
symbol of our authority over all animals
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Steward
◦ A person given authority over what he/she cares for
◦ A person given responsibility for seeing that it lives
and grows
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What specific things can you do? Fill in page
47.
Feast of St. Francis of Assisi – October 4th
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Read pgs. 46-47
How do humans share in God’s creation?
How did the biblical writers show that we are
called to be caretakers of creation?
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What is your opinion about the Adam and Eve
story? Why were they banished?
The story is filled with symbols!
◦ Garden – perfect happiness and harmony with God,
one another and all creation
◦ The warning – friendship with God depends on
complete trust in God and on following his will
◦ The serpent – represents the devil
◦ Eating the fruit – choice, because of free will we can
make choices that lead to good or evil
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Humanity chose to turn away from God
God created humans to live in harmony with
God, with one another, and with all creation
Humanity was warned about death
All creatures depend on God and must
respect their limitations
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By their own actions:
◦ Humans broke their friendship with God
◦ Pain, sorrow and death entered into human life
◦ Weakened our human nature
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Read pgs. 48-49.
Complete Chapter 3 handout regarding
symbols.
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How might you damage a relationship with a
friend or a family member?
The role of selfishness – humans did what
they wanted rather than what God
commanded
Sin – a thought, word, deed or omission
against God’s law
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When the first humans sinned, they lost:
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Innocence
Holiness
Justice
Harmony with God, one another, and all creation
Original Sin – the first sin that weakened human
nature and brought ignorance, suffering and
death into the world
We are all born with a weakened human nature
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God did not abandon humanity after they
turned away from him.
God showed us his mercy by a promise that
humanity would one day be rescued from the
evil of sin.
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Jesus was born free from all sin, including
original sin
Mary was also free from original sin from
conception, and never sinned through out her
life
We call this the Immaculate Conception,
celebrated on December 8th.
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Read pgs. 50-51. Study, Chapter test on
Thursday.
Chapter Four
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Original sin separated humans from God and
gave us the tendency to sin
To undo the effects of original sin, humans
needed God’s help
God promised to send a Savior, someone who
would come to free humanity from sin and
restore their friendship with God
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Old Testament, Book of Isaiah, describes
Jesus as the “suffering servant”:
“Through his suffering, my servant shall justify
many, and their guilt he shall bear”
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The stories of Jesus, the savior, are told in the
four gospels
Gospels – the good news about God at work
in Jesus Christ
Written by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
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Find the definition of “grace” on page 57.
What are the seven sacraments?
Give examples of how the sacraments truly
bring about, or effect, what they represent.
Read and take notes on pages 58-59
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One of the worst effects of original sin was
murder, as told in the story of Cain and Abel
Cain, a farmer and Abel, a shepherd, were
sons of Adam and Eve
“the Lord looked with favor on Abel and his
offering, but on Cain and his offering, he did
not”
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Cain kills Able because he could not rise
above his anger
“Am I my brother’s keeper?”
Catholic teaching says YES! Differences
(racial, social, economic) should not be
allowed to cause conflict between us
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Cain is banished from his home. Cain fears he
will be killed without God’s protection
God put a “mark” on Cain. Although he killed
his brother, God would still protect him
In this terrible circumstance, God still shows
great love for Cain
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Four levels the story can be understood:
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Sacredness of human life
Separation of human beings
Respect for others and for life
Healing power of God’s love
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What does the biblical author want us to
realize through the rejection of Cain’s gift?
Read and take notes on pages 60-61: Answer
the following:
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Why was God displeased with humanity?
What covenant did God make with Noah?
What religious truths are in the story?
What was the symbolism of the rainbow? The ark?
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God was displeased with humanity because they
were not faithful stewards so he sent the great
flood
After the flood, God made a covenant with Noah
that he would not send another flood to destroy
the Earth
Religious truths:
◦ God’s forgiveness and love, with humanity’s goodness,
can overcome evil
◦ All people are called to friendship with God
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Christian Symbolism in The Flood
◦ Ark – represents both God’s love and the Church
◦ Rainbow – sign of God’s covenant with Noah and all
humanity
◦ Flood – the waters of baptism, brining us to new life
just as Noah was brought to a new life
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Read 62-63. Take notes and answer these
questions:
◦ What does the story of the tower of Babel
symbolize?
◦ Why was the tower named Babel?
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The story of the tower of Babel is very
symbolic, last story in Genesis.
All people spoke the same language
symbolizes that all humans were related
God’s plan involved people spreading to all
parts of the Earth, but humanity feared this
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They build a tower (ziggurat), representing
humanity’s lack of trust in God and resistance
to his plan
In the story, God confuses their language.
People can no longer understand each other
The Tower was called Babel, symbolizing
humanity’s inability to communicate
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Inability to understand each other leads to
misunderstanding, suspicion and mistrust
Humanity loses its unity and breaks up into
rival groups
As story closes, populating Earth continues as
God planned; people now speak many
languages and spread across the globe
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Complete Chapter Review on pg. 64. Test on
Tuesday.
Chapter Five
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Patriarch – a father, or founder, of a clan, a
group of related families
Matriarch – mother, important women in the
family
During The Age of Patriarchs God formed his
people
Patriarchs in Old Testament – Abraham, Isaac,
Jacob and Joseph
Matriarchs in Old Testament – Sarah, Rebekah
and Rachel
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Lifestyle of the p/m
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Lived in tents
Raised flocks
Roamed through Canaan
Grew food crops
Traded with others
The Canaanites spoke a similar language and
treated each other as distant cousins
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Faith – a gift from God that enables us to
believe in Him and accept all the He has
revealed
Our ancestors in faith because:
◦ They relied on God and followed his commands
◦ They learned what it meant to be part of God’s
family
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God calls Abram and tells him to leave his
homeland with Sarai, his wife, and go to
Canaan
Canaan will become the Promised Land, an
area in Western Palestine that includes most
of present day Israel
Abram is 75 and Sarai could not have
children, yet God chooses them to start his
people
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Abram is the most important Old Testament
model of faith
◦ Trusted God completely
◦ Responded when God called
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God tests Abram and Sarai and they remain
faithful.
God makes a covenant with them
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Covenant with Abram and Sarai
◦ They will remain faithful to the one true God
◦ God will grant them a son, and make their
descendants His chosen people
◦ To indicate the beginning of a new life as a new
people, God changes their names to Abraham and
Sarah
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Abraham and Sarah have a son, Isaac
God tests Abraham again, asking for him to
sacrifice his son
Abraham does as God asks, showing us that
God calls us to trust in him completely
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What does Abraham’s journey symbolize for
us?
Why were Abram and Sarai an unlikely choice
to begin God’s people?
What were the terms of the covenant that God
made with Abraham?
What does the story of Abraham’s willingness
to sacrifice his son Isaac teach us?
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Abraham dies, Isaac becomes patriarch
Isaac marries Rebekah and has twin sons,
Esau (older) and Jacob (younger)
Which inherits the position of patriarch?
God told Rebekah that Jacob should inherit,
even though he was younger
The story of Jacob is a story of conflicts
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Jacob tricks Esau into selling him his
birthright for a bowl of stew
Birthright is the natural right to inherit the
father’s property
Jacob and Rebekah then trick Isaac, who is
now blind, into giving him Esau’s blessing
Isaac and Esau find out they are tricked, and
vow revenge on Jacob
Rebekah helps Jacob flee to Haran
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Jacob is determined, which helps him live out
the covenant.
He is successful in Haran, marries and has
many children
After 20 years, he returns to Canaan and
reconciles with his brother and father
God changes Jacob’s name to Israel, a
symbolic way to show that God’s people had
grown to the point that they could actually be
distinguished by name
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What quality of Jacob’s enable him to live out
the covenant?
What promise did God make to Jacob?
What is the significance of God’s changing
Jacob’s name to Israel?
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Joseph, last of the OT patriarchs, a story
about the way God’s will is achieved
God’s will in this story – find a temporary
home for the Israelites
Providence – God’s plan for and protection os
all creation
In the story of Joseph, God’s providence was
symbolized by the fulfillment of dreams
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Joseph is the favorite of Jacob’s 12 sons
Jacob gives Joseph a long colorful robe; his
brothers are jealous
Joseph has dreams that tell him he will rule
over his brothers; his brothers are unhappy
Brothers sell Joseph to merchants, who sell
his as a slave to the Pharaoh (King of Egypt)
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Joseph ends up in prison in Egypt and
discovers he can interpret dreams
Comes to the attention of the Pharaoh, who
has been having odd dreams.
Joseph tells the Pharaoh his dream means
that there will be a period of great
abundance, followed by a great famine.
During the time of great abundance, Joseph
helps Egypt prepare for the famine
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Famine strikes in Canaan as well
Joseph’s father and brother come to Egypt
because they hear they have food
Brothers do not recognize Joseph, and bow
down to him
Joseph’s original dream comes true
Joseph is reconciled with his brothers, whole
family moves to Egypt
God’s people find a temporary home in Egypt
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Why did Joseph’s brothers hate him?
In Joseph’s story, what did the fulfillment of
dreams symbolize?
In Joseph’s story what was God’s plan?
Complete Review on page 76. Chapter Test
on Tuesday.
Chapter 6
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Liturgy – the official public prayer of the
Church
Includes
◦ Celebration of the Eucharist, or Mass
◦ Liturgy of the Hours
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Church year is called the liturgical year since
we celebrate the entire mystery of Christ’s life
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During this annual cycle of seasons we
celebrate Christ’s:
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birth
younger years
Public ministry
Suffering, death and Resurrection
We also venerate (show devotion to) Mary
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Advent –
Begins the liturgical year
Late November or early December
Time of joyful preparation for the second coming
We await the celebration of the first coming of
Christ at Christmas
◦ Color - Purple
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Christmas
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Begins on Christmas Day
Varies between 22 and 28 days
Celebrate that God is with us always
Color - White
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Lent
◦ Begins on Ash Wednesday, 40 days
◦ Time of prayer, fasting and penance
◦ Color - purple
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Triduum
Greatest and most important church celebration
Triduum means “three days”
Holy Thursday evening to Easter Sunday evening
Remember Christ’s suffering, death and
Resurrection
◦ Color – White or Gold on Holy Thursday and Easter
Vigil, Red on Good Friday
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Easter
◦ Begins on Easter Sunday evening until Pentecost
Sunday, 50 days later
◦ Rejoice in Jesus’ Resurrection
◦ Color - White
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Ordinary Time
◦ Two parts
 Between Christmas and Lent
 Between Easter and Advent
◦ Celebrate the life and teachings of Jesus
◦ Color - green
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Our liturgical feasts reflect the cycle of nature
◦ Spring equinox makes day and night equal length
everywhere in the world
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Easter Sunday follows the full moon after the
spring equinox
Always falls between March 22 and April 25
Fix the date for Easter, go back 6 weeks to
set lent, go forward seven weeks to set
Pentecost
Chapter 7
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Lasts thirty three to thirty four weeks
Called “ordinary” because the weeks are
ordered, or numbered
Celebrated twice during the Liturgical year
◦ First part begins in early January and lasts until the
Tuesday before Ash Wednesday
◦ Second part begins after Pentecost Sunday and lasts
until the evening before the fist Sunday of Advent
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Jewish calendar Saturday is the Sabbath
The last day of the week, rest as God rested
during creation story
Observed from sundown on Friday to
sundown on Saturday
Early Christians kept the Sabbath as a day of
worship, but gradually changed to Sunday
Since Christ rose on a Sunday, Sunday
became the Christian Sabbath
Christians called it “the Lord’s Day.”
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Three very important Sundays
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Trinity Sunday
◦ First Sunday after Pentecost in the second part of
Ordinary Time
◦ Celebration of the Blessed Trinity
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Corpus Christi Sunday
◦ Sunday after Trinity Sunday
◦ Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ, celebrate the
presence of Christ in the Eucharist
◦ Processions
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Christ the King
◦ Last Sunday in Ordinary Time
◦ Rejoice that Christ is the King of the universe,
saving us from evil and bringing us new life
Chapter 13
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Advent means “coming”.
◦ We hope for Christ’s coming in the future
◦ We celebrate His presence here today in the
Eucharist
◦ We wait with joyful expectation to celebrate his
coming into the world over 2000 years ago
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Color violet symbolizes waiting and penance
◦ We celebrate the sacrament of Reconciliation to
prepare for the coming of Christ
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Reading during Advent feature the prophet
Isaiah
Express the longings of the people of Israel
for the Messiah, one of peace who will be a
just king and bring freedom
Emmanuel – “With us is God”
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Isaiah used images to show people that the
coming Messiah would bring peace
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Wolf as the guest of a lamb
Cow and bear as neighbors
Lion eating hay like an ox
Baby playing safely by a cobra’s den
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Early in Advent we hear from John the Baptist,
a New Testament prophet
All gospels describe John using the prophet
Isaiah’s words, “A voice of one crying out in
the desert: “Prepare the way of the Lord!”
John, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes
away the sins of the world.”
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A family tree that shows Jesus’ ancestry.
God promises Israel that the glory they had
under King David would be theirs again
The Jesse Tree links Jesus to the ancestry of
David, fulfilling God’s promise.
6th Grade Religion
Chapter 8
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All of Israel’s sons settled in Egypt and were
guests of the pharaoh
Israel’s family was given fertile land in a part
of northern Egypt called Goshen
At this time, Egypt was divided into 2
kingdoms
◦ Southern part ruled by Egyptian kings
◦ Northern part ruled by people who came from
regions east of Egypt
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Egypt gained control of the northern kingdom
Two Kings, who were brothers, unite Egypt
and drive away people from foreign countries
New Kingdom of Egypt, period of tremendous
wealth and power in Egypt
The pharaoh who welcomed Israel’s family
dies
The new pharaoh thought the Israelites were
too numerous and feared them
The Egyptians eventually enslaved the
Israelites
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New pharaoh forces Israelites to build
monuments, work long hours and kept them
from freely worshipping the one true God
Slavery devalues peoples human dignity and
takes away their freedom
Most countries have laws against slavery and
forced labor
Social Justice – need to protect workers, just
wage, safe working conditions
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In the book of Exodus we learn what
happened to Jacob’s descendants in Egypt.
Exodus means “departure” the biblical word
describing Israelites departure from slavery to
freedom
Israelites are also called the Chosen People or
Hebrews
Pharaoh was upset that the Hebrew
population was still increasing
Decrees that all new born sons of the
Hebrews be killed or thrown in the river
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One Hebrew mother saves her son by placing
him in a basket and floating him down the
river to be found by the pharaoh’s daughter
Pharaoh’s daughter names him Moses and
raises him as an Egyptian
Symbols:
◦ Hebrew word for basket and ark
◦ Moses saved in a basket, Noah saved in an ark
◦ Water – we are saved by the waters of baptism
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Moses grows up in Midian in the pharaoh’s
house
He witnesses an Egyptian soldier beating a
slave, intercedes and ends up killing the
soldier
Afraid to be put to death, he flees to the
desert region outside of Egypt
Marries, has a family, becomes a shepard
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At the Burning Bush
◦ God reveals himself to Moses
◦ Tells Moses to go back to Egypt and free the
Israelites
◦ Asks Moses to tell the Israelites that the God of
their fathers will lead them out of Egypt
◦ Calls himself “I AM”, source of the name “Yahweh”
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Moses takes his brother Aaron and returns to
Egypt
He’s been away for many years, takes a while
to convince the Israelites of God’s message
Goes to the pharaoh and says, “Let my people
go.”
Pharaoh refuses, and makes life harder for
the Israelite slaves
Israelites blame their hardship on Moses
God promises to help, sends the plagues
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Represents the power of God:
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River of Blood
Frogs
Gnats
Flies
Disease
Boils
Hail
Locus
Darkness
Death of the First Born
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Moses and Aaron show he pharaoh the power
of God through the plagues, but he refuses to
let the Israelites leave
Great struggle between pharaoh and God,
symbolized by the plagues
After the ninth plague, God promises Moses
that the pharaoh will drive the Israelites away
with the tenth
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God tells Moses to have the Israelites prepare
for their escape from Egypt
Mark their doorframes with the blood of a
lamb
Prepare unleavened bread (made without
yeast), no time to wait for it to rise.
Symbolized their rush to escape
At midnight, God “passed over” the land,
killing the first born of all but the Israelites
Pharaoh’s son dies
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Passover – God passed over, or spared, his
people from the final plague
◦ Jews remember this night each year, celebrate with
a Seder to recall God’s promise to bring them out of
slavery
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Pharaoh tells Moses that the Israelites should
leave immediately. Exodus is underway!
God leads them by a column of cloud and fire
towards the Red Sea
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Pharaoh has a change of heart, sends army
after Moses and his people
At the Red Sea, God parts the waves and the
Israelites pass through safely
The Egyptian army tries to follow, and God
causes the seas to close in around them
Waters of the Red Sea symbolizes the saving
waters of our Baptism
Chapter 9
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The journey out of Egypt towards Canaan
started in joy, Miriam, Moses and Aaron led
the Israelites in praise to God
They journeyed through the Sinai Peninsula,
triangle of land that connected northeastern
Egypt with southern Palestine and
northwestern Arabia
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Moses, with God’s help, was leading the
Israelites to Mount Sinai in the rocky southern
part of the peninsula
The journey was difficult, and the Israelites
sometimes doubted God’s plan
God demonstrated his faithfulness to his
people by performing miracles – an
extraordinary event that is beyond human
power and brought about by God
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God showed his faithfulness to the Israelites
while they journeyed through the wilderness
through miracles
◦ Providing drinkable water where there was none
◦ Providing quail, small bird, for meat
◦ Providing manna, a sweet bread-like food
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Throughout their journey in the wilderness,
the Israelites learned to trust in God
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The Israelites were set apart from other
people because they were God’s people,
consecrated to him in a special way
Moses goes up to Mt. Sinai and God gives him
the Ten Commandments, the laws of God’s
covenant
The first three commandments deal with
loving God, the remaining seven deal with
loving others
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Symbolism
◦ Twelve – 12 stone pillars symbolize the 12 tribes of
Israel and the 12 apostles
◦ Blood – Moses seals the covenant with God by
shedding bulls blood, Jesus shed his blood on the
cross to seal the new covenant
◦ Forty – number of days it rained in Noah, number of
days Moses spent praying on Mt. Sinai, number of
days Jesus fasted in the desert
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We celebrate the new covenant between God
and his people at every Mass
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On Mt. Sinai the first time God gives Moses
two tablets with the 10 commandments
God gave instructions on how to worship
while they were travelling – portable, they had
further to go
Moses was away so long the people gave up
on him, so they had Aaron build them a gold
calf which they prayed to as their (false) god
When Moses returns he was annoyed because
they had turned away from God, breaks the
commandments and punishes the people
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Moses returns once more to God on top of
Mt. Sinai, writes down the commandments
again, prays for 40 days
When he returns his face was so bright
because he had seen the face of God that the
Israelites could not look upon it
They build the “dwelling place”
◦ Meeting tent – like a portable chapel
◦ Ark of the Covenant – held the tablets, placed under
the tent
◦ Altars, furniture and vestments for priests
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They placed the tablets into the ark after
finishing the dwelling place
Biblical writers symbolized God’s entering the
dwelling place by thunder and lightning that
appeared over the tent
The Israelites were comforted by the visible
reminder of God’s presence
The tabernacle is like the ark of the covenant
because they are both sign’s of God’s
presence, but Christ is really present in the
Eucharist, not a symbol
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Journey from Egypt to Canaan took 40 years
Story told in the Book of Numbers, 4th book
of the Bible
The Hebrew name for this book means “in the
desert”, the English name refers to the census
that took place during this time
God’s presence was made know by a cloud,
that was fiery at night and guided them
through the desert
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God looked after the Israelites on the journey
even when they complained by giving them:
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Food
Success in battle when they followed his commands
Removal of piousness snakes when they repented
A bronze serpent as a symbol of God’s help and
forgiveness
On the Plains of Moah, just before entering
Canaan, Moses dies, and Joshua becomes the
new leader
Chapter 10
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Theme of the Book of Deuteronomy is that
God’s people must love him and be obedient
to him when they reach the promised land
Moses instructs them to “Love God with all
your heart, soul and strength” known as
Shema prayer
Moses tells them to be mindful of this always
Still part of Jewish tradition today, the
mezuzah
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The theme of the Book of Joshua is the arrival
into Canaan
Joshua lead the Israelites into the promised
land
The Israelites sometimes had to struggle with
the Canaanites
Fall of Jericho – Israelites succeeded because
they followed God’s plan
Biblical writers used this story to show that
the Israelites believed God was with them
always
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After conquering Canaan, they divided the
land among the 12 sons of Jacob by casting
lots
The Israelites believed that the outcome of
the lots was an expression of God’s will
They also believed that land was a gift from
God, and only God could take it from them
After dividing the land, they met at Shechem,
a religious shrine, and thanked God
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Book of Judges tells the story of the
settlement in Canaan
Theme of the Book of Judges calls attention
to a pattern:
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Israelites turn away from God
God allows others to take their land
They call out for Gods help
God sends a judge (military leader, not court officer
Judge defeats the enemy and rules as God aked
This pattern teaches God’s people top keep
their part of the covenant
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Deborah was one of the earliest judges, and
reminded the Israelites to keep the covenant
Israelites began to worship false gods and
lost land to the Canaanite king
Deborah tells commander Barak to gather his
troops at Mt. Tabor and promises God will
provide a great victory. He does
Through Deborah’s firm faith and God’s
actions the land was again free of enemies
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Israelites again turn from God and find
themselves under the rule of the Philistines
God sends a special judge, Samson, who was
a Nazirite, someone consecrated to God and
made special vows, including never to cut his
hair
Samson had great strength, a gift from God
As long as Samson kept his vows, God would
keep him strong
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Instead of using his strength for God, Samson
uses it to avenge the murder of his family
He loses his strength, but when he asks God
for help, God gives him back his strength
God turned Samson's defeat into the
beginning of the downfall of the Philistines
The Israelites once again were victorious
against those who tried to defeat them
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The theme of the Book of Ruth is that even in
difficult times people can faithfully live out
the covenant
Song of Ruth
Ruth stays with Naomi even after the death of
her husband and shows devotion to her
mother-in-law
Boaz and Ruth marry, have a son named
Obed, who was the father of Jesse, the father
of David.