The Captives Came Home
Ezra 1-3
Continue the conversation throughout the week with your kids by asking them questions pertaining to the lesson from Sunday at Redemption Kids.
The questions asked below were asked on Sunday during our time at Redemption Kids. Take some time to read the passage together, discuss the questions, watch a BRAND NEW video of the lesson, memorize the Bible verse, and remember the big idea of this week!
Ask the Questions
Minis/Littles Discussion Questions
How long did God’s people live in Babylon? (70 years)
Who led the people back to their home in Jerusalem? (Zerubbabel)
What did the people start building when they got back to Judah? (the temple)
Why were some people sad and crying when the temple’s foundation was done? (They remembered what the first temple looked like.)
How is Jesus the perfect Prophet? God speaks to us through Jesus.
Bigs/Elementary Discussion Questions
Which king of Persia allowed God’s people to return to Israel? (King Cyrus, Ezra 1:1)
What did the priests build first when they got back to Israel? (the altar, Ezra 3:2)
Why were some of the older Israelites crying? (They remembered the first temple that had been destroyed, Ezra 3:12)
Why do you think God allowed His people to live in exile for 70 years?
Guide the kids to see that God takes sin seriously. He wanted to purify His people; to punish sin and bring new life to the people who truly wanted to follow Him. God wanted to give His children a chance to recognize their sin and turn back to Him. He used the exile to glorify Himself in foreign nations.
How can we know God loves us in difficult times?
Help kids understand that God’s love for us never changes. We don’t always understand why we face hard times but we can trust that God will never leave us. He will never stop loving us. Sometimes He allows us to experience pain so we can better understand how much we need Him. When we face hard times while relying on God, it glorifies Him and builds our faith.
The temple needed a strong foundation. What is the foundation of our lives?
Help kids see that our faith is built on Jesus’ sacrifice for us. We trust the Bible as God’s Word, and it tells us what is true about God and ourselves. With such a firm foundation, our lives can stand up to various trials.
Watch the Videos
Minis/Littles: The Captives Came Home
Bigs/Elementary: The Captives Came Home; Questions from Kids
Remember the 3 B’s
Big Picture Question: How is Jesus the perfect Prophet? Jesus perfectly reveals God the Father and fulfills what the prophets spoke.
Big Idea: God kept His promise to bring His people home.
Bible Verse to Memorize - For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11
Practice Catechism
Question: What is the law of God stated in the Ten Commandments?
Answer: You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below—you shall not bow down to them or worship them. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God. Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Honor your father and your mother. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not give false testimony. You shall not covet.
