“July 4–10. 2 Kings 2–7: ‘There Is a Prophet in Israel,’” Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Old Testament 2022 (2021)
“July 4–10. 2 Kings 2–7,” Come, Follow Me—For Primary: 2022
Illustration of Elisha showing his servant the chariots of fire, © Review & Herald Publishing/licensed from goodsalt.com
July 4–10
2 Kings 2–7
“There Is a Prophet in Israel”
The activities in this outline are meant to spark your own creative ideas. Through prayerful study, you can receive inspiration to meet the needs of the children you teach.
Record Your Impressions
Invite Sharing
To encourage the children to share what they know about the prophet Elisha, invite them to draw a picture of something he did.
Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children
God can work miracles in my life.
Through the prophet Elisha, the Lord blessed many people in miraculous ways. Help the children recognize the Lord’s miracles in their lives.
Possible Activities
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Share one or more of the miracles recorded in 2 Kings 4–5 (see “Elisha the Prophet” and “Elisha Heals Naaman” in Old Testament Stories). Let the children share what they like about these stories. Invite them to retell the stories to each other.
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Testify that the Lord can use His power to do great things to help us. We call these things miracles. Share how the Lord has shown His love for you in ways that are large or small. Sing together a song about God’s love, such as “My Heavenly Father Loves Me” (Children’s Songbook, 228–29). Ask the children to share how they know Heavenly Father loves them.
I can choose to do what God commands through His prophet.
Naaman had a hard time obeying when the prophet Elisha told him how to be cured of leprosy. Ponder how you can help the children understand the blessings that come from being obedient.
Possible Activities
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Tell the story of Naaman (see 2 Kings 5:9–14; “Elisha Heals Naaman” in Old Testament Stories; see also the picture of Naaman in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families). Emphasize that at first Naaman did not want to wash in the Jordan River, even though Elisha told him that this would heal his disease. Tell about a time when you weren’t sure you wanted to do the right thing, and help the children think of their own examples. Then share how Naaman was blessed when he made the right choice.
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Read 2 Kings 5:13 to the children, and explain that Naaman’s servants helped him decide to obey the prophet Elisha. Help the children think of ways they could help their friends or family members listen to and obey the prophet.
The Lord is watching over me.
When Elisha’s servant saw the Syrian army surrounding them, he was very afraid. However, Elisha told him to “fear not” because the Lord was with them (2 Kings 6:16).
Possible Activities
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Read 2 Kings 6:15 to the children, or paraphrase it so they can understand. Invite the children to imagine they are surrounded by a large army with horses and chariots, as Elisha’s servant was. How would they feel? What would they do? Ask them to close their eyes while you read 2 Kings 6:16–17 to them. When you get to the words “open his eyes,” ask the children to open their eyes. Describe to them what the servant saw protecting him and Elisha. Share how you know the Lord is watching over us.
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Sing together a song about God’s care for us, such as the first verse of “Dearest Children, God Is Near You” (Hymns, no. 96). Replace words in the song with names of the children to emphasize that God is watching over them.
Teach the Doctrine: Older Children
God can work miracles in my life.
During his ministry, Elisha healed and blessed many people. How can the miracles in 2 Kings 4–5 help the children recognize Heavenly Father’s hand in their lives?
Possible Activities
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Invite the children to write on the board as many miracles as they can remember from the scriptures. Then give them time to review 2 Kings 4–5 and add to their list (see 2 Kings 4:1–7, 14–17, 32–35, 38–41, 42–44; 5:10–14). What do these miracles teach about how Heavenly Father feels about us?
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Ask the children to talk about what a miracle is. If they need help, they could review “Miracle” in Guide to the Scriptures (scriptures.ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Invite them to share some miracles that Jesus performed. Talk about how you have seen God’s power in your life. You might include daily miracles such as feelings of peace, the gift of daily life, or help with daily tasks. Invite the children to talk about miracles in their lives, both large and small.
I can choose to be faithful, humble, and obedient.
Naaman wanted to be healed of leprosy, but he wasn’t expecting the simple instruction Elisha gave him: “Go and wash in Jordan seven times” (2 Kings 5:10). Consider how you could use this story to teach the children about faith in Jesus Christ, humility, and obedience.
Possible Activities
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Write faith, humility, and obedience on the board, and ask the children what these words mean (see True to the Faith, 54–56, 86–87, 108–9). Invite the children to read 2 Kings 5:9–14. You could also show parts of the video “Naaman and Elisha” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). How did Naaman show faith in the Lord, humility, and obedience? Why is it important for us to have these qualities?
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Ask the children to tell about a time when a friend helped them choose the right. Also share an experience of your own. Read together 2 Kings 5:10–13 to learn how Naaman’s servants helped him choose to obey the prophet. What can we do to help each other follow our prophet today?
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Invite the children to complete the activity page and share with a family member or friend something they learned from the story of Naaman in 2 Kings 5:1–15.
I am not alone.
The children you teach may sometimes feel like the servant of Elisha—unsure of how to meet the challenges before them. You can use the account in 2 Kings 6:8–17 to teach them to “fear not” because the Lord has not left them alone.
Possible Activities
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Read together 2 Kings 6:15–17. Invite one of the children to pretend to be Elisha’s servant while the other children ask questions about his experience, such as how he felt when the Syrian army surrounded the city or what it was like to see the army of God. Talk with the children about times when they feel alone in trying to live the gospel. How does the Lord help us know that we are not alone?
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Sing a song about relying on the Lord, such as “When Faith Endures” (Hymns, no. 128). What does this song teach us about trusting in the Lord?
Encourage Learning at Home
Invite the children to share experiences with their families when they recognized God’s hand in their lives. Encourage them to ask their family members to share similar experiences.
Improving Our Teaching
Children learn in many ways. “Your efforts to teach children will be most effective as you use a variety of teaching methods,” including stories, visual aids, and music (Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 25).