Older Primary Lesson Plan: Judges 2–4;6–8;13–16

Opening Connection (Attention Grabber)

Bring a small flashlight (off) and a sticky note.

1. Put the sticky note over the flashlight lens so the light is blocked.
2. Ask: “Have you ever tried to do something good, but something got in the way, like a bad habit, a mean thought, or forgetting to pray?”
3. Turn on the flashlight (it’s dim/blocked). Say: “Sometimes when we make wrong choices, it can feel like our light is covered.”
4. Remove the sticky note so the light shines clearly. Say: “When we turn back to the Lord, He helps us again.”

Explain (simple and hopeful): This week in Judges, we see people who turned away, then cried to the Lord, and the Lord sent help. The Come, Follow Me lesson teaches: “each time this happened, the Lord gave His covenant people the chance to repent and raised up a deliverer” (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “May 25–31. ‘The Lord Raised Up a Deliverer’”).

Scripture Discovery (Interactive)

Scripture Pattern Hunt: “Did evil / Cried / Raised up a deliverer”

On the board write three phrases:

• did evil
• cried unto the Lord
• raised up a deliverer

Have children partner-read Judges 3:7–9 and listen for the pattern.

“And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves.” (Judges 3:7) “Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushan-rishathaim eight years.” (Judges 3:8) “And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.” (Judges 3:9)

Ask:

• “What did the people do first?”
• “What did they do when they were in trouble?”
• “What did the Lord do?”

Tell them: This pattern helps us remember that the Lord forgives and helps us as we turn back to Him (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “The Lord forgives as often as I repent”).

Core Gospel Principles

1. Jesus Christ is our Deliverer. The Come, Follow Me lesson says these stories “remind us that no matter what has led us away from Jesus Christ, He is the Redeemer of Israel and is always willing to deliver us and welcome us back as we return to Him” (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “May 25–31. ‘The Lord Raised Up a Deliverer’”).
2. My faith can help others have faith. Deborah’s faith helped others act with courage (Judges 4:1–15; Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “I can inspire others to have faith in the Lord”).
3. The Lord can use small things to do great work. Gideon’s army became smaller, and the Lord still delivered them (Judges 7; Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “The Lord can use small things to do great work”).

Interactive Learning Activities

Activity 1: “Flip-and-Find the Deliverer” (Game)

Type: Games Materials: Several pictures of people (magazine/printed), including a picture of Jesus; place them face down. Steps:

1. Children take turns flipping one picture at a time.
2. When they flip a picture that is not Jesus, ask: “Can this person save us from sin all by themselves?”
3. When they find the picture of Jesus, pause and sing “He Sent His Son” (Children’s Songbook, 34–35) as suggested in the bundle.
4. Briefly connect: “Judges talks about deliverers. Jesus Christ is the Deliverer who can deliver all of us.” Connection to scripture: Reinforces the deliverer pattern in Judges 3:7–9. Discuss:

• “What does a deliverer do?”
• “How does Jesus help us when we repent and come back to Him?” (Use the Come, Follow Me statement about Him delivering and welcoming us back.)

Activity 2: “Deborah’s Courage Scenes” (Role-Play & Acting)

Type: Role-Play & Acting Materials: Paper strips with simple prompts; optional scarf or paper “prophet” name tag. Prompts (examples):

• “Deborah tells Barak to be brave.”
• “Barak listens and gathers people.”
• “Someone feels scared but chooses faith.” Steps:

1. Read Judges 4:1–3 and ask children to describe how hard things were.
2. Read Judges 4:14 and have one child read the question out loud:

“And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out before thee?” (Judges 4:14)

3. Act out a short scene: Deborah encouraging, Barak choosing faith. Connection to scripture: Shows how one person’s faith can strengthen others (Judges 4:1–15; Come, Follow Me). Discuss:

• “What words from Deborah helped Barak?”
• “How can your faith help a friend at school or a sibling at home?”

Activity 3: “Small Army, Big Help” (Object Lesson)

Type: Object Lessons Materials: A cup/bowl of small items (beans, buttons, or paper dots), three cups labeled 32,000, 10,000, 300 (or just “Many,” “Fewer,” “Very Few”); a paper “trumpet” and paper “lamp” (simple cutouts). Steps:

1. Explain that Gideon started with a big group, but the Lord made it smaller.
2. Read why the Lord did that:

“And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.” (Judges 7:2)

3. Move a handful of items from “Many” to “Fewer” to “Very Few,” showing the idea of getting smaller.
4. Read what they carried:

“And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man’s hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.” (Judges 7:16)

5. Let children hold the paper trumpet/lamp and say together: “The Lord can use small things to do great work” (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “The Lord can use small things to do great work”). Discuss:

• “Why didn’t the Lord want them to think they saved themselves?” (Judges 7:2)
• “What ‘small thing’ can you do this week that the Lord can use for good?”

Life Application Bridge (To Their World)

Invite children to name one “small but powerful” act of faith:

• pray when you’re worried,
• tell the truth when it’s hard,
• be kind to someone left out,
• say something good about Jesus Christ (Come, Follow Me suggests learning “ways to do it,” tied to “We Talk of Christ,” Nov. 2020, Andersen, referenced in the bundle).

Connect back to the flashlight: “When we choose the Lord again, it’s like taking the cover off the light.”

Testimony Time (Gentle Sharing)

Ask: “Which story helped you feel the Lord can help His people, Othniel the deliverer (Judges 3:9), Deborah encouraging faith (Judges 4:14), or Gideon and the small army (Judges 7:2; 7:16)? Why?”

Bear a simple, reverent testimony using only the bundle’s teaching: Jesus Christ “is always willing to deliver us and welcome us back as we return to Him” (Come, Follow Me, For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, “May 25–31. ‘The Lord Raised Up a Deliverer’”).

Take-Home Challenge

Give each child a small paper “sticky note” reminder: “Cry unto the Lord” (from Judges 3:9). Challenge: One time this week, when you mess up or feel stuck, pray and ask Heavenly Father for help to turn back, and then do one small right thing the Lord would want you to do.

Teacher Tips

• Keep role-plays short (20–30 seconds each) and rotate quickly so many children participate.
• For shy children, let them be “scripture readers” or hold the “trumpet/lamp” cutouts instead of acting.