📖

By the Rivers of Babylon

Exile: Consequences of Sin

Day 78of 180
Week 16of 36
25Minutes
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🖨️ Download Worksheet (PDF)
🎯 What You'll Learn

Learning Objectives

1

Understand the emotional impact of exile on the Jewish people

2

Analyze Psalm 137 and identify the feelings expressed by the exiles

3

Develop empathy for people experiencing displacement and loss

📖 Scripture Connection

Psalm 137:1-2

“By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down. Yes, we wept, when we remembered Zion. On the willows in the middle of it, we hung up our harps.”

— Psalm 137:1-2 (WEB)

Demonstrates the deep emotional pain and spiritual struggle of God's people during exile

📦 Materials Needed

  • Bible (World English Bible)
  • Blue construction paper
  • Colored pencils or markers
  • BibleMouse Printables Library worksheet
  • Exile timeline (from BibleMouse Resource Guide)
📚 Step-by-Step

Lesson Plan

1Opening (3 min)

Imagine being far from home, missing everything familiar. Today's BibleMouse lesson explores how God's people felt when they were taken far away from their homeland.

💭 Review Question: What happened to Jerusalem in our last lesson?
2Teaching (8 min)

In our BibleMouse curriculum, we're learning about the difficult time when God's people were taken to Babylon. Psalm 137 shows us their deep sadness.

📌 Key Talking Points:
  • The Jewish people were forced to leave their home
  • They were sad and missed Jerusalem
  • They struggled to worship God in a foreign land
💬 Discussion Questions:
  • How would you feel if you had to leave your home?
  • Why do you think the people hung up their harps?
3Activity: Rivers of Emotion Art (10 min)
poetry analysis

Create a visual representation of Psalm 137, showing the emotions of the exiles

📝 Instructions:
  1. Draw a river on blue construction paper
  2. Add willows (trees) beside the river
  3. Draw people sitting by the river looking sad
  4. Write one emotion you see in the psalm on your artwork
🔄 Variations:

Simpler: Trace a pre-drawn river and add stickers

Challenge: Write a short poem expressing the feelings in Psalm 137

4Closing (3 min)

Review the lesson and connect to God's faithfulness

📝 Review Questions:
  • What did the people do with their harps?
  • How do you think God felt about His people?
🙏 Prayer:

Dear God, help us remember that You are with us even when things are difficult.

Coming up: Tomorrow we'll learn why the exile happened

💎 Memory Verse

2 Chronicles 7:14

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

— 2 Chronicles 7:14 (WEB)

🎯 Activity: River of Remembrance: Create a paper river and write each word of the memory verse on a 'stone', placing stones along the river as you memorize

👨‍👩‍👧 For Parents

Teaching Notes

📚 Background:

Exile was a profound moment of spiritual discipline and restoration in Israel's history

💡 Teaching Tips:
  • Use a gentle tone when discussing difficult topics
  • Encourage empathy and emotional understanding
  • Connect the historical lesson to modern experiences of displacement
🤔 Common Struggles:

Children may find it hard to understand complex emotions of loss and separation

👀 Signs of Understanding:

Compassionate responses, ability to identify emotions in the psalm

🚀 Want More?

Extension Activities

  • Listen to BibleMouse Song Collection tracks about God's faithfulness
  • Read a children's book about exile from BibleMouse Read-Aloud Library
  • Create a prayer journal for people experiencing hardship

Ready for Tomorrow?

Great job completing today's lesson!

Continue to Day 79 →Back to Bible