Setup:

1. Place the action figure/picture inside of the box. Wrap the box in the large bedsheet.

2. If you have the space, set up the camping tent and hold your meeting inside of it.

Lesson

1. Using the sheets generated during small group time, discuss a few of the items the children mentioned they saved for special occasions. Explain the following:

    We treat a lot of things special. They're usually the nicer things we own, and we're careful with them, and only use them on special days because we want to keep them nice.

    Our story today is going to focus on some things that are special and someone who is special.

2. Ask, "When we last talked about the Israelites, they were still wandering around in the desert. Who can give us a brief explanation of why?" Explain the following:

    Because they refused to trust God, the Israelites were punished. Instead of being able to enter the land God promised to them, they had to wander around in the desert for 40 years, led by their leaders, Moses and his brother Aaron.

    A while back, we talked about when Moses went up on the mountain while God taught him the rules he wanted the Israelites to follow. After teaching this to Moses, God wanted him to do something to remind the Israelites how holy he is.

    However, before we find out what God wanted Moses to do, let's talk a little bit about the word 'holy.'

3. Ask, "What do you think the word 'holy' means?" Allow a few children to respond, then explain the following: 

    When we say that God is holy, we mean a couple of things. First, he is perfect. He never, ever, ever does anything wrong. (Write 'perfect' on the chalk/wipe board.) And since he's the only one in the world who's perfect, this also makes him special. (Write 'special' on the board.) He needs to be treated differently because he's not a regular, ordinary being.

    So, now that we know what 'holy' means, let's continue our story. What was it that God wanted Moses to do to remind the Israelites how holy (perfect and special) he is? Well, there were three different things he wanted. Each of the three things begins with the letter P. (Write a large letter "P" on the board.) And each of these three P's are represent in this package here. Each one is inside the other, and we'll discover them as we take the package apart. (Hold out the box wrapped in the bedsheet.)

4. Select a child to come up front. Let him/her hold the package, but not open it. Ask him/her what they think the outermost part of the package is. Once he/she guesses that it is a bedsheet or blanket, ask the children, "What do you think this sheet represents? What would God want Moses to do with something like a sheet to remind the Israelites how holy, perfect and special, he is?" Allow a few children to guess, then explain the following:

    The first thing God wanted, and our first "P", is a special place. (Write "place" on the board.) God told Moses to build a big place especially for him. He gave Moses very specific plans on how to build it.

    Moses was to make the special place for God out of very special cloth. (Pull the sheet off of the box and hold the sheet for the children to see.) The cloth would be sewn together by the Israelites who were the best at sewing. By trying to make God's special place as perfect as possible, the Israelites would be reminded of how God is perfect and never does anything wrong.

    It would be held up by poles. Can you think of something we use today that's basically a cloth building held up by poles? If you guessed a tent, you'd be right! (If you set up the camping tent, you can reference it at this time.)

    God wanted his special place to be a tent so that the Israelites could pack it up and take it with them everywhere they went as they wandered in the desert. But this was no ordinary tent! It was probably the fanciest tent ever made. The tent was called the Tabernacle.

    It had special rooms inside of it for the Israelites to worship God. In fact, some of the rooms were so special that only special people could go inside them and only on special days of the year.

    It also had many special items inside of it. These items were made by the master craftsmen of Israel, and were used to worship God.

    So, the first thing God had Moses to do show the Israelites how holy, perfect and special, he was was to build a place for the Israelites to worship him. This place was called the Tabernacle. But what else did God want Moses to do?

5. Select a child to come up front. Let him/her hold the box, but not open it. Ask him/her what they think it is. Once he/she guesses that it is a special box, ask the children, "What do you think this box represents? What would God want Moses to do with something like a box to remind the Israelites how holy, perfect and special, he is?" Allow a few children to guess, then explain the following:

    The second thing God wanted, and our second "P", is a special package. (Write "package" on the board below "place.") God told Moses to build a very special, and very beautiful, box. This box would hold very special items, would go inside the tabernacle, and would represent God's holy presence with the Israelites. The box was called the Ark of the Covenant.

    The box we have here today is a pretty special looking box, but it's nothing compared to the Ark. First, the Ark was much longer, about 2.5 ft. wide, 2.5 ft. high, and 4 ft. long.

    The Ark was made of a very special wood, and then covered in the purest gold. On the edges were golden rings, two on each side. Long wooden poles were placed through the holes. Then, by picking up the poles, they could carry the Ark. They did this because the Ark was very special, and the people were instructed to never touch the Ark itself.

     On the top of the Ark they made two angels of gold facing each other. There wings were spread forward towards the other. The Ark was a very special and holy package.

    Inside this special package, they were instructed to place several things: the two stone tablets on which God had written the ten commandments, a golden jar containing some manna, and Aaron's staff, which God had used to perform many wonders and miracles for the Israelites.

    So, God had Moses first build him a special place to worship Him, called the Tabernacle. Then he asked for a special package, called the Ark of the Covenant, to be placed inside of the Tabernacle. It represent God's presence, and it was so special, no one was allowed to touch it. But what was the third thing God asked for?

6. Select a child to come up front. Let him/her open the box and pull out the action figure/paper cutout of a person. Ask him/her to tell everyone what it is. Ask the children, "What do you think this action figure/cutout represents? What would God want Moses to do with something like this to remind the Israelites how holy, perfect and special, he is?" Allow a few children to guess, then explain the following:

    Well, God had his special place, and his special package. The third thing he asked Moses for, and our third letter "P", was a special group of people. (Write "people" on the board below "package.")

    God wanted a special group of people who's job was to take care of and work in his special place, the Tabernacle. They would worship inside of the Tabernacle. They would present offerings to God, and take care of the lampstands. When they would enter the special places of the Tabernacle, they would wear very special clothing.

    When it came time for the Israelites to move in the desert, they would pack everything up and carry it. They would also pick up the special package, the Ark of the Covenant, by the wooden poles and carry it, being very careful not to touch it. And this special group of people were called priests.

    So, who did God pick to be his special people, the priests? We've met a lot of different people so far. There's Moses, Aaron, Joshua, and Caleb. Did he pick one of these guys or did he have someone else in mind? (Allow a few children to offer their guesses.)

    Well, in Exodus 28:1, God said to Moses, "Have Aaron your brother brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, so they may serve me as priests."

    God chose Aaron and he sons to be his special people, the priests, to serve in his special place, the Tabernacle, and take care of the special package, the Ark of the covenant.

    So, every time the Israelites saw the Tabernacle, the Ark, or the priests, they could think of how God is holy and perfect. And since he is holy and perfect, they chose to treat him very specially.