Unfolding God’s Story for TeachersFor the full story of Samson, read Judges 13-16. Most gravestones are inscribed with the dates of the person’s birth and death. In between those dates, in many instances, is a dash. That little dash represents a person’s whole life—his or her legacy. Each individual chooses what the dash will represent with regard to his or her own life and influence. It can stand for a life of holiness lived under the Lordship of Christ, or one centered in the flesh. What will your “dash” represent? Learning about Samson’s choices can help each of us make better ones and hopefully improve the quality of the “dashes” that one day will represent our own lives. Our story begins with the nation of Israel and an Israelite couple bound in darkness and distress. Israel’s darkness was the result of their disobedience to God and their subsequently being oppressed by the Philistines. The couple’s distress was her barrenness. Both were in need of God’s help, and God’s response to the couple also would help Israel. That help came in the form of a promised child. God works all things for His glory. An angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and told her she would conceive and give birth to a son. He told her to avoid strong drink and unclean food. He also said the boy would be a Nazirite and that He would “begin to save Israel from the power of the Philistines” (Jud. 13:5; also see Num. 6). God’s plan of consecration before the child was born was preparation for God to do a work through him. So the child was born and named Samson meaning “little sun,” or “Sunny boy.” Finally, some light in the darkness! What a beginning! Samson’s dash had begun. God blessed Samson as he grew. God gave Samson amazing strength, but Samson had a hard time using it for God’s purposes. And although he was consecrated before birth to be a Nazirite, he consistently violated that covenant. Samson seemed to take for granted the powers God had given and did not understand the divine use to which they could
have been directed. Unlike other Nazirites in the Bible like Samuel (see 1 Sam. 1:11), John the Baptist (see Luke 1:15), and Paul (Acts 18:18), Samson seems to have never connected with his call, even though he did exercise a measure of faith (see Heb. 11:32). God used even the foolish choices of Samson to move Israel away from Philistine oppression, a freedom that finally was obtained under King David. God never abandoned Samson, even when he died along with the enemy. Samson’s “dash” – A man who fought all his life for what he wanted but never became the man God intended. God wants to use each one of us. Will you open the door of your heart and allow Christ to do His work? What is your posture toward the Lord? What kind of life will the dash between your dates represent?
Old Testament Unit 8: Judges and Ruth Lesson 3: God Gave Strength to Samson
1. God created everything.
2. People disobeyed God.
3. God chose a special people.
4. God sent Jesus to help us.
5. Jesus began the Church.
6. Jesus is preparing heaven for us.
God’s Unfolding StoryBible Story: God Gave Strength to
Samson (Judges 13-14)Bible Phrase: “God gives
strength to His people” (Psalm 68:35).
Bible Truth: God helps me to be strong to do His work.
Arrival• Greet children at eye level and express how happy
you are to see them.• Be sure each child has a name tag and the security
measures of your church are followed.• Label all coats and personal belongings. Strongly
encourage children who have brought items from home, such as toys and books, to place them on a shelf while they are working with other materials. Assure children their items will be safe and they can take them home at the end of the session.
• Help each child make a choice where he or she would like to begin his or her Center Time.
Hour A
Lesson Plan
Suggested Schedule:
ArrivalCenters – 25 minutes
Clean-up Time – 5 minutesBible Story Time – 15 minutes
• Small rocking chair, sink and stove unit and small table and chairs; plastic dishes, child pots and pans; pretend food items; doll, doll bed, and doll accessoriesWhat to Do: Home living items naturally encourage children to act out roles and activities they observe at home. Link to the Bible Story: As you observe preschoolers working and playing together, listen for opportunities to connect their conversations to the Bible story, Bible truth, or Bible Phrase.
Block Center: Build with Blocks
Supplies:• Wooden blocks
• Two containers such as paper sacks, pillow cases, plastic buckets, or plastic tubs
What to Do: Provide a small carpet if possible. Blocks are best located in a corner of the room away from the
traffic flow. Invite preschoolers to join in playing a comparing game. Place a number of blocks in one container and either a
smaller or larger amount in the other. Ask a preschooler to pick up each container and to choose which one is heavier. Empty the
blocks, and again vary the amount of blocks in each container. Ask children to think of other objects to compare.
Link to the Bible Story: As preschoolers compare the blocks, express to children God gave a man named
Samson amazing strength. God used Samson to fight Israelites’ enemies. One day Samson
knocked down two stone columns with his strength.
Art Center: Play with Playdough
Supplies:• Playdough and playdough accessories
What to Do: Invite children to roll, squeeze, and shape the playdough.
Link to the Bible Story: As preschoolers enjoy working with the playdough, talk about the Bible
story. Express that in today’s Bible story; God gave a man named Samson amazing strength. Samson
was so strong he could kill a lion with his bare hands. God used Samson’s strength to fight the
Israelites’ enemies.
Bible Learning Center: Make a Bible Story Booklet
Supplies: • Copies of Activity Page: Booklet,
“God Gave Strength to Samson” (Reproducible)
• Washable markers or crayonsWhat to Do: Invite the preschoolers to
color the pictures in the Bible story booklet. Assist preschoolers in folding the booklet.
Link to the Bible Story: As children color, read the captions under the pictures to tell the Bible
• Offer a variety of non-fantasy wooden or cardboard puzzles for children to work.What to Do: Encourage preschoolers to finish puzzles they begin. Affirm children as they work together to complete the puzzles. Link to the Bible Story: As children work, look for opportunities in conversation to say the Bible phrase or to briefly tell the Bible story.
Introduction• Show the God’s Unfolding Story Cube. Express to the boys and girls that even though we find many stories in the Bible, the Bible really tells one big story, and all the little stories are a part of the big one we can call God’s Unfolding Story. Tell children that each picture represents a chapter of God’s Unfolding Story. Turn the cube and talk about each chapter in the story. (Refer to page 1.) Express that every story from the Bible is from one of these main chapters. Today’s story is from the third chapter, God chose a special people.
• Express the following in your own words. “For many years the Israelites had to fight their enemies to conquer the land that God wanted to give them. We have learned about Deborah and Gideon and how God used them to defeat Israel’s enemies. One of their strongest enemies was the Philistines. Today we will hear how God used a man named Samson to fight against them.”
Bible StoryGod Gave Strength to Samson (Judges 13-14) The Israelites had disobeyed God and were being mistreated by the Philistines. It was a hard and difficult time for God’s people. During this time, an Israelite couple was also living with a disappointment of their own. They wanted children but were not able to have any.
One day God sent an angel to speak to the wife. He told her, “You are going to have a son.” Through the angel, God told the woman her son would be very special and would help save the Israelites from the Philistines’ harsh rule. The angel also told the woman, “The boy is to serve God from birth as a Nazirite. Do not cut his hair.” Nazirites were not to cut their hair. After several months, a baby boy was born, and his mother named him Samson. The couple obeyed God and never cut Samson’s hair. As Samson grew up, his hair got longer and longer, and every day he grew stronger! One day when Samson was in a field, a lion came roaring at him, but he was so strong he was able to kill it using only his hands! As Samson grew older, he did not always use his strength the way God intended. One day a Philistine woman talked Samson into telling her about his hair; and that night while Samson
slept, she had it cut off! When he awoke he was no stronger than anyone else! Samson was taken to prison and blinded so he could not see, but while he was in prison, his hair grew back and his strength returned! One day the Philistines brought Samson outside, near the temple where they worshiped their false god. There they make fun of him. Samson asked a guard to lead him to some of the temple’s tall columns. He asked God to give him special strength and began to push on the columns with all his might. He was so strong the columns began to break, and the temple came crashing down. Many Philistines died, but Samson died too. Still, God had used him to fight the Philistines.
Talk Time1. Show the teaching picture for today’s Bible story.
Review by using these or similar questions. “What happened to Samson’s strength as his hair grew longer and longer? How did Samson kill the lion? What happened when Samson’s hair was cut? How did Samson get strong again? What did Samson use his strength to do at the end of the story?”
2. Read the Bible phrase on the teaching picture. Say the phrase together, “God gives strength to His people” (Psalm 68:35). Explain to the children that Samson’s strength came from God, and his hair was a sign of that mighty strength. Comment to children that God has a special plan for each of them. That plan may not require a special physical strength but will require other abilities that also come from God.
3. Close the Bible Story Time by inviting children to join you in prayer. Ask God to give all the boys and girls the strength they need to do all God wants them to do.
Bible Story Time
Supplies: • Bible• Teaching Picture “God
Gave Strength to Samson” (Reproducible)
• God’s Unfolding Story Cube (Reproducible/Cardstock)
Encourage preschoolers to
help at clean-up time. Assign specific tasks for
preschoolers to do such as placing all the crayons in the
basket, throwing away the trash, gathering all the glue sticks,
etc. Guide children to the Bible Story Time area.
Snack TimeBe sure to wash hands or use hand sanitizer. Say a thank-you prayer to God for the snack. When snack time has ended, encourage preschoolers to help with cleaning up.
Game Time / Dismissal: Learn a Bible Story Poem
What to Do: Teach the following poem and actions:
Strong Samson Every day Samson grew taller and taller.(Squat down and gradually stand up, raise arms above the head.)His hair got longer and longer.(Sweep hands over the head and down the body.)As his hair got long God made him strong. Until he was strong, strong, strong!(Arms out to the sides, flexing muscles.)
He killed a lion with his bare hands(Hold out hands.)And tumbled a temple to the ground.(Sweep arms down to the floor.)He fought the enemy with all his might(Arms out to the sides, flexing muscles.)And the Philistines ran away in fright!(Run in place.)
Do the action poem several times. Remind children that Samson’s strength was from God, and God will give us all we need to do what He asks us to do. Dismiss children as parents arrive. Be sure to follow the security procedures of your church.
Craft Time: Bible Character Stick PuppetSupplies: • Copies of “Bible Character Stick Puppets” (Reproducible, 1 copy for every child) • Craft sticks – (1 per child)
• Crayons or markers, children’s scissors• Brown construction paper• Glue sticks
What to Do: Cut out the puppet pieces. Cut construction paper into 5” x ½” strips. Give children a Samson face and lion face to color. Each child can glue the construction paper strips as hair on Samson and as whiskers or a mane on the lion. Demonstrate how to glue the two pieces together with a craft stick in between. Link to the Bible Story: Talk about ways that Samson showed his strength. Ask, “What happened when Samson’s hair was cut? Ask children how God used Samson at the end of the story. Invite children to use the puppets to retell the story to a family member or friend.
Old Testament Unit 8: Judges and Ruth Lesson 3: God Gave Strength to Samson
God used Samson’s strength to fight the enemies of the Israelites.
Samson’s strength was in his hair. Samson was so strong, one day he killed a lion with only his hands.
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Craft Time: “Bible Character Stick Puppets”Instructions: Copy 1 sheet for every 2 children, cardstock recommended. Cut out the characters. Children color the characters and glue a craft stick between the two characters. Strips of brown construction paper can be added for Samson’s hair and the mane and whiskers of the lion.
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