Opening

• This game signifies a rainstorm starting soft, getting louder and louder until it is pouring, with lightning and thunder, and then the calm after the storm when it is quiet again.
  1. First you silently rub your fingers together, and the students do the same.
  2. Then you rub your two hands together, making a very soft sound, and the
  students follow.
  3. Next you very softly clap your hands together while the students follow, it
  should still be quiet.
  4. Then snap your fingers.
  5. Now go back to clapping and clap a little louder than you were snapping.
  6. Then a little louder.
  7. Then clap loudly.
  8. Then stomp your feet and clap, making a lot of noise.
  9. Now do it in reverse until it is silent again.
• After Joshua grew old and died, God chose other people to lead the Israelites. God called these leaders judges. One judge was a very brave woman named Deborah. Today we will hear how God used Deborah and a thunderstorm to win a battle.

Bible Story

• The Israelites were living in the land of Canaan, but they were not obeying God’s laws. Because of their disobedience, God’s people were in trouble. There was a very large army trying to fight them. The army had 900 iron chariots!

• The Israelites remembered how much God loved them. They prayed and asked God to help them fight. God had chosen a woman named Deborah to be a judge among the people.

• Deborah loved God, and she often spoke to the people about what God wanted them to do. God gave Deborah a message to give to the commander of the Israelite army. Deborah delivered the message, but the commander at first was too afraid to go and fight. He knew how many chariots they had. He asked Deborah to join him in the effort. Deborah knew God would be with them and help them win. She agreed to go with the commander.

• The commander gathered his army and met Deborah at the top of a mountain. They could look down the mountain and see all 900 iron
  chariots, and they were getting closer! Deborah told the commander, “Go. God will help you win!”

•  The commander obeyed and started down the mountain. Then something amazing happened. God caused a big thunderstorm to occur! It happened so fast and there was so much water that it confused the enemy. The soldiers tried to run, but their chariots got stuck in the mud. God’s people were able to win the battle!

• Deborah and the commander of the army sang a song of praise for the victory God had given them. They sang, “I will sing to the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel” (Judges 5:3).

• From the story, we see that Deborah was courageous. Courage involves making good choices in the face of fear or obstacles. It’s another term for bravery. It means we do not let fear hold us back from doing what is right.

Questions

1. Why were God’s people in trouble?
2. How many iron chariots did the enemy have?
3. Why did the commander of the army not want to fight?
4. Who was the judge that helped the commander to fight?
5. How did God help His people win the battle?