Curriculum
Noah: A Rainbow of Promises
Memory Verse:
“I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.” (Genesis 9:13)
Bible Background
What Kids Will Learn
God spared Noah, his family, and the animals in the ark during the flood. And after the flood, God made a promise to never again flood the earth. As a reminder of this promise, God sent a beautiful rainbow.
Scripture Summary
God was distraught at the wickedness of mankind—to the point that He regretted creating man (Genesis 6:6). But there was one man, Noah, who loved, followed, and trusted God. God told Noah to build an ark, and it took Noah decades to complete. God planned to flood the earth to destroy mankind, and He wanted to save Noah, his family, and two of every kind of animal. Before the rains began, Noah, his family, and the animals all went into the nearly 500-foot-long boat.
The rains lasted 40 long days while Noah, his family, and every animal were crammed into the ark. Finally, the rains stopped, and they all left the ark. A thankful Noah made a sacrifice to God and worshipped Him.
God committed to Himself and to Noah to never again flood the entire earth. Regardless of how wicked people become, God will refrain from destroying all living creatures. God blessed Noah and his family—encouraging them to be fruitful and multiply.
Taking it a step further, God made a covenant—a binding contract—with Noah. He promised to never again flood the entire earth and gave Noah and his family a rainbow of beautiful colors as a symbol of the covenant.
Noah had trusted God for 600 years, and he had no doubt he could continue trusting God.
Why Is This Important
Just like Noah, we can trust God to keep His promises. Whether we focus on the visible rainbows as reminders or God’s Word that tells countless accounts of His faithfulness, our God is steadfast, loving, and trustworthy.
Teacher Devotion
Scripture
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)
I have to admit, there are times I want to rewrite God’s promises. I know that it’s wrong and shortsighted. But sometimes I wish this verse said, “...Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged; God will change the circumstances and take away all of the pain.” But that’s not God’s plan.
No, God has a better plan.
God’s better (and sometimes harder) plan includes His steady, unwavering, powerful, comforting, and bold presence. He is always with us. Always. Never takes a break. Consistent. Never slumbers. Without exception.
In the good times and the really hard, heavy times alike, God is right next to us experiencing the very circumstances and emotions that we are, and He’s not going anywhere. Whether we’re aware of His presence or not, He is here.
Because He is a present, engaged God, He can guide us through the big and little experiences of life—consistently drawing our hearts and minds closer to Him. This is all part of His good (and hard) plan.
Take time to consider your answers to these questions:
- How would you complete the verse above?
- In the last week, when were you aware of God’s presence?
- When has God seemed distant?
- How can you express your gratitude for God’s presence in your life (despite your current circumstances)?
Prayer
Dear God, thank You for making and keeping Your promises. I know that the promise of Your presence is far greater than any promise of an “easier” life could be. Please help me be aware of Your presence with me today. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Bible Memory Verse
You’ll Need: Bibles Construction paper in the colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet, Scissors, Marker
Get Ready: Before class, cut rainbow arches in the different colors that will fit inside each other to make a rainbow. On each arch, write a portion of the Bible memory verse so that the verse goes in order when the rainbow arches are put together. Make a set for each team.
“I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.” (Genesis 9:13)
Lead kids in these steps:
- Divide the class into small teams.
- Each team will fit the colorful arches together to make a rainbow.
- Once a team has assembled its rainbow, invite the team members to turn in their Bibles to Genesis 9:13 to check their rainbow memory verses.
- Invite kids to say the verse aloud together, and then ask them to take away one of the arches and try to say the verse.
- Have them continue taking away arches as they try to memorize the passage.
ASK:
- What do you think of the way God reminded us of His promise with rainbows?
- Why do you think it’s important to remember God’s promises?
SAY: God made a promise to never flood the earth again. And He gave the people a sign of His promises by putting a rainbow in the sky. We can know that God is faithful in keeping His promises.
Interactive Bible Experience
You’ll Need: Bible
Follow these instructions for the “Promise or Not” interactive experience:
- Have kids stand in the center of the classroom.
- Designate the wall to your right as the “rain” and the wall to your left as the “rainbow.”
- Explain that you are going to read some statements. If the kids think what you read is a promise of God, they’ll go to the rainbow side of the room. If they think what you read isn’t a promise from God, they’ll go to the rain side of the room.
- Encourage kids to listen carefully and make their own decisions.
- After each statement is read, ask kids why they picked the side they chose for the answer.
- Promise or Not statements:
- God promises to always make your life easy. (NOT)
- God promises He will love you forever. (Promise: Psalm 136:1)
- God will never leave you. (Promise: Hebrews 13:5)
- God promises to comfort you. (Promise: Isaiah 49:13)
- God promises to forget to keep His promises. (NOT)
- God promises if you go to church, you will get to heaven. (NOT. This is a great time to share that going to church doesn’t make us Christians, but putting our trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior does.)
- God promises to help you. (Promise: Psalm 121:1-2)
ASK:
- How does knowing what God’s promises are make you feel?
- What can you do to learn more of God’s promises?
SAY: God is faithful in keeping His promises. We just have to be faithful in reading God’s Word and knowing what is a promise of God and what is not. God doesn’t promise our lives will always be easy. The Bible tells us in John 16:33 that in this world we will have trouble, but God has overcome the world. We can know that God will comfort us, help us, and love us very much! When God makes a promise, He is sure to keep it.
Snack
Rainbow Snacks
You’ll Need: Paper plates, Chenille wires, Large marshmallows, Froot Loops cereal
Get Ready: Have kids clean their hands.
Follow these steps to make the Rainbow Snacks:
- Give each child a paper plate, a chenille wire, and two large marshmallows.
- Invite kids to press one end of the chenille wire into one marshmallow. Explain that it represents a cloud.
- Distribute Froot Loops cereal. Instruct kids to put Froot Loops on their chenille wires.
- Once they have completed the rainbow of Froot Loops, direct kids to press the other end of the chenille wire into the second marshmallow. Then instruct kids to bend their chenille wire into a rainbow shape.
- After kids have finished, invite them to show their rainbow creations off and then enjoy eating them.
SAY: You each did an amazing job making a rainbow snack! Yum! In today’s Bible lesson we are learning that God made a covenant with Noah. A covenant is a promise. And guess who the best promise keeper is? It’s God, of course. The rainbow was the covenant sign that God would never flood the earth again. He has kept His promise, and we can also trust that He will always be faithful in keeping His promises.
Game
Rainbow Corners
You’ll Need: Red, orange, yellow, green, and blue construction paper, Tape, Sheet of paper, Marker, Cup or bowl ,Chair ,Rain and thunderstorm sound effects, Unopened bag of Skittles
Get Ready: Tape one of each of the colors in the corners of the room and tape the fifth color to a chair in the center of the room. Cut the sheet of paper into five pieces and write a color on each piece. Fold the pieces and put them in the cup or bowl.
Follow these steps to play Rainbow Corners:
- Play the rain and thunderstorm sound effects and invite the kids to walk around the room.
- When the sound effects stop and a teacher flashes the classroom lights on and off like lightning, instruct the kids to find a color in 3 seconds.
- After kids have chosen their color, draw a slip from the cup or bowl. Read the name of that color aloud.
- All the kids at that color are out.
- When you call “Rainbow,” they can come back into the game.
- Call “Rainbow” several times, then play until there is one winner.
- Give the winner the bag of Skittles.
SAY: Imagine being Noah and his family on that boat watching the earth flood. Then God makes a promise to never flood the earth again. Not only does God make this promise, He gives a reminder of His promise by placing a rainbow in the sky. Each time you see a rainbow in the sky, remind the person next to you that the rainbow is a reminder that God is faithful in keeping His promises.
Craft
Rainbow Streamers
You’ll Need: Rolls of crepe paper in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple, White poster board, Markers, Cotton balls, Glue, Stapler
Get Ready: Before class, cut out cloud shapes from the poster board, one for each child. Then cut sets of crepe- paper streamers all the same length, one for each child.
To make the rainbow streamers, have kids follow these steps:
- Give each child a cloud shape, and set out markers to share.
- Have kids write “God is faithful in keeping His promises” on their clouds.
- Have kids glue cotton balls around the writing on the cloud.
- After kids have finished gluing cotton balls on the clouds, assist them in stapling their colorful streamers to the bottom of the cloud.
- Allow time for the glue on the clouds to dry.
SAY: God is faithful in keeping His promises. That is good news for us! God also promises that He loves us so much that He sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. He promises that if we believe in Jesus, we will have everlasting life! We can trust Him to keep His promise. That’s good news for the whole world.
Prayer
Skittles Prayers
You’ll Need: Mini bags of Skittles, “Rainbow Prayers” handouts
- Give each child a mini bag of Skittles and a “Rainbow Prayers” handout.
- Invite kids to pull out one Skittles candy at a time, and one by one pray the assigned prayer on the “Rainbow Prayers” handout.
- Allow the confession prayers to be silent.
- After kids have finished each prayer, they can eat their Skittles.
PRAY: Dear God, we praise You for being a promise keeper. We know we can trust You to be faithful to keep Your promises. Help us trust You and each time we see a rainbow to remember Your covenant to never flood the earth again. In Jesus’ name, amen.
