Egypt, Israel, Babylon & Persia
Grades 3-4 | Ages 8-10Discover ancient civilizations using the 4 Rs!
"Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations." - Deuteronomy 32:7
Egypt was one of the most powerful kingdoms in the ancient world! It was built along the Nile River - the longest river in Africa. The Nile flooded every year, leaving rich soil perfect for growing food.
Joseph was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers and taken to Egypt. But Yahuah was with him! After interpreting Pharaoh's dreams about seven years of plenty and seven years of famine, Joseph became the second most powerful man in Egypt. He saved Egypt AND his own family from starvation!
Most textbooks don't tell you that Egypt's history connects to the Bible! Archaeological evidence supports Joseph's presence in Egypt. Ancient records mention a seven-year famine, and Egyptian writings describe Semitic (Hebrew-related) people living in Egypt - just as the Bible says!
Egyptians worshiped many false gods - the sun, the Nile, animals, and even Pharaoh himself. This is why Yahuah sent the ten plagues - each plague showed that Yahuah was more powerful than Egypt's fake gods. The true Creator is greater than all creation!
1. What river was ancient Egypt built along?
2. What did Joseph do for Pharaoh?
3. Egypt's rulers were called and they were wrongly worshiped as gods.
On a map of the ancient world, find:
[ ] Egypt [ ] The Nile River [ ] The Mediterranean Sea [ ] The Red Sea
After Joseph died, a new Pharaoh forgot what Joseph had done for Egypt. He made the Israelites slaves! For over 400 years, Yahuah's people suffered in Egypt. But Yahuah had a plan to rescue them!
When Pharaoh refused to let Israel go, Yahuah sent ten plagues:
The Egyptians worshiped the Nile - Yahuah turned it to blood. They worshiped the sun god Ra - Yahuah sent darkness. They worshiped Pharaoh's firstborn as divine - Yahuah showed He alone decides life and death. Yahuah proved He is the ONLY true Elohim!
After the tenth plague, Pharaoh let Israel go. But then he changed his mind and chased them! When Israel was trapped at the Red Sea, Yahuah parted the waters! Israel walked through on dry ground, but when the Egyptian army followed, the waters returned and drowned them.
1. How long were the Israelites slaves in Egypt?
2. Where did Yahuah call Moses from a burning bush?
3. Yahuah sent plagues on Egypt before Pharaoh let Israel go.
4. What body of water did Yahuah part for Israel?
Imagine you were an Israelite child leaving Egypt. Write what you might have seen and felt:
After 40 years wandering in the wilderness (because of disobedience), Israel was finally ready to enter Canaan - the Promised Land! Yahuah had promised this land to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob hundreds of years before.
Jericho was a mighty walled city. How could Israel conquer it? Yahuah told Joshua: March around the city once a day for six days. On the seventh day, march around it seven times, then blow the trumpets and shout! When Israel obeyed, the walls fell down flat! This showed that victory comes from trusting Yahuah, not from human strength.
Rahab was a woman in Jericho who believed in Yahuah. She hid Israelite spies and was saved when the city fell. She later became an ancestor of King David and even of Yahusha the Messiah! (Matthew 1:5)
After Joshua died, Israel was led by judges - leaders Yahuah raised up when the people cried for help. This happened in a sad cycle:
Famous judges: Deborah, Gideon, Samson, Samuel
Archaeologists have found evidence of Jericho's fallen walls! The destruction matches what the Bible describes. Some archaeologists try to give other explanations, but the evidence fits the biblical account of walls falling outward (unusual in ancient warfare).
1. Who led Israel into the Promised Land after Moses died?
2. How did the walls of Jericho fall?
3. After Joshua, Israel was led by leaders called .
After the time of the judges, the people of Israel asked for a king. They wanted to be like the other nations around them. The prophet Samuel warned them that a human king would tax them and take their sons for his army. But the people insisted, and Yahuah allowed it.
Saul - First king, started well but disobeyed Yahuah and failed
David - A man after Yahuah's heart, united Israel, conquered Jerusalem
Solomon - David's son, wisest man ever, built the Temple
David was just a shepherd boy when Samuel anointed him as future king. He defeated the giant Goliath with just a sling and stone, trusting in Yahuah. As king, David conquered Jerusalem and made it Israel's capital. Though David sinned greatly at times, he always repented and returned to Yahuah. Yahuah promised that the Messiah would come from David's family!
King Solomon built the magnificent Temple in Jerusalem - the house of Yahuah! It took 7 years to build and was covered with gold inside. The Ark of the Covenant was placed in the Most Holy Place. This Temple was the center of worship for Israel.
Despite his wisdom, Solomon married many foreign wives who worshiped false gods. They turned his heart away from Yahuah. Because of this, Yahuah said He would tear the kingdom away from Solomon's son. This shows that wisdom isn't enough - we must remain faithful to Yahuah!
After Solomon died, the kingdom split in two:
The northern kingdom had all bad kings and fell to Assyria in 722 BC. The southern kingdom had some good kings but eventually fell to Babylon in 586 BC.
1. Who was the first king of Israel?
2. What did Solomon build in Jerusalem?
3. After Solomon, the kingdom split into parts.
4. What turned Solomon's heart away from Yahuah?
Babylon was one of the greatest cities of the ancient world! It was located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in what is now Iraq. The Bible calls this area Mesopotamia - "the land between the rivers."
Because Judah kept worshiping idols and breaking Yahuah's commandments, He allowed Babylon to conquer them. King Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and Solomon's Temple in 586 BC. The people were taken as captives to Babylon for 70 years, just as the prophet Jeremiah had predicted.
Daniel was a young man taken to Babylon. He refused to eat food dedicated to idols, yet Yahuah made him healthier than all the others! Daniel interpreted King Nebuchadnezzar's dreams and rose to high position. Even when enemies tricked the king into making a law against prayer, Daniel kept praying to Yahuah and was thrown into a den of lions - but Yahuah shut the lions' mouths!
Three of Daniel's friends refused to bow to Nebuchadnezzar's golden statue. The king threw them into a fiery furnace heated seven times hotter than normal! But when the king looked in, he saw FOUR men walking in the fire - and one looked like "the Son of Elohim!" They came out without even smelling like smoke!
In the book of Revelation, "Babylon" represents the world's system of false religion and rebellion against Yahuah. Just as ancient Babylon fell, spiritual Babylon will also fall when Yahusha returns. This is why we must "come out of Babylon" - leave behind false teachings and worldly ways!
1. What rivers was Babylon located between?
2. How many years did Judah spend in Babylonian captivity?
3. Daniel was thrown into a den of but Yahuah protected him.
4. How many men did Nebuchadnezzar see in the fiery furnace?
While Daniel was still alive, Babylon fell to a new empire - Persia (modern-day Iran)! King Cyrus of Persia conquered Babylon in one night, exactly as the prophets had predicted. This was GOOD news for the Jewish captives!
Amazing fact: The prophet Isaiah called Cyrus BY NAME over 150 years before Cyrus was even born! (Isaiah 44:28-45:1) Isaiah said Cyrus would set the captives free and rebuild Jerusalem. This proves that Yahuah knows the future and controls history!
In 538 BC, Cyrus issued a decree allowing the Jews to return home and rebuild their Temple! Many Jews returned in waves:
During the Persian period, a Jewish girl named Esther became queen of Persia! When the evil Haman plotted to destroy all Jews, Esther risked her life to save her people. Her famous words: "If I perish, I perish!" The Jews were saved, and this is celebrated during the feast of Purim.
Nehemiah was a cupbearer to King Artaxerxes. When he heard Jerusalem's walls were still broken, he wept and prayed. The king gave him permission to return and rebuild. Despite enemies trying to stop the work, Nehemiah and the people finished the walls in just 52 days!
1. Which Persian king let the Jews return to Jerusalem?
2. What prophet named Cyrus over 150 years before he was born?
3. became queen of Persia and saved the Jewish people.
4. Who rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem in 52 days?
Between the end of the Old Testament (about 400 BC) and the beginning of the New Testament, about 400 years passed. These are sometimes called the "silent years" because no prophets spoke. But history was still happening!
Alexander the Great conquered the Persian Empire when he was only in his 20s! His empire stretched from Greece to India. Though he died young (age 32), his conquest spread Greek language and culture everywhere - which later helped the Good News of Yahusha spread quickly throughout the known world!
After Alexander died, his empire split. A wicked king named Antiochus Epiphanes tried to force Jews to worship Greek gods. He even sacrificed a pig in the Temple! A brave family called the Maccabees led a revolt and recaptured the Temple. This is remembered during Hanukkah (the Feast of Dedication, mentioned in John 10:22).
By the time Yahusha was born, Rome ruled the world. This was part of Yahuah's plan:
Yahuah was orchestrating all of history so that when Yahusha came, everything was ready! The roads were built, the language was unified, and people were longing for the Messiah. History is HIS story!
1. How many years passed between the Old and New Testaments?
2. Who conquered the Persian Empire?
3. The family led a revolt against Greek oppression.
4. What empire ruled when Yahusha was born?
Let's put it all together! Ancient history is really HIS story - Yahuah's plan unfolding from creation to the coming of Yahusha!
Daniel 2 predicted four great empires that would rule before the Messiah came:
Then a stone (the Messiah's kingdom) would crush all earthly kingdoms!
1. Put these events in order (number them 1-4):
___ Solomon builds the Temple
___ Moses leads the Exodus
___ Babylon destroys Jerusalem
___ Joseph goes to Egypt
2. Which empire let the Jews return home and rebuild?
3. What is the main theme of all ancient history?
Which person or event from ancient history was your favorite? Write about it and what you learned:
Q1: The Nile River | Q2: Interpreted his dreams and prepared for famine | Q3: Pharaohs
Q1: Over 400 years | Q2: At Mount Horeb (Sinai) | Q3: 10 | Q4: The Red Sea
Q1: Joshua | Q2: Israel obeyed Yahuah and marched around the city | Q3: Judges
Q1: Saul | Q2: The Temple for Yahuah | Q3: two (2) | Q4: Foreign wives who worshiped idols
Q1: Tigris and Euphrates | Q2: 70 years | Q3: Lions | Q4: Four
Q1: Cyrus | Q2: Isaiah | Q3: Esther | Q4: Nehemiah
Q1: About 400 years | Q2: Alexander the Great (Greece) | Q3: Maccabees | Q4: Rome
Ordering: 1-Joseph, 2-Moses/Exodus, 3-Solomon's Temple, 4-Babylon destroys Jerusalem
Q2: Persia | Q3: Yahuah is in control and prepared the way for the Messiah