Lesson: 21-Day Sanctification Period

Goal:

To have children gain an understanding of some of the significant events of the 21 days of sanctification.

Objectives:

1. Children will understand that the first New Moon starts the days of Sanctification.
2. Children will understand the last day of Unleavened Bread completes the sanctification process.
3. Children will be able to list three things that occur during the sanctification process.

Resources:

Timing of the Crucifixion and the Resurrection (No. 159)

Sanctification of the Temple of God (No. 241)

Sanctification of the Simple and Erroneous (No. 291)

Moses and the Israelites Move on to Sinai (No. CB40)

Passover Calendar 2009 (A_P2009)

Atonement and Reconciliation (No. CB140)

Relevant Scriptures:

Joel 1:14 Sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the LORD your God; and cry to the LORD. (RSV)

1Corinthians 3:16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? (RSV)

Memory verse:

Leviticus 11:44-45; Ezekiel 45:17-20; Hebrews 5:1-2

Lesson introduction:

Question and Answers; the questions are in bold.

Q1.      What does Sanctification means?

1.      To sanctify means, “to make holy”, so during this 21-day period we continually look at our past and present behaviour and try to put sin out of our thoughts and actions.  It is a very special time for baptized members to focus on their calling, baptism and commitment to the One True God.  It is referred to as the period of “cleansing the Temple”. Currently we are the Temple, if we are a baptized member.

Q2.      What is the first Feast period of God’s year?

1.               Passover.

Q3.      Why do we keep Passover?

1.          Because God tells us to; so we can learn to fear and worship Him more correctly.

           (Ex. 12:14-20; 13:6-7; 23:15; 2Kgs. 23:21)

Q4.      What does Passover picture?

1. The salvation of the nation of Israel and the entire planet. God showed us that by taking Israel out of Egypt, He was taking us out of sin.  In the future God will take everyone out of sin.

Q5.      Who does the lamb picture or represent?

1.       The lamb that was sacrificed on the night of Passover was an example of how Jesus Christ would come and be our sacrificial lamb (Jn. 1:29-30; 1Pet. 1:19).  He would become the perfect sacrifice (Heb. 7:27; 9:12; 10:10-14; 1Pet. 3:18) and grant us reconciliation, or allow us to have a relationship again with God the Father.  This was Christ’s first visit to earth as a man and he came to fulfil the role of our High Priest.

Q6.      Did God pick out which “lamb” or spiritual being would lay down his life prior to the foundation of the world?

1. Yes, God picked out the “lamb” that would be slain.

Q7.      Did God ask Israel to pick out their lambs for the Passover sacrifice prior to the 14^th?

1. Yes.  On the 10^th day of the First month the lamb was selected and set aside to be the Passover Lamb (Ex. 12:3).  Israel was instructed that the lamb should be a perfect male lamb of the first year (Ex. 12:5).

Q8.      Which day were these lambs set aside from the rest of the flock?

1. On the 10^th day of the First month.  The same number as the total of 7 Churches, 2 Witnesses, and the Messiah (Ex. 12:3).

Q9.      Is there a time that adult baptized members are to fast and pray for their families, friends, the people of the planet and even the fallen Host?

20.  Yes.  See Ezekiel 45:17-20.

Q10.    On what day do we fast during the First month?

1.  On the 7^th day of the 1^st month.  Just as the Sabbath is a day of rest and rejuvenation with God, so too with the Fast for the Simple and Erroneous do we figuratively “lay down our lives for our brothers” in fasting and prayer to bring all into the knowledge of God so He can be all in all (Ezek. 45:17-20).

Q11.    What is the Lord’s Supper?

1.  It is the time when the adult baptised members of the Church take part in the yearly foot-washing service and partake of the bread and wine (symbolising or representing the body and blood of Christ).

Q12.    Is it for children or un-baptized people?

1. No.  It is only for baptised adults since it is the time we renew or restate our baptismal covenant, or promise with God.

Q13.    What day is the Lord’s Supper?

7. It is the same answer as 7+7.  The first 7^th day of the First month looked at the elect praying and fasting for man and the fallen Host who do not understand God’s Plan.  On the 14^th day, the elect, the baptized members, focus on looking over their past behaviour of the year and renewing their baptismal covenant with God.

Q14.    What is the first part of the Lord’s Supper service?

1. This includes foot-washing (Jn. 13:1-5).  It is what would have happened many years ago when people walked in sandals to their friend’s house.  Before they actually went into the person’s house a servant washed the traveller’s feet, so the dirt/sin was not tracked into the friend’s house.  It was also a sign that you allowed someone else to help wash and clean you.  Likewise at the foot-washing service it is an act of service to wash someone else’s feet.  Once we are clean then we can enter the house and partake of the meal.

Q15.    What is the numerical date of the first Holy Day of Unleavened Bread?

1.    The 15^th of Abib is an annual Holy Day and we are commanded to assemble together (Ex. 12:16).  The 15^th is also the beginning of the days of Unleavened Bread.

Q16.    How many days of Unleavened Bread are there?

1.    We are told to eat unleavened bread for seven days (Ex. 12:17-20).  Therefore, we don’t eat bread, or cakes, and biscuits, because they contain leaven or yeast.

Q17.    What is the numerical date of the last day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread?

7.    Hint: 14+7.  There are services on each of the seven days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.  The seventh day of the Feast is also a Holy Day.  This is the 21^st of the First month or Abib.  It is treated like a Sabbath (Ex. 12:15-18; Lev. 23:8; Deut. 16:8).

Q18.    What happens on the 7^th day of the First month?

1.    We fast for our families, the Church, the planet and the fallen Host, so that all will understand God’s Plan.

Q19.    What happens on the 14^th day of the First month?

1.           Baptized members renew their baptismal covenant with God at the Lord’s Supper.

Q20.    What happens on the 21^st day of the First month?

1.    It is the last Holy Day of Unleavened Bread and it brings the 21-day sanctification process to a close for another year.  We are ready to go forward and do the work of God for another year as we keep His Holy Days and learn about His Plan of Salvation as we obey Him.

Activities:

Relay pick up / Scavenger Hunt

Supplies:

Poster board marked with three rows of seven so there are 21 “squares” on the poster board, construction paper or index cards, scissors, marker or pen, tape.

Procedure:

• Using the construction paper or index cards, make a set of number cards 1-21.  These should be half the size of the “squares’ on the poster board.  Make a second set of cards that list the various important facts about days in the 21 days of sanctification such as: New Moon/beginning of the 21 Days of Sanctification, fast for the Simple and Erroneous, lamb set aside, deleavening our home, deleavening temporary dwelling, Lord’s Supper, Death of the Lamb service, Night of Watching/first day of Unleavened Bread, Wave Sheaf, 2nd day of Unleavened Bread, 3rd day of Unleavened Bread, 4th day of Unleavened Bread, 5th day of Unleavened Bread, 6th day of Unleavened Bread and 7^th (last) day of Unleavened Bread.  These cards should also be about half the size of the squares on the poster board.
• Divide the numbers and meanings into two groups and place them on a table at the opposite side of the room.
• Divide the children into 2 teams; have them run one by one and gather all their number-cards first.
• Have each team place the numbers in numerical order in 3 rows of 7 on the poster board using tape.  (If you don’t have poster board the cards can lay on the ground).
• Have the teams each run and get their “day-meaning cards” such as First New Moon of the year, beginning of the sanctification process, fast for the simple and erroneous, lamb set aside, Lord’s Supper, Death of the Lamb, Night of Watching, first day of Unleavened Bread etc.
• Once the children have their explanation of the day they need to match it to the correct calendar date.
• If this is done as a scavenger hunt – divide the numbered cards and the “day meaning” cards by the number of children in the group. You can actually colour code the numbers and meanings by using construction paper so each child is only looking for a certain colour.  Make a first clue card and then write the subsequent clues on the back of the numbers that you are hiding. Once they have completed their scavenger hunt the children can build their calendar. Have them start by putting numbers 1-21 up in order in three rows of seven on the poster board. Then have the children place their meaning cards on the correct numbered square.

21-day paper chain

Supplies:  Construction paper, scissors, pen or marker.

Procedure:

• For young children prep. The activity for the older children is to have them cut 21 strips of construction paper. They now write 1-21 on each piece of paper. For the children who are able to write, they write down the important facts about that day of Sanctification on the paper. Once all the necessary facts are written down the children each create their own paper chain with the 21 days being placed in numeric order.

Clothes pin pick up

Supplies:  Clothespins and permanent markers.  Possibly cards and poster board.

Procedure:

• Use traditional clothes pins and number the pins 1-21.
• Use additional clothes pins and write down key events from the 21-day sanctification period on individual clothes pins.
• The game can be played in a variety of ways:
  • Allow the child to pull the pins out of hat and tell what important things happened on that day, and clip the pin in numeric order to a piece of tag board.
  • Create cards that list the important events of the 21 days on them and the child needs to clip the correct day to the card.
  • The child clips on the correct definition to the correct number.

Ask a closing prayer.