Elijah & Naboth's Vineyard

We are studying Elijah and this lesson for Naboth's Vineyard has printables that I used on a science board but will work great for a small bulletin board. Just add some grapes! We acted out the lesson and moved to different areas of the room while we talked about Naboth.

Review:  We have been studying Elijah and we first learned that God told him to go to the brook called Cherith. God had the ravens feed Elijah in the mornings and evening bread and meat! We also learned that a widow fed Elijah, then her son died, and Elijah brought her back to life.

We studied last week about Baal. Elijah proved the power of God when Elijah collected 12 stones to represent the 12 Tribes.

Elijah poured 12 pots of water on the altar, and the trench that he put around the altar was filled with water. When Elijah called to God to start the fire, the fire burned up the sacrifice along with the wood, the stones and even the water in the trench!

The lesson is found in 1 Kings 21. There was a man named Naboth and he had a vineyard in Jezreel that Ahab, king of Samaria, wanted. The vineyard was close to King Ahab's palace, and he wanted to grow a vegetable garden. King Ahab told Naboth that he would either give him more, better land to replace it or pay him money for it. Naboth refused, saying "The Lord forbid that I give my inheritance of my fathers to you!" and King Ahab went back to his house pouting.   

King Ahab was laying in his bed upset and turned his face away and would not eat.  His wife, Jezebel, asked him what was so wrong that he wouldn't even eat. King Ahab told her that he wanted Naboth's vineyard, and he even offered money or a different vineyard for it.

Jezebel told her husband, King Ahab “You are the authority over Israel. Get up, be happy and eat, because I will give you Naboth's vineyard."

Jezebel wrote letters to the city elders using King Ahab's name and used his seal. The letters told the city elders to "Announce a feast. Seat Naboth with the people that have high honor! Also, have two scoundrels that will make this statement against Naboth 'This man has blasphemed against God and King Ahab!' After these men speak, take Naboth out and stone him to death!" 1 Kings 21:8-10

The men did as Jezebel said and gathered together for a fast and put Naboth in a place of honor. While they were there, two men came and lied and said that Naboth “blasphemed God and the king”!

And they took Naboth out of the city and stoned him to death. Jezebel was told that Naboth was dead, and she told Ahab to take the land since Naboth was dead. God was not happy that King Ahab and his wife Jezebel wanted the land so much that they murdered Naboth to get it.

God sent Elijah to talk to King Ahab. Elijah told King Ahab how unhappy God was with the things he was doing. King Ahab had Naboth killed just so he could have the vineyard.

Elijah told King Ahab that there wasn't any other king like him, because he was so wicked in God's sight. And it was because his wife Jezebel encouraged him to do these things. And King Ahab followed idols, which God doesn't approve of. 1 Kings 21:25-26

  

When King Ahab heard the words from Elijah, he fasted and put on sackcloth, humbled himself before God, so God forgave King Ahab.

We acted this lesson out, like Ananias & Sapphira. I set up different areas in the classroom, and we moved from each one during the lesson. The first area was a 'vineyard'. I made this using a science board. I added plastic grapes and let the kids eat the real grapes.

I bought a board with a blue background, then rolled out the length of Kraft paper I found at Dollar Tree. I folded it in half, then cut it like a rolling meadow. I printed the vineyards on green cardstock and cut and added where I liked them. (Some are cut in half.) I printed the title on yellow cardstock. Cut Naboth and King Ahab, leaving a small piece where the belt will lay so you can piece the two parts together and glue. You can print everything for the board here, and it would work for a small bulletin board also if you do not like the science boards.

Next stop was the King Ahab pouting. Jezebel wrote her letter, which you can print by clicking on the above picture. I had them sign them, then tie it with a ribbon. I printed them on paper I buy at Wal Mart in the office supplies (by the school supplies) called granite paper.

 

Last is Naboth getting stoned. I just had a pile of rocks for this display.

Click here to download the worksheet.

Click here to download the updated visuals.

Click here to download the pictures to color.
(These are the same as the visuals but are black & white.)

Click here to see more of this lapbook that is being used with each of the Elijah and Elisha lessons.

Bible Verse:  1 Kings 21:1

 

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.

Used by permission.