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THE BAB WAS THE FORERUNNER OF BAHA’U’LLAH G3 L12

Post author By Carolyn
Post date October 2, 2022
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GRADE 3 LESSON 12

THE BÁB JOYFULLY SACRIFICED HIS LIFE AS HE PREPARED THE WAY FOR THE COMING OF BAHÁ’U’LLÁH

Introducing The Principal Theme

The Báb joyfully sacrificed His life, as He prepared the way for the coming of Bahá’u’lláh. This is a profound concept on which we need to reflect often on.

We have seen that news of the appearance of the Báb spread like a fire across the country and that heart after heart was ignited with the love of God. And we also saw that the enemies of the Báb were fierce and powerful. They wanted nothing more than to stop the spread of His Message. Of course, a fire that has been ignited by human hand can be put out. But the fire of God’s love enkindled by the Hand of the Almighty Himself cannot be extinguished, even if all the people of the world unite to do so.

Do you remember how these powerful enemies attempted to undermine the Cause?

Where they successful in their efforts?

They could give orders to kill hundreds of the Bábís, and the ignorant and misguided people would carry them out. They could raise huge armies against small bands of the followers of the Báb and use treachery to overcome them. They could ridicule them, rob them, imprison them and banish them from their homes and their families. All of this they did time and again. But could their cruelty and treachery put out the fire of God’s love burning in the hearts of those early heroes of the Faith?

On the contrary, the persecutions became like oil that feeds the fire; the fire burned even brighter and spread even more.

Do you know what terrible plan the government and clergy finally devised?

They decided that the only solution was to execute the Báb Himself. This, they imagined, would surely put an end to the spread of a Message that threatened to weaken their own power and influence.

But do you think there was anything they could do to stop more and more people from recognizing the Báb and accepting the truth?

Was there anything they could do to prevent the Báb from accomplishing His Mission on earth?

The Báb knew, of course, that His Dispensation would be a short one.

We know that His purpose was to prepare the way for the coming of Bahá’u’lláh. And His love for Bahá’u’lláh was so great that He accepted untold suffering in His path.

The Báb was concerned with the future of humanity

His eyes were fixed on all of humankind, not merely Persia. He was the Herald of a new Era. He wanted to purify hearts so that they would recognize Bahá’u’lláh. He had come to announce the nearness of the Kingdom of God. And for this, He joyfully gave His life. With His own blood, He watered the tree of the Cause which He Himself had planted only a few short years before.

1. Is there any remover of difficulties save God? Say: Praised be God! He is God! All are His servants, and all abide by His bidding!

2. Say: God sufficeth all things above all things, and nothing in the heavens or in the earth but God sufficeth. Verily, He is in Himself the Knower, the Sustainer, the Omnipotent.

3. O Lord! Thou art the Remover of every anguish and the Dispeller of every affliction. Thou art He who banisheth every sorrow and setteth free every slave, the Redeemer of every soul. O Lord! Grant deliverance through Thy mercy, and reckon me among such servants of Thine as have gained salvation.

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O my God! There is no one but Thee to allay the anguish of my soul, and Thou art my highest aspiration, O my God. My heart is wedded to none save Thee and such as Thou dost love. I solemnly declare that my life and death are both for Thee. Verily Thou art incomparable and hast no partner.
The Báb

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Historical Episodes

The historical episode below tells the story of the martyrdom of the Báb. As additional stories leading up to the martyrdom, the events surrounding the Báb’s examination in Tabríz and the extraordinary vision beheld by Anís—the companion with whom the Báb chose to share the Crown of martyrdom—are also related here. Some of you may already be familiar with the details of this important episode from the history of the Faith, and you will all hear it often throughout your lives.

STORY 1

You know that, by order of the king, the Báb was sent under guard to the fortress of Máh- Kú in a far-off corner of the country with the hope that He would be forgotten. On His way, He went through the city of Tabríz, and His arrival created a great deal of excitement and commotion among the inhabitants. Throngs of people came to the gate of the city to witness His entrance. He was taken immediately to one of the main houses, in which He was confined.

The Báb remained in Tabríz for only a short time before being taken to the fortress of Máh-Kú. But we have already seen how the machinations of the government failed, and there, like everywhere else, the people became enraptured by the Báb, and His followers were able to attain His presence. And so, after several months, the government transferred Him to another fortress, much harsher, called Chihríq. Under the authority of a stern and unbending warden, Chihríq would surely prove to be a formidable prison for One Whose power and influence government officials had begun to fear. Can you imagine their alarm, then, at learning that, even in that desolate spot, the Báb continued to win over more and more followers to His Cause? Not even the warden could resist the penetrating influence of His love. So when news reached officials in the capital Ṭihrán that some of the most distinguished clergy from a town near Chihríq had accepted the Báb’s Faith, the government decided to act again.

What happened next will bring both joy and sorrow to your hearts. Once again the Báb was brought to the city of Tabríz. There, the government called a meeting of the religious authorities to examine the Báb and find the most effective way to put an end to His influence. At that meeting, the clergy and government officials tried to humiliate the Báb and treated Him disrespectfully, thinking they could force Him to give up His Mission. But they were overpowered by His majesty and greatness. When asked, “Whom do you claim to be, and what is the message which you have brought?” He declared: “I am, I am, I am, the Promised One! I am the One Whose name you have for a thousand years invoked, at Whose mention you have risen, Whose advent you have longed to witness, and the hour of Whose Revelation you have prayed God to hasten. Verily I say, it is incumbent upon the peoples of both the East and the West to obey My word and to pledge allegiance to My person.” A few days after that meeting, the Báb was taken back to Chihríq. By now, however, it was becoming clear to His enemies that, as long as the Báb remained alive, it would be impossible to stop His growing influence.

There lived in the city of Tabríz a young man whom history will always remember by his title, Anís. He belonged to a family of one of the leading clergy in that city and was well respected and trusted by everyone around him. He had the bounty of attaining the presence of the Báb during His earlier brief confinement in Tabríz and had become one of His ardent followers. So intense was the love of God enkindled in the heart of Anís that he had no other desire but to please his Lord. His stepfather, who did not understand the greatness of the Cause, was alarmed by the behavior of his son and decided to confine him in his house and keep a strict watch over him. For a few weeks, Anís spent all his days praying that God would allow him to reach the presence of the Báb again. One day while lost in prayer, he had an extraordinary vision that filled his heart with limitless joy and assurance. In his vision, he saw the Báb standing before him. Anís threw himself at His feet. In answer to his supplications, the Báb addressed him saying: “Rejoice, the hour is approaching when, in this very city, I will be suspended before the eyes of the multitude and shall fall a victim to the fire of the enemy. I shall choose no one except you to share with Me the cup of martyrdom. Rest assured that this promise which I give you shall be fulfilled.”

So Anís began to wait patiently. With each passing day, he felt closer to attaining the goal of his life and reaching his glorious destiny. Then the day arrived when the Báb was brought again to Tabríz, this time to be martyred. As He was being conducted to His prison cell, Anís threw himself at His feet. He begged the Báb to allow him to follow Him wherever He might go. Anís was immediately arrested and thrown in the same cell as the Báb.

STORY 2

The Báb spent the evening before His martyrdom in the company of Anís and three other of His loyal followers. He was aglow with joy and spoke with cheerfulness. “Tomorrow,” He said to His companions, “will be the day of My martyrdom. Would that one of you might now arise and, with his own hands, end My life. I prefer to be slain by the hand of a friend rather than by that of the enemy.” Tears rained from the eyes of these four sorrow- stricken men who were now asked to take the life of their Beloved with their own hands. They could not imagine committing such a cruel deed, even though it was the wish of the Báb Himself. Then, all of a sudden, Anís rose to his feet and accepted to carry out the Báb’s command. Obedience to his Beloved was his highest duty; he had no choice but to do exactly as the Báb wished. “This same youth who has risen to comply with My wish,” the Báb declared, “will, together with Me, suffer martyrdom. Him will I choose to share with Me its crown.”

The next morning, the Báb was conversing with his secretary when a government official rudely interrupted Him. The Báb warned the man that not until He had said to His secretary all those things that He wished to say could any earthly power silence Him. But His words fell on deaf ears, and He was taken from His cell to the houses of the most prominent clergy of the city of Tabríz who, without hesitation, signed the decree for His execution. He was then taken to a public square and delivered into the hands of Sám Khán, the commander of the regiment of soldiers that had been chosen to execute Him. But Sám Khán was seized with fear that his action would bring the wrath of God upon him. “I profess the Christian Faith,” he explained to the Báb, “and entertain no ill will against you. If your Cause be the Cause of Truth, enable me to free myself from the obligation to shed your blood.” “Follow your instructions,” the Báb replied, “and if your intention be sincere, the Almighty is surely able to relieve you from your perplexity.”

Sám Khán ordered his men to drive a nail into a pillar, and to tie two ropes to that nail. With these ropes they suspended the Báb and Anís in such a way that Anís’ head was resting on the breast of his Master. Seven hundred and fifty soldiers stood in three rows of two hundred and fifty men, each of which was ordered to open fire. The smoke from the shots was such as to turn the light of the noonday sun into darkness. As soon as the clouds of smoke had cleared away the astounded multitude that had crowded the square and the rooftops saw what their eyes could not believe. Anís was standing before them unhurt, and the Báb had disappeared.

The officials began to look for the Báb and found Him in the cell continuing His conversation with His secretary. “I have finished My conversation,” said the Báb, “Now you may proceed to fulfill your intention.” Sám Khán refused to make a second attempt at shedding the blood of the Báb. A new regiment was brought in. The Báb and Anís were once again suspended on the same pillar. The soldiers fired their guns, and this time, as it was now the Will of the Báb, they succeeded in carrying out their shameful intention. The two bodies were torn by numerous bullets, but even so the faces remained almost untouched. “Had you believed in Me, O wayward generation,” were the last words of the Báb to the multitude, “every one of you would have followed the example of this youth, who stood in rank above most of you, and willingly would have sacrificed himself in My path. The day will come when you will have recognized Me; that day I shall have ceased to be with you.”

The remains of the Báb and His companion were transferred to a moat outside the city walls, and guards posted there so that no one could claim them. So many bullets had pieced their bodies that they had been fused into one. Two nights later a devoted follower of the Báb managed to rescue their bodies and safely hide them. Their remains were eventually transferred from Tabríz to Ṭihrán, where they were kept safe, until, many years after, they were brought to the Holy Land and placed in the Shrine that had been raised up in His Name by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá at the instruction of Bahá’u’lláh. And if you ever have the bounty of visiting that Holy Spot and entering the blessed room in which His earthly remains are buried, your thoughts will turn to the circumstances of His martyrdom and your hearts overflow with love for One Who accepted every suffering to prepare the way for the coming of Bahá’u’lláh.

What are some of the spiritual significance that this episode holds?

The Báb held the reins of His destiny in His hands, choosing to endure suffering so that humanity could attain true joy and happiness,

What other insights can we glean from the episode?

STORIES FROM THE DAWNBREAKERS FOR CHILDREN: Read by Hand of the Cause of God William Sears

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FACTS ABOUT THE BÁB

The Heroic Age of the Bahá’í Era began in 1844.
The Heroic Age of the Bahá’í Era lasted seventy-seven years.
Mullá Ḥusayn and his companions marched from Khurásán to Mázindarán in October 1848.
Mullá Ḥusayn and his companions marched under the Black Standard, which was the sign that the Promised Qá’im had appeared and a new Revelation had come.
At the fort of Shaykh Ṭabarsí, three hundred and thirteen of the followers of the Báb, led by Quddús and Mullá Ḥusayn, were attacked.
Mullá Ḥusayn was struck in the breast by a bullet and died at dawn in February 1849.
Mullá Ḥusayn was buried in the fort of Shaykh Ṭabarsí in Mázindarán.
The siege at the fort of Shaykh Ṭabarsí lasted about seven months.
Quddús was martyred in the city of Bárfurúsh.

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SKIT BASED ON STORY 1

Cast

Narrator
MESSENGER
Mullá Ḥusayn
Travel companions of Mullá Ḥusayn
Believer carrying a bag gems

NARRATOR: It was the summer of 1848, only four years after the declaration of the Báb, and all of Persia was in a state of commotion. The Conference of Badasht had just concluded. Thousands upon thousands of people were accepting the Message of the Báb, but His enemies were arising in great force to persecute the followers of the new-born Faith. The Báb Himself was, as you know, imprisoned in a far-off corner of Persia. Quddús was confined in the house of a leading clergyman in the province of Mázindarán, and even Bahá’u’lláh, Who belonged to the nobility of Persia, was subjected to sufferings for His support of the Cause of the Báb. Mullá Ḥusayn had spent the preceding months in the province of Khurásán proclaiming the Message of the Báb with extraordinary success.

MESSENGER ( comes in looking tired and agitated): I have just arrived and need to speak with Mullá Ḥusayn immediatly!

Mullá Ḥusayn walks in

Messenger to Mullá Ḥusayn: Here is the Báb’s turban and His instructions to raise the Black Standard, go to Mázindarán and assist Quddús.

Messenger leaves

NARRATOR: The unfurling of a black flag, according to the Prophet Muḥammad, would signalize the coming of God’s new Revelation.

Mullá Ḥusayn: I will follow the instructions of my beloved Báb immediately! I will gather men to make this journey with me.

Mullá Ḥusayn gathers a people to travel with him and they start the journey

NARRATOR: Mullá Ḥusayn put the green turban on his head, raised the Black Standard and, together with a company of two hundred and two men, began his journey from Khurásán to Mázindarán. During the first part of the journey, every village this company of pious and courageous men entered received them with open arms. In each village, people would listen to the joyful news of the coming of the Promised Qá’im and numerous souls would accept the new Faith. A few even joined the group on their journey towards Mázindarán. But as they approached Mázindarán, Mullá Ḥusayn began to warn them of the sufferings that were in store for them. Pointing in the direction of Mázindarán, he reminded them that this was the way that led to their martyrdom.

Mullá Ḥusayn: Whoever was unprepared for the trials ahead, should leave and go back to his home.

NARRATOR: Several times he repeated this warning. Some twenty of Mullá Ḥusayn’s companions finally chose to leave, but the majority rode on, eager to sacrifice their lives in the path of their Beloved. As they neared the town of Bárfurúsh in Mázindarán, Mullá Ḥusayn once again warned his companions of the fate that awaited them.

Mullá Ḥusayn: throw away your belongings, except for your horses and swords, so that the inhabitants of the villages and towns we pass through would not think we are interested in material possessions.

Believer carrying a bag full of precious jewels: This is a bag full of gems from my father’s mine in Khurásán,

Believer throws away the bag of gems

Other travelers: follow his example and rid themselves of the things of this world.

NARRATOR: The leading clergyman of Bárfurúsh was an arrogant and power-hungry man who was afraid of the influence the Bábís were having on everyone with whom they came into contact. When he heard that Mullá Ḥusayn and his companions were nearing Bárfurúsh, he sent his messengers out to gather the people in the mosque. There, in front of a large crowd, he climbed the pulpit, threw his turban to the ground, tore open the neck of his shirt, and announced that the worst enemies of the religion of God were but a short distance from the town. So persuasive was he in delivering his sermon full of lies that the crowd became angry, obeyed his command, armed itself, and went out to the nearby forest to attack this band of sanctified souls, whose only wish was to proclaim the glad- tidings of the dawn of a new age.

Mullá Ḥusayn: There is a crowd coming our way, please be patient, I will try to reason with these misinformed people who had been deceived by their insincere and ambitious leader.

NARRATOR: The crowd opened fire on them and, one by one, seven of his companions fell to the ground.

Mullá Ḥusayn (raise eyes to the heaven and pray): “Behold, O God, my God, the plight of Thy chosen companions, and witness the welcome which these people have accorded Thy loved ones. Thou knowest that we cherish no other desire than to guide them to the way of Truth and to confer upon them the knowledge of Thy Revelation. Thou hast Thyself commanded us to defend our lives against the assaults of the enemy. Faithful to Thy command, I now arise with my companions to resist the attack which they have launched against us.”

Mullá Ḥusayn and travel companions: draw your swords and charge into the midst of the enemy.

NARRATOR: So great was the courage displayed by this small company of God-fearing men that the hearts of their attackers were filled with fear. Mullá Ḥusayn himself, unmindful of the bullets that rained upon him, forced his way through the ranks of the enemy and headed for Bárfurúsh. He rode straight to the residence of the leading clergyman who was to be blamed for the whole incident,

Mullá Ḥusayn: circle the house three times and cry out: “Let that contemptible coward, who has incited the inhabitants of this town to wage holy warfare against us and has ignominiously concealed himself behind the walls of his house, emerge from his inglorious retreat. . . . Has he forgotten that he who preaches a holy war must needs himself march at the head of his followers, and by his own deeds kindle their devotion and sustain their enthusiasm?

NARRATOR: The people of Bárfurúsh were dumbfounded by these acts of heroism and bravery. “Peace, peace!” they began to cry out as they sent a few of their leaders to ask for mercy and forgiveness from Mullá Ḥusayn. Mullá Ḥusayn knew that they were not sincere and would repeat their cruel acts the moment they had another chance, yet he accepted their plea and peace was established, at least for that day. Mullá Ḥusayn and his companions then rode triumphantly to the large guest house in the town plaza and set down to rest.

MY CUP OF COURAGE

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HERO SHEILD TO DECORATE

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DAYSPRING

If you have not already tried the crfts in the magazine, take a look! There are 2 issues with lots of information about the Bab, as well as activities and crafts. Download here and here

BRILLIANT STAR MAGAZINE

Map of where Bab and Baha’u’llah went

O Son of Light! Forget all save Me and commune with My spirit.This is of the essence of My command, therefore turn unto it

Bahá’u’lláh – The Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh

G3L15-Review-G2-quote-Download

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ZOROASTER AND THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD CHARACTER G3 L8

Post author By Carolyn
Post date September 30, 2022
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GRADE 3 LESSON 8

MUHAMMAD AND THE SUBMISSION TO THE WILL OF GOD

The purpose of this lesson is to help us understand that all the Manifestations of God call upon humanity to live in a state of submission to His Will.

We will learn specifically about the life of Muhammad, Whose teachings spread among the Arab people, making them, as Abdu’l-Baha explains, “superior to the other nations of the earth in learning, in the arts, mathematics, civilization, government and other sciences.”

In this connection, we will gain a sense of the power of submission to the Will of God, one of Muhammad’s principle teachings, to unite people around a center and to promote order and prosperity.

We know that, because of our deep love for God’s beauty, we constantly strive to do all that He asks of us. The teachings that the Manifestations of God bring to humanity tell us what He wants us to do, and what we should not do. By allowing the teachings of God’s Manifestations to fill our hearts and minds, we begin to want only what He wants, to desire only what He desires, and to take pleasure in that which is pleasing to Him.

Order and harmony are brought about as more and more people live in a state of submission to God’s Will, all focused on His good pleasure. Think of the planets, all circling harmoniously, with the sun at their center. Through submission to the Will of God, humanity lives harmoniously and makes great progress- governments are just, communities are well organized, education flourishes, knowledge increases, and beauty is manifested in music and the arts.

Muhammad was a Manifestation sent by God some 1,400 years ago. He appeared among a people in a desert region at a time when their great capacity and rich potential were hidden behind selfish desires and ignorance. He taught them to put away such desires, to trust God, and to submit to His Will. He raised them out of the depths of cruelty and contention and showed them how to live in harmony according to Divine teachings, causing them to become examples of orderly and civilized life.

QUESTIONS

Whose good pleasure do we seek at all times?

Gods

How can we be sure that we are acting according to God’s good pleasure?

Order and harmony are brought about as more and more people live in a state of submission to God’s Will, all focused on His good pleasure

How are the planets that circle the sun orderly and harmonious? Do they ever fight with one another? Do the bigger planets ever want to control the smaller ones?

Obey the laws of physics and are in harmony with one another. Don’t fight or want control

When everyone is focused on God’s good pleasure and carrying out His commands, how does it change people? How does humanity progress?

humanity lives harmoniously and makes great progress- governments are just, communities are well organized, education flourishes, knowledge increases, and beauty is manifested in music and the arts

Who was Muhammad?

Messenger of God

What effect did the teachings of Muhammad have on the people of His time?

His teachings caused them to become examples of orderly and civilized life

REMEMBER TO DOWNLOAD THE PDF TO HELP MEMORIZE THE PRAYERS FROM LESSON 4 IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO!

SET 1

Glory be to Thee, O my God! Make manifest the rivers of Thy sovereign might, that the waters of Thy Unity may flow through the inmost realities of all things, in such wise that the banner of Thine unfailing guidance may be raised aloft in the kingdom of thy command and the stars of Thy divine splendour may shine brightly in the heaven of thy majesty. Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Thou, verily, art the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

SET 2

I beseech Thee, O my God, by all the transcendent glory of Thy Name, to clothe Thy loved ones in the robe of justice and to illumine their beings with the light of trustworthiness. Thou art the One that hath power to do as He pleaseth and Who holdeth within His grasp the reins of all things, visible and invisible.

SET 3

I have wakened in Thy shelter, O my God, and it becometh him that seeketh that shelter to abide within the Sanctuary of Thy protection and the Stronghold of Thy defence. Illumine my inner being, O my Lord, with the splendours of the Dayspring of Thy Revelation, even as Thou didst illumine my outer being with the morning light of Thy favour.

SET 4

O my God, my Master, the Goal of my desire! This, Thy servant, seeketh to sleep in the shelter of Thy mercy, and to repose beneath the canopy of Thy grace, imploring Thy care and Thy protection. I beg of Thee, O my Lord, by Thine eye that sleepeth not, to guard mine eyes from beholding aught beside Thee. Strengthen, then, their vision that they may discern Thy signs, and behold the Horizon of Thy Revelation. Thou art He before the revelations of Whose omnipotence the quintessence of power hath trembled. No God is there but thee, the Almighty, the All-Subduing, The Unconditioned.

A RING UPON THE HAND

STRIVE THAT YOUR ACTIONS

ONE TREE

The source of all good is trust in God, submission unto His command, and contentment with His holy will and pleasure
Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh/Words of Wisdom

MEANING OF WORDS

Source– where something comes from

The source of the river was high in the mountain

Submission- accepting and yielding to a higher force or will

Written submission for children’s class teachers was sent out to our community

Contentment- a state of happiness and satisfaction

They finally found contentment in living a life of service

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The story has a historical component to give some background content. Also, there may be props for the story, videos, and other resources to use as you like

As the final lesson, we will learn about the life and Mission of Muḥammad, the last Manifestation Who appeared before the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh.

Muḥammad was a Manifestation sent by God some 1400 years ago to the people who lived in the region we know as Arabia. You remember that one of the descendants of Abraham, Ishmael, was the father of the Arab people, and they had believed in the one true God and followed His teachings. But centuries had passed, and they had long turned away from Him and had forgotten how to live together peacefully. There were many warring tribes that worshipped idols and behaved in the most cruel and barbarous ways. The great capacity and rich potential of the Arab people were hidden behind veils of ignorance when Muḥammad appeared among them.

Muḥammad was born in the city of Mecca in the year 570 AD. As a young man, He became a merchant, and in His dealings with people He displayed such a sublime and noble character that He was known as “The Truthful” and “The Trustworthy”. At the age of forty, He became aware of His Divine Mission, while praying and meditating in the Cave of Hira. When Muḥammad began to share God’s Message, the people of Mecca rose up against Him, and for some twelve years, He and those who followed Him were the constant targets of the darts of hatred. At last, when Muḥammad’s very life was under threat, they migrated to the city of Medina. It was there that His Message spread rapidly, and many souls came to recognize His station as a Manifestation of God. He taught them that there is only one God to Whom we should turn in worship. It is God Whom we should trust, and by Whose Will we should all abide.

After several years in Medina, Muḥammad returned to His native city of Mecca, where the people also embraced His Cause. And through obedience to the laws and teachings that He revealed, the Arab people were eventually united and became renowned for their learning in the arts and sciences, reaching the greatest heights of civilization. The word “Islám” means “submission to God”, and the light of Islám, the religion founded by Muḥammad, shone across all of Arabia and beyond. His words were recorded in the Qu’rán, the Holy Book of His followers, and today all of humanity has access to His Divine Revelation.

There are 3 Stories in today’s lesson

story 1

Muḥammad’s father died before He was born, and His mother when He was only six. For most of His childhood and youth, He was raised by His uncle. There were no schools for formal education in Arabia at that time, and Muḥammad was not taught to read and write but learned the trade of His uncle, who was a merchant. Over time, as He helped His uncle with his business, Muḥammad gained a reputation for His integrity. He was called “The Truthful”, because He never told a lie, and “The Trustworthy”, because He never deceived anyone and always kept His word. His noble reputation eventually came to the attention of Khadija, a widow who was known for her purity. She came to admire Muḥammad’s honest and upright character. At the age of twenty-five, Muḥammad married Khadija, and they worked together as merchants.

Muḥammad was deeply disturbed by the way the people of Mecca lived. Thousands of years before, a sanctuary had been built in Mecca for the worship of one God as taught by Abraham. But this sacred place, known as the Ka’bah, had long been filled with idols, some say 360 of them, each with a different name and all worshipped by different tribes. These tribes were constantly at war, and when one tribe claimed victory over another, the women and children of the losing tribe were taken captive and suffered greatly as slaves to merciless masters. The region had sunk to the lowest depths of cruelty and despair. Muḥammad, unable to bear the godlessness and degradation of life in Mecca, would often retreat to the Cave of Hira, concealed in a mountain just outside the city, where He would pray and meditate. It was in this cave that Muḥammad, then forty years of age, became aware of His Divine Mission. All around Him He heard the voice of the Angel Gabriel, calling upon Him to speak out in the name of the Lord, God.

Muḥammad returned home and told Khadija what He had experienced. She became the first to recognize His station as a Manifestation and to accept His Message: that there is only one God, He Who had also spoken to the Manifestations of the past; that people should turn to God with humility, worship Him, trust in Him and be obedient to His Will; and that, in accordance with His Will, all people should be kind to one another, honest, and just. For some time, Muḥammad made His station known only to His close relatives and friends, some of whom chose to follow Him, including His cousin ‘Alí and His friend Abú-Bakr.

Story 2

Eventually, Muḥammad proclaimed God’s Message to the people of His tribe. Only a few, however, understood the importance of His words and began to follow His teachings. They became known as Muslims. The others did not want to give up their old ways and live according to the laws of God. The idea of change angered them. They behaved with the utmost cruelty towards Muḥammad and the small but growing band of His followers. When Muḥammad spoke of God’s Message, they laughed at Him and attacked Him with stones. For years Muḥammad and His followers endured violent persecution. Some of His companions were killed and their property confiscated. From time to time, members of His tribe would try to persuade Muḥammad to stop spreading His teachings, in return for wealth or power. He, of course, would refuse. His uncle and His wife were greatly respected in Mecca, and they were able to act as Muḥammad’s protectors for a time. But after their deaths, both in the same year, life for Muslims in the city of Mecca became even more difficult.

After many years of suffering, Muḥammad was visited by two leaders from other tribes. They had decided to embrace His teachings and offered, in the city of Medina, a safe place for the Muslims to live. Muḥammad instructed His followers to move to Medina, and they gradually left Mecca for that city. His enemies, however, were determined to put an end to His life while they had the chance. They devised a plot to kill Him, and one night they surrounded His house with the intention of carrying out their plan. They could easily see inside the house and would know whether He tried to leave. So Muḥammad turned to His faithful cousin ‘Alí. He asked him whether he would be willing to cover himself with a blanket and pretend to be sleeping in His bed. Without hesitation, despite the danger to his own life, ‘Alí gladly accepted. Such was his love for God’s Manifestation. And, while ‘Alí lay resting on the bed, Muḥammad was able to leave the house undetected and join His friend Abú-Bakr.

According to tradition, Muḥammad and Abú-Bakr then made their way out of the city in the dark of night, guided by the moon and stars, and took shelter in a cave in the mountainous desert. By morning it had been realized that Muḥammad was gone, and His enemies were in fast pursuit of Him. As the sun rose, the sound of galloping horses grew louder, and Abú-Bakr was filled with fear. How could he protect Muḥammad here in the desert, he wondered. Abú-Bakr held his breath and listened as the enemies drew closer and closer until there were footsteps just outside the cave. Abú-Bakr heard voices, but he could not make out the words. He was certain that they would be found. But Muḥammad reassured him, reminding him that God was with them. And, indeed, the search party soon left, without even looking inside the cave. You see, there was a spider at the opening of the cave, and right after Muḥammad had entered, it had spun a huge web, closing off the entrance. When the men searching for Muḥammad reached the cave, they assumed no one could be inside it because the web was perfect and unbroken. It must have been a very long time since anyone had entered that cave, they thought. So they continued looking elsewhere, but with no success. Tired, frustrated and confused, they finally returned to Mecca empty-handed. Muḥammad and Abú-Bakr remained in the cave for three days to make sure the enemies had gone and then left through another opening, preserving the web that had served as their protection. With camels brought by a trusted friend, they set out for Medina, traveling by night for several days, until they, at last, reached that city safely. Muḥammad’s move from Mecca to Medina is known as the Hijrah.

Story 3

From His new home of Medina, Muḥammad was able to teach God’s laws and commandments much more widely, and people from different tribes began to live together in harmony according to His teachings. Those who rejected them, however, were still determined to kill Muḥammad and His followers. The Muslims were steadfast in their faith and devoted to God and His laws. They did their utmost to avoid contention. But, they knew the cruelty of their enemies, and at times they were forced to take up arms to defend themselves and protect their children from enslavement. Over time, the sacrifices of the Muslims and their transformed way of life helped people to realize the truth of God’s Message.

There are many accounts that show the transformative effect of the spiritual powers that emanated from the Person of Muḥammad. In one such account, it is said that Muḥammad once awoke to find a soldier armed with a sword standing above Him, intending to take His life. The angry man asked, “Who is there now to save Thee?” Muḥammad replied that God would save Him. The soldier became afraid and dropped the sword, which Muḥammad picked up. He then asked the soldier who would save him. The man did not follow God’s teachings and realized that he was alone, with no one to come to his aid. Muḥammad did not harm the soldier but handed the sword back to him, telling him to learn to show forth mercy. The man was changed by this experience and devoted himself to Muḥammad and His teachings.

After several years the people of Mecca agreed to let the Muslims visit the holy sanctuary, the Ka’bah, where they could gather once a year to worship God. But soon the agreement collapsed, and the city was once again closed to the Muslims. The followers of Muḥammad now numbered in the thousands, and they went to Mecca en masse, ready to draw arms if necessary. But the people, seeing the waves of His followers approaching the city, surrendered without resistance. Muḥammad then made a pilgrimage, or hajj, to the Ka’bah, which He restored to a place of worship dedicated to the praise and glorification of the one true God.

Eventually, many of those who had at first rejected Muḥammad’s teachings came to believe in one God and changed their ways, striving to align their will with the Will of God. Through His words, which were recorded in a Holy Book called the Qu’rán, they learned to turn their hearts to God, especially through prayer and fasting, and to reflect those heavenly qualities that Muḥammad had manifested throughout His life. Under His influence, the people of the region rose from the sad condition in which He found them to the highest state of civilization. The warring tribes united and systems for organizing communities into well-ordered nations were established. Great universities were founded, knowledge of arts and sciences expanded, and new and beautiful forms of architecture emerged. At a time when other parts of the world were in decline, the Arab world flourished and the effects of Muḥammad’s teachings ushered in a whole new era of human civilization.

FROM BRILLIANT STAR MAGAZINE STORY

FACTS ABOUT MUHAMMAD

Muḥammad was a Manifestation of God born in the city Mecca, in the Arabian region, in the year 570 AD.
While engaged as a merchant, Muḥammad was often referred to as “The Truthful” and “The Trustworthy”.
Muḥammad taught that there is one God, that people should turn to Him, worship Him, trust in Him, and be obedient to His Will.
Muḥammad and His followers were persecuted by the people of Mecca and went to Medina, where His Message reached many souls.
After several years in Medina, Muḥammad returned to Mecca and the people soon embraced His Cause.
The words of Muḥammad are recorded in a Holy Book called the Qu’rán.
Muḥammad’s Message united the Arabian tribes and raised their level of civilization.

Facts Zoroaster

G3-L8-FACTS-ABOUT-ZOROASTER Download

ACTING

Today we will act out the story of Zoroaster’s visit to the court of Vishtaspa, culminating in the king’s acceptance of Zoroaster’s Message.

Need a Narrator: The part of the Manifestation Himself is never portrayed by a person.
Vishtaspa,
the scheming priests,
and joyful courtiers.

How do the courtiers express the joy in their hearts?
How does Vishtaspa react to Zoroaster’s words?
What expressions and gestures does he use to show his eagerness to hear more?
How do the priests act when Zoroaster first arrives?
How does their reaction change?
What might they say to each other in plotting to have Him banished from the court?

Hula Hoop Pass

Have the group form a circle holding hands. Ask two people to let go of their grip long enough for them to place their hands through a hula hoop before rejoining them.

The team task is to pass the hula hoop around the circle in a specified direction until it returns to the starting point.

Silly Willy

Two lines stand facing each other and become teams.
One player from each team, at the opposite end of the line, start by bowing to each other and calling out “Silly Willy”
The two players then walk toward and past each other without laughter or smiling, while the teams attempt to make the passer-by from the opposite team burst into laughter. (specify beforehand that it all needs to be clean and appropriate)
If a player should crack a smile, they join the line of their opponents.

5. The game ends when there is only one team left, or everyone is too laughed out to continue!

LAYERED PAPER: INSPIRED BY THE STORY OF ZOROASTER GOING TO THE MOUNTAINS

This is a layered paper scene of the mountain area where Zohrester went to pray and meditate to find the truth. The quote will be attached to this layered paper scene.

Instructions

Download pdf, print, and cut
layer using foam tape or cardboard pieces so that each layer is slightly raised

IMAGES TO DOWNLOAD, PRINT, AND LAYER HERE

ACTIVITIES FROM THE AUSTRALIAN PEACE PACK

THE AUSTRALIAN PEACE PACK

Puzzle for Zoroaster HERE

Craft for Zoroaster HERE

FROM BRILLIANT STAR MAGAZINE

based on transforming people’s character

Try making a never-ending card. the pictures can be all the same as the video below, or have them transform from something like a cocoon to a butterfly, etc.

Watch here

SCIENCE transforming kernels to popcorn

Nice activity that becomes the snack. Show the children how kernels transform into popcorn but need something for this to happen: heat and oil. Once it transforms, it takes up a different space and looks different. Here is a link for more information if needed

Waste not your time in idleness and sloth. Occupy yourselves with that which profiteth yourselves and others.
Bahá’u’lláh – From “Bishárát” [Glad-Tidings]

dOWNLOAD THE REVIEW QUOTE MEMORY AID HERE

Resource

ALL DONE MONKEY: A GREAT RESOURCE FOR KIDS TO LEARN MORE

LINK TO CONTENT HERE

TWINKL: RESOURCE THAT HAS FREE AND PAID CONTENT

CHECK IT OUT HERE

Tags Baha'i, Baha'i children class material, children class, crafts, GOOD CHARACTER, GRADE 3, lesson 8, PRAYER, QUOTE, ruhi, Ruhi bk 3 children's class, Ruhi book 3, Ruhi Children Class, STORY, zoroaster, ZOROASTER AND THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD CHARACTER LESSON 8 GRADE 3

Baha'i Children class Free Kids Can Do Ruhi Book 3 Template

MOSES AND THE LAWS OF GOD G3 L5

Post author By Carolyn
Post date September 29, 2022
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Grade 3 Lesson 4

MOSES AND THE LAWS OF GOD

In this lesson, we will learn about another manifestation of God: – Moses

The purpose of today’s lesson is for the children to understand that the Manifestations of God are Divine Educators, that Each brings a set of laws and ordinances suited to the capacity of the age in which He appears, and that these laws enable human beings to develop their spiritual powers and create a more just and beautiful world. The children will learn specifically about the life of Moses, Who, as explained by Abdu’l-Baha, established laws and ordinances that “gave life to the people of Israel, and let them to the highest possible degree of civilization at that period.” The following ideas may assist you in speaking to the children on this important subject.

The Manifestations of God are Divine Educators. In order to advance from age to age, humanity needs a Divine Teacher at every stage, One Who can help it to understand how God wants it to organize its affairs and develop its capacity. In this way, all the wonderful qualities and attributes with which He has endowed humanity can shine forth. Every Manifestation brings a set of laws and ordinances that is suitable to the capacity of the people among whom He appears, perfectly geared for that age. His laws and ordinances tell them how God wants them to live, in order to advance in knowledge and understanding and draw closer to humanity’s glorious destiny. Without the laws and teachings of God’s Manifestations, true progress would not be achieved. Think of a field or an orchard. If left wild, without care, no fruitful trees would grow on it. But when its plants are tended and trained, it becomes a beautiful garden; the thorns and thistles give way to delicious fruit and fragrant flowers. In the same way, by following the laws and ordinances of the Manifestation of God for today, we are able to develop our capacity more fully and, as a people, attain great heights of accomplishment.

Moses was a Manifestation of God Who appeared after Abraham when His people were ready to receive a NEW set of laws and ordinances that would enable them to reach a new level of progress. The laws and ordinances of God brought by Moses educated His people, trained and disciplined them, freeing them from the darkness of ignorance and leading them into the light of knowledge and true understanding.

REMEMBER, DOWNLOAD THE PDF TO HELP MEMORIZE THE PRAYERS IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO: Google Drive download LINK

SET 1

SET 2

SET 3

SET 4

THE PURPOSE: RUSS SALTON

MAKE FIRM OUR STEPS: JOE CRONE

Be not forgetful of the law of God in whatever thou desirest to achieve, now or in the days to come. Say: Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds!
Proclamation of Bahá’u’lláh/Sultán Abdu’l-‘Aziz

SEND THE QUOTE TO SOMEONE YOU KNOW: SEND BY MAIL OR EMAIL TO THEM

G3-L5-QUOTE Download

Memorization Aid: SCRAMBLED QUOTE DOWNLOAD

USE THIS WORKSHEET FOR ANY WORDS YOU ARE NOT SURE OF Download here

NOTE TO TEACHER

While it will be important for the children to follow the events in the stories well, you will want to make sure that they grasp their spiritual significance. That Moses carried with Him a staff through which He was able to achieve great things should be seen, for example, as the divine knowledge that He, like other Manifestations, possessed. The children should recognize, further, that the account of the liberation of the Hebrew people from Egypt and their long journey back to the Promised Land also speaks to us of their spiritual transformation—that they had grown far from God and that through the teachings and laws brought by Moses they were able to draw close to Him once again and live in accordance with His commands.

THINK ABOUT: How will you ensure that these and other spiritual insights offered by the stories are brought to the attention of your students?

Story 1

Moses was born into a Hebrew family in the land of Egypt a few thousand years ago. You remember from the last lesson that Abraham and His family had settled in Canaan and that the Hebrew people were His descendants through one of His sons, Isaac. Now Isaac had a son named Jacob, who had many sons of his own. During the time of Jacob, severe drought came to the region. With no water, food became scarce and there were seven years of famine. So, the Hebrew people left for Egypt where water and food were plentiful. There they were welcomed and lived happily for many generations.

In those days, the ruler of the land of Egypt was known as the Pharaoh. Eventually one of the Pharaohs became fearful of the Hebrew people, believing they might try to overtake his land, and so he enslaved them. They were forced to work in the fields and build new structures. As slaves in Egypt, the Hebrew people suffered greatly. But then something even worse happened. An order was given that all their newborn male children should be killed to prevent them from growing into soldiers who could rise up against the Pharaoh. It was around this time that Moses was born.

Moses’ parents were among the enslaved, and they already had a daughter named Miriam and a young son named Aaron. Can you imagine the fear that must have filled the heart of Moses’ mother when she gave birth to a new little boy? For three months, she was able to keep Him in hiding. But eventually, she could conceal Him no longer, and so she put Him in a small basket and sent it floating down the River Nile, praying that He would be found and saved. Meanwhile, His sister, Miriam, hid in the bushes to see what would become of her little Brother. Just then the daughter of the Pharaoh came down to the river with her maids to bathe. Noticing the basket, she asked one of her maids to bring it to her. She wept with compassion at finding the baby inside and decided to raise Him as her own son, naming Him Moses. And so it was that the life of Moses was spared, and He came to be raised in the palace of the Pharaoh. He was a prince.

STORY 2

At times the young Moses, as a member of the royal household, would inspect the work of the Hebrew slaves, who were laboring under harsh conditions to build structures and great stone pyramids at the Pharaoh’s command. He saw the cruelty with which they were treated, and He grew troubled by their suffering. Moses, of course, came to know that He, too, was of the Hebrew people, which, unlike the Egyptians who worshipped idols, believed in one God, as taught by Abraham. Eventually, Moses met His sister, Miriam, and His older brother, Aaron. Still, He was separate from His people, a member of the Pharaoh’s household.

One day, however, while carrying out an inspection of some construction work, Moses saw an Egyptian supervisor striking a slave, who was struggling to defend himself. The man cried out for assistance, and Moses swung out His arm to help him. The supervisor fell to the ground, killed by the powerful blow.

News of the incident quickly spread throughout the city, and Moses fled from Egypt to escape the Pharaoh’s men, who sought to put Him to death. Moses begged God for forgiveness, as His intention had been but to help the beleaguered Hebrew slave, and He asked God to show Him the way forward. He was led to the land of Midian, where He was taken in by the family of a prosperous shepherd. He eventually married one of the shepherd’s daughters and was given responsibility for several flocks of sheep, spending long hours alone in the open countryside tending to the animals. The suffering of the enslaved Hebrew people in Egypt was never, however, far from His thoughts, and especially during times of solitude, He would pray and meditate, asking God for guidance.

It was while tending sheep, alone, that Moses became aware of the station to which God had called Him. He saw a bush burning in the desert that was not consumed by the flames. As He approached the bush the Voice of God could be heard, bidding Him to make His way back to Egypt and, with His brother Aaron by His side, call on the Pharaoh to free the Hebrew people. Moses was assured that He would be given the strength to accomplish so great a task, liberating the Hebrews from the yoke of oppression and guiding them to the land of their forefather, Abraham.

STORY 3

(This story is also an activity in GAME/ NARRATIVE section)

In accordance with God’s command, Moses returned to Egypt and went with Aaron to see the Pharaoh. Though He had spent so many years as a simple shepherd, majesty and grandeur had become manifest in Him. Moses asked that the Hebrew people be allowed to return to their homeland, to worship and serve God. He proclaimed the Message of the oneness of God, Creator of all things, but the Pharaoh refused to listen and demanded proof of the greatness of God. At this, Moses cast down his staff, and as it fell to the ground, it turned into a serpent before the eyes of all in the Pharaoh’s court. But the Pharaoh was not convinced. He believed that his own priests and sorcerers could perform acts as great as Moses’, so he called them to the palace to demonstrate their skill. Once they had gathered, all of the Pharaoh’s sorcerers cast their staffs to the ground where they, too, turned into serpents. But when these serpents encountered the one that Moses had cast, it swallowed each of them up in turn. This story of Moses’ encounter with the priests tells us that, no matter how much power they have or how much knowledge they possess, those who oppose God’s Manifestation can never disprove His claims, and the proofs that Moses put forth, like the serpent, overpowered the arguments made by the priests. Yet still, the Pharaoh would not accept Moses’ Message of one God. His heart was hardened, and he would not let the Hebrew people go.

Not long after, Moses returned to the Pharaoh and warned him that ten plagues would afflict the land of Egypt if he did not free the Hebrew people. But the Pharaoh was heedless to the warning, and one by one the plagues came. First, there was a heavy flood that filled the River Nile with red silt, overflowing the reservoirs and contaminating the water so there was little to drink. Next, great hailstones fell and destroyed the crops, creating a shortage of food. The hailstones were followed by swarms of locusts so thick that they blocked the sun. Then a scourge of frogs overran the city. Prior to the onset of each plague, Moses would foretell the event and would call on the Pharaoh to relinquish his grip on the Hebrew people, and each time the Pharaoh would refuse until he saw the consequences of the plague. He would then promise to let the people go. But each time he would break his promise and, in anger, increase the burden on the enslaved people. Egyptians and Hebrews alike blamed Moses for all the suffering in the land.

When the tenth plague came, the disease spread everywhere and took many lives. Even the Pharaoh’s eldest son became sick and died. The Hebrew households were, however, passed over by the plague. At last, after this tenth affliction, with his country and family devastated, the Pharaoh told Moses that He could take the people out of Egypt.

Moses led the Hebrew people through the desert. Day and night they traveled until they reached the shores of the Red Sea. The people were exhausted, hungry, and thirsty. They had barely stopped when they realized the Egyptian army was pursuing them. The Pharaoh had changed his mind once again and wanted to return the people into bondage. Now they were trapped. With the Egyptians behind them, they could not turn back; yet they could not move forward since there was no way to cross the sea. There seemed to be no escape, and they feared for their lives. They began to lose hope. But Moses reminded them that God would not abandon them and would always take care of them. Then, as the Egyptians drew nearer, God commanded Moses to raise His staff and stretch His hand out over the sea. As He did so, the water divided, leaving a path for the people to pass through. With another wave of His hand, the water flowed back again, washing away the Egyptian army and leaving the Hebrews safe on the other side of the Red Sea.

STORY 4

After their escape through the Red Sea, the Hebrew people were finally free from the Egyptians. But they still had a long way to travel through the hot, dry desert, if they were to reach the land of their forefather, Abraham. Conditions were harsh, and food and water were scarce. Discontent began to grow. Many complained and doubted Moses and the teachings of God. When they reached the foot of Mount Sinai, Moses left the people and climbed the mountain to commune with God. In His absence, the people turned back to the old ways. They melted their jewelry and created a golden idol, which they started to worship, forgetting the one true God. After forty days, Moses returned. He carried two stone tablets, upon which were inscribed God’s laws. Seeing that the people had returned to the worship of idols, Moses destroyed what they had made and begged God to show forgiveness to them.

In the confusion, however, the tablets Moses had brought were also destroyed, and so He returned to Mount Sinai and communed with God for another forty days. Once again, He came down from the mountain, His face radiant, carrying tablets engraved with Ten Commandments, laws by which the Hebrew people should live. They were commanded, for example, to recognize the one true God, to honor their fathers and mothers, and not to murder or steal or speak dishonestly. Moses told the people that if they obeyed these laws of God, they would become a holy nation. In response, the Hebrews, who came to be known as the Jewish people, promised to be obedient to God’s commandments. Later, the laws and teachings brought by Moses were recorded in a Holy Book called the Torah.

At last, after many long years in the desert, they neared Canaan, the Promised Land. Moses was then very old. From a mountain top, He could see the Promised Land and knew that the Hebrew people had reached their goal. His Mission was complete, and it was there, on the mountain top, that His earthly life came to an end. Moses had guided His people with wisdom and gave them God’s Ten Commandments to obey, and so they were raised out of slavery to a high state of civilization.

FACTS ABOUT MOSES

Moses was born to a Hebrew family in Egypt… thousands of years ago.
Moses was raised in…the Pharaoh’s palace as a prince.
Ten plagues afflicted Egypt before…the Pharaoh agreed to free the Hebrew people.
Moses led the Hebrew people…out of Egypt.
The Ten Commandments are…God’s laws that Moses brought to humanity.
Some of the Ten Commandments are…to honor one’s father and mother, not to steal, not to murder, and not to speak dishonestly.
The laws and teachings brought by Moses are recorded in….a Holy Book called the Torah.

DOWNLOAD THE FACT CARDS HERE

OPTION 1, PLAIN

OPTION 2 PHOTO

Note that all the items below are found in the attached PDF. some can be presented as photos, some can be made ahead of time or substituted for your own prop.

Suggested Props:

Handcuffs ( two strips of paper or foil looped together)
small basket or picture of Moses basket, (there is one in the craft section)
crown for a prince
picture of great stone pyramids
sheep
staff,
large snake
small snakes
red silt/sand
hailstones (paper wadded up)
locusts
frogs
toy medical kit (for disease), OR PHOTO IN PDF
gold coins
ten commandments were written out on paper in the shape of stone tablets
the Torah

Today’s historical episode recounts the life of Moses. In relating this narrative to the children, whether in whole or in part, you should be sure to emphasize that Moses guided the Hebrew people out of slavery and educated them through the law of God, raising them to a higher level of civilization.

Moses was born in the land of Egypt thousands of years ago. His family was among the many descendants of the children of Abraham, the Hebrew people, who had settled and prospered long before in the Promised Land. Most people lived by farming and tending animals, and when drought come to the Promised Land and water had grown scarce, the Hebrew people made their way to Egypt, where they lived happily for a long time. But eventually, the king of Egypt, known as the Pharaoh, became fearful of the Hebrew people, believing they might try to overtake his land, and so he made them slaves. Even worse, he ordered that all their newborn male children be killed to prevent them from growing into soldiers who could rise up against him. It was around this time that Moses was born.

Imagine the fear that filled the heart of Moses’s mother when she gave birth to her new little Son. For three months she was able to keep Him in hiding, but when she could conceal Him no longer, she put Him in a small basket and sent it floating down the Nile, praying that He would be found and saved. Later her daughter Miriam discovered that her tiny brother have been taken from the basket to the household of the Pharaoh who was persuaded to spare His life and had given the name Moses. So it was that Moses came to be raised in the Pharaoh’s palace and was treated as his very son. He was a prince.

At times, young Moses would inspect the work of the Hebrew slaves, who were laboring under harsh conditions to build structures and great stone pyramids at the Pharaoh’s command. He saw the cruelty with which they were treated, and He grew troubled by their suffering. Moses, of course, came to know that He, too, was of the Hebrew people, which, unlike the Egyptians who worshipped idols, believed in one God, as taught by Abraham. Eventually, Moses met His sister Miriam and His older brother Aaron, who had been born before the Pharaoh’s cruel order. Still, He was separate from His people, a member of the Pharaoh’s household.

One day, however, while carrying out an inspection of some construction work, Moses saw an Egyptian overseer striking a slave, who was struggling to defend himself. The man cried out for assistance, and Moses swung out His arm to help him. The overseer fell to the ground, killed by the powerful blow.

News of the incident quickly spread throughout the city, and Moses fled from Egypt to escape the Pharaoh’s men, who sought to put Him to death as punishment for killing one of the ruler’s overseers. Moses begged God for forgiveness, as His intentions had been but to help the beleaguered Hebrew slave, and He asked God to show Him the way forward. He was led to the land of Midian, where He was taken in by the family of a prosperous shepherd. He eventually married one of the shepherd’s daughters and was given responsibility for several flocks of sheep, spending long hours alone in the open countryside tending to the animals. The suffering of the enslaved Hebrew people in Egypt was never, however, far from His thoughts, and especially during times of solitude in the countryside, He would pray and meditate, asking God for guidance.

It was while tending sheep, alone, that Moses became aware of the Station to which God had called Him. He saw a bush burning in the countryside that was not consumed by the flames. As He approached the bush the Voice of God could be heard, bidding Him make His way back to Egypt and with His brother Aaron by His side, call on the Pharaoh to free the Hebrew people. Moses was assured that He would be given the strength to accomplish so great a task, liberating the Hebrews from the yoke of oppression and guiding them to the land of their Forefather, Abraham.

In accordance with God’s command, Moses returned to Egypt and went with Aaron to see the Pharaoh. Though He had spent so many years as a simple shepherd, majesty and grandeur had become manifest in Him. Moses asked that the Hebrew people be allowed to return to their homeland to worship and serve God. He proclaimed the message of the oneness of God, Creator of all things, but the Pharaoh refused to listen and demanded proof of the greatness of God. At this, Moses cast down his staff, and as it fell to the ground, it turned into a serpent before the eyes of all in the Pharaoh’s court. But the Pharaoh was not convinced. He believed that his own priests and sorcerers could perform acts as great as Moses, so he called them to the palace to demonstrate their skill. Once they had gathered, all of Pharaoh’s sorcerers cast their staffs to the ground where they, too turned into serpents. But when these serpents encountered the one that Moses had cast it swallowed each of them up in turn. Of course, Bahaullah explained that the staff of Moses was in reality “the rod of celestial dominion”. He tells us that Moses possessed Divine knowledge and we know that through the Pharaoh’s priests tried to disprove His claims, the proofs that Moses put forth, like the serpent, overpowered the arguments they made. Yet still, the Pharaoh would not accept Moses’ Message of one God. His heart was hardened, and he would not let the Hebrew people go.

Not long after, Moses returned to the Pharaoh and warned him that ten plagues would afflict the land of Egypt if he did not free the Hebrew people. But the Pharaoh was heedless to the warning, and one by one the plagues came. First, there was a heavy flood that filled the River Nile with red silt, overflowing the reservoirs and contaminating the water so there was little to drink. Next, great hailstones fell and destroyed the crops, creating s shortage of food. The hailstones were followed by swarms of locusts so thick that they blocked the sun. Then a scourge of frogs overran the city. Prior to the onset of each plague Moses would foretell the event and would call on Pharaoh to relinquish his grip on the Hebrew people, and each time the Pharaoh would refuse until he saw the consequences of the plague. He would then promise to let the people go. But each time he would break his promise and, in anger, increase the burden on the enslaved people. Egyptians and Hebrews alike blamed Moses for all the suffering in the land.

Moses led the Hebrew people through the desert. Day and night they traveled until they reached the shores of the Red Sea. The people were exhausted, hungry, and thirsty. They had barely stopped when they realized the Egyptian army was pursuing them. The Pharaoh had changed his mind once again and wanted to return the people to bondage. Now there were trapped. With the Egyptians behind them, they could not turn back; yet they could not move forward since there was no way across the sea. There seemed to be no escape, and they feared for their lives. They began to lose hope. But Moses reminded them that God would not abandon them and would always take care of them. Then as the Egyptians drew nearer, God commanded Moses to raise His staff and stretch His hand out over the sea. As he did so the water divided, leaving a path for the people to pass through. With another wave of His hand, the water flowed back again, washing away the Egyptian army and leaving the Hebrews safe on the other side of the Red Sea.

The sea now behind them, the people still had a long way to travel through the hot, dry desert. Conditions were harsh, and food and water were scarce. Discontent began to grow. Many complained and doubted Moses and the teachings of God. When they reached the foot of Mount Sinai, Moses left the people and climbed the mountain to commune with God. In His absence, the people turned back to the old ways. They melted their jewelry and created a golden idol, which they started to worship, forgetting the one true God. After forty days Moses returned. He carried two stone tablets upon which were inscribed God’s laws, the Ten Commandments, Seeing that the people had returned to the worship of idols, Moses destroyed what they had made and begged God to show forgiveness to them.

The tablets had also been destroyed in the confusion, so Moses returned to Mount Sinai and communicated with God for another forty days, at the end of which He came down from the mountain. His face was radiant, with a new set of tablets, again engraved with Ten Commandments, laws by which Hebrew people should live. For example, they were commanded to recognize the one true God, to honor their fathers and mothers, and not to murder or steal or speak dishonestly. Moses told people that if they obeyed these laws of God, they would become a holy nation. In response, the Hebrews who came to be known as the Jewish people promised to be obedient to God’s commandments. Later the laws and teachings brought by Moses were recorded in a Holy Book called the Torah.

At last, after many long years in the desert, they neared Canaan, the Promised Land Moses was then very old. From a mountain top, He could see the Promised Land and knew that the Hebrew people had reached their goal. His mission was complete, and it was there, on the mountain top, that His earthly life came to an end. Moses had guided His people with wisdom and gave them God’s Ten Commandments to obey, and so they were raised out of slavery to a high state of civilization.

DOWNLOAD THE PROP PDF HERE

BASED ON STORY ONE

This craft is based on story one. It is a craft with Moses in the basket. There are many crafts if you search “BIBLE STORY MOSES” I did not find one that did not have the picture of Moses so I made some myself.

Moses in the Basket: Pendulum Powered Card

This card is easy to make even if the instructions are a bit long. Download the template pieces. Note you can draw your own clouds, or grass or use the template. You can also draw the sky in and then color it. Cardbase is an 8.5″ x 6″ cardstock folded in half

Materials Needed

Cardstock (white and light blue)
Stiff clear plastic (Acetate) or heavy cardstock
Glue
Penny

Instructions

Download the template pieces and print them on white cardstock.
Cut a card 4.25″ x 5.5″ white
Cut a card 4″ x 5.25″ light blue or white
Cut out clouds, waves, and grass
Cut pendulum from acetate or heavy card stock
Glue or tape the penny to the round end of the pendulum
Now position the pendulum onto the card that is 4″ x 5.25″ (light blue)
Check to see that waves/grass covers the penny. Once the position is correct, secure with a brad (Split pin)
Use foam tape on the back of the waves and grass pieces and position it on top of the pendulum
Add the Moses basket to the top of the pendulum
Finish the sky with clouds or draw in the sky of your choice.
Attach to 4.25″ x 5.5″ card
Attach the finished pendulum card to your notebook or to the card base (8.5″ x 6″ base) and use it as a greeting card
Enjoy

FROM THE AUSTRALIAN PEACE PACK: MOSES BASKET

Use this template to cut out a simple basket, color it in, and decorate it.

Based on story 2: The Burning Bush

Use the template to print on cardstock and cut out. Assemble.

Story 3: The staff turns into a snake (our grade 3 in Burlington did this craft)

How To Make the Optical Illusion

Have you seen billboards where the image is different depending on which angle you are looking at it? Well, this craft is the paper version and it is quite cool. This type of optical illusion is called an anemograph. See more ideas here

Generic free templates here

First, download and print My Template. Download the instructions if needed. Colour the snake and the staff photos

Now cut the image apart, keep the number and letters with each piece

Fold the template like an accordion along the dashed lines. Note that there are numbers and letters. Glue the strips of the image you cut onto the correct space. There are 2 blank spaces not shown in this template. Do not stick anything there.

Cut off the extra numbers and letters once it is all glued on. Cut out the center of the frame template and glue the accordion with the picture to the frame. Note the updated template allows for the picture to have a blank space on either end. This will allow the pictures to be viewed without any overlap as seen in this one.

overlap is seen here on the left end….

Story 3 the Plague

Rob Ives frog for the plague of frogs. This is based on a craft like the Mexican jumping bean. My blank template to use is HERE or you can purchase the one from Rob Ives.

You can also print and cut out these cards as an interactive notebook element or a lapbook component

Mexican Jumping Bean

The basic mechanism is here, add color and eyes, etc to make it into a frog for the plague.

How to use

Print and color the template
Carefully cut out the bean along the solid lines
Fold along the dotted lines
Place a marble inside of the bean and glue the two sets of flaps
Now, you’ll want to find a slightly inclined surface, one that is not too slippery
Let your little bean “come to life.”

FROM Twinkl

Twinkl offers free downloads once in a while for any of the resources on the Twinkl site but you have to sign up. Here are all the free downloads for Moses including coloring from this site

For Moses and the 10 plagues, this wheel is great to add to an interactive notebook or lapbook

Story 3: Parting The Red Sea

Here is my Google search for this craft

What you’ll need

Print PDF sheet found here for stand-up figures
A blue stockcard for the waves
A base card of any color ( kraft cardstock looks like sand)
Scissors
Glue

Instructions

Cut the blue stock card horizontally, in half, and make cuts 1″ to 2″ wide along the side
Roll the cuts into “waves”
Glue the waves to the base card
Now color in the characters and cut them out

Story 4: Make the 10 Commandments

Make your own ten commandments from Crayola

Cootie catcher version here

The Tongue of My power hath, from the heaven of My omnipotent glory, addressed to My creation these words: ‘Observe My commandments, for the love of My beauty.
The Kitáb-i-Aqdas

Download the memorization aid

G3L5-Review-G2-quote-Download

Slides
From Brilliant Star Magazine:

Tags Baha'i children class material, children class, MOSES AND THE LAWS OF GOD, Ruhi bk 3 children's class, Ruhi book 3, ruhi book 3 grade 3 lesson 4, Ruhi Children Class

Baha'i Children class Free Kids Can Do Ruhi Book 3

ABRAHAM AND THE ONENESS OF GOD G3 L4

Post author By Carolyn
Post date September 28, 2022
No Comments on ABRAHAM AND THE ONENESS OF GOD G3 L4

Grade 3 Lesson 4

Welcome to lesson 4 . There are 4 prayers to memorize for lessons 4 to 10

The purpose of this lesson is to provide the opportunity to think about the concept of the oneness of God and to recognize that all the Manifestations proclaim the unity of God.

In this lesson, we will learn about Abraham, a Manifestation of God who appeared thousands of years ago to guide His people to an understanding of God’s essential oneness.

We know that God is the Great Bestower and Giver of life. He has created the universe and all that is therein. He is the Source of all that exists. No other force or power can compare with Him. From the beginning of time, God has sent His Manifestations to help humanity understand His oneness. Without Their instructions from age to age, people have often fallen into the worship of idols or spirits or even elements of nature, like the sun, the wind, and the moon. They would give God’s attributes such as love, justice, power and majesty, wisdom, and generosity, to each of these idols or spirits and would worship them as though they were gods themselves that control the world and everything therein.

All the Manifestations of God remind humanity that there is only one God, the All-Glorious, the All-Powerful, Whom we worship, Who lovingly guides us, and whose aid and assistance we seek. Even today, unaware of the new teachings of God brought by Bahaullah, many people have begun to worship different kinds of idols, giving their hearts to the pursuit of wealth, power, and fame. The human heart was created to love, and if it is not filled with the love of God, it will find some object for its affection and adoration. God has created every good thing in this world for us to enjoy. But He wants our hearts to be attached to Him, and Him, alone. In the Hidden Words, Baha’u’llah says:

“O Son of Being! Thy heart is My home; sanctify it for My descent. Thy spirit is My place of revelation; cleanse it for My manifestation.”

Abraham was a Manifestation sent by God several thousands of years ago when many people had forgotten Gods oneness and worshipped idols and powers in nature. Few wanted to listen to the Message brought by Abraham that they should worship the one true God. Alone and without help, He withstood the forces that opposed Him. Though He was exiled from His native land by a king who feared Him, the light of His Message could not be extinguished, and His teachings spread, through His children and their descendants, to many nations.

DOWNLOAD ALL 4 PRAYERS WITH MEMORY AIDS: HERE

PRAYER SET 1

Glory be to Thee, O my God! Make manifest the rivers of Thy sovereign might, that the waters of Thy Unity may flow through the inmost realities of all things, in such wise that the banner of Thine unfailing guidance may be raised aloft in the kingdom of thy command and the stars of Thy divine splendour may shine brightly in the heaven of thy majesty.Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Thou, verily, art the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

PRAYER SET 2

PRAYER SET 3

PRAYER: SET 4

WE SUMMON YOU TO GOD: SUNG BY GOLETA BURRISON

Three Wives Of Abraham

Be Lovers Of Light

What Mankind Has To Learn

Use the worksheet for any words you are not sure Of: Download here

He is, and hath from everlasting been, one and alone, without peer or equal, eternal in the past, eternal in the future, detached from all things, ever-abiding, unchangeable, and self-subsisting.
Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh

PRINT AND CUT OUT THE QUOTE: THERE ARE 6 ON A PAGE

Send a postcard to a friend

G3-L4-QUOTE Download

4 STORIES ABOUT ABRAHAM: DOWNLOAD ALL 4 STORIES HERE

STORY 1

Tradition tells that on the night that Abraham was born, His father had many guests, including the wise men of the court of King Nimrod. As the visitors left the house at dawn, they saw a large star rising in the east, which seemed to consume stars from each of the four corners of the sky. The wise men believed this unusual occurrence must be a sign connected with the birth of Abraham, foretelling His great power. They decided to inform the king and went to see him at once. The most respected among them related to Nimrod what they had witnessed and what they believed to be the meaning of this wondrous sign. Fearing that the child would one day take power from him, Nimrod called for Abraham’s father and offered gold and silver in exchange for the baby.

Upon hearing Nimrod’s command to surrender his son, Abraham’s father decided to pose a question to the king. Not long before, Nimrod had given him a beautiful horse. Another man now wished to buy the horse for a good price, and he asked the king what he should do. Nimrod’s advice was clear: How could he ever think of selling so unique and precious a gift from his king? How could gold and silver ever replace such a gift? To this, Abraham’s father responded: Just as money could not replace the gift of a king, so could it never replace his own child. This argument temporarily satisfied the king, but Abraham’s father knew that Nimrod would continue to insist on claiming his Son. So for ten years, he kept Abraham in hiding, long enough for the king and his wise men to forget about what had happened on the night of His birth.

STORY 2

Like most people at the time, Abraham’s family worshipped idols, that is, figures made of stone, wood, or clay. Idols had first been created as symbols of the attributes of God, for example, of love and justice, but these physical objects had gradually come to be seen as gods themselves. So people prayed to idols, believing that such figurines had the power to help and guide them, as well as to punish them. Some idols were even thought to represent powers in nature such as the sun, the moon, and the stars. Abraham’s father made and sold idols, so Abraham was surrounded by them from childhood. When He was still young, however, it became clear to Him that such man-made objects had no powers, and He was drawn by Divine forces to seek the Source of the true power that guided humanity.

As the story is told, Abraham was a child when, observing the stars, the moon and the sun, He came to know that there was just one God, the Creator of all things. Seeing the brilliance of a star one night, He said, “This is my Lord.” When it set, however, He said, “I love not those that set.” Seeing the moon rise in its great splendor, even brighter than the star, He said, “This is my Lord.” But it, too, set. When the sun rose, illuminating all around Him, Abraham praised its greatness in comparison to the moon and star. Yet it, too, set, and, at that moment, He knew that there was one true Creator, greater than all these powers, Who had brought the world into being and that He, alone, should be worshipped. Abraham declared, “For me, I have set my face, firmly and truly, towards Him Who created the heavens and the earth, and never shall I give partners to God.”

STORY 3

As a young man, Abraham was sometimes asked to look after His father’s shop and help sell the idols. Yet He took every opportunity to discourage people from buying them, pointing out that idols could not eat or drink, walk or talk; how could they believe, He would inquire, that such figures had the power to help them. Abraham wanted to teach people about the one true God and to lead them away from idol worship. So angry did His father become at his Son for denying the gods of His people that he cast Him out from the family home.

Undeterred, Abraham continued to try to show the people the path to God. It is said that one day, to help them understand the powerlessness of their idols, He went to the place where they were kept when no one else was there and destroyed them all but one—the largest one. Later, when the people returned and saw the broken idols, they remembered what Abraham had been telling them and called for Him. “How could this happen,” they inquired. Abraham pointed to the one remaining idol and suggested that perhaps this one had destroyed the others. They need only ask the idol to find out, He stated. “But the idol cannot speak or move,” exclaimed the people. “How could it have destroyed the others? How can it tell us what happened?”

In response to their questions, Abraham called on them, as He had done many times before, to abandon their worship of such powerless idols and to follow the one true God, the Maker of all. Yet few would listen, and Abraham was brought before King Nimrod to be punished for destroying the idols. Upon hearing the accusations, Nimrod asked who this Mighty God was that Abraham had told his people to follow. Abraham’s answer was unequivocal: It is the one true God Who gives life and death to all. Nimrod responded boastfully that he, too, as king, could give life and death by his very command. But Abraham went on to explain that it is God Who makes the sun rise in the east. He asked Nimrod whether, as king, he could make the sun rise in the west instead. Nimrod grew so angry at this that he ordered Abraham be burned to death. Yet nothing he could do could harm Abraham, Who, protected by the Almighty, came through the fire uninjured.

At last Abraham was exiled from His native land. With His wife Sarah, His nephew Lot and a few others who had accepted the Message of one true God, Abraham set off from the place of His birth and headed westward. For many years they traveled, but Abraham never feared, for God had promised that He would guide Abraham to another land and that, from Him, would come forth a great nation. Eventually the small group reached a place called Canaan, which came to be known as the Promised Land or the Holy Land. This was the land on which, as God had ordained, the children of Abraham settled and prospered.

Based on the story of Abraham’s life, here are a few questions:

What do all the Manifestations teach us?
Is there any power greater than the power and majesty of God?
When human beings forget the power and greatness of God, their Creator, what do they often begin to worship instead of Him?
If we do not allow our hearts to be filled with the love of God, to what might they attach themselves instead?
To what does God want our hearts to be attached?
What Message did the Manifestation of God Abraham bring to His people thousands of years ago?
Did the people want to listen to His message?
Could any of the forces of opposition prevent the Message brought to humanity by Abraham from spreading?

STORY 3 TOLD WITH PROPS: GET PROPS HERE

Horse figurine (can be a craft)
Star, moon, and sun cutouts
“Idols” (figurines made of modeling clay) on a plate- one needs to be bigger then the others (towards the end of the story you will smash the other ones and leave the largest figurine- as part of the story)

The historical episode for this lesson provides an account of the life of Abraham, focusing principally on the opposition He faced. You should decide before class how you will approach this period. What we have done is provide you with one long narrative written in a language accessible to you, but perhaps too difficult for the children. Whether you tell it as it is written or simplify it substantially, will depend on your students’ level of comprehension. You can also as we mentioned earlier, recount only part of the episode to them at any given time. However you choose to proceed, it is important to make it clear that no force no matter how powerful could prevent Abraham from achieving His mission and that His exile from the land of His birth became the cause of the progress of His descendants, who spread His teachings to many nations.

Manifestations of God have come to guide humanity throughout the ages, appearing in different places at various stages of history. Abraham, Whose name means “the father of nations”, was a Manifestation Who lived thousands of years ago. He was born at a time when few people believed in one God. Tradition tells that on the night that Abraham was born, his father had many guests, including the wise men of the court of King Nimrod. As the visitors left the house at dawn, they saw a large star rising in the east, which seemed to consume stars from the each of the four corners of the sky, by the way that it was rising.

The wise man believed this unusual occurrence must be a sign connected with the birth of Abraham, foretelling His great power. They decided to inform the king and went to see him at once. The most respected among them related to Nimrod what they had witnessed and what they believed to be the meaning of this wondrous sign. Fearing that the child would one day take power from him, Nimrod called for Abraham’s father and offered gold and silver in exchange for the baby. Upon hearing Nimrod’s command to surrender his son, Abraham’s father decided to pose a question to the king. Not long before, Nimrod had given him a beautiful horse. Another man now wished to buy the horse for a good price, and he asked the king what he should do. Nimrod’s advice was clear: How could he ever think of selling so unique and precious a gift from his king? How could gold and silver ever replace such a gift? To this, Abraham’s father responded: just as money could not replace the gift of a king, so could it never replace his own child. This argument temporarily satisfied the king, but Abraham’s father knew that Nimrod would continue to insist on claiming his Son. So for ten years he kept Abraham in hiding, long enough for the king and his wise men to forget about what had happened on the night of His birth.

Like most people at the time, Abraham’s family worshiped idols, that is, figures made of stone, wood, or clay (can have figures made of clay to show as an example). Idols had first been created as symbols of the attributes of God, for example, of love and justice, but these physical objects had gradually come to be seen as gods themselves. So people prayed to idols, believing that such figurines had the power to help and guide them, as well as to punish them. Some idols were even thought to represent powers in nature such as the sun, the moon, and the stars. Do you know what Abraham’s father did for a living? Abraham’s father made and sold idols, so Abraham was surrounded by them from childhood. When He was still young, however, it became clear to Him that such man-made objects had no powers, and He was drawn by Divine forces to seek the Source of the true power that guided humanity.

As the story is told, Abraham was a child when, observing the stars, the moon and the sun, He came to know that there was one God, the Creators of all things. Seeing the brilliance of a star one night, He said, “This is my Lord.” When it set, however, He said, “I love not those that set.” Seeing the moon rise in its great splendor, even brighter than the star, He said, “This is my Lord.” But it, too, set. When the sun rose, illuminating all around Him, Abraham praised its greatness in comparison to the moon and star. Yet it, too, set, and, at the moment, even as a young child, He knew that there was one true Creator, greater than all these powers, who had brought the world into being and that He, alone, should be worshipped. Abraham declared, “For me, I have set my face firmly and truly, towards Him, Who created the heavens and the earth, and never shall I give partners to God.”

As a young man, Abraham was sometimes asked to look after His father’s shop and help sell idols. Yet he took every opportunity to discourage people from buying them, pointing out that idols could not eat or drink, walk or talk; how could they believe, He would inquire, that such figures had the power to help them. Abraham wanted to teach people about the one true God and to lead them away from idol worship.

How do you think Abraham’s father reacted? Not very well. So angry did His father become at His son for denying the gods of His people that he cast Him out from the family home.

(Do you see how much detachment and reliance on God are needed in following the truth?)

Undeterred, Abraham continued to try to show the people the path to God. It is said that one day, to help them understand the powerlessness of the idols, He went to the place where they were kept when no one else was there.

Do you know what He did? He destroyed them all but one –the largest one. Later, when the people returned and saw the broken idols, they remembered what Abraham had been telling them and called for Him. How could this happen, they inquired. Abraham pointed to the one remaining idol and suggested that perhaps this one had destroyed the others. They need only ask the idol to find out, He stated. “But the idol cannot speak or move.” Exclaimed the people, “How could it have destroyed the others? How can it tell us what happened?”

In response to their questions, Abraham called on them, as He had done many times before, to abandon their worship of such powerless idols and to follow the one true God, the Maker of all. It seems simple to us, but at that time it was very hard for them to be detached and let go of the ideas they had formed in their heads. Few would listen and Abraham was brought before the King Nimrod to be punished for destroying the idols. Upon hearing the accusations Nimrod asked Who this Mighty God was that Abraham had told his people to follow. Abraham’s answer was unequivocal: it is the one true God Who gives life and death to all. Nimrod responded boastfully that he, too, as king, could give life and death by his very command. But Abraham went on to explain that it is God Who makes the sun rise in the east. He asked Nimrod whether, as king, he could make the sun rise in the west instead. Nimrod grew so angry at this that he ordered Abraham to be burned to death. Yet nothing he could do could harm Abraham, Who came through the fire uninjured. Of course, it was within the power of God to protect Abraham from any earthly affliction, but the Bahai Writings say that the fire that Nimrod enkindled burned in the hearts of men. It was the fire of animosity and hatred that he ignited against Abraham. But all that animosity and hatred could not prevent Him from proclaiming His message. At last Abraham was exiled from His native land.

Do you know what that means? He had to leave the land of His birth. With His wife Sarah, His nephew Lot and a few others who had accepted the Message of the one true God, Abraham set off from the place of His birth and headed westward. For many years they travelled, but Abraham never feared, for God had promised Him He would guide Abraham to another land and that, from Him, would come forth a great nation. Eventually the small group reached a place called Canaan, which came to be known as the Promised Land or the Holy Land. This was the land on which, as God had ordained, the children of Abraham would settle and prosper.

Abraham endured many hardships in the Promised Land, but He raised up a people which held firm to the belief that there is only one God, the Maker of all things. God blessed these people and assured Abraham that, through His descendants, people from many nations all over the world would one day recognize and worship their Creator.

And, of course all that God had decreed came to pass. He changes abasement, difficulties and hardships into glory! From one of Abraham’s sons, Isaac, descended the Hebrew people who followed the laws of God taught by Moses. Later Jesus Christ was born among them, and people of diverse backgrounds and nations followed His teachings. Another son, Ishmael, became the father of the Arab people who were transformed by the Word of God revealed by Muhammad. The Bab, Whose teachings paved the way for Bahaullah, was a descendent of Muhammad through Muhammad’s daughter Fatimih. And the family of Baha’u’llah, too, traces its roots back to Abraham. We will learn about all of these Manifestations of God later, but for now you can see how God’s promise to Abraham was fulfilled.

Story 4

Once there was a man named Abram. One day the Lord came to talk to Abram, and Abram asked, “Who will have all my things when I die”. God promised Abram and his wife Sarai that one day they would be parents, even though they were old and had no children. God wasn’t sure that Abram understood. So that night He took him outside, and said, “Do you see all the stars that are in the sky”? When Abram looked up, the whole night sky was full of stars, so many in fact that he would never be able to count them. Then God said, “That is how many children you will have”. Quite a few years later when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord decided to change Abram’s name to Abraham, which means “father of many.” He also changed Sarai’s name to Sarah. God told them again that they would be parents and that they would have a boy. It was hard to believe that he and Sarah would have a child in their old age.

One day three visitors came to Abraham’s house. He hurried to meet them. “Please come in and join us, and have a rest on the couch.” The visitors agreed, so Abraham brought them some refreshments. While the visitors were eating, they asked Abraham, “Where is your wife Sarah?” Abraham thought this was a little strange, but he replied, “She’s in the other room”. Then one of the men spoke and said, “I will come back to see you at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” Now Sarah was listening behind the living room door. She started to laugh, but covered her mouth and laughed to herself because she didn’t want to be heard. Then she said to herself, “How can I have a child, I’m almost one hundred years old?” Later when the visitors had left, Abraham and Sarah realized that the man who had told them this was indeed God. A year later Sarah did have a son. She and Abraham named him Isaac, which means “he laughs.” and thanked God for Isaac.

FACTS ABOUT ABRAHAM

While the historical episode should serve as a means of reinforcing the theme of the lesson, providing the children with the opportunity to reflect on the concept of the oneness of God, there are a few facts related to the Person of Abraham that they should also know. Below is a list of these. In helping the children to learn them, you should take care to avoid overemphasizing the importance of this activity, making it appear to be the central purpose of the episode.

The name Abraham means “father of nations”.
Abraham appeared several thousand years ago in the city of Ur.
Abraham taught the oneness of God.
Abraham was opposed by many people and exiled from His native land.
Abraham set out from His native land and reached Canaan, which was the Promised Land.
Among Abraham’s descendants were the Manifestations of God Moses, Muḥammad, the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh.

G3-L4-fact-cards-about-Abraham Download

Cooperative Game: Group Jump Rope

Objective: For people of different skill levels to work toward a common goal

Materials: Need one very large rope for each group of 5 or 6 (climbing ropes work great) or several jump ropes tied together (to make it easier, you could have smaller groups of 3 people plus 2 holding the ends of the rope)

Description: Ask for two volunteers to turn the jump rope. Challenge the group to get as many people jumping at once as possible. You could have everyone start in the middle before the rope starts turning and it is turned for them to jump, or if they are up to the challenge, the group may decide to have everyone jump in while the rope is turning. Once everyone in the group has jumped once (if this occurs), challenge the group to jump as many consecutive times as possible as a group.

Discussion prompts: You may want to read these questions to students before the activity and say that you will be asked to reflect on them after the activity, or just highlight the need for patience, flexibility, inclusion and problem-solving.

If jumping rope is easy for you, did you get frustrated during this activity at all? Why or why not?
If jumping rope is difficult for you, how did you feel about this activity? Were your friends patient with you?
Is everyone who is on the same team always working at the same skill level?
How did you handle being on a team of people who have all different skill levels?

BASED ON STORY TWO

CRAFT USING PLAY DOH PLASTICINE OR CLAY

Create some figures that you think might be idols that people used at the time of Abraham.

ADVANCED

Using a camera (phone is good) to create a stop motion animation to destroy the idols. Here is a good website to get you started. This is a great software to use on android devices. For Android, iPhone and iPad, this software is recommended, but a quick search can get you started using this great creative medium.

BASED ON STORY THREE: BUILD A HORSE.

This horse is assembled by slotting it together: Get the craft PDF to print and cut HERE

MAKE A HEART SUNCATCHER

This suncatcher is made with 2 hearts cut out and washi tape. The quote from the lesson was attached to the finished product. Template HERE. See this website for instructions.

Story 4: Picture of night sky

Remember the story of Abraham looking at the night sky and all the stars? This simple craft uses a black piece of paper (or be creative and paint the night sky) Then stick some gold star stickers or glue construction paper cut out stars. Add the phrase from story: God wasn’t sure that Abram understood. So that night He took him outside, and said, “Do you see all the stars that are in the sky”? When Abram looked up, the whole night sky was full of stars, so many in fact that he would never be able to count them. Then God said, “That is how many children you will have”

Wire Heart: Rob Ives

This is for anyone who wants a little challenge. Rob Ives (my favorite engineer!) See it in motion here Download HERE

My Family Tree: Download PDF booklet here

Fill in the apples (either with photos or with names) to build a family tree. The child (and their siblings) go on the top of the tree. The next row is mom and dad and the bottom row is the two sets of grandparents. The apples are a separate template that you glue on, so different family structures can be represented.

Materials:

printer
paper
scissors
something to color with (if using the B&W template)
glue
marker
OPTIONAL: photos of the family members

Instructions:

print out the tree template and the apples template
color the template pieces and cut out the apples
OPTIONAL: glue a photo to the center of each apple
if you aren’t using photos, write the name of each family member in the center of the apple
Glue the apples onto the tree, starting with yourself (the child) at the top. Include siblings near the top as well.
The next row should include parents and the final row, grandparents.
OPTIONAL: print the “details” template for each family member.
- have the children interview each family member to fill in the details about them (where they were born, their brothers and sisters, etc)
- make a family tree booklet with the family tree on the front and the details sheets for each family member following.

Other Free Family Tree Templates to download:

Brilliant Star Magazine: JACOBS LADDER CRAFT

Download here

DRAW ALL THE DIFFERENT RELIGIOUS SYMBOLS

Using the information in the PDF: “Journey of Faith” from Brilliant Star Magazine, draw each of the religion’s symbol

GAME TO PRINT, CUT, AND GLUE: NAME THE RELIGION

Download here

PAINT A HEART AND GLUE THE QUOTE

Materials:

Large heart (wooden or paper)
paint or color pencils
glue
quote

This craft was seen on supporting the core activities here

Incline your hearts, O people of God, unto the counsels of your true, your incomparable friend
Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh

Download the memorization aid here

Tags ABRAHAM AND THE ONENESS OF GOD, Baha'i, Baha'i children class material, children class, LESSON 4, Ruhi bk 3 children's class, Ruhi book 3, RUHI BOOK 3 LESSON 4, Ruhi Children Class

Baha'i Children class Free Kids Can Do Ruhi Book 3

THE PROMISE OF UNIVERSAL PEACE MADE BY ALL THE MANIFESTATIONS OF GOD HAS BEEN FULFILLED BY BAHA’U’LLAH G3 L3

Post author By Carolyn
Post date September 28, 2022
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LESSON 3: THE PROMISE OF UNIVERSAL PEACE MADE BY ALL THE MANIFESTATIONS OF GOD HAS BEEN FULFILLED BY BAHA’U’LLAH

Let us take a minute to review what we have studied so far

What is meant by “manifestation”?

You have already learned that the Manifestations of God are very special Beings Who come from time to time to guide humanity.

What is meant by the phrase ‘To manifest something?

It is to show forth its qualities.

Manifestations of God reflect the attributes of God as a mirror reflects the light of the sun. Through them, we learn about God and His attributes

What are some of the attributes of God mentioned in the previous classes? We have also learned that the Manifestations of God shed the light of God upon humanity. When there is light, we are able to see, are we not?

The light that the Manifestations bring is the light of the knowledge of God. It enables us to understand how He wants us to live and to behave towards one another. We know that, when we follow their teachings, the capacities God has given us—like the capacity to love, to forgive, to be merciful— develop. We grow spiritually and help the world become as He created it to be. It is our love for the beauty of God that makes us want to follow His commandments as given to us through His Manifestations.

We could say that God’s Manifestations are like Divine Teachers, or Educators, Who have appeared all throughout history among diverse peoples. Soon we are going to learn about the lives and teachings of some of these Manifestations and see how they have all come for the purpose of educating people and establishing bonds of unity and love among them. But there is another important message they all brought. Each One has given the promise that a time would eventually come when all humanity would learn how to live in peace and happiness. Injustice, hatred, and war would disappear, and the nations of the world would join in friendship. For centuries, people everywhere have anxiously awaited this Promised Day of God. We are fortunate, indeed, to know that this new Day has dawned and that the time to build a new world has come. So special is this Day that God sent not one but two Manifestations to guide humanity to His Kingdom: the Báb appeared first to prepare the way for the coming of the Promised One of All Ages, Bahá’u’lláh, Whose teachings will enable humanity to do away with war and establish lasting peace. The Báb and Bahá’u’lláh are the Twin Manifestations of God for today.

Remember, we are memorizing the prayer below.

O Thou Whose face is the object of my adoration, Whose beauty is my sanctuary, Whose habitation is my goal, Whose praise is my hope, Whose providence is my companion, Whose love is the cause of my being, Whose mention is my solace, Whose nearness is my desire, Whose presence is my dearest wish and highest aspiration, I entreat Thee not to withhold from me the things Thou didst ordain for the chosen ones among Thy servants.  Supply me, then, with the good of this world and of the next. Thou, truly, art the King of all men.  There is no God but Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous. Bahá’u’lláh

WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO SAY A PRAYER?

SEND A POSTCARD

You can send the postcard as an email attachment or send it to your local printing service. Download Postcard HERE

Memorization Aid:

Cut the prayer apart like a puzzle and put it back together

Teaching Peace

The Promised One of All Ages

The time foreordained unto the peoples and kindreds of the earth is now come. The promises of God, as recorded in the Holy Scriptures have all been fulfilled.
Bahá’u’lláh

Meaning of Words in the Quote

Match the word to the meaning 1. Fill in the blanks 2

Word Search

Here is the word search. Here are the answers

Worksheet for the meaning of words

Use the worksheet for any words you are not sure of in the quote. Download here

HOW DO WE KNOW THAT BAHA’U’LLAH HAS BEEN FOREORDAINED?

If we look at the stories and promises in all the Holy writings, there are promises and hints of Baha’u’llahs coming

Note that in this lesson, there are 8 Vignettes. Download all here

We can look at all the passages in the different books that foretold the coming of Baha’u’llah but we will do that later.

First Who is Baha’ullah? Bahá’u’lláh, which means the glory of God in Arabic

Around the time of the appearance of God’s Manifestation, certain souls become aware that a New Day in the life of humanity is approaching. They come to know that marvelous teachings are soon to be revealed to guide humanity and help it progress. And then, after the new Manifestation has declared His Mission, as His Message begins to spread to regions near and far, there are many other special souls who, ardently searching for the truth, embrace His Cause and form the community of His first few followers among their people. In this Day, when the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh have spread to every corner of the world, there are numerous stories of such souls from every nationality and background. Let us read some of these stories now, and I am sure that we read and hear many more of these later.

Vignette 1

Before the Báb declared His Mission, several people around the world knew deep in their hearts that the Promised Qá’im—He who ariseth—would soon appear. One of these saintly personages was Siyyid Káẓim. Siyyid Káẓim, who was renowned for his knowledge, had many students whom he was preparing for the coming of the long- awaited Qá’im. He taught them to purify their hearts, rid themselves of the superstitions that would prevent them from recognizing Him, and pray ardently to attain His presence. As to the Person of the Manifestation, he told them that He was of medium height, abstained from smoking, and was of extreme devoutness and piety. He was a descendant of the Prophet Muḥammad, young in age, and possessed of innate knowledge. “My knowledge,” he would say, “is but a drop compared with the immensity of His knowledge; my attainments a speck of dust in the face of the wonders of His grace and power. Nay, immeasurable is the difference.”

Now, Siyyid Káẓim lived in the city of Karbilá, and very early one morning he called one of his students to his presence and asked him to accompany him on a visit to a highly esteemed and distinguished Person Who had arrived in the city. Walking through the streets of Karbilá, they soon reached a house, at the door of which stood a Youth Who seemed to expect their arrival. He wore a green turban, a sign that He was a descendant of the Prophet Muḥammad, and had a face that showed great humility and kindness. He quietly approached the two visitors, extended His arms towards Siyyid Káẓim and lovingly embraced him. He led the two to a room in the upper floor of the house that was filled with flowers and their beautiful fragrance. The Host asked His two guests to be seated. Have you already guessed that this youthful Host was none other than the Báb? He had come from Persia to Karbilá to visit the holy sites in that city. After His guests were seated, He handed Siyyid Káẓim a silver cup and said, quoting a verse from the Holy Qur’án: “A drink of a pure beverage shall their Lord give them.” He then handed Siyyid Káẓim’s student a cup of beverage as well. No further words were spoken, and when His guests had finished refreshing themselves, He rose from His seat, accompanied them to the door of the house, and said farewell. Of course the student of Siyyid Káẓim was not aware of the station of the Báb at the time, but he was struck by His dignity and marveled at the degree of reverence shown to Him by Siyyid Káẓim. Then another event happened that served to deepen his sense of wonder even further. “Three days later,” the student explained, “I saw that same Youth arrive and take His seat in the midst of the company of the assembled disciples of Siyyid Káẓim. He sat close to the threshold, and with the same modesty and dignity of bearing listened to the discourse of the Siyyid.” But, as soon as Siyyid Káẓim saw the Youth, the student went on, he “discontinued his address and held his peace.” One of his other students begged him to continue. “What more shall I say?” replied Siyyid Káẓim, looking towards the Báb. “Lo, the Truth is more manifest than the ray of light that has fallen upon that lap!” The student immediately observed that the ray to which Siyyid Káẓim referred had fallen upon the lap of that same Youth Whom they had recently visited.

Siyyid Káẓim passed away on 31 December 1843 and left behind him “a band of earnest and devoted disciples” who set out in quest of the Promised Qá’im. Among them was Mullá Ḥusayn who, five months later, would meet the Báb at the gate of the city of Shíráz and become His first follower.

Vignette 2:

You know that, in the early days of the Faith in Persia, the believers were persecuted because they accepted the Báb and His teachings. They were often ridiculed and beaten by those who blindly followed their power-hungry leaders. On one such occasion a believer was so badly beaten that he could barely drag himself to the outskirts of the town where exhausted, he fell asleep. While sleeping, he had a dream about a great Personage. Though he had never seen or met this Personage before, he was sure that He was the Promised One foretold by the Báb. In the dream this Holy Being addressed him with these words: “Despite the injuries heaped upon you, We extended Our protection that you might remain alive. Be not grieved, and come to Us in Baghdád.”

“But I have no money,” the man replied,

“nor am I able to stand on my feet.”

“You surely rely upon God,” were His next words.

“I have always relied upon God,” was his answer.

At that moment the man awoke, and to his great surprise, he saw a group of travelers that had set up camp on the banks of a nearby river. Just then, he spotted someone emerge from one of the tents and make his way over to him. He was asked to come to the camp, which he accepted to do, though still weak from his injuries. Entering the tent, he found a distinguished gentleman who asked him to be seated and who then explained that, during the night, he had had a dream in which a Holy Man had given him the responsibility to care for someone whose face and appearance was exactly like this believer’s. He had been told that he should show this person the utmost hospitality and invite him to accompany him on his travels to Karbilá. “So, you are my guest as far as Karbilá,” the distinguished man announced, and soon they set off on their way. When the group of travelers reached Baghdád, the believer informed his distinguished host, “This is where we part.” He thanked him for his invitation to continue on to Karbilá but explained that he, too, had had a dream of the same blessed Personage. This Personage, he said, had invited him to come to Baghdád. And so he bade his host farewell, and they parted company. Not knowing where to look for the Promised One, the believer went immediately in search of the Báb’s followers in the city. At that time, Bahá’u’lláh had not yet declared His Mission to the generality of the believers, and so they remained unaware of His great station. Can you imagine, then, the joy this believer felt when he saw Bahá’u’lláh and recognized Him as the Holy Personage of his dream? His entire being was filled with unspeakable gratitude and happiness. Having been willing to accept death in the path of the Cause of God, he had been given a new life and had been led by the Hand of the Almighty directly into the presence of the Beloved of all hearts.

Vignette 3:

The small village in Persia where Mihrabán Rustam Bulbulán was born was a quiet place, and the people there led a quiet life. Many were farmers, as were the father of Mihrabán and his father before him. As a child Mihrabán spent more time in the fields than he did in school. For a couple of years, he went regularly to the Zoroastrian temple, where he learned the alphabet and committed some prayers to memory. But that was all the education he received.

As a young man Mihrabán began to work in the fields himself, and from that time on, he had the same routine every day, summer and winter: at the first light he would go to his fields, and there he would remain until sunset, tilling the land and tending to his crops. Mihrabán had a strong faith in God and often thought about His Will and Purpose. He would look up at the sky and marvel at the greatness of the universe. The beauty he saw in nature confirmed his devotion to God, the Unseen. He would visit the Zoroastrian temple and would pray with the full intensity of heart and soul. At times he would ask the priests questions about God, about the Prophet Zoroaster, and about the coming of the Promised One of All Ages that Zoroaster had foretold. But Mihrabán found the replies given by the priests confusing. Occasionally doubts would arise in his mind: “Will the Promised One come? Will He come only to free the Zoroastrians who are so ill treated in this country? Or will the Promised One at long last unite all of humankind?” Then, one afternoon, something most unusual happened. While he was working on the land, Mihrabán noticed two men running towards him. They were clearly in distress. “Save our lives,” they pleaded to him. “Give us asylum; we are being pursued by assassins.” Without a word, he took them into his barn, showed them a place to hide, and then locked the door. No sooner had he done so than an angry mob appeared. They asked Mihrabán about the two strangers, but seeing the hatred in their eyes, he said nothing, and they left. Towards dawn, while it was still dark, the two strangers borrowed Mihrabán’s donkey and, thanking him for his kindness, safely set off. To his surprise, they returned the next day in order to pay him for the animal, but he would not accept the money and gave the donkey to them as a gift. He then asked them why they had been hounded and pursued. They explained that they were followers of Bahá’u’lláh, the Manifestation of God Who was exiled and imprisoned in ‘Akká; in fact, they were going to travel to that city to seek His blessing. Mihrabán was puzzled by their explanation, but his heart was touched and he told them: “When you reach your destination, be so good as to remember me to Him, as well.” Now, after a long and difficult journey, the two men finally reached ‘Akká and attained the presence of Bahá’u’lláh. For several glorious days, they listened to His words. They also gave Bahá’u’lláh messages from some of His followers in Persia who were unable to visit Him themselves. When they sought Bahá’u’lláh’s permission to return home to Persia, He astonished them by saying: “But you did not deliver unto Us all that with which you were entrusted.” “What was meant by that statement?” the two asked themselves. Had they not faithfully delivered all the messages given to them? What was it they had forgotten? The two men thought and thought throughout the night and, at last, one of them recalled the Zoroastrian farmer who had saved their lives and had requested to be remembered to the Blessed Beauty. They hastened to Bahá’u’lláh the next day and told Him the whole story of Mihrabán’s act of kindness. The compassionate heart of Bahá’u’lláh was moved. One who wishes to love God, He told the two men, must show love to the friends of God; Mihrabán had extended love spontaneously to these two and had risked his own life to protect them without thought of favor or reward. And then Bahá’u’lláh revealed a Tablet for Mihrabán and arranged for it to be sent to him.

With these words did the Tablet end:

“Thy name was mentioned before Us and We have remembered thee in Our Tablet. This remembrance is like unto a sapling that We have planted with the hand of loving-kindness. Erelong will it grow verdant and flourishing, laden with abundant fruits. Thus hath the Lord God ordained, and thus hath He shown the way. “He is the Mighty, the Seeing, the Lord of Utterance and Wisdom.”

And so it was that Mihrabán came to recognize the Promised One and began to follow the teachings of a new age. He eventually settled in India and lived to be some eighty years old, long enough to witness the gradual expansion of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh in that vast land and the emergence of a strong community of His followers.

Vignette 4:

Ellen McBride Moore was born in a small rural town in the United States in 1843 when, throughout the world, there was a spirit of excitement. Many people believed that a new day would soon be dawning in the life of humanity, and they eagerly searched for the Promised One Who would bring a new Message from God. In the United States, one group even awaited His appearance at a specific date and place. When He did not appear there, as they had predicted, some became disheartened. But the spirit of a new age did not die, and many still felt that there was great change ahead. Ellen McBride Moore grew up to be one of these people.

Ellen had a highly inquisitive mind and was full of questions: Had a new Manifestation of God already appeared? Had He gone unrecognized? Was He perhaps living somewhere on earth? She longed to know the truth. Later, after she had married and was raising children, she would often ask questions at the church attended by her family. But her questions did not make the pastor of the church very happy. One day he visited her home and spoke to her husband. “There are some things that are very difficult to answer,” said the pastor. In those days, women were expected to sit quietly, and the pastor asked her husband to make sure that Ellen no longer bothered others with her questions. Ellen agreed, and she kept silent from then on. However, she was pregnant at the time, and she prayed that the child she carried in her womb would be given the chance to speak out and to know the truth. The baby, a beautiful girl, was the sixth of ten children. Her parents named her Louisa, but everyone called her Lua. Lua was intelligent and inquisitive, like her mother. She had a beautiful singing voice, and when she was about twenty years old, she was encouraged to study theater. For some reason that she could not explain, she chose to study in Chicago, a large city very far from her home. There, she spent any free time she had searching for a faith that would satisfy her spiritual longing. She went to many churches and different societies that studied spirituality and philosophy. Though she did not find any that quenched her thirst for truth, she never became discouraged.

Then, when Lua was twenty-two years old, a most important meeting took place in Chicago: the World’s Parliament of Religions. Some two hundred speakers from across the globe were invited to give presentations at that event. Most of them were Christian ministers, but several other religions were also represented. There a paper written by a Christian missionary in Syria was read that made mention of Bahá’u’lláh, a “Persian sage” that had died a few months prior to the gathering. The words of Bahá’u’lláh were quoted: “That all nations should become one in faith and all men as brothers; that bonds of affection and unity between the sons of men should be strengthened; that diversity of religion should cease, and differences of race be annulled—what harm is there in this?

. . . Yet so it shall be; these fruitless strifes, these ruinous wars shall pass away, and the ‘Most Great Peace’ shall come . . .”

Lua happened upon a newspaper reporting the event. Almost immediately, she set out to learn more about this great Personage, Bahá’u’lláh. Soon an opportunity came for her to study the Faith systematically, and all the questions she had carried in her heart were answered, one after the other: Bahá’u’lláh was, indeed, the Manifestation that her mother had encouraged her to search for and find. Lua’s love for Bahá’u’lláh grew day by day, and she eventually became a great teacher of the Faith. One of the first things she did, of course, was to return home to her mother and share with her the good news that she had long awaited, that God’s new Manifestation had appeared. Ellen McBride Moore’s prayers had been answered.

A Video Story About Lua

Vignette 5:

Everything in his life seemed to have prepared Cao Yunxiang for the day when Martha Root came to visit him and his wife in Beijing in 1923. He was then President of what would become one of the most high-ranking universities in China. What he heard from Martha Root that day opened before him a wider path of service to his country.

Not long after Cao Yunxiang was born, great changes began to sweep across China. People there were looking for new ways for this ancient country to organize its affairs. With bright hopes for the future of their homeland, many Chinese students wished to attend universities abroad in order to learn new things and acquire new knowledge. Thousands took exams for this purpose, but so accomplished was Cao Yunxiang as a student that he did not need to do so; he was given the opportunity to study at a prestigious university in America because of his great ability and remarkable intellect.

After seven years of study, when he completed his degree in 1914, Cao Yunxiang had to choose from among the many possibilities to serve his country. He decided that his best choice was a position at a college in Beijing. But he was asked by his government to go to the United Kingdom, instead, to represent his country, and he dutifully set out for London. While there, Cao Yunxiang married a lovely lady who, like him, was greatly interested in the betterment of society. After another five years abroad, when his mission in London was completed, he once again looked forward to returning home; but, again, it was not to be so. Now he was asked to go to Copenhagen in Denmark, and he dutifully went off to that country as requested.

Another two years would pass before his dream of settling in China was realized. Finally in 1922, back in Beijing after some fifteen years, Cao Yunxiang was appointed President of Tsinghua and he set about to reorganize it into a fully-fledged university. It was to this college in 1923 that Martha Root went to visit its President and his wife. Perhaps you know that Martha Root was one of the early Bahá’ís of the West known for her heroic deeds and courage. Today, when the Bahá’í Faith is well known, it is easy to reach people of all walks of life and give them the Message of Bahá’u’lláh. In those early days, scarcely anyone knew about the Faith, and it took a great deal of courage to proclaim the Cause, especially to influential and prominent people. But, with complete trust in God, she went to speak to Cao Yunxiang and his wife about the Bahá’í Faith, and they listened most attentively. Cao Yunxiang realized at once how essential were the Bahá’í teachings for the progress of the world. His service to his country now had new meaning. He continued to serve China in whatever way he could, but the advancement of the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh in the land he loved so much was foremost on his mind. He wrote this around that time: “After studying the Bahá’í Faith,” he said, “and the reviving effect it produces over the heart and mind of man, I came to the conclusion that the only way to regenerate China is to introduce the Bahá’í teachings to China, and therefore I began to translate the Bahá’í books into Chinese, so that the Chinese nation may be benefited too by this heavenly Manifestation. That is why every day after leaving my office, though very tired, I go home and start working on the translations of the Bahá’í teachings, and usually I forget that I am tired.”

LEARN MORE ABOUT MARTHA ROOT VISIT BRILLIANT STAR

Vignette 6:

When Max Kanyerezi was a sixteen-year-old student in Uganda, a country in the eastern part of the vast African continent, he had a most vivid and striking dream. He had the dream not only once, but two times during the very same night. In the dream, Max saw a large figure looming upwards who started to roll up the earth, as one would roll up a newspaper. People were running in panic. Meanwhile, three officials sat on a hill where people were to register in the “Book of Life”. In the dream, young Max approached the table where they were writing down names. The eldest said to him, “Go and learn to register your friends, thereafter you will also be registered.”

It was 1934 at the time, and Max was convinced that the dream held profound significance. He was sure that it was some kind of divine calling. The phrase “divine calling” refers to the belief, very deep in one’s heart, that God is calling one to service. Of course, in those days, the Bahá’í Faith had not yet reached that part of Africa and no one there knew about the appearance of God’s new Manifestation. So Max thought that perhaps the dream meant he should become a Christian minister like his father. He decided to follow in his father’s footsteps, but it soon became clear that this was not the path for him. He then tried to become a farmer, but that, too, did not seem to go well. And so he eventually left his home and went to Kampala, the capital of Uganda, where he found a job as a clerk in an office. Though he was happy in his work, the vivid scene that he had dreamt when he was sixteen years old never left him. “What was the true meaning of the dream?” he wondered.

Then, one morning in 1952, nearly twenty years after he had had that dream, a co-worker in his office told him about a new Faith. This new Faith, the co-worker said, accepted the teachings of all other religions. Soon Max learned that one of his own relatives knew about this Faith, and they happened, by chance, to meet each other. Of course, by now, Max was very eager to hear more, and so he gladly went with his relative to the home of Bahá’ís who had recently arrived in Kampala. He was struck by their kindness, and immense joy filled his heart in the days and weeks that followed as he learned from them about the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh. During one particular meeting, which lasted from 9:00 one morning until 3:00 of the next morning (eighteen hours!), Max had all of his questions answered to his satisfaction. He soon declared his belief in Bahá’u’lláh—the seventh soul in Africa to recognize God’s Manifestation during the first great surge of growth of the Faith that swept across the continent. Of course, you have already realized that Max’s dream so many years before had readied him to receive the divine Message. His heart was open, and the words of Bahá’u’lláh immediately touched it, setting it aglow with the fire of the love of God. Not long after Max’s declaration of faith, he left Uganda and went to a nearby country to look for other ready souls, as envisioned in the dream, to share with them the good news that Bahá’u’lláh had appeared to do away with war and hatred and to establish a new and just world order. “By My Self!” are Bahá’u’lláh’s words. “The day is approaching when We will have rolled up the world and all that is therein and spread out a new order in its stead.”

DREAM JOURNAL Record your dreams!

Vignette 7:

High up in the Andes Mountains in Bolivia live the Aymara people. They have lived in the Andes for hundreds of years, long before the Spanish arrived. Someday you may learn more about the history of Bolivia, but for now you should know that the Aymara people were able to maintain their identity and culture, even though they had a difficult life and suffered greatly when the newcomers came and took over the land and resources. They were treated cruelly on what was once their land, struggling to survive and suffering from injustice.

In the 1950s, there were many villages of Aymara people scattered throughout the mountains. As part of the organization of their communities, the people chose worthy men to act as their mayors to guide them. Their authority was exercised through signed and sealed papers given to each mayor by Toribio Miranda. A wise man who lived on the shores of Lake Poopό up in the mountains, Toribio Miranda was revered by the Aymara people. They considered him a spiritual father, one who counseled them on their daily living habits: to be pure and clean and to abandon drinking, smoking, and chewing the coca leaves, which seemed to give them a temporary sense of well-being and caused them to forget their constant hunger.

In the village of Vilacollo, a man by the name of Andrés Jachakollo Ticona was elected the mayor, and he took the responsibility of mayor very seriously indeed. He always felt a sense of spiritual destiny while searching for a better way of life for his people. By “destiny” is meant something that is sure to happen in the future, and Andrés would often visit Miranda on the shores of Lake Poopό and discuss with him the destiny of the Aymara people. They both believed that someday the terrible oppression brought by the newcomers would end and that God, their Creator, would come to their aid.

Then, one day in April in 1956, Andrés visited the city of La Paz with two others. While wandering about, he happened to read a poster outside the Bahá’í Center which read “Universal Teachings for This Day”. Could this be the answer that he sought for his people? Inquisitive, Andrés rang the doorbell. He and his two friends were invited inside, and there he had the bounty of hearing for the first time about the Bahá’í Faith. Gradually, in the weeks that followed, Andrés learned about Bahá’u’lláh and His teachings, which centered on the oneness of humanity. In His teachings, Andrés soon came to realize, the religion of their ancestors found its fulfillment. He knew in his heart that he had, at long last, reached his goal.

So what do you think Andrés decided to do next? He invited some Bahá’í teachers to visit his village of Vilacollo, and most of the community accepted the Faith. But his dedication to his new Faith did not end there. He and others set out on foot to travel the Andes Mountains and to bring Bahá’u’lláh’s Message to community after community. And the number of Bahá’ís among the Aymara people continually grew. In 1963, Andrés attended the Bahá’í World Congress in London, at which were gathered some six thousand Bahá’ís from across the globe to celebrate the one-hundred-year anniversary of Bahá’u’lláh’s Declaration. Those who were at the conference could never forget the man from Bolivia, dressed in Aymara clothing, who arose and addressed the gathering with a powerful voice: “Why have we come? We have come to remember the centenary of the Declaration of Bahá’u’lláh calling for the unity of all nations and all races.” In his attendance at that great gathering, and in the service he rendered to the Cause for the remainder of his life, Andrés Jachakollo stood as a symbol of the power of the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh to bring all of humanity together as one family.

Vignette 8:

Everyone in Stanley’s village in Papua New Guinea is a member of the Bahá’í community. Papua New Guinea is a country in the Pacific Ocean, and Stanley’s village is somewhat difficult to reach. During the generation of his parents, the entire village had recognized Bahá’u’lláh as God’s Manifestation for today and had accepted the Faith. How do you think they all found the truth and recognized it so easily? Well, many years before, the village elders had, through dreams and visions, foretold the coming of a new religion. This new religion, they had said, would unite all people and help them to live as one; it would enable all people to participate in decision-making and would have nine leaders as its head. The elders had prepared the people of the village for the arrival of such a religion. And so they waited and waited. Then one day a Bahá’í came, and he told them about the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh, Who had come to unite humanity, and about the Bahá’í community, which was guided by the Universal House of Justice, a body made up of nine members. And, of course, they immediately understood that this was the religion foretold by their ancestors.

ruhi book 3 grade 3 lesson 3 script for story

Script for Vignette 2 here

Script for Vignette 3 in pdf format here

Craft based on the Theme of Questions

Cootie catcher

Create a cootie catcher. Once it is colored and cut out, enjoy playing with friends. There are many free templates and printables online. Here is one from leap of faith website

This activity is based on Story 1 and the theme of PURITY OF HEART: Homemade water filter

When we are seeking truth, we need to purify our thoughts and hearts like the first people who were seeking the Promised Qá’im. We know that one way we purify ourselves is by prayer. It is like when we purify any physical substance, the dirt,(negative thoughts) is eliminated and the pure thoughts are filtered through. Let us make a homemade filter for purifying dirty water. we can try different materials to see what works best. Just like when we are looking for ways to purify our thoughts and hearts, we need to find the perfect combination.

This project is taken from WATER FILTRATION CHALLENGED

Suggested Material

dirty water (suggested tapwater with coffee grounds, old tea leaves, oil etc to muddy it up a bit)
flat surface for working
clear plastic 2L pop bottles
gravel and rocks

Suggested filtering items

sand
rocks
porous clay
potting soil
dirt
clothing
sawdust
wood chips
cotton balls
silt
alum
coffee filters
powdered charcoal

Key Questions Relate these questions back to the spiritual process

What does the water look like before and after filtration?
Which filtration system made the clearest end water? Why?
What would happen if we filtered the water a second time?

What To Do

Preparation

Cut all pop bottles off 4 inches below the mouth.
Place the top of the bottle upside down in the bottom section of the bottle (like a funnel.)
Place a few gravel rocks at the bottom of the funnel to close the gap from the cap.

Set-up

on a flat surface, place dirty water, one cut and prepared pop bottle with gravel, and equal amounts of all available filtering items.
Divide the class if meeting in person or all kids can do on their own.

Challenge

As a group, (or on your own) come up with a filtering system to turn the dirty water in the pail into the clearest sample.
Use the pop bottle funnel as your basic structure and use any of the items on the table as filtering devices.
You can use more than one, but you get only one chance at filtering the water.
Once all groups have completed their filtering system, watch one group at a time and test how effective their system is for clarifying the water.

Craft based on peace: print the peace house and assemble: download here

Theme SEARCH Can be used for other themes like peace:: Make an I SPY bottle based on a PEACE theme or go with the SEARCH theme of the stories

Items needed for an I SPY craft

Container:- Can be a bottle with a lid or a plastic Ziplock bag
Filler – Sand, Rice works well
Items (try to relate them used in search) – paperclip, safety pin, rubberband, red beans, beads, dice, small wooden clothespins, thumbtack, googly eye, penny, eraser, marble, seashell, small toy, toothpick.
tag- list of all items put in the bottle will go on the tag
String for tag
Hot Glue (OPTIONAL)
Funnel

To make:

Add all items to the bottle or bag. As the child is putting the item, say how this relates to the search process.
Use the funnel to fill the bottle with sand
Use hot glue on the bottle cap to seal shut. (optional)
Add the tag with the item list to the bottle.
Challenge each other to find an item.

Here are some of the items I included:

Heart shape to represent a pure heart when searching
Gems to represent the gems of wisdom you find along the way.
Paper clip to represent the need to hold and organize your findings.
A piece of stick to represent a walking stick for the long-distance walking
A small toy car/bike to represent a means of transport for those long distances you may need to travel
Small stone to represent leaving no stone unturned in the search.
Googly Eyes represents to be observant
Rubberband to represent be flexible in your outlook
Penny as you will need funds along the way
File to help you get rid of rough patches along the way
The letters of the word FRIEND to find as you are sure to find them in your search
Magnet to help attract like-minded people in your search
Banner with the Name of Baha’u’llah to raise high

Based On The Theme Of Dreams: Record your dreams!

Decorate the cover of a “dream journal”

Purchase a notebook from a dollar store and decorate with markers, stickers, etc.
Or staple a few sheets of paper together to make a notebook
OR Print out the template journal page

Some ideas on how to make a book:

Websites: http://www.cremedelacraft.com/2012/06/diy-mini-notebook-from-cereal-box.html

YouTube

CRAFT SUGGESTIONS: Make a Dream Catcher Based on a couple of stories in this lesson about dreams make a dream catcher or decorate a dream journal and write your dreams

See here for ideas on dream catchers:

How to Make a Dream Catcher for Kids – 12 Different Ways

Paper Plate Dream Catcher Craft for Kids

More Ideas for crafts

Word Scramble based on Story 1 answers here
Choose one of the stories and draw a scene that you love
The 8 stories cover events and people from Iran, China, Africa, the USA, South America, Papua New Guinea. Draw or make something from each of these regions

“So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth.”
Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh

Download the memorization aid here

Tags Baha'i, Baha'i children class material, children class, grade 3 lesson 3, Ruhi bk 3 children's class, Ruhi book 3, Ruhi Book 3 Grade 3, Ruhi Children Class, THE PROMISE OF UNIVERSAL PEACE MADE BY ALL THE MANIFESTATIONS OF GOD HAS BEEN FULFILLED BY BAHA'U'LLAH

Baha'i Children class Free Kids Can Do Ruhi Book 3

GOD’S MANIFESTATIONS ILLUMINE HUMAN HEARTS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD G3 L2

Post author By Carolyn
Post date September 27, 2022
No Comments on GOD’S MANIFESTATIONS ILLUMINE HUMAN HEARTS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD G3 L2

Grade 3 Lesson 2

The purpose of this lesson is to enhance our understanding that we know God through His Manifestations and that, by listening to and following their words, we do what is pleasing to God.

The Manifestations of God tell us about the Will of God and the purpose of our lives, that we were created to know God and to worship Him, and that we should learn to live according to His Will.

God knows what is best for us. He has created us and bestowed upon us great capacities that we must each develop. To do so, we must recognize the Manifestations of God and follow their teachings. For example, we all have the capacity to be generous to our friends, not wanting everything for ourselves. The Manifestations of God teach us how to be generous and when we follow this teaching, we are acting in a way that is pleasing to God. When we forgive others, as all the Manifestations have taught us to do, we know we are doing what God desires.

Similarly, we should love one another and be kind to each other, we should tell the truth and be sincere, and so on.

Knowledge brought to humanity by God’s Manifestations is not acquired through book learning or schooling.

The Manifestations of God know exactly what we need. They are all-knowing and all-wise, for their knowledge comes directly from God, Whose knowledge holds all things.

What does it mean that God’s knowledge holds all things?

Is there anything whatsoever that can escape God?

The Manifestations of God are the source of His knowledge on earth. What they say is true, and through their teachings, we are able to distinguish between right and wrong. They reflect the beauty of God, which we learn to love and cherish. The more we follow their teachings, the closer we get to God. And we help the world become more beautiful, as He created it to be.

O Thou Whose face is the object of my adoration, Whose beauty is my sanctuary, Whose habitation is my goal, Whose praise is my hope, Whose providence is my companion, Whose love is the cause of my being, Whose mention is my solace, Whose nearness is my desire, Whose presence is my dearest wish and highest aspiration, I entreat Thee not to withhold from me the things Thou didst ordain for the chosen ones among Thy servants. Supply me, then, with the good of this world and of the next. Thou, truly, art the King of all men. There is no God but Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous.
Bahá’u’lláh

Would anyone like to say a prayer?

Memorization Aid

Cut the prayer apart like a puzzle and put it back together

The purpose of these educators

The Purpose

Consort with the followers of all religions

Brilliant Star Magazine Music

Download Treble Chef’s Music Cafe: The Spirit is the same here

In the following passage, Bahá’u’lláh speaks of the duty of every human being to recognize God’s Manifestation on earth and to follow that which He ordains—this, out of our love for God. Are there any words or phrases you find difficult or unfamiliar?

Say: O ye lovers of the One true God! Strive, that ye may truly recognize and know Him, and observe befittingly His precepts.
Bahá’u’lláh

Memorization Aids

Quote to cut apart and put together

Use the Worksheet For Any Words You Do Not Know

Download Here

There are so many accounts in the history of the Faith that offer insight into the theme of this lesson, that God’s Manifestations shine forth the light of His knowledge, brightening the world of humanity and illuminating human hearts.

For this lesson, there are 4 stories that will enable you to understand what it means that the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh possessed innate knowledge. Read all or just one as time permits.

Download all 4 stories HERE

Resource

Use the generic storyboard to draw as the story is being read or use blank paper. There is also the comic strip, story report, and How Do you feel? that can be used during storytelling.

Access here

Vignette 1:

The father of the Báb passed away when He was a small child, and He was raised by His uncle, who placed Him in school around the age of five. The Báb, of course, was endowed by God with innate knowledge and did not need to be instructed by any man. But He obeyed His uncle’s wishes and attended school with the other boys. He was told by His uncle, who had already noticed His extraordinary qualities, that, while in class, He should follow the example set by His fellow students.

Now, the schoolmaster was a man of great learning, and he taught the boys how to read and recite verses from the Qur’án, the Holy Book of Islám. One day, he asked the Báb to recite the opening words of the Qur’án. The Báb hesitated. He then replied that, unless He was told what the words meant, He would not attempt to recite them aloud. The schoolmaster pretended not to know their meaning, and so the Báb asked for permission to explain them. He then spoke with such knowledge and clarity that the schoolmaster was struck with amazement. Never before had he heard or read such an eloquent explanation of these words, and he immediately recognized the great capacity of the Báb and realized there was nothing that he could teach Him. He decided to take the Báb back to His uncle and tell him that he was unworthy to instruct so remarkable a child. He found the uncle alone in his office and said: “I have brought Him back to you and commit Him to your vigilant protection. He is not to be treated as a mere child . . .” The uncle turned to the Báb and said: “Have You forgotten my instructions? Have I not already admonished You to follow the example of Your fellow-pupils, to observe silence, and to listen attentively to every word spoken by Your teacher?” Promising to follow His uncle’s wishes, the Báb returned to school. But do you think anything could stop the flow of His intuitive knowledge? Surely not, and day after day, His teacher was amazed by the signs of wisdom and greatness that were manifest in Him.

Vignette 2:

There are many stories from the time of Bahá’u’lláh that demonstrate how people were attracted to His knowledge and awed by it. One such story is about the visit Bahá’u’lláh made to Núr, the district of His birth in Mázindarán in Persia, soon after He accepted the truth of the Báb’s Revelation.

The enthusiasm with which the people of Mázindarán greeted Bahá’u’lláh was indeed extraordinary. They were spellbound by the eloquence of His speech. The arguments and proofs He set forth, as He announced the dawning of a new Day, convinced them of the greatness of the Cause of the Báb. They admired His enthusiasm and were deeply impressed by His detachment and self-effacement. No one dared oppose Him except His own uncle ‘Azíz, who became jealous of the love and respect Bahá’u’lláh was receiving from the people.

Alarmed by Bahá’u’lláh’s success, ‘Azíz decided to seek the assistance of a well-known clergyman in the region, presumably the possessor of great knowledge. “Behold what has befallen the Faith,” exclaimed ‘Azíz. “A youth, a layman, attired in the garb of nobility, has come to Núr, has invaded the strongholds of orthodoxy, and disrupted the holy Faith of Islám. Arise, and resist his onslaught.” The clergyman did not find in himself the strength to confront Bahá’u’lláh, so he did his best to quiet ‘Azíz, assured him that he would be protected, and dismissed him. But the Message Bahá’u’lláh had brought to the region was rapidly spreading, and the clergyman’s students kept pressuring him to visit Bahá’u’lláh in person and find out for himself the nature of this new Revelation. Finally, after much delay, he decided to send two of the most learned and trusted individuals in his company to visit Bahá’u’lláh and determine the true character of the Message He had brought. He promised to everyone that he would accept the judgment of these two trusted souls and would abide by their decision.

When these two emissaries reached the presence of Bahá’u’lláh, He was in a gathering, engaged in revealing a commentary on one of the chapters of the Qur’án. With great self- assurance, they entered the meeting and sat down, prepared to ask questions and examine the extent of Bahá’u’lláh’s knowledge. But as they listened to the voice of Bahá’u’lláh, they were enraptured by the eloquence of His speech and the profound meaning of His statements. Mullá ‘Abbás, one of these two emissaries, was entirely overwhelmed. He arose from his seat, walked back slowly and stood beside the door in an attitude of utter submissiveness. “You behold my condition,” he told his friend as he trembled with emotion and with eyes full of tears. “I am powerless to question Bahá’u’lláh. The questions I had planned to ask Him have vanished suddenly from my memory. You are free either to proceed with your inquiry or to return alone to our teacher and inform him of the state in which I find myself. Tell him from me that ‘Abbás can never again return to him. He can no longer forsake this threshold.” His companion found himself in a similar state. “I have ceased to recognize my teacher,” he replied.

“This very moment, I have vowed to God to dedicate the remaining days of my life to the service of Bahá’u’lláh, my true and only Master.”

So the two emissaries of the famous clergyman never went back to their teacher. The news of their conversion traveled fast. It awakened the people from their sleep. People of all walks of life journeyed to Núr in order to enter the presence of Bahá’u’lláh and partake of His Divine knowledge. A considerable number of them accepted the new Faith of God. But as you know, this and the many other early successes of the Cause aroused the envy of those who took advantage of the people’s ignorance in order to rule over them. Soon a tremendous wave of persecution arose throughout the entire country, bringing unimaginable sufferings to both the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh.

Vignette 3:

Shaykh Ḥasan was a devoted follower of the Báb, who, for many years, lived in the city of Karbilá. The Báb had instructed Shaykh Ḥasan to go to Karbilá and remain in that city, for there he would see with his own eyes “the beauteous countenance of the promised Ḥusayn”. “Countenance” means “face”, and by “the promised Ḥusayn” the Báb meant Bahá’u’lláh. At that time Bahá’u’lláh had not yet declared that He was the Promised One of All Ages, so His station was not known to people. The Báb, Who Himself was a Manifestation of God, of course knew this hidden truth.

Thus Shaykh Ḥasan made his home in Karbilá. Days, weeks and months went by, and he did not meet the Promised One; yet, he did not lose heart. He was certain that the day would come when he would enter into His presence. Shaykh Ḥasan lived a simple life. He worked as a scribe, and although the pay was not good and he was not without hardship, he was content. He was careful not to talk too much about the Báb because there were many enemies of the Faith in Karbilá at that time who were ready to create trouble for the Bábís whenever they could. More important still, he spoke to no one about the Báb’s special promise to him.

Then the day arrived when the eyes of Shaykh Ḥasan fell upon the countenance of Bahá’u’lláh. It was the fall of 1851, and Bahá’u’lláh had traveled to Karbilá. Bahá’u’lláh’s majesty, His kindliness, the sweetness of His smile, all had a profound effect on Shaykh Ḥasan’s soul. He was an old man by then, bowed with age. Bahá’u’lláh lovingly took him by the hand and said in a humorous tone: “This very day I have purposed to make you known as a Bábí throughout Karbilá.” Still holding his hand in His, He continued to converse with him. He walked with him along the market-street and showered love and affection upon him. Shaykh Ḥasan was beside himself. His heart was full of joy but he did not understand why he felt such happiness. Then, in a voice that was at once powerful and loving, Bahá’u’lláh told him: “Praise be to God that you have remained in Karbilá, and have beheld with your own eyes the countenance of the promised Ḥusayn.”

Shaykh Ḥasan instantly knew that the Báb’s promise had been fulfilled. He was indeed gazing on the countenance of the promised Ḥusayn. His faithful years of patience had been rewarded with the greatest of gifts: to have recognized the Manifestation of God for today.

Vignette 4:

God watches over us, and we live under the protection of His Manifestation, Whose knowledge is bestowed on Him by God. There once was an Egyptian merchant by the name of ‘Abdu’l-Karím who was on fire with the love of God and had a burning desire to enter the presence of Bahá’u’lláh. So he wrote for permission to visit the Holy Land. Bahá’u’lláh answered that he could come on pilgrimage, but only after he had paid all his debts.

Now, ‘Abdu’l-Karím had a very large business and also many, many debts. When he received Bahá’u’lláh’s answer, he instantly obeyed and began to pay the money he owed to his creditors. But, to his surprise, this did not turn out to be so easy. He had to stop expanding his business. Each time he received some money, he paid a debt instead of buying new merchandise to sell. So business shrank and shrank until finally, after five years, when all his debts were paid, ‘Abdu’l-Karím was no longer a rich man. In fact he only had enough money to provide for his wife’s needs and buy a ticket on a boat to the Holy Land. And he did not travel in the comfort to which he had grown accustomed as a wealthy merchant; he remained on deck and could hardly keep himself warm from the chill of the wind.

The day ‘Abdu’l-Karím’s boat was to arrive in Haifa, Bahá’u’lláh told His family that He was expecting an honored guest. A carriage was sent to the port to pick up the respected merchant and drive him to ‘Akká. But the man who went looking for ‘Abdu’l-Karím was expecting a wealthy guest and did not recognize the poorly dressed man who came off the boat carrying only a few possessions. So he went back and reported that the guest had not arrived.

Try to imagine ‘Abdu’l-Karím’s disappointment when he saw that there was no one at the port to receive him. He had no addresses in Haifa and did not even have enough money to take a carriage to ‘Akká. He sat on a bench drowned in sorrow. Unwanted thoughts kept creeping into his head: Had Bahá’u’lláh actually forgotten him? Had he freed himself of every obligation so that he could enter the presence of his Lord only to find himself in a strange land with no one to turn to? Oh, how happy he had been while he was preparing himself for pilgrimage. Was this to be the end to all those years of preparation?

In spite of the report He had received, Bahá’u’lláh of course knew that His guest had arrived. So, this time He asked ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to go to Haifa and bring the respected merchant to His presence. When ‘Abdu’l-Bahá arrived at the port, He immediately recognized that the honored guest was none other than the lonely man sitting on the bench lost in sadness. He approached him, greeted him with love and affection, and explained to him what had happened. It was now late and night was falling. He asked ‘Abdu’l-Karím if he desired to go to ‘Akká that very night or wait until morning. With all the bitter thoughts that had passed through his mind, ‘Abdu’l-Karím no longer felt ready to enter the presence of Bahá’u’lláh. He wanted to spend the night in prayer and meditation to prepare himself for the great bounty that awaited him. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, of course, understood this. He sat on the bench by ‘Abdu’l-Karím, opened the long cloak He was wearing and wrapped it around him so they would both have some protection from the cold. All throughout that night, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and ‘Abdu’l-Karím prayed and let their souls be filled with the joy of the Kingdom. Then in the morning ‘Abdu’l-Karím, freed and purified, appeared before Bahá’u’lláh and received a plentiful share of Divine love and bounty.

Extra stories from Brilliant Star Magazine

Seasons of spirit

Baha’u’llah Life Timeline

CHOOSE ONE OF THE STORIES AND ACT IT OUT.

REMEMBER THAT NO ONE PORTRAYS THE MESSENGER OF GOD.

Scene 1: The people of Mazindaran that are hearing the proofs Baha’u’llah is saying and are convinced of the greatness of the day of God being brought by the Bab.

The people are very enthusiastically welcoming Baha’u’llah (maybe hearing shouts of Welcome, Baha’u’llah! Welcome!)
People are spellbound by the eloquence of His speech (How are they behaving?)
They are convinced of the truth of the dawning of a new Day of God, and they believe in the greatness of the Bab. (What might they be saying?)
They admire Baha’u’llah for His detachment and self-effacement (What might they be saying?)

Scene 2: Aziz goes to the well-known Mulla that is a teacher and speaks to Him.

Aziz, Baha’u’llah’s uncle, is jealous of the love and respect Baha’u’llah is receiving from the people and is alarmed by Baha’u’llah’s success (Aziz- get in character!)
Aziz seeks the advice of a well-known Mulla of the region.

Aziz will need the following script as part of this scene:

Aziz: “O viceregent of the Prophet of God! Behold what has befallen the Faith of Islam! A youth, a layman, attired in the garb of nobility, has come to Nur, has invaded the strongholds of orthodoxy, and disrupted the holy Faith of Islam. Arise, and resist his onslaught.”

The Mulla does not find in himself the strength to confront Baha’u’llah,s o he does his best to quiet Aziz, assuring him that he will be protected and then dismisses him

Scene 3: The students of the Mulla asking him to visit Baha’u’llah in person and find out for himself the nature of this new Revelation sent by God.

The Mulla decides to send two of the most learned and trusted individuals in his company to visit Baha’u’llah and see if the Message is true, saying that He would abide by their decision.

The Message of Baha’u’llah keeps spreading rapidly and the Mulla’s students keep pressuring him to visit Baha’u’llah in person and find out for himself the nature of this new Revelation (can have someone come and ask the students have you heard about the Message Baha’u’llah is giving about the coming of a new Day of God? And then have the students pressure the Mulla to find out more about it).
Still the Mulla does not have the courage to do so, but FINALLY after much delay, he decides to send two of his most learned and trusted individuals in his company to visit Baha’u’llah and determine the true character of the Message He brought. (What might have the conversation sounded like?)
The Mulla promises everyone that he will accept the judgment of these two trusted souls and abide by their decisions.

Scene 4: The 2 trusted mullas set out and then arrive at a gathering where Baha’u’llah is sharing the meaning of a Holy Book. They listen to His great knowledge and are transformed.

The two mullas leave their teacher and set out to where Baha’u’llah is staying (what might have been their conversation in route?)
They reach the presence of Baha’u’llah and He is in a gathering, revealing the meaning of some of the passages of the holy book of Islam, the Quran
The two mullas enter the meeting with great self-assurance, and sit down close to the front, prepared to ask questions and examine the extent of Baha’u’llah’s knowledge (What is their attitude like? They think they know more than a Messenger of God and have come to test His knowledge- they are very arrogant)
They listen to the voice of Baha’u’llah and become enraptured by the eloquence of His speech and the profound meaning of His statements.
Mulla Abbas becomes entirely overwhelmed by the greatness of the knowledge of the Manifestation of God, stands up, walks back slowly and stands beside the door in an attitude of utter submissiveness. (He has become humbled by his interaction with the Manifestation of God.)

Mulla Abbas needs the following script as part of this scene:

Mulla Abbas: Arising from his seat, walking back slowly and standing near the door in an attitude of utter submissiveness, with a trembling voice and eyes full of joyful tears, say “You behold my condition. I am powerless to question Baha’u’llah. The questions I had planned to ask Him have vanished suddenly from my memory. You are free either to proceed with your inquiry or to return alone to our teacher and inform him of the state in which I find myself. Tell him that Abbas can never again return to him. He can no longer forsake this threshold.”

Mulla Abbas’ companion responds that he finds himself in a similar state! Mulla Abbas’ companion says the following…

Mulla Abbas’ companion needs the following script as part of this scene:

Mulla Abbas’ companion: “I have ceased to recognize my teacher. This very moment, I have vowed to God to dedicate the remaining days of my life to the service of Baha’u’llah, my true and only Master.”

The two emissaries never go back to their teacher. They decide to stay and follow Baha’u’llah, to serve and teach His Cause.

Scene 5: News of the conversion of the two Mullas spreads throughout the land and people of all walks of life journey to Nur to enter the presence of Baha’u’llah and partake of His divine knowledge.

News spreads fast about the conversion of these two mullas (What might the people have said to each other after this?)
People of all walks of life journey to Nur to be in the presence of Baha’u’llah and partake of His divine knowledge (What might they be saying? Why do they want to be near Baha’u’llah?)
A considerable number of them accept the new Faith of God (What might they say upon recognizing the truth that their hearts have yearned for?)

Download a printable version here

MAKE A SUN CATCHER AND ADD THE LABEL “GOD’S MANIFESTATIONS ILLUMINE HUMAN HEARTS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD”

HERE is a template heart that you can use.

Stick washi tape or tissue paper on one heart and then glue the second heart on top the first.

MAKE A HEART LIGHT-UP CARD

This craft requires special materials that may not be available near your location.

Jar With Lights

Use a jar with an outline of a heart taped on it. The label “God’s manifestations illumine human hearts with the knowledge of God” can be used

View instructions HERE

A Simple Gluing Activity

Paste the quote onto a heart. Download here

Download “our purpose” glue activity HERE

From the Australian Peace Pack HERE

BRILLIANT STAR MAGAZINE

WHAT DO YOU SAY?

BAHA LEADING UPWARDS

O Son of Man! Neglect not My commandments if thou lovest My beauty, and forget not My counsels if thou wouldst attain My good pleasure.

Memorization aid here

Tags Baha'i, Baha'i children class material, children class, crafts, Drama, GOD'S MANIFESTATIONS ILLUMINE HUMAN HEARTS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD, GRADE 3, lesson 2, memorization aid, Prayers, ruhi, Ruhi bk 3 children's class, Ruhi book 3, Ruhi Book 3 Grade 3, Ruhi Children Class, STORIES

Baha'i Children class Free Kids Can Do Ruhi Book 3

GOD’S MANIFESTATIONS ARE LIKE PERFECT MIRRORS REFLECTING GOD’S ATTRIBUTES G3 L1

Post author By Carolyn
Post date September 27, 2022
No Comments on GOD’S MANIFESTATIONS ARE LIKE PERFECT MIRRORS REFLECTING GOD’S ATTRIBUTES G3 L1

In this lesson, we will ask ourselves:

Who is a MANIFESTATION OF GOD?
What does it mean to be a Pure Mirror?
Why do we need MANIFESTATIONS? Why not just have God teach us?
What is the role of the MANIFESTATIONS OF GOD and Their promise of peace to the world?

First, the meaning of the words MANIFESTATION or to MANIFEST:

The word “manifest” means to reveal, to bring forth something that was not known before.

For Baha’i, the Manifestations of God are great teachers who come when we need them the most when humanity is at its lowest point. When a new Manifestation comes, new teachings about God, our spiritual life, our social lives, and many blessings are released into the world. Each Manifestation is like a teacher taking us from kindergarten, to grade one, and so on. We call this process a progressive revelation.

All the Manifestations of God have a special message for us and we will explore them in later lessons. (Abraham, Moses, Krishna, Zoroaster, Buddha, Jesus Christ, Muhammad, and The Bab and Bahaullah)

All the Manifestations of God have laws that stay and some that no longer apply so are not applicable to us anymore.

All the Manifestations of God tell us a little more about God, about how to be better humans and they move us close to world unity and peace.

All the Manifestations of God are pure mirrors reflecting the light of God.

What does being a PURE MIRROR mean?

We use the example of a mirror reflecting light as it helps us understand a little about God and how we are connected.

So here is the example, you may already know this:

God is like the sun, God’s light reaches us, even if we don’t believe it. God’s light and bounties are for everyone. We (our hearts or spirit) are like the mirror and we can reflect the sun. If we are not working on our spiritual qualities, we are like mirrors that have dust and grime on us and can’t reflect the light or the light is very dim.

We are all the same light:- part of God, reflecting God’s attributes like a mirror reflecting the sun.

Suppose we take a well-polished mirror and point it towards the sun. In it, we will see the image of the sun, and the more perfectly polished the mirror, the more perfect the image will be.

Manifestations are pure mirrors. They reflect 100% the light of God.

The Manifestations of God are special Beings Who reveal to humanity the Word and the Will of God. When we listen to Them, we are responding to the Call of God.

Why do we need MANIFESTATIONS? Why does DOES God not teach us directly?

In this world, the sun is the source of all warmth and light, without which life would not exist on the planet. Yet the sun itself does not descend to earth, and if we tried to approach it, we would be totally consumed. God sends His Manifestations like the sun sends rays of light to pure mirrors.

The Manifestations of God are like perfect Mirrors that reflect the Light of God in all its Splendor. And all these Mirrors reflect the same Light. We can learn about God from these pure mirrors, The Manifestations of God.

What is the role of the MANIFESTATIONS OF GOD and Their promise of the coming of peace to the world?

While God is beyond our reach, these perfect Beings come to us from time to time, live among us, give us guidance, and fill us with the energy we need to progress, materially, and spiritually.

We have many Manifestations in the past and will have in the future. God does not leave us without guidance

The way God’s love flows to us is through His Eternal Covenant. According to this Eternal Covenant, God never leaves us alone and without guidance. Whenever humanity moves away from Him and forgets His Teachings, a Manifestation of God appears and makes His Will and Purpose known to us.

Each Manifestation of God is moving us closer to Universal Peace.

The first duty prescribed by God for His servants is the recognition of Him Who is the Dayspring of His Revelation and the Fountain of His laws, Who representeth the Godhead in both the Kingdom of His Cause and the world of creation.
(The Kitáb-i-Aqdas)

To know God and to worship Him is the very purpose of our lives. The lessons in this grade seek to strengthen our understanding that God’s Manifestations are the source of all good and that by knowing them we are able to attain the knowledge of God and draw ever closer to our Creator. As you can see, each phrase of the prayer expresses in a most special way the yearning of the human soul to be close to God. During the several weeks, you will be going through this set, then, you should try to grasp the meaning of these expressions—His face as the object of our adoration, His beauty is our sanctuary, and so on.

WE WILL BE MEMORIZING THE PRAYER BELOW FOR THE NEXT 3 LESSONS

O Thou Whose face is the object of my adoration, Whose beauty is my sanctuary, Whose habitation is my goal, Whose praise is my hope, Whose providence is my companion, Whose love is the cause of my being, Whose mention is my solace, Whose nearness is my desire, Whose presence is my dearest wish and highest aspiration, I entreat Thee not to withhold from me the things Thou didst ordain for the chosen ones among Thy servants. Supply me, then, with the good of this world and of the next.Thou, truly, art the King of all men. There is no God but Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous.
Bahá’u’lláh

Would Anyone Like To Say A Prayer?

SEND A POSTCARD

You can send the postcard as an email attachment or send it to your local printing service.

The Most Exalted Station Sung By The Manifolds

Independent of all

These Prophets and chosen Ones of God are the recipients and revealers of all the unchangeable attributes and names of God. They are the mirrors that truly and faithfully reflect the light of God
Kitáb-i-Íqán by Bahá’u’lláh

Memorization aids to help learn the quote

Download the memorization aid from my Google drive here
Visit THIS website to practice memorizing the quote
Use the worksheet to record the meaning of words you are not sure of

THERE ARE 6 STORIES TO CHOOSE FROM AND A BONUS STORY FROM BRILLIANT STAR MAGAZINE.

Some of the stories may have a video or resource to help understand the concepts.

There is always the Generic storyboard, story report and comic strip to draw as the story is being told that can be downloaded from the general resources here.

Download all 6 stories in word doc here

STORY ONE

You know that every Manifestation of God exhorts us to be truthful and honest. We are to be fair and just in all of our dealings with one another; the Manifestations of God themselves reflect these qualities to the utmost perfection in what they do and what they say. Even before He declared His Mission, the Báb had become widely known for His undeviating fairness. At the age of around fifteen, He had left His home in Shíráz and joined His uncle in business in Búshihr. His uncle was a merchant, and the Báb soon took over the complete management of the trading-house in Búshihr. Often those who were closely associated with Him in those days testified to the purity of His character, to the charm of His manners, and to His high integrity. A certain man once gave Him some goods to sell on his behalf. When the man received the funds for the goods, he was surprised to find that the sum was much greater than what he had expected. He immediately wrote to the Báb, requesting Him to explain the reason and offering to return some of the amount. But the Báb refused to accept it! “What I have sent you is entirely your due,” the Báb replied. You see, there had been a time when the price of the goods had been higher than what the Báb had finally sold them for. So, the Báb, setting the highest standard of honesty and justice, had added some of His own money and sent the man the amount he would have received if the goods had been sold at the peak price.

Although He always acted generously towards all those with whom He had dealings, the Báb refused to do something that would perpetuate dishonesty. Several years later, when He was in Chihríq, His followers bought some honey for Him, but He found the quality inferior and the price too high. He told them to return it, saying that they could surely purchase better quality honey at a lower price. “I who am your example have been a merchant by profession,” He said. “It behooves you in all your transactions to follow in My way. You must neither defraud your neighbor nor allow him to defraud you.”

STORY TWO

Forgiveness is an attribute of God, and just as God is patient and merciful with each one of us, we are to forgive one another and overlook the faults of others. In the lives of God’s Manifestations we see how they looked upon all with the eyes of forgiveness, even those who were cruel and unkind to them. Not long after the Báb declared His Mission, He set out for pilgrimage to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina with His companion Quddús. In another lesson, when we study the life of the Báb, we will learn about this pilgrimage. For now, you need to know that He and Quddús embarked on a vessel that took about two months to reach its destination. Also on board the vessel were two brothers from Shíráz. One of them was captivated by the charm and the sublime bearing of the Báb. The other brother, however, was extremely jealous of the Báb because He was treated with such respect by all those who met Him. Day by day this man became more arrogant and rude, not only towards the Báb but towards other passengers as well. At one point the captain of the vessel became so angry that he ordered the man to be seized and thrown into the sea. The Báb stepped forward and encouraged the captain to be patient. But the captain was beside himself and determined to get rid of the troublesome passenger. When the Báb noticed that the sailors were actually about to throw him overboard, He caught hold of him and earnestly requested the captain to pardon the wrongdoer. The captain was astonished. It was, after all, the Báb Who had suffered the most from the cruelty of this rude man. Yet The Báb explained that, since people who behaved in such a manner harmed only themselves, one should be tolerant and forgiving towards them.

Get the worksheet for story 2 here

STORY THREE

Bahá’u’lláh was the essence of kindness. In even the smallest of gestures, He reflected the infinite love that God has for every one of His creatures. Perhaps you know that, in the later years of Bahá’u’lláh’s life, His beloved Son ‘Abdu’l-Bahá rented the Mansion of Bahjí for His Father. Now, every Friday the believers would gather there to attain the presence of Bahá’u’lláh. They would stay all day, using the lower rooms of the house, while Bahá’u’lláh’s family occupied the upper floor. One of the believers, only a boy of four or five at the time, had a very special encounter there, indeed. At noon, when all the grown-ups were resting during the midday heat, he happened to wander off by himself, making his way to the upper floor of the Mansion, where he entered a large hall. Ambling about, he eventually came to a room in which food was stored. What do you think he saw there? A bag filled with sugar cubes. Without thinking, he took a few and put them in his mouth. Then he took some more and left the storeroom. Back in the hall, he suddenly froze in his tracks. There was Bahá’u’lláh pacing back and forth. He slowly approached the little boy and looked at his hands. And how do you think He treated this boy who had done something naughty? He led the boy towards a large table in the middle of the hall, picked up a plate of candies, and offered him one. “It seems you like sweets,” Bahá’u’lláh said. “Enjoy! Goodbye. And may God protect you.”

STORY FOUR

In this world where there is so much corruption and greed, where so many people want to take all for themselves, the Manifestations of God have come to establish justice. Justice is most pleasing in the sight of God, and His Manifestations tell us that we should not take what rightfully belongs to others. Even as a youth, Bahá’u’lláh displayed unmatched courage in standing up for what was right. At that time in Persia, taxes were not regulated by law according to each person’s earnings. Corrupt officials, princes and, sometimes, even the king took advantage of people and forced them to pay more than what was fair. Now, one such tax collector, who did not walk in the ways of honesty and justice, came to see Bahá’u’lláh’s father and demanded that he pay a certain amount. The first time this happened, His father paid the official without any protest. But then the tax collector came back a second time, asking for more money, and a third time, asking for still more.

Bahá’u’lláh carefully observed the situation and decided to do something about the unfair behavior of the tax collector. Although he was very young, He rode His horse for two days until He arrived at the capital city, Ṭihrán. There, he went to see the highest officials in the court and presented His father’s case. His presentation was so convincing, His words and arguments so eloquent, that an order was issued to dismiss the unjust tax collector. Everyone was astonished by the fact that, at such a tender age, Bahá’u’lláh was already so tireless a champion of justice.

STORY FIVE

All the believers who lived while Bahá’u’lláh walked on this earth yearned to meet Him. And there are so many accounts of those who were fortunate enough to enter His presence. One such person has related the following: “The very first time I was privileged to attain the presence of the Blessed Beauty, He was residing in ‘Akká. I was overcome by excitement and timidity when an attendant directed me to enter. At that moment I heard the voice of Bahá’u’lláh bidding me to come. With a profound sense of humility, I went into His presence; after expressing my utter servitude at His threshold, I seated myself. At His request, I was served tea. He then recited some of the sacred writings, after which He stated: ‘Let your acts be a guide unto all mankind, that from your behavior and conduct they may be enabled to recognize the signs and commandments of God.’”

STORY SIX

God has given us the capacity to know Him, to love Him, and to carry out His commandments and He sends us His Manifestation to help us in our efforts to fulfill the purpose for which we were created. In the Beauty of the Manifestation of God, we are able to perceive the beauty of God. In His wisdom, we catch the glimpses of the inscrutable Wisdom of the Almighty. They are like a mirror that reflect to us the qualities and attributes of God.

I would like to share with you a story that will give us a glimpse of the great knowledge possessed by the Messengers of God, by sharing a story about Baha’u’llah, the most recent Messenger of God. There are similar stories about each of the Messengers of God, as they all have innate knowledge given to them by God! There are many stories from the time of Baha’u’llah that demonstrate how people were attracted to His knowledge and awed by it. I am going to share with you one such story- and you will need to pay very close attention to the details of the story- because we are going to ask you to act the story out later today. This story is about the visit Baha’u’llah made to Nur, the place He was born in Mazindaran in Persia, soon after He accepted the truth of the Bab’s Revelation.

The Bab was a Messenger of God that came right before Baha’u’llah. He prepared the way for Baha’u’llah’s coming. We will learn more about the lives of the Bab and Baha’u’llah later on this year, but for now, you should know that before Baha’u’llah told the people He was a Messenger of God, He first was a follower of the Bab. In this story, He was teaching the people about the Bab’s Message.

The enthusiasm with which the people of Mazindaran greeted Baha’u’llah was indeed extraordinary. They were spellbound by the eloquence of His speech. The arguments and proofs He set forth, as He announced the dawning of a new Day, convinced them of the greatness of the Cause of the Bab. They admired His enthusiasm and were deeply impressed by His detachment and self-effacement. No one dared oppose Him except His own uncle Aziz, who became jealous of the love and respect Baha’u’llah was receiving from the people.

Alarmed by Baha’u’llah’s success, Aziz decided to seek the assistance of a well-known Mulla of the region, presumably the possessor of great knowledge and defender of the truth of Islam. Mullas are the religious leaders of Islam- the clergy- kind of like ministers in the Christian church. “O viceregent of the Prophet of God!” exclaimed Aziz, talking to the Mulla, “Behold what has befallen the Faith of Islam! A youth, a layman, attired in the garb of nobility, has come to Nur, has invaded the strongholds of orthodoxy, and disrupted the holy Faith of Islam. Arise, and resist his onslaught.” The Mulla did not find in himself the strength to confront Baha’u’llah, so he did his best to quiet Aziz, assured him that he would be protected, and dismissed him. But the Message Baha’u’llah had brought to the region was rapidly spreading, and the Mulla’s students kept pressuring him to visit Baha’u’llah in person and find out for himself the nature of this new Revelation. Still the Mulla did not have the courage to do so. Finally, after much delay, he decided to send two of the most learned and trusted individuals in his company to visit Baha’u’llah and determine the true character of the Message He brought. He promised to everyone that he would accept the judgment of these two trusted souls and would abide by their decision.

When these two emissaries reached the presence of Baha’u’llah, He was in a gathering engaged in revealing a commentary on one of the chapters of the Quran. With great assurance, they entered the meeting and sat down prepared to ask questions and examine the extent of Baha’u’llah’s knowledge. But as they listened to the voice of Baha’u’llah, they were enraptured by the eloquence of His speech and the profound meaning of His statements. Mulla Abbas, one of these two emissaries, was entirely overwhelmed. He arose from his seat, walked back slowly and stood beside the door in an attitude of utter submissiveness. “You behold my condition.,” he told his friend as he trembled with emotion and with eyes full of joyful tears. “I am powerless to question Baha’u’llah. The questions I had planned to ask Him have vanished suddenly from my memory. You are free either to proceed with your inquiry or to return alone to our teacher and inform him of the state in which I find myself. Tell him that Abbas can never again return to him. He can no longer forsake this threshold.” His companion found himself in a similar state. “I have ceased to recognize my teacher,” he replied. “This very moment, I have vowed to God to dedicate the remaining days of my life to the service of Baha’u’llah, my true and only Master.”

So the two emissaries of the famous Mulla never went back to their teacher. The news of their conversion traveled fast. It awakened the people from their sleep. People of all walks of life journeyed to Nur in order to enter the presence of Baha’u’llah and partake of His Divine knowledge. A considerable number of them accepted the new Faith of God. But as you know, this and the many other early successes of the Cause aroused the envy of those who took advantage of the people’s ignorance in order to rule over them. Soon a tremendous wave of persecution arose throughout the entire country, bringing unimaginable sufferings to both the Bab and Baha’u’llah.

ADDITIONAL STORY FROM BRILLIANT STAR MAGAZINE : HERE

Act out the quote from story five.

Some suggested pictures here

Any of the stories can be acted out. Remember we do not portray the Manifestation of God.

CUT APART CARDS

Cut the cards apart and mix them up. How fast you can pair up the correct ones?

Download from supporting the core activities here

BASED ON THE THEME OF SEARCH

Make an I SPY bottle.

Materials

bottle
filler like rice, sand, etc I use small styrofoam balls from the dollar store
funnel
items to symbolize search in some way. I got creative. here are some of mine:
1. heart – need a pure heart
2. googly eyes – as you have to look when you search
3. stone – leave no stone unturned
4. Paperclip – to hold all your notes together
5. Rubberband – need to be flexible in our outlook and keep an open mind
6. Penny – you will need funds as you travel far’
7. Screw – you may need to build things along the way
8. file- for the fingernails that may get broken
9. the word friend – for all the friends you will make along the way
10. gem – all the hidden gems in you and in others that will be found
11. bike – you will need transportation
12. magnet – to attract the hearts
13. Banner with Bahá’u’lláh’s name to raise up.

as you put each item in, say what it stands for. Close the lid and hot glue(if you think it may get opened and spill. Write a tag with all the items to be found.

BASED ON STORY TWO

If you remember, this story took place on a boat with a rude man. Build your own boat:

Visit my Pinterest board with lots of ideas for building boats

BASED ON STORY ONE

Truthfulness and Honesty. Make the card and send it to a friend. Or make this and include it in your notebook/ lap book.

Get Link Here

Match messengers to the symbols

This is an activity sheet

Cut and paste activity

Taken from Australian peace pack

FROM STORY 5

MAKE UP A BOARD GAME THAT HELPS OTHERS RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS OF THE MANIFESTATION OF GOD BASED ON THE QUOTE FROM THE STORY

“Let your acts be a guide unto all mankind, that from your behavior and conduct they may be enabled to recognize the signs and commandments of God.”

Download the template game here

Review

You should find some suitable time, perhaps at the end of every class period, to help the children review the passage that they are learning by heart in this lesson and one that they memorized in Grade 2:

“The purpose of God in creating man hath been, and will ever be, to enable him to know his Creator and to attain His Presence.”

Get the memorization aid here

Tags Baha'i, Baha'i children class material, children class, crafts, Drama, GRADE 3, LESSON 1 GRADE 3, review quotes, ruhi, Ruhi bk 3 children's class, Ruhi book 3, Ruhi Children Class

Baha'i Children class Free Kids Can Do Ruhi Book 3

A LOOK AT PROGRESSIVE REVELATION

Post author By Carolyn
Post date September 27, 2022
No Comments on A LOOK AT PROGRESSIVE REVELATION

Ruhi Book 3 grade 3 pre-lesson

NOTE FOR TEACHERS

The US Baha’i core curriculum has a worksheet for teachers to review progressive revelation and you can access the downloadable PDF here

This year we are going to be learning about the lives and teachings of the Messengers sent by God to humanity.

Every 500-1000 years, God sends us a Messenger of God to teach and enlighten us.

We start with Abraham because that is the first Messenger of God that we have information about, but there have always been Teachers sent by God in each age, even before Abraham. This is known as progressive revelation.

This year we are going to learn more about Abraham, Moses, Krishna, Buddha, Zoroaster, Jesus, Muhammad, the Bab, and Baha’u’llah. We will learn about their Teachings and the Message they brought from God for the world.

To start, we are going to think about God and the reason that God created us.

Do you know why you have been created?

What is OUR purpose?

To help us answer the questions of why we were created and our purpose, we can find many clues from the Baha’i writings and prayers we say:

To work for the betterment of the world, to develop virtues, and to grow spiritually, to draw closer to God.

Let’s look at this verse from the Bahai Writings

“I bear witness, O my God, that Thou hast created me to know Thee and to worship Thee.”

So how do we know God?

God is of course far above anything we can think of: He is our Creator and we are His creation.

In general, what has been created cannot understand its creator. For instance, this table cannot understand the nature of the carpenter that made it.

God is the Creator of all things and His essence is unknowable to us, which means that we should not make images of God in our mind- thinking of Him, for example as a man. He is far above all of our ideas of Him. Out of His mercy, though, God sends us a Manifestation of God in each age.

Does anyone know what “manifest” means?

The word “manifest” means to reveal, to bring forth something that was not known before. The Manifestation of God are those special Beings who reveal to humanity the Word and the Will of God; thus when we listen to Them, we are responding to the call of God.

See the Ringstone symbol above:

DOWNLOAD PDF FROM DELIGHT HEARTS

This is a symbol that helps us to understand the role of the Manifestations of God. The bottom line is the Realm of Creation- this is where we are. The middle line is the Realm of the Messengers of God, Their station is high above us. The top realm is the realm of God.

What connects these realms?

The middle line is repeated because the Messengers of God each are the way of God that connects this world with the realms above.

Why are there stars on either side?

Because the Messengers of God come in human form- head, arms, legs, (point to a star and show those points).

There is an example from the physical world that helps us to understand the concept of “Manifestation” as taught in the Bahai Writings.

Do you know what it is?

In this world, what is the source of all warmth and light, without which life would not exist on the planet?

(THE SUN!) Yet the sun itself does not descend to earth, and if we tried to approach it, we would be totally consumed. But suppose we take a well-polished mirror and point it towards the sun.

What do we see in the mirror?

(THE IMAGE OF THE SUN) and the more perfectly polished the mirror, the more perfect the image will be. The Manifestations of God are like perfect mirrors that reflect the light of God in all its splendor. And all the mirrors reflect the same light.

While God is beyond our reach, these perfect Beings come to us from time to time, live among us, give us guidance and fill us with the energy we need to progress materially and spiritually.

Seeking the knowledge of God through His Manifestations should be the central concern of our lives.

Is knowing God enough?

What else do we need to do? (From the quote: worship Him)

How do we worship God? (Prayers, Obey commandments)

Is saying prayers, in a temple, church, at home- enough?

How do we obey His commandments?

When we act in a spirit of obedience to the laws and teachings of God, all that we do becomes fruitful.

Let’s look at what the Bahai Writings say about worship

“This is worship: to serve mankind and to minister to the needs of the people. Service is prayer.” (Abdu’l-Baha)

God has sent us His Messengers to help us in our efforts to fulfill the purpose for which He created us- to know Him and to worship Him.

GOD IS ONE

Imagine a beautiful gemstone- shining and sparkling.

Is it aware of its own beauty? (no)

Think of a beautiful flower- color, fragrance. Do you have it in your mind? Okay- now I have a question to ask you- does it know its own beauty? (no)

What about a bird that is singing the most melodious songs- is it conscious of the value of its own singing?

Unlike the rest of creation that doesn’t have an understanding of their beauty and potential, we as human beings DO have the ability to know and to recognize beauty- not just physical, but spiritual beauty.

What is spiritual beauty? The virtues- the qualities of God we have within us- that are shown in ACTION. A big part of our purpose has to do with developing those God-like qualities we have within us, so that we can reflect the light of God in our lives and in turn, be the source of guidance to others.

What are some of those God qualities that we have within us?

DOWNLOAD YES NO QUESTIONS HERE

QUOTE TO MEMORIZE

O Son of Being! Thou art My lamp and My light is in thee. Get thou from it thy radiance and seek none other than Me, for I have created Thee rich and have bountifully shed My favor upon Thee.
–Baha’u’llah

USE THIS WORKSHEET FOR ANY WORDS YOU ARE NOT SURE OF

Two Games

1. Balloon Bop: (Material: a few blown-up balloons)

Students begin by standing in a circle, holding hands. The teacher drops one balloon into the circle. The goal is for students to see how many times they can tap the balloon into the air (they can tap with hands, arms, heads, shoulder, chest or knees-No feet.), keeping it up in the air, without losing the connection (all students must continue holding hands.) In order for this to work effectively, students have to work cooperatively, each of them making sure they are not letting go of their neighbor, hand. They will soon figure out that they must all move together, as a circle, so to make sure they do not lose connection. If the balloon falls to the ground or a student taps the balloon with their feet, the count begins again. Depending on grade level; you can add more balloons to make it more challenging!

Before playing: the teacher can model how to tap the balloon lightly in order to keep it up in the air.

2. Great Wind Blows( Material: None)

Arrange chairs/carpet squares to form a circle (If using chairs, facing inward toward the middle). One player starts in the middle, standing up. He or she begins the round by standing in the middle starts by saying “Great wind blows for everyone who…” and then says any characteristic that is true for that person. For example, if the person has been to Canada before, he or she can say, “Great wind blows for everyone who has been to Canada.” All players who have been to Canada before must stand and quickly find a new seat that is more than 2 chairs away from them. If the player is not able to find a vacant seat, he or she is the new person who is in the middle.

1. Make a lantern

There are many easy lanterns you can make, the one below is pretty simple. You will need cardboard or stiff paper, parchment paper or heavy wax paper, a stapler, glue, pen.

Lantern Template here simple lantern

Write/ print the quote

O Son of Being! Thou art My lamp and My light is in thee. Get thou from it thy radiance and seek none other than Me, for I have created thee rich and have bountifully shed My favor upon Thee. –Baha’u’llah

2. Brilliant star magazine grade 3

Gods’ mysterious nature: make a Mobius strip

Building a better world PDF

3. Color in the ringtone symbol from Delight Hearts or from here

Tags activities, Baha'i, Baha'i children class material, children class, crafts, games, GRADE 3, LESSONS, Prayers, PRE-LESSON, PROGRESSIVE REVELATION, quotes, ruhi, Ruhi bk 3 children's class, Ruhi book 3, Ruhi Book 3 Grade 3, Ruhi Children Class, STORIES

Baha'i Children class Free Kids Can Do Ruhi Book 3

WHY WE PRAY GRADE 2 LESSON 2

Post author By Carolyn
Post date August 31, 2022
2 Comments on WHY WE PRAY GRADE 2 LESSON 2

Welcome to the lesson on Why We Pray. In this lesson, we will try to answer the question WHY DO WE PRAY? We will continue to memorize the prayer O Lord! I am a child; enable me to grow, We will learn a new quote, hear more songs and stories, do crafts, and games, and continue to learn.

For the next 2 classes, we will memorize the following prayer

O Lord! I am a child; enable me to grow beneath the shadow of Thy loving kindness. I am a tender plant; cause me to be nurtured through the outpourings of the clouds of Thy bounty. I am a sapling of the garden of love; make me into a fruitful tree. Thou art the Mighty and the Powerful, and Thou art the All-Loving, the All-Knowing, the All-Seeing.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Would Anyone Like To Say A Prayer?

Send A Prayer To A Family Near You!

Memorization Aid

Download and print the memorization aid. Use it as part of the lapbook or glue it into your class notebook.

Download Filling the blank Memorization Aid here

Download the Prayer, Print and Glue to your class notebook. Download Here

BE HAPPY

TEACHING PEACE

Greatest Longing Of Every Soul

We know that God has created every one of us and that He is aware of what we need and what we want. He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Why, then should we pray? God does not need our prayers, but we pray because it serves to strengthen our souls, for prayer is life food for the soul. Prayer brings life to the soul. We should pray in the morning, evening, during difficult times, and at times of great gladness. Of course, we do not only pray for ourselves but also for our family, our friends, our community, and for all of humanity.

Abdu’l-Baha assures us that if we pray for something that is in agreement with God’s wisdom, then God will provide us with it. But sometimes, unknowingly we ask for things that will harm us, and God, in His infinite wisdom does not grant our wish. To help us remember why we pray, let us memorize the following words of Abdu’l-Baha:

It is the greatest longing of every soul who is attracted to the Kingdom of God to find time to turn with entire devotion to his Beloved, so as to seek His bounty and blessing and immerse himself in the ocean of communion, entreaty, and supplication.
Abdu’l-Baha

MEANING OF WORDS

Longing

When Tanya’s brother went away to university, she missed him very much. Tanya felt a great longing in her heart to be near her brother again.

Rodrigo was tired after working many hours in the fields, planting crops. At the end of the day, he longed to rest.

She stood before the meeting with her head bowed and her eyes closed. Silence filled the room. Then she lifted her head and began to intone the verses of God in a melodious voice.

Bahereh taught her children to intone beautiful prayers at the beginning of each new day and in the evening before they slept.

Immerse

In order to boil an egg, it must be completely covered with water. To boil the egg, you must immerse it in water.

After working on the engine of the car, Norman’s hands were dirty and greasy. So he filled a bucket of water from the well and put his hands into the water, washing off the dirt and grease. His hands were immersed in the water.

Communion

Because of the difficulties in their own country, all the brothers left their homeland and went to different places around the world to look for work. Many years went by, and they did not see each other or speak to one another. But They remained in communion through their thoughts and prayers, and eventually, they were joyfully reunited as old men.

When we pray, we turn our hearts to God and converse with Him. Prayer is communion with God.

Entreaty

One of the king’s subjects was in great need, so he begged the king to assist him. The king considered his subject’s entreaty and agreed to help.

The teachers were concerned that the textbooks the children were using were out of date and did not cover the latest discoveries and the most recent information, so they asked the principal to order new ones. The principal listened to their entreaty, and now the children are using up-to-date textbooks.

MEMORIZATION CARDS FOR LESSON 2 QUOTE

MEMORIZATION WORKSHEET HERE

A Story To Illustrate The Importance Of Praying Daily

This is a story of one of the early Baha’is in the West, Lua Getsinger, and an important lesson she learned about prayer. Lua loved God very much, and she often turned to him in supplication, that she might be enabled to live a life of service. She prayed, too, that her eager and enthusiastic spirit would learn to be patient. Of course, she wanted to learn quickly, without having to wait too long!

Lua knew that ‘Abdu’l-Baha wanted her to learn patience. One day, when she was visiting Him in the Holy Land, He helped her to see that there are some things for which we must always make time, no matter how hurried we might feel. Rushing off to breakfast without having said her usual morning prayers, Lua met ‘Abdu’l-Baha in the hallway. He looked at her, staring deeply into her eyes. And what do you think he said to her? “Lua,” He said, “you must never eat material food in the morning until you have had your spiritual food.” So it was that Lua learned she must never fail to draw sustenance from God’s heavenly bounties, the source of true strength.

Another Story about Prayer: The Bejewelled Sword

There was once a little child in Persia during the days of Persia’s ancient glory. It was customary in those days that whenever there was an important feast the people would share gifts with their friends and loved ones. So this little child prayed very hard and loudly for a bejeweled sword to be his gift.

At the time of the feast, this little boy was waiting, eagerly to receive the sword he had prayed so hard for. However, the time passed and the feast was almost over and the child did not receive any sword as a gift. He was quite sad and disappointed.

His father, who never believed in God or in any kind of prayers, saw his son’s disappointment and said, “My son, can’t you see, your prayers were not answered?”

The son looked at his father and replied, “Oh yes father, my prayers were answered.”

“How can that be?” asked the father in surprise. “You did not receive the bejeweled sword that you desired so much.

“But father, don’t you understand?” said the child, “The answer is ‘no’. God said No.”

Activities to help students develop skills and abilities related to drama.

As you did in the previous lesson, have the children stand about two meters apart and imagine that they are in their own squares. You may ask them each to walk along the border of their square.
Ask the children to raise their arms and, stretching from the tips of their toes to the tips of their fingers, reach towards the sky. Now, tell them to relax and let their arms and head hang freely. Repeat this exercise three or four times.
Next, ask your students to stand as tall as they can and raise their arms over their heads, pressing the palms of their hands together. They are candles burning brightly. Explain to them that you will slowly count backward from ten. As you do so, they should pretend they are melting. By the time you reach zero, they should be like a pool of wax on the ground. The children should remain in that position until you give them the signal to move again.

The above exercises will have helped the children develop their skills of movement and physical expression. They will also need to acquire increasingly effective skills of verbal expression. To assist them, ask them to say the sentence “Good morning”

as though they were respectfully greeting a teacher
as though they were excited to see a friend
as though they had met a friend who was feeling sad
as though they were trying not to wake a sleeping baby

The second set of activities has to do with the theme of today’s lesson: why we pray. Tell the children that they are now going to improvise a situation to show why we need to eat every day to maintain our physical strength. Explain, that our souls need to turn to God in prayer to grow and remain strong and healthy.

Begin by having the children return to their imaginary squares. Ask them to show that they are full of strength by pretending to lift some imaginary objects; by jumping up high to reach something in an imaginary tree; or by building an imaginary tower.
Now, tell the children to pretend they are getting hungry and feeling weak. Ask them to repeat the lifting, jumping, and building exercises.
Then, tell them that they are receiving food and beginning to feel strong again. Ask them to repeat the exercises once more.

BROKEN TELEPHONE

Speaking to God is like making a phone call, you speak and have to wait for an answer.

What happens if you don’t understand the answer? Play the game broken telephone

Make A Bejeweled Sword

Make a sword PBS KIDS

SUPER EASY sword

Decorate A Prayer Mat

Although we don’t use a prayer mat in Baha’i Faith, it is a cool and creative activity

Download the template mat here

FELT PRAYER BOOK COVERS

The class where these prayer book covers were made can be seen here

Lapbook Lesson 2

SIMPLE LAPBOOK USED THIS YEAR (2022)

We are using a simplified version of the lapbook, changing some elements, adding others, and making all the pieces larger for the children. Lapbooks are very easy, flexible tools and it’s easy for you to create your own or download my templates. you do not have to use all the elements I am posting. There are NO right and wrong ways. enjoy!

For lesson 2 we are using the wheel component.

The component for this lesson is the wheel ” why we pray” that turns and reveals information below. It is a modified version of the first lapbook shown below

download this here

Note you will need a brass fastener also known as split pins, to attach the two pieces. you can get it from Amazon, craft stores like Michaels, and stationery stores.

This is what our lapbook looks like for lesson2

Remember, any item can be placed in the lapbook and any of the files for the lapbook can be used in a notebook or just as an activity.

Items:

Wheel Why We Pray: blank or filled out template
heading with lesson 2

Extra items can be added such as the door hanger, the prayer decorated in a frame from lesson 1. or the prayer mat from this lesson. position items before you glue to make sure what you choose fits.

Download all the elements for the lapbook here

BRILLIANT STAR MAGAZINE

HAPPY TO SERVE

FOOD FOR THE SOUL

FAITH IN HARMONY

Tags Baha'i, Baha'i children class material, children class, crafts, Grade 2 lesson 2, memorization aid, quotes, ruhi, Ruhi bk 3 children's class, Ruhi book 3, Ruhi Children Class, STORY, videos, WHY DO WE PRAY?

Baha'i Children class Free Kids Can Do Ruhi Book 3

THE NATURE OF PRAYER Grade 2 Lesson 1

Post author By Carolyn
Post date August 29, 2022
No Comments on THE NATURE OF PRAYER Grade 2 Lesson 1

Welcome to Lesson 1: The nature of prayer. Abdu’l-Baha tells us that prayer is a “conversation with God”.

We already mentioned that when we pray, we speak to God. When we love another, our greatest wish is to be close to the one we love and to express the love he feels.

To understand the nature of prayer and why we pray, we would need to also look at the effects of prayer. We can ask God for things that we want, and He will answer our prayers in accordance with Divine wisdom.

We can pray for things related to the specific circumstances of our lives and for the development of spiritual qualities, both in ourselves and in others.

We must understand that prayer is not just a time for us to make requests of God. Remember that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá tells us, “In the highest prayer, men pray only for the love of God, not because they fear Him or hell, or hope for bounty or heaven. . . .”

What are some of the things we pray for?

WHO IS ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ?

We will be using many stories to help us understand the virtues and concepts we are learning. Many of the stories will be about Abdu’l-Bahá. Let us learn a little about him.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá is the Son of Bahá’u’lláh. He is the Centre of Bahá’u’lláh’s Covenant, the unerring Interpreter of His Writings, and the Perfect Exemplar of His Teachings. He was given many titles during His lifetime, including “The Master”; the one He preferred and took for Himself, however, was ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.

Meaning of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Abdu’l means Servant
Baha means Splendor or Glory. Baha is one of the names of Bahá’u’lláh

Abdu’l-Baha means “Servant of Bahá”—Servant of Bahá’u’lláh.

For the next 3 classes, we will memorize the following prayer

O Lord! I am a child; enable me to grow beneath the shadow of Thy loving kindness. I am a tender plant; cause me to be nurtured through the outpourings of the clouds of Thy bounty. I am a sapling of the garden of love; make me into a fruitful tree. Thou art the Mighty and the Powerful, and Thou art the All-Loving, the All-Knowing, the All-Seeing.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Would Anyone Like To Say A Prayer?

Send A Prayer To A Family Near You!

Memorization Aid

Download and print the memorization aid. Use it as part of a lapbook or glue it into your class notebook.

Download Filling the blank Memorization Aid here

Download the Prayer the Print Glue to your class notebook here

STRIVE THAT DAY BY DAY

BOUNDLESS LOVE

I Want To Be Happy

I Want To Br Happy

Remember that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá tells us that prayer is “Conversation With God”

Through our prayers, we speak to God of our love for Him. We love God and our greatest wish is to be close to God and to express the love we feel. We know that even though God knows what is in our hearts, still we want to tell Him of our love for Him and thank Him for the bounties that He has showered upon us.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá lived in a state of prayer. His heart was always turned towards God. He often mentioned that there is nothing sweeter in life than prayer. When we converse with God each day, our love for Him grows stronger, and we feel closer to Him. Our hearts are opened, and enkindled with His love, and our souls become joyful. God loves us more than we can possibly imagine. So it is that we constantly receive His bounties as we pray to Him to guide us, protect us, and help us become worthy of His love. To aid us in our efforts to live our lives in a state of prayer, with our hearts always turned towards God, let us memorize the following quotation:

Listen to the Quote

Meaning of the words in the quote

INTONE

She stood before the meeting with her head bowed and her eyes closed. Silence filled the room. Then she lifted her head and began to intone the verses of God in a melodious voice.

Bahereh taught her children to intone beautiful prayers at the beginning of each new day and in the evening before they slept.

WHO WANTS TO PRACTICE INTONING THEIR NAME? (have a few kids do this)

Kindle

The grass in the field was very dry. In the intense heat of the summer, the dry grass kindled, and the fire spread to the edge of town.
After reading a few passages from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, Florence felt the love of God kindled in her heart.

Attract

We enjoy looking at flowers because they are beautiful. We are attracted to their beauty.

When we feel God’s love, we want to be near Him. Our hearts are attracted to God by the power of His love.

WORKSHEET TO MEMORIZE PRAYER

DOWNLOAD IT HERE

STORY OF RÚHU”LLÁH

When Ruhu’llah was about seven years old, he travelled with his father to the Holy Land. There he had the great privilege of meeting Baha’u’llah, Who had brought to humanity God’s message for this day. Ruhu’llah’s heart became filled with love for Baha’u’llah, and he wanted nothing more than to serve Him. Upon returning home to Persia, he spent his time sharing with others news of Baha’u’llah’s coming. Ruhu’llah was truthful, honest, courteous and kind, and his words had great effect on all who heard him. He rose at every dawn to pray and, with his heart turned towards God, passed each day in servitude to Him.

One day, Ruhu’llah was summoned to appear before an official. At that time, many people were fearful of the new message that was being spread throughout the land. They clung to beliefs of the past, and the followers of the new Faith often became victims of harsh punishments. For this reason, Ruhu’llah’s father was in great danger. As proof that he had raised his sons in this new Faith, Ruhu’llah was asked to say a prayer in the presence of the official. This, it was hoped, would be enough to convince the official to condemn his father. Calmly, Ruhu’llah prepared his heart to offer supplication to God. Then, in a melodious voice, he chanted a Baha’i prayer with exquisite beauty. The official was deeply moved. He dismissed the matter immediately, saying he would not condemn a man who had raised a child so wonderful. And so Ruhu’llah’s father was saved.

Later, when Ruhu’llah was about twelve years old, he would once again set out with his father to visit the Holy Land. This time, he would be blessed to pass his days in the presence of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, who loved Ruhu’llah very much and especially enjoyed hearing him chant in his beautiful voice the many prayers he knew by heart. Ruhu’llah would leave the Holy Land ablaze with Divine love, ready to sacrifice his all for the Cause of God.

Download all the extra resources here

BRILLIANT STAR MAGAZINE STORY HERE

There are two types of activities related to drama in these lessons. The first set of activities is concerned with the development of skills and abilities.

To acquire the discipline yet freedom of movement needed to participate in creative drama, the children must learn to control their actions within a defined space. The following activities will contribute to the development of this ability.

Have your children stand about two meters apart from one another. Each child should imagine that he or she is standing in a square measuring about one and a half meters by one and a half meters. Ask them to draw with their eyes the boundaries of their imaginary squares. Then, have each of them walk along the border of his or her own square.
Next, tell them to imagine that there is a rope about half a meter above the ground stretching across the middle of each of their squares. Ask them to jump over it, crawl under it, walk along it, hop along it, and go around it without leaving their squares.

The children also need to learn to cooperate and work together. The following activities will help them develop some of the corresponding activities.

Divide the youngsters into pairs. Think of a very heavy object that is familiar to them and ask each pair to pretend that they are carrying it together.
Then ask the pair to pretend they are digging a well together.
Now tell them to imagine that one of the children’s mother has invited a guest over, but the guest has arrived early before the mother has returned home from work. One child in each pair is the guest. The other child invites the guest in and offers him or her something refreshing to drink while they wait for the mother.

The second type of activity is related to the theme of the lesson, the state of prayer. Tell the children that they are going to improvise a situation about the state of prayer.

Begin by having the children return to their imaginary squares. Once they are in position, explain to them that, although we pray to God with words, other things, or their very existence, we are asking for God’s blessings and bounties. In this way, all created things are praying to God. A plant, for example, needs rain to grow. By its very existence, the plant prays, “O God! Send me rain!”
Now, tell the children to pretend that they are in a field of corn or another crop with which they are familiar. For some days there has been no rain on the field How do they look? Days pass, but there is not a could in the sky. The plants droop more and more, day by day. Silently, they are praying. Then, suddenly, there is a clap of thunder in the distance which grows louder and louder. You can use your hands or some instrument to make the clap of thunder. Then start slowly tapping on something, pretending to be rain. Gradually tap faster and faster. The rain has come, and little by little, the plants raise their drooping leaves.

ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS

There are many craft and activity suggestions for you to consider. When you choose what you would like to do with the class, make sure all the required supplies are available for the children.

Prayer Hand

To make the prayer hand you will need

Cardstock is about 6 in x 11in
Pencil
Scissors
printed prayer or quote
Child

Fold the paper in half so your paper is 6in x 5.5 in. Place the child’s hand on the fold. Use a pencil to trace the hand. The fingers can be together or apart. Try to get as much of the fold as part of the drawn hand as possible as this gives more space for the prayer to be stuck. Cut out hand shape. Open and glue the prayer to the hand. (alternative or addition is to write who you will pray for on the fingers.) Decorate

Call and talk to God

Decorate this phone and remember that prayer is a conversation with God

Download here

POPUP CARD

How to make the POPUP card

Download the template
cut out the base, there are 2 per page
cut out the cover
Print and cut out the prayer

When you are cutting out the pieces, the straight lines are cut lines and any dashed/dotted lines are to be folded. The folded lines are only on the card base in the middle.

Once the pieces are cut out, take the base and push the partially cut middle out. This is the only tricky part if you are not familiar with popups. take a look at the photo below.

Glue the quote and the cover. Done.

View the instruction on the blog post

Make A Door Hanger

Template # 1

Print and cut the round template.

The base can be cut from cardboard. to do this print the base and use it as a template to cut the cardboard.

The top part is decorated and stuck to the base.

A string is threaded through the hole and then the craft can be hung on a door.

Note that you can use a piece of ribbon and glue it in between the base and the top to form a loop and hang it on the door.

TEMPLATE #2

Print and Cut the straight template or use the 9-pointed strar one below. Add your own message and decorate

9 pointed star tempalte

Decorate the Prayer

Decorate the frame of the prayer or use the blank template to write your prayer in the shape and decorate it.

You can also use any shape you like. My daughter and I did this activity years ago from Varga Magazine. We used the shape of a bird.

DOWNLOAD BIRD SHAPE HERE

LAPBOOK General Information

As mentioned in the welcome lesson for Grade 2. We will be making a lapbook for each lesson. The pieces we put into a lapbook are called mini books. Lapbooks help to keep information organized and help the kids memorize. Plus they a typically lots of fun to put together. You can choose to use all the suggested mini-books for a lesson or you can just combine lessons into one lapbook

For each lapbook you will need a file folder and any of the mini-books that are suggested . For information on Lapbooks take a look at this short video below (not my viedo)

Lapbook for lesson 1

There are 2 versions of lesson 1 here. Both have elements for lessons 1 to 3 in one lapbook. The first one has small images and mini-books. the second is simplified, larger and fewer pieces

Print, cut out and decorate the pieces. You can finish the lapbook over a period of days or all at once. OR Choose to do one or two items from each of the 3 lessons and assemble them into one lapbook

Please note that you don’t have to create the lapbook. You can use the mini books and glue them into a notebook or just keep them as they are.

Download all the elements for the lapbook here

SIMPLE lapbook

This is what Burlington is using this year (2022). Larger and fewer pieces. Note that we created a flap so that there is space under the LESSON 1 flap to house lessons 2 and 3.

Here is a video to show how easier it is to create a flap (5:58 timestamp)

All pieces can be found here