Lesson: Ninth Commandment (No. CB78

Goal:

Teach the children that the Ninth Commandment deals with honesty, sincerity and integrity, which are the opposite of bearing false witness.

Objectives:

1. Children will be able to understand the meaning of the Ninth Commandment.

2. Children will understand ways in which we bear false witness.

3. Children will discuss some of the more difficult times in the Bible when God’s people intentionally lied to protect the life of someone else.

Resources:

Law and the Ninth Commandment (No. 262)

The Ten Commandments (No. CB17)

The Law of God (No. CB25)

Who Is Satan? (No. CB60)

Introduction to the Armour of Eloah (No. CB123)

Loins Gird with Truth (No. CB126)

God's Character and His Children (No. CB106)

Relevant Scriptures:

Exodus 20:16, Mat 7:1-5, Prov 6:16-19, John 8:44, Eze 28:12-15, Rev 12:9-10, Eph 6:10-18, Heb 6:17-18, Psalm 119:160, Deut 10:12-13

Memory Verse:

Exodus 20:16: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. (RSV)

Format:

Open the study with prayer.

Poster Board Activity (Optional). If using the poster board from the previous lesson add the ninth commandment to the poster board.

Lesson on the Ninth Commandment

Do activity(s), time allowing.

End with prayer.

Lesson:

1. Read through the paper The Ninth Commandment, No. CB78 unless it is read as a sermonette with the children present.

2. Children’s questions are in bold. This is a general review of the material covered in the lesson.

Questions and Answers:

Q1. What is the ninth commandment?

A. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

Q2. What does it mean to bear false witness against your neighbor?

A. It means to lie or misrepresent the truth about some event, person or thing.

Q3. What if we don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings or get someone in trouble?

A. Sometimes it is better to just be quiet or focus on something we can say that will be true.

Q4. What about judging others?

A. We need to be careful that we don’t judge others before we judge ourselves.

Q5. Does gossiping and slander also apply to the ninth commandment?

A. Yes, it applies to both the eighth and ninth commandment. Gossiping and slander are both ways in which we bear false witness against our neighbor.

Q6. Proverbs 6 lists seven things that God hates and considers an abomination. How many have to do with lying and bearing false witness? Can you name them?

A. Three. A lying tongue, a false witness who breathes out lies, and a man who sows discord among brothers.

Q7. Who does the Bible say is the Father of lies?

A. Satan is called a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44)

Q8. Was Satan always the father of lies?

A. No, prior to iniquity being found in him, Satan was named Lucifer and was described as perfect and blameless. (Eze 28:12-15)

Q9. What does the name Satan mean?

A. Accuser of the brethren. Sadly, Satan goes before God’s throne daily and accuses humans of wrong thoughts or actions. (Rev 12:9-10)

Q10. Why were God’s laws created? (Kids will have many different answers!)

A. To build up, protect and help individuals, families and nations.

Q11. What is the first piece of armour listed in the armour of God (Eph. 6:10-18)

A. Truth! Truth becomes the foundation for all of the other pieces of armour and is a foundation in our relationship with God the Father.

Q12. Is God able to lie?

A. Hebrews 6:17-18 tells us that it is impossible for God to lie.

Q13. Can you list the five qualities of God and His Law that we consider the five centralities?

A. Holy, Righteous, Goodness, Perfect and Truth

Q14. Are there examples in the Bible where God’s people lied to protect the lives of others?

A. Yes. Some examples include Rahab protecting God’s people by hiding them and the Israelite midwives protecting all of the male baby boys. In both cases they were blessed for preservation of life and obeying God versus man.

Q15. What are five things from Deuteronomy 10:12-13 that God requires of His people?

A. Fear Him, Walk in all His ways, Love Him, Serve Him, and Keep His commandments.

Q16. What should we do when we break the ninth commandment?

A. Just like any time that we sin, God extends His mercy and grace and through our repentance mends our relationship.

Activity Options:

Beaded bracelet, anklet, or keychain

Supplies: scissors, elastic cord, beads, letter beads (or use a permanent marker to put F,W,K,L,S on the beads), printed off questions and a bowl to put cut questions in.

What does God require of us? F.W.L.S.K. (Fear, Walk, Love, Serve, Keep)

Read Deuteronomy 10:12-13 “And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?” (RSV)

Because one of the things God requires of us is to keep His Commandments, we must understand what each individual Commandment means and how we are to follow it.

Hand each child a piece of elastic cord and five letter beads (F, W, L, S, K). The children can string the beads and make a bracelet, anklet or keychain for themselves and gifts for others in the congregation. As they pass out the gifts have them explain what each of the letters mean.

We always to Love and Fear God as we Keep His Commandments while we Serve Him and Walk in all His ways.

Worksheet (Questions and Answers)

Supplies: Print off a worksheet for each child (included below). Pencils or pens to work with, Bible to look up scriptures.

Word Find

Supplies: Print off the word find for each child and pencils.

Allow them to work on the word find and discuss how the words relate to the commandments or times in their lives.

WORKSHEET

1. What does the Bible say about true and false witnesses? (Prov. 14:5, 25)

A true witness: _______________________________________________

and______________________________________________

A false witness: _______________________________________________

and_______________________________________________

2. Satan is a father to what? (Jn. 8:44)_____________________________________

3. What’s impossible for God to do? (Heb. 6:17-18)___________________________

4. What do we need to be careful about? (Mat. 15:1-14) _______________________

5. Where does lying lead us? (Amos 2:4)____________________________________

6. What should we ask God for in prayer?

(A) Psalm 120:2 _______________________________________________

(B) Proverbs 30:7-9____________________________________________

7. What can false witnessing stop people from knowing? (Ex. 23:7) ______________

8. What should we not do? (Lev. 19.12) ___________________________________

9. Who become tattlers and busybodies? (1Tim. 5:13) ________________________

10. God doesn’t hate anyone, but what are 6 “things” God hates? And seven are an abomination to Him. (Prov. 6:16-19)_____________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

11. What delights God? (Prov. 12:22)_______________________________________

12. How do we witness others? (Psa. 2:1,2) ___________________________________

13. What did the Pharisees do that was so wrong? _____________________________

14. What else does God tell us to do? (Zech. 8:17) _____________________________

ANSWERS to Work Sheet. Go over them one by one.

1. A true witness: does not lie and saves lives. False witness: utters lies and is a betrayer.

2. Satan is the father of lies.

3. It’s impossible for God to lie.

4. We need to be careful what we say.

5. Lies lead us astray and get us off course.

6. (A) Ask God to deliver us from lying lips; and (B) Put falsehood and lying far from us.

7. God

8. Swear falsely.

9. Those who do cast off faith.

10. Proud look, lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that are quick to run to mischief, a false witness that speaks lies.

11. Those who are truthful are His delight.

12. We witness to God by our actions within His Law.

13. The Pharisees taught “tradition” that tore apart the word of God.

14. Not to think evil in our hearts against our neighbours and to not love a false oath.

Word Find Puzzle

C	M	A	L	I	C	I	O	U	S	C	E	G	E	B	S
W	O	R	D	L	H	F	M	H	L	R	U	H	M	F	I
O	F	M	W	I	T	N	E	S	S	E	G	O	K	A	N
A	H	L	M	F	H	F	L	U	H	A	N	N	D	L	C
T	P	B	E	A	R	D	W	N	P	T	O	E	X	S	E
H	R	D	J	R	N	P	J	T	W	E	T	S	Y	E	R
W	A	W	P	M	P	D	D	R	W	A	R	T	Z	H	I
Y	Y	L	J	O	J	D	M	U	R	J	U	Y	G	O	T
T	E	R	W	R	R	W	R	E	W	W	T	W	O	O	Y
I	R	Y	T	L	I	U	G	R	N	R	H	J	S	D	Q
R	J	R	T	O	T	G	V	V	E	T	F	F	S	G	W
G	O	T	R	R	A	X	X	A	W	S	U	H	I	L	E
E	K	J	T	X	J	D	F	E	T	Y	L	J	P	K	T
T	E	S	E	S	L	A	N	D	E	R	Z	A	Q	R	I
N	S	S	J	I	N	N	O	C	E	N	T	V	R	G	H
I	N	T	E	N	T	I	O	N	A	L	I	E	S	D	W

ARMOR

INTEGRITY

SLANDER

BEAR

INTENTIONAL

TONGUE

CREATE

INNOCENT

TRUTHFUL

COMMANDMENT

JOKES

WHITE

EXAGGERATED

LIES

WITNESS

FALSEHOOD

MALICIOUS

WORD

GOSSIP

OATH

UNTRUE

GUILTY

PRAYER

HONESTY

SINCERITY

C	M	A	L	I	C	I	O	U	S	C	E	G	E	B	S
W	O	R	D	L	H	F	M	H	L	R	U	H	M	F	I
O	F	M	W	I	T	N	E	S	S	E	G	O	K	A	N
A	H	L	M	F	H	F	L	U	H	A	N	N	D	L	C
T	P	B	E	A	R	D	W	N	P	T	O	E	X	S	E
H	R	D	J	R	N	P	J	T	W	E	T	S	Y	E	R
W	A	W	P	M	P	D	D	R	W	A	R	T	Z	H	I
Y	Y	L	J	O	J	D	M	U	R	J	U	Y	G	O	T
T	E	R	W	R	R	W	R	E	W	W	T	W	O	O	Y
I	R	Y	T	L	I	U	G	R	N	R	H	J	S	D	Q
R	J	R	T	O	T	G	V	V	E	T	F	F	S	G	W
G	O	T	R	R	A	X	X	A	W	S	U	H	I	L	E
E	K	J	T	X	J	D	F	E	T	Y	L	J	P	K	T
T	E	S	E	S	L	A	N	D	E	R	Z	A	Q	R	I
N	S	S	J	I	N	N	O	C	E	N	T	V	R	G	H
I	N	T	E	N	T	I	O	N	A	L	I	E	S	D	W

C	M	A	L	I	C	I	O	U	S	C	E	G	E	B	S
W	O	R	D	L	H	F	M	H	L	R	U	H	M	F	I
O	F	M	W	I	T	N	E	S	S	E	G	O	K	A	N
A	H	L	M	F	H	F	L	U	H	A	N	N	D	L	C
T	P	B	E	A	R	D	W	N	P	T	O	E	X	S	E
H	R	D	J	R	N	P	J	T	W	E	T	S	Y	E	R
W	A	W	P	M	P	D	D	R	W	A	R	T	Z	H	I
Y	Y	L	J	O	J	D	M	U	R	J	U	Y	G	O	T
T	E	R	W	R	R	W	R	E	W	W	T	W	O	O	Y
I	R	Y	T	L	I	U	G	R	N	R	H	J	S	D	Q
R	J	R	T	O	T	G	V	V	E	T	F	F	S	G	W
G	O	T	R	R	A	X	X	A	W	S	U	H	I	L	E
E	K	J	T	X	J	D	F	E	T	Y	L	J	P	K	T
T	E	S	E	S	L	A	N	D	E	R	Z	A	Q	R	I
N	S	S	J	I	N	N	O	C	E	N	T	V	R	G	H
I	N	T	E	N	T	I	O	N	A	L	I	E	S	D	W

PO Box 369, WODEN ACT 2606, AUSTRALIA

C	M	A	L	I	C	I	O	U	S	C	E	G	E	B	S
W	O	R	D	L	H	F	M	H	L	R	U	H	M	F	I
O	F	M	W	I	T	N	E	S	S	E	G	O	K	A	N
A	H	L	M	F	H	F	L	U	H	A	N	N	D	L	C
T	P	B	E	A	R	D	W	N	P	T	O	E	X	S	E
H	R	D	J	R	N	P	J	T	W	E	T	S	Y	E	R
W	A	W	P	M	P	D	D	R	W	A	R	T	Z	H	I
Y	Y	L	J	O	J	D	M	U	R	J	U	Y	G	O	T
T	E	R	W	R	R	W	R	E	W	W	T	W	O	O	Y
I	R	Y	T	L	I	U	G	R	N	R	H	J	S	D	Q
R	J	R	T	O	T	G	V	V	E	T	F	F	S	G	W
G	O	T	R	R	A	X	X	A	W	S	U	H	I	L	E
E	K	J	T	X	J	D	F	E	T	Y	L	J	P	K	T
T	E	S	E	S	L	A	N	D	E	R	Z	A	Q	R	I
N	S	S	J	I	N	N	O	C	E	N	T	V	R	G	H
I	N	T	E	N	T	I	O	N	A	L	I	E	S	D	W