Outdoor Object Lesson 81: White Horse of Revelation

Key Text

“I saw the heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it is called Faithful and True. In righteousness he judges and makes war.” Revelation 19:11 (WEB)



Lesson



Throughout the Bible horses have an important role. They are described in many ways such as being ridden, pulling chariots, trampling, or going to battle. One unique description found in Revelation is that of a white horse. Purely white horses are fairly rare. In the key text from Revelation we see Jesus described as sitting on a brilliant white horse at the Second Coming. He is described as making judgement and war. This is a glorious yet terrible seen to witness. But what does this symbolism mean? We must start by considering the first audience this book was written to. Revelation was written by John a disciple of Jesus around 90 A.D. It was written to Christians who lived in the Roman Empire.

These Christians were familiar with warriors riding horses. The regular Roman solider did not ride horses however, this privilege was mainly for military officers and generals. Rome employed several types of horses for its military. One of the most prized breeds was the Arabian. This stout breed originated in the Middle East and was prized by many civilizations as far back as the time of Abraham. The Arabian is small for a horse averaging around 14 to 15 hands (57 to 61 inches or 145 to 155 cm) tall. It is well adapted to the harsh desert environment. Arabians have dense bones and are able to carry heavy loads over long distances, perfect for military purposes. They also have a natural magnificence to their appearance and grace to their movement that makes them well suited for military use.

But the most renowned trait that Arabians poses is their “hot-blooded” nature. A hot-blooded horse is one that is very intelligent, bold and high spirited. These traits are perfect for a war horse. An intelligent horse is one that can create a close bond with its rider.1 Through training they can learn to read each other and operate as a single unit. A large intellect also enables the horse to move in battle more independently allowing the rider to focus on using his weapons. Boldness is necessary in any war horse. A high spirited horse is energetic and always eager to go, a trait also necessary in a war horse. Lastly, some Arabian horses are born with a gleaming coat of white hair. These were often reserved for the highest military officers and seen as a symbol of power and authority.

As the early Christians read Revelation they could have easily pictured Jesus mounted atop a proud, white Arabian war horse. As the leader of heavens armies he would fittingly ride the most elegant white horse. This is appropriate to his station as King and to his purity as a holy God. When Jesus came the first time he came to bring peace between God and man and he road a lowly donkey into Jerusalem as a symbol of his humility. When he comes the second time he will come as a conqueror and will bring judgement on everyone. This image ought to cause feelings of fear and relief for all of Jesus’s followers. It should make us fear the judgement of a pure and holy God. This fear is not terror but reverence for a God who is coming to judge our eternal destiny. This fear is a stern reminder that we need to be ready to meet this Warrior on a white horse any day! But this image is also one of relief for those who are ready to meet Him because he is finally coming to put an end to suffering and death. He is coming to set right all the wrongs we have ever suffered. He is coming to conquer our enemy and rescue us. He is our knight in shining armor riding a majestic white steed!

Questions

Have you ever seen a white horse in person before?

Which color horse is your favorite?

What if you only feel fear and not relief about Jesus coming to judge the world?

Why does the key text say his name is Faithful and True?


Sources

1. Shawn T. Norris. “War Horses of the Roman Empire.” (September 21, 2015). Rome Across Europe. Accessed November 30, 2018 from http://www.romeacrosseurope.com/?p=2750.







Written by David F. Garner

Outdoor Object Lesson 77: Fear Not Bats

Key Text

“He uncovers mysteries hidden in darkness; he brings light to the deepest gloom.”
‭‭Job‬ ‭12:22‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

Lesson

Some animals instantly give people the creeps. There is one that is especially scary. It only comes out at night, maneuvers unseen and unheard in the shadows, it is a swift and fearsome hunter. It has claws on its featherless wings and fangs in its jaw. It dwells deep underground where few other creatures can go. By now you may have figured out the animal is a bat!

These creatures are popular at Halloween and usually associated with scary movies and stories. Many people mistakenly fear them because of this. In fact, bats are impressive creatures and there is little reason to be afraid of them. Bats are unusual which may make them seem scary. They live in dark caves and hang upside down. Bats are really interesting creatures. They live on every continent except Antarctica. They grow up to almost 7 oz (190 g) and can have a wingspan of 40 inches (1 m) which is over three feet. The smallest bat is known as the bumblebee bat (Craseonycteridae thonglongyai) and only measures about 1 1/4 inches (3 cm) long and is basically a flying fur-ball. Seen in the daylight bats are not really scary at all. Their fuzzy faces can look quite cute.

Not all bats live in caves, some roost in trees similar to birds. They are able to “see” in the dark by making a high pitch noise and listening to how the sound waves are changed when bouncing off objects around them. This is called echolocation. Bats of course eat insects but this is not all they eat. Many species eat fruits, flower nectar and leaves.1 You may have heard of the vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) which sucks blood. While there is a real vampire bat, our fear makes them seem more threatening than they are. Vampire bats primarily target large animals such as horses and cows and rarely target humans. Bats are small animals and it would be impossible for them to kill a large animal or even a human by sucking its blood as they only take a small amount. While these bats sound scary we don’t need to fear them any more than other wild animals.2

There are over 1,300 bat species in the world, many of which are helpful to humans. The brown bat (Myotis lucifugus), which is common in the USA, can eat 1000 small insects per hour. That’s a lot of mosquitoes one bat can eat in its 40 plus year life.1 Bats help keep mosquitoes at bay which means there are less to bother you and I. Bats may seem mysterious or scary, but when you learn about them, and get to seen them in the light they are not so scary after all. It is similar with many things in life. We often feel scared and afraid of things we don’t understand. It is ok to feel fear. But we don’t need to let it control us. Jesus already knows everything. We don’t even need to fear evil forces. As it says in the key text, God uncovers that which is covered in darkness and everything that seems scary no longer is. We do not need to fear anything because God is greater than all our fears. When we see things in the light of God’s peace, things are no longer so scary, and may even turn out to be cute and fuzzy, just like the bat. (See John 14:27)

Questions

What animals do you find scary?

Is it a sin to feel fear?

Jesus repeatedly encouraged his followers not to fear anything. What can we do when we feel fear?

What does it mean to fear God?


Sources

1. Alina Bradford. “Bats: Fuzzy Flying Mammals.” October 24, 2018. Live Science. Accessed November 9, 2018 from https://www.livescience.com/28272-bats.html.
2. “Common Vampire Bat.” 2015. National Geographic online. Accessed on November 9, 2018 from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/c/common-vampire-bat/.


Written by David F. Garner
Photo credit: ntrief via www.pixabay.com

Outdoor Object Lesson 76: Joy Not Fear

Key Text

“For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”

2 Timothy 1:7 (WEB)

Lesson

Pumpkins are almost synonymous with fall and especially Halloween. Have you ever wondered why we carve pumpkins for Halloween? Some can be pretty scary. Halloween is an old holiday that was originally celebrated by pagan people in the British islands. Those people believed that on Halloween or Samhain (pronounced ‘sow wan’) as it was called in Irish, spirits of the dead and evil spirits came to wander the earth. 

Out of fear, some people carved scary, ugly faces into gords, turnips, and other pumpkin like food. They put hot coals or candles inside to make them glow to be seen at night. They believed these ugly carvings could scare away evil spirits and protect them on Halloween.1 This is where we get the term jack-o’-lantern.2

In modern times people still carve pumpkins at Halloween. Most people don’t do it to scare away evil spirits. They may carve ugly faces in pumpkins to scare other people. As children of God we no longer need to fear evil spirits. Not at Halloween or any other time of year. Jesus came and defeated Satan and his evil spirits long ago. When we pray and ask for him to protect us he will. We also don’t need to be scared of what other people do (Romans 8:38-39). They may try to scare us with carved pumpkins or other decorations at Halloween. They may try to do other things to scare us too. But Paul said in the Key Text that God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of love. No matter what we face we can trust God instead and give him our fear. 

God’s love comes from the light of joy that Jesus places inside us when we accept him into our hearts. It can turn our fear into joy. This Halloween, let other people see what it looks like when you have God’s light inside. Carve a pumpkin with a happy, smiling face or perhaps a cross or message of joy on it. Put a candle inside and set it outside to let everyone know that you have joy instead of fear on Halloween and every other night.

Questions

What is your favorite Halloween candy?

Is Halloween a holiday Christians should celebrate? Does how we celebrate it matter?

What do we do if we ask Jesus to take our fear but still feel scared?

Did Jesus ever feel scared? Why or why not?

Written by David F. Garner

Photo Credit: www.pixabay.com

Sources:

1. “HISTORY OF PUMPKIN CARVING AND HALLOWEEN (SAMHAIN).” (10/28/2017). Stair na hÉireann/History of Ireland online. Accessed October 19, 2018 from https://stairnaheireann.net/2017/10/28/history-of-pumpkin-carving-and-halloween-samhain-2/.

2. “The History of 'Jack-O'-Lantern'.” (2018). Merriam-Webster.com. Accessed October 19, 2018 from https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/the-history-of-jack-o-lantern.

Outdoor Object Lesson 74: A Home Fit For A Frog

Key Text

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." Psalm 23:1 (KJV)


Lesson

Frogs are odd creatures if you stop to think about them. They have big bulging eyes. They croak loudly to communicate. They are nocturnal. They get around by hopping. They have extremely long tongues. Frogs are amphibians born like fish in the water but live as adults out of the water. Tree frogs are especially unique creatures who can live while on land, under water, or all the way up in a tree.

They are able to live underwater by “breathing” through their skin (in actuality they absorb oxygen through their skin). They can also live on land or in trees. Have you ever wondered how they are able to climb trees with those big toes? They have a special toe shaped like a hook that allows them to climb up the tree bark without sliding. This toe is called a terminal phalanx. Tree frogs are also generally small compared to other frog species which enables them to sit on small leaves and branches.

This is one of the only animals that is at home in all three environments, trees, land, and water. The ability to live in various environments has helped them to spread all around the world. Over 800 different species can be found on every continent except Antarctica.1

Like tree frogs, humans are good at living in many different environments. We can live where it’s cold and icy or in the hot tropical jungle. Through technology, we have designed ways to stay alive under water and even in outer space. We may find ourselves in places that are foreign or even scary to us. God is able to care for the tree frog whether in the lofty tree, or below the murky water. God promises that no mater where we are he his able to take care of us and provide for our needs so that we lack nothing.



Questions
Do you think frogs are cute?
What does the key text mean when it says "I shall not want?"
What can you do when you feel God has left you hanging?
What is a Bible promise that gives you hope?

Written by David F. Garner
Photo credit 12019 via www.pixabay.com

Sources

1. https://www.nwf.org/en/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Amphibians/Tree-Frogs

Christian Outdoor Object Lesson 55: Under the Lion’s Roar

Key Verse

“One of the elders said to me, “Don’t weep. Behold, the Lion who is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome;” Revelation 5:5a (WEB)

Lesson

Have you ever heard a lion roar? It is immersive to say the least. A full grown African lion’s roar can be heard up to 5 miles (8 km) away. A lion’s roar can mean many different things, but it is how they communicate with the rest of their pride or family group. It may be saying: “Where are you?” or “Time to eat.” or “Time to come home.” When a rival lion comes into his territory, a lion’s roar means, “This is my land, my people, my family! Leave or perish!”

So, even though the male lion may look lazy, their job is the protection of the entire pride. When that rival lion comes and decides to stay, it is up to the lion to fight the rival until one of them dies or the rival runs away.

Is it not amazing that Jesus attributes himself with lions? Jesus is strong and fierce as a lion, but more importantly, he is our protector. Jesus’ “roar” tells us where he is, what he wants, and ultimately when it is time to come home. Whenever that rival lion known as the Devil comes around, he must face Jesus in order to take us, but Jesus never loses. He is our “Lion of Judah,” our protector and king.

Questions

Why does the Bible compare Jesus to a lion rather than some other animal?

Jesus will protect us no matter what, but can we choose to leave his protection?

Does having a protector as fierce as a lion make you feel safe?


Written by Jean-Luc Mercado

Christian Outdoor Object Lesson 41: God In The Storm

 

Key Verse

“He makes the storm a calm, so that its waves are still. Then they are glad because it is calm, so he brings them to their desired haven.” Psalm 107:29-30 WEB

Lesson

Note: This object lesson is most effective while witnessing a live storm or natural disaster from a safe distance. When real fear of the storm is present there is a powerful teachable moment in which the fearful can be led to find reassurance in God’s promises as in Mark 4. 

Have you ever felt the raw power of nature in a storm? It is humbling. It makes you feel small and helpless. Humans have control of many things on earth through technology. But storms remind us how little control we have over our lives and even this moment! This feeling can be frightening. You may have had a pet that ran and hid at every thunder or lightning strike. Perhaps you wanted to do the same.

We are fearful of storms and natural disasters for a good reason. They cause harm and death. Why does God allow these bad things to happen?  There are many reasons given throughout the Bible. The most important one is that storms are a result of sin. Pain and death were not in God’s original plan. We live in a lost and broken world. But the Bible has good news! Here is a list of promises from the Bible to recall when you are in the midst of a storm of any kind.

Psalm 107:28-31

Nahum 1:7

Isaiah 25:4

Psalm 91 (especially v. 2)

Psalm 89:8-9

Joshua 1:9

Deuteronomy 31:8

James 1:2-5

Revelation 21:5

These promises tell us that God is in control even through the storm. They remind us that he can bring us through unharmed. And that, even if he does not, he has promised to make all things new and to wipe away every tear! God is the Creator of all things. No matter how big the storm or natural disaster, God is still in control, and he cares for you! Remember this, “Yet in the midst of heartache and loss of life, God suffers too, just like He did when His own Son died upon a cross.”1 God promises in Psalm 107 to bring us to our “desired haven”, and indeed he will when he returns!

Questions

Have you ever felt God did not care that you were experiencing a storm in your life?

Do you believe that God will keep his promises to be with us even in the midst of a storm?

What can you do when you feel afraid or unsure of what to do?

Sources

GLOW (Giving Light to Our World). Making Sense of Natural Disasters. Goodlettsville: GLOW, 2011. Print.

By David F. Garner

Photo Credit: David F. Garner