Bible Stories

FOR SCHOOL AND HOME

Northwestern Publishing House

• Milwaukee

Second edition, 2017

All rights reserved. This publication may not be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated, or converted to any electronic or machine-readable form in whole or in part, except for brief quotations, without prior written approval from the publisher.

1601638 ISBN 978-0-8100-2885-2

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Northwestern Publishing House 1250 N. 113th St., Milwaukee, WI 53226-3284

www.nph.net © 1955 Northwestern Publishing House

Published 1955 Printed in the United States of America

ISBN 978-0-8100-2885-2 ISBN 978-0-8100-2886-9 (e-book)

t NORTHWESTERN PUBLISHING HOUSE

www.nph.net

FOREWORD Always true and relevant-that's what the Bible

claims about itself. Always true and relevant-that's also what Christians believe about the Bible and its message. Always true and relevant-that's the case also for all the Bible stories that make up God's revealed plan of salvation.

This classic book, Bible Stories for School and Home, was first published for a previous generation, but the 102 Bible stories it contains are as true and relevant today as they ever were. The style of English used in telling the stories remains very close to the Bible's own words, without at all sounding out-of-date. The dramatic color pictures vividly portray each of the Bible stories in a way that will draw in children also today.

As children of a previous generation learned God's plan of salvation in the Bible stories in this book, so children today will grow in their Christian knowl-edge and faith as they read Bible Stories for School and Home.

PREFACE Almost six years of work by a group of laborers

in the Lord's vineyard have gone into the making of this book for Lutheran children. "Bible Stories" was authorized in 1948 by the Board of Education-Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, to supply a longfelt need in our Christian day schools. Since 1928 the Synod has had an excellent Bible history for older children, but not until now has there been a com-panion volume for grades one to four.

The plan of the committee, appointed by the Board of Education, called for a book of about 100 stories that would tie in with those of the more advanced "Bible History for Christian Day Schools." They were to be written at the third-grade level and to re-main as close as possible to the language of the English Bible.

The task of composing the stories was assigned to two members of the committee who had many years of teaching experience in the primary grades. Their versions were carefully studied and revised by the entire committee and then checked for doctrinal con-tent and language level by a competent man in each field.

Twenty-five copies of the finished manuscript were sent to various schools to be tested in actual classroom work. After favorable reports had come back from the teachers who used them, the committee finally approved the publication of the book. The manuscript was read a last time for style by one of our professors and then sent to the printer. Artists of the Northw,estern Publishing House had in the meanwhile drawn the beautiful pictures that accom-pany the text.

May the Lord bless this book as it goes out to the Christian schools of our Synod. May it serve Him through the children in His kingdom.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Old Testament

1. The Creation of All Things ___ _ ..... . _ .... .. ... ... _ 3 2. The Garden of Eden ... _ ... .............. ___ . __ .. _______ 6 3. The First Sin .. . _ ... _ .... _ .. _. _. _____ . ____ . __________ ._.___ 8 4. The First Promise of the Savior_ ........ _. ___ ._ ._ 11 5. Cain and AbeL ........ ... .... _ .. ........ ... _ ....... _._._._ 14 6. The Flood ..... .. ......... .... .. .. _ .... ...... _ .. ___ . __ .. .. _ .. _ 17 7. The Rainbow of Promise .... ......... ........... __ .... 20 8. The Tower of BabeL ........ ... _ .. _ .. __ . __ ... _. ____ ._ .. . 23 9. God Calls Abraham .... ... . _ ...... __ . __ _ .. _ .. __ .. __ ... _._ 26

10. The Parting of Abraham and Lot...... .... ....... . 29 11. God Promises Abraham a Son_ .... ....... .. . _ .. _ .. _ 32 12. Sodom and Gomorrah._ .. __ . __ .......... ... __ .. _. __ ... . 35 13. God Tests Abraham's Faith_ .. _ .... _ .. _ .. __ ._ .. _ ... 39 14. Isaac and Rebekah ....... ... .. ....... __ . ______ ....... .. _ 43 15. Isaac Blesses Jacob ....... ............ ...... .. __ .... _ .. 47 16. Jacob's Flight .. .. ........ ..... ..... ....... ...... _ .. ........ 51 17. Jacob's Safe Return ... .. ..... ... ... ....... .. _._ . ____ ._ .. _ 54 18. Joseph and His Brothers ..... ........ .... . _ ..... _ .... 58 19. Joseph Sold By His Brothers ............ ...... _ ..... 61 20. Joseph in Potiphar's House ....... ..... ____ ._. _____ ._ 65 21. Joseph in Prison ....... .. _ .... .. ......... .... .... _______ __ 68 22. Joseph Made Ruler. __ ._ .. _ .. ... . __ . __ __ . ___ ___ _________ . 71 23. Joseph's Brothers Come to Egypt ________________ 75 24. Joseph Makes Himself Known_. __ . _____ __________ 79 25. Jacob in Egypt _______ .. ... .. . _ .... __ .. _ .. _. ___________ . ___ 84 26. The Early Life of Moses.. ... _ .. . _____ __ .. ____ .____ ___ 87

27. God Calls Moses to Lead IsraeL __________________ 91 28. Moses Before Pharaoh ________________________ .. ________ 95 29. The Passover ________________________________________________ 98 30. God Gives the Law _____ . ____ . ___ . _________________ . _____ 102 31. The Golden Calf _________ . ___ . ____ . ____________ ._. ________ 106 32. The Spies _____________ . __ .. __ .. ___ . _______________ _ . _________ 110 33. The Brazen SerpenL_. ____ . __ __ .. __ . __________ __ . ______ .113 34. Israel Enters Canaan _______ .. ___________ _______ . _______ .116 35. The Fall of Jericho _______ .. _____ . ____________ .. ___ ______ 119 36. Gideon __________________________ . ___ _____ _______ _____ . ___ _____ 122 37. Samson ________________ ____ _________ . _. ___________ _____ . _____ .126 38. Ruth _________ . ____________________ . __ _ ... _. _______ ______________ 129 39. Samuel ______________________________ . ______________ _____ ___ ___ 133 40. King Saul ________________________ .. _____ ._ .. _______ __ _ . ___ ._.137 41. David is Anointed King. ___ .. ______ .. ____ . __________ . __ 140 42. David and Goliath _________ __ ________ ___ _________ . ________ 143 43. David's Sin and Repentance __ . __ . ___ .. ____ . _____ ._.147 44. Absalom's Rebellion_. ____ . _____________ .. ____ . _. ____ . _ .151 45. King Solomon ____________________ . __ . _____ . ____ ____ ._. ___ .. 155 46. The Prophet Elijah. ________ . ___ .. __ .. _____ . ___ ... _. ___ ._159 47. Elijah and the Prophets of BaaL __ .. ___ .. _._ .. ____ 162 48. Naboth's Vineyard _________ _____ . __ . ___ . ____ . ___ . ___ .. ____ 166 49. Elijah is Taken up to Heaven_. ___ .. __ ... _._ ... _. ___ 169 50. Elisha Heals Naaman _________ . ___________ . ___ .. _. ___ . ___ 172 51. The Three Men in the Fiery Furnace _____ .. ___ .. 175 52. Daniel in the Lions' Den. _______ .. _______ .. _ .... .. ___ .179

The New Testament 1. The Birth of John is Announced __________________ 184 2. The Birth of the Savior is Announced ________ 186 3. 'The Birth of John ________________________________________ 189 4. The Birth of the Savior _______________________________ 192 5. The Shepherds and the Angels ____________________ 194 6. Jesus is Brought to the Temple ____________________ 197 7. The Wise Men Find the Savior ____________________ 200 8. The Flight Into EgypL ________________________________ 203 9. The Boy Jesus in the Temple ________________________ 206

10. John Baptizes Jesus ____________________________________ 209 11. Jesus is Tempted by the DeviL __________________ 212 12. The First Miracle ____ ____ ___________________ _____________ 215 13. Peter the Fisherman ____________________________________ 218 14. Jesus Stills the Storm ___ __ __ ________ _________________ 221 15. Jesus Heals a Sick Man _______________________________ 224 16. The Daughter of Jairus ___________ __ ___ ___ ____ __ ___ ____ 227 17. The Centurion of Capernaum ___________ _______ ____ 230 18. The Young Man of Nain ______________ _____ __ ___ ______ 232 19, Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand ____ ________ __ _____ _ 235 20. Jesus Walks on the Sea ____ _____ ____ _______ __ ___ -____ __ 238 21. A Woman's Great Faith ______________________________ 241 22. Mary and Martha __ ___ ___ _____ __________ ____ ______________ 244 23. The Ten Lepers __ ____ ____ .- ________________________________ 246

24. Jesus Blesses Little Children __ _____________________ .248 25. Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead __________ 250

26. J.esus Heals the Blind Man .......................... 253 27. Zaccheus ......................................... __ .. _ .... __ 256 28. Jesus Rides Into Jerusalem ........ ...... ... _ ..... ___ 258 29. The Lord's Supper .... ..... .................... _ ..... _ .. 261 30. Jesus Prays in Gethsemane _______________________ .264 31. Jesus is Betrayed by Judas ______ .. __________________ 267 32. Jesus Before the High PriesL ______________ __ ______ 270 33. Peter Denies Jesus (Death of Judas} ______ . . ____ 273 34. Jesus Before Pilate ____________________________________ . . 276 35. Jesus is Crucified ______________________ .. ______________ .280 36. The Burial of Jesus ________ . ____________________ . ______ 284 37. Jesus Rises From the Dead ________________ .. ________ 287 38. Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene ____________ .. 290 39. The Two Disciples on the Way to Emmaus __ 293 40. Jesus Appears to His Disciples. __ . ________ . ______ .296 41. Jesus Ascends Into Heaven ____________________ .. _.299 42. Pentecost __ . __ .. __ .... ____ ... ... ______________ . __ .. __ . ___ . __ .302 43. The Healing of the Lame Man ____ . ____ __________ .305 44. Stephen, the First Christian Martyr ____________ 308 45. The Man of Ethiopia ________________ . __ .. _______________ 311 46. The Prodigal Son ________________________ . ______________ .314 47. The Pharisee and the Publican __________________ .. 317 48. The Good Samaritan ___________________________________ .320 49. The Rich Man and Poor Lazarus ____________ . __ .323 50. The Good Shepherd ____________________________________ 326

The Old Testament

@N.P.H .. '51

1. THE CREATION OF

ALL THINGS

Gen. 1: 1-2: 7

In the beginning there was no earth, and there were no people. There was no sun, no moon, no star. There were no trees, no grass, and no flowers. Only God was there.

And God made heaven and earth. The earth had no shape. I t was empty and dark. God said, "Let there be light." And there was light. God called the light day, and the dark-ness He called night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

Then God said, "Let there be a sky above the earth." And it was so. God called the sky heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

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And God said, "Let the waters on the earth come together in one place, and let the dry land appear." And it was so. It was then that the oceans, lakes, and rivers were formed. On the dry land God made grass and trees and flowers grow. He also gave seeds to each plant. Now everything began to look beau-tiful upon the earth. And the evening and the morning were the third day.

But where was the sun to make the plants grow? I t was not yet made. Then God said, "Let there be lights in the sky. They shall be for signs and seasons." God made the sun to shine by day, and the moon to shine by night. He also made the stars. And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

Now God's beautiful world was finished, but there were no living creatures. And God said, "Let the waters bring forth living crea-tures, and let birds fly in the air." Thus God made the fish and other sea animals and the birds of the air. God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and multiply." And the evening and the morning were the fifth day. 4

On the sixth day God said, "Let the earth bring forth cattle, beasts, and creeping things." And it was so.

At the very last God said, "Let Us make man in Our image. Let him rule over the fish of the sea, and the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over every creeping thing that is on the earth." So God made man in His own image. He made him holy or sinless. He made him of the dust of the earth and breathed into him the breath of life, and man became a living soul. The man's name was Adam.

And God sawall the things that He had made, and they were very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. But on the seventh day God rested from all His work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy.

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37. JESUS RISES FROM

THE DEAD

Matthew 28: 1-8; Mark 16: 1-8 Luke 24: 1-12; John 20: 1-10

Early Sunday morning Mary Magdalene and some other women started for the grave of Jesus. They took with them the spices which they had prepared to anoint the body of Jesus. As they walked along, they remem-bered the large stone in front of the grave and wondered who would roll it away for them. But when they came near the grave, they saw that the stone was rolled away. Then Mary Magdalene turned and ran back to the city. She came to Peter and John and told them that the grave was open.

Very early that morning there had been an earthquake. The angel of the Lord came

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down from heaven. He rolled away the stone from the door of the grave and sat upon it. The angel's face shone like lightning and his clothing was white as snow. When the sol-diers who were guarding the grave saw the angel, they were frightened and fell to the ground like dead men.

When the women came to the grave and saw the angel, they were afraid. But the angel said, "Do not be afraid. You are look-ing for Jesus of Nazareth, Who was crucified. He is not here, for He is risen. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. Go quickly and tell His disciples and Peter that He is risen from the dead."

The women hurried away from the grave with fear and great joy. They ran to bring the good news to the disciples.

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@N.P.H., '51

38. J E 5 USA P PEA R S TOM A R Y

MAGDALENE

Matthew 28: 9-10; Mark 16: 9-11 John 20: 11-18

After Mary Magdalene had told Peter and John about the open grave, she went out again to the grave and stood there crying. While she wept, she looked into the grave. There she saw two angels in white robes. One sat at the head and one at the feet where the body of Jesus had lain. They said to her, "Woman, why do you weep?" She answered, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him."

When she had said this, she turned around and saw a man standing behind her. I twas Jesus, but she did not know Him. Jesus said to her, "Why are you crying? For whom are you looking?" Mary thought He was the 290

© :>:.P.ll.. '51

gardner and said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary." Then she knew it was Jesus and cried, "Master!" Jesus said, "Go and tell My disciples that I am alive again and that I shall soon go to My Father and to your Father in heaven."

Mary Magdalene's heart was filled with JOy. She ran to the disciples and told them, "I have seen the Lord, and these things He said to me."

When the other women were returning to the city, Jesus met them and said, "All hail!" They came and held Him by the- feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, "Be not afraid. Go and tell My disciples to go into Galilee. They shall see Me there."

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