January 11th, 2026
Recap: Sunday January 11th, 2026
Story 16: A Fancy Tent and a Foolish Cow (Exodus 32-34)
*Continue the conversation at home reading through Exodus 32-34 and going through The Biggest Story Family Devotional that corresponds with Story 16!
Big Picture: God delivered his people out of slavery in Egypt. Then he saved them from the Egyptians. The Israelites crossed the Red Sea. The Egyptians, however, did not. Their chariots are buried in the mud under millions of gallons of water. Next, he gave his people the Ten Commandments, ten rules to keep them free. Ten rules that taught them to love God and love others. Do you remember those rules?
-One God.
-No idols.
-Watch your mouth, don’t take the Lord’s name in vain.
-Take a rest.
-Honor your parents.
-Don’t murder.
-When you are married, only love one another.
-Don’t steal.
-Don’t lie.
-Don’t dream about other people’s stuff.
Great rules from our great God. But, what do you think? Do you think God’s people will keep his great rules? No, just like Adam and Eve and just like us, they won’t. Today we will hear a story about a cow that almost killed a nation. A cow? Well, a baby cow. A baby cow! Yes, a golden calf that Israel made and worshiped. Hmm, sounds like they forgot the second commandment: no idols. Yes, indeed. Like the bad nations around them, they made gods they could see with their eyes and touch with their hands. (From The Biggest Story Curriculum)
Big Truth: .God’s people should worship God the way he commands us to.
Memory Verse: “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” (1 John 5:21)
Extension Activities:
The Golden Calf Mini Book: Students were given a foldable mini book of the story that they colored and read aloud in their small group.
Resources for Parents about Exodus:
Does your child have questions about some of the topics brought up in Exodus? Unsure how to answer those in a way that is age appropriate?
Do you need help teaching the Bible in your family? This guide to family worship helps you engage with your children in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The last four books of the Pentateuch pick up where Genesis left off, showing how God faithfully led Israel out of Egypt and dealt with them faithfully during forty years of wilderness wanderings. Use this simple, helpful guide to teach your children how the types and shadows of the Old Testament have pointed God's people of all times to Jesus, the ultimate deliverer of His people.
Wilderness: Family Worship in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy By Joel R. Beeke & Nick Thompson is a great additional resource to The Biggest Story Family Devotional, diving deeper into specific questions and reflection throughout Genesis.
The Bible Project overview video on Exodus 19-40, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. In Exodus, God invites the Israelites into a covenant and comes to live among them in the Tabernacle, but Israel rebels and ruins the relationship.
