(5–8 minutes, easy set-up)
Learners will discover the significance of the place where the Israelites rebelled.
Search online for a map showing the possible route of the Exodus.
Lead learners to talk briefly about places significant to their lives. Ask: What is positive about that place? Are there negative aspects as well?
Explain that the people in today’s lesson rebelled at a place called Kadesh. Ask a learner to find it on the map. (It is referred to as Kadesh Barnea.) Explain that Kadesh literally means “holy,” and it is aptly named because it was an oasis in the desert. Four springs met in Kadesh, located about 50 miles southwest of Beersheba and about 40 miles from the coast. Further explain that this place had significance throughout the biblical story. Ask volunteers to look up the following verses to see what happened at this place:
Say: This area offered Abraham hope and the Israelites a chance for obedience and favor. Yet, it remained a constant reminder of what could have been. If they had moved on from Kadesh in faithfulness like Abraham, God would have rewarded them, too. Instead, the place served as a marker for bad memories.