Kids can learn from 1 Kings 15 that God keeps his promises even when leaders make bad choices, and that some leaders choose to love God while others do not. This lesson works well for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
God keeps his promises even when kings do wrong. Some people choose to follow God with their whole heart, and God is always faithful to his people.
Memory Verse
1 Kings 15:5
Because David did that which was right in the LORD’s eyes, and didn’t turn away from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, except only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.
(WEB)
Ask the children to place one hand on their heart when they say “David did what was right,” then open both hands wide to show how God never gave up on his promise. Practice the motion together three times so the words and movements stick.
The Story: 1 Kings 15 for Kids
A long time ago, the nation of Israel was split into two kingdoms. The northern kingdom was called Israel, and the southern kingdom was called Judah. A king named Abijam began ruling Judah, and he did not follow God the way his great-grandfather David had. Abijam made many bad choices, and his heart was not fully committed to the LORD.
But God still kept his promise to David. Because of David’s faithfulness, God gave Abijam a lamp in Jerusalem, which means God kept a family line going to rule there. Abijam’s son Asa then became king, and Asa did what was right in God’s eyes, just as David had done.
Asa was a brave leader. He removed the idols from the land and even took away his own mother from being queen because she had made a wicked idol. Asa cleaned up his kingdom and brought back the gold and silver that belonged to God’s house. Asa said to the people, “We must serve the LORD our God.”
Asa did not always trust God perfectly, though. He asked a foreign king for help instead of trusting God to protect him. This shows that even good leaders can make mistakes, and kids can learn to keep trusting God when they feel afraid.
Later, Asa grew old and became sick in his feet, and he died. His son Jehoshaphat became the next king of Judah. Meanwhile, in the northern kingdom, a king named Baasha rebelled and took over the throne. Baasha did evil in God’s sight, just like the kings before him.
Read It Together
1 Kings 15:11
Asa did that which was right in the LORD’s eyes, as David his father did.
(WEB)
Point out that Asa did what was right in the LORD’s eyes, just as his father David did. Ask the children what it means to do right in God’s eyes, and talk about small everyday choices like being honest or kind.
1 Kings 15:14
But the high places were not taken away. Nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect with the LORD all his days.
(WEB)
Explain that Asa’s heart was faithful to the LORD all his days, even though some high places for worship were not removed. Remind the children that no one is perfect, but God looks at whether our hearts are turned toward him.
1 Kings 15:29
As soon as he was king, he struck all the house of Jeroboam. He didn’t leave to Jeroboam any who breathed, until he had destroyed him; according to the saying of the LORD, which he spoke by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite…
(WEB)
Help the children see that God’s words always come true, even when they take time to happen. This verse shows that God keeps his promises about what will happen to kings who turn away from him.
Talk About It
- What do you think it means for a king to have a heart that belongs to God?
- Why do you think God kept a lamp burning for David’s family even when his descendants made bad choices?
- What is one thing Asa did to clean up his kingdom, and what could you clean up in your own life?
- When Asa made a mistake by asking another king for help, what could he have done instead of trusting that king?
- How can you show that your heart belongs to God in the way you treat your family and friends?
Activity Ideas
Heart Drawing Craft
Give each child a sheet of paper and a crayon, and ask them to draw a big heart in the middle. Inside the heart, they can draw or write one way they can love God this week, such as helping at home or being kind to someone. This works well with washable markers and construction paper.
Lamp Relay Game
Set up two cups on opposite sides of the room and give each team a flashlight or battery-operated lamp. Children take turns carrying the lamp across the room without dropping it while calling out “God keeps his promises.” The team that finishes first with no spills wins. Talk afterward about how God’s light keeps shining even when people struggle.
Promise Keeper Take-Home Card
Give each child an index card and a pencil, and have them write or draw one promise they can keep this week, such as making their bed or sharing a toy. Let them decorate the card and tape it to their bedroom mirror or lunchbox. At the next class, invite them to share whether they kept their promise.
Teacher Notes
1 Kings 15 shows that God remained faithful to his promise to David even when the kings who followed him did evil. For adults, this passage reminds us that our hope rests on God’s character rather than on the perfection of any human leader. It also honors the reality that even faithful leaders like Asa can stumble.
Be careful not to suggest that children must do everything perfectly to be loved by God. Keep the focus on God’s faithfulness and on turning our hearts toward him, rather than on making children feel they must earn his favor through behavior.
A Prayer to Close
Lord, thank you that you always keep your promises, even when people around us make mistakes. Help us to have hearts that belong to you and to choose what is right each day. Thank you for your faithful love that never fails us. Amen.
