This lesson teaches children that God is holy and must be treated with respect, and that He is able to bring His people home. It works well for children aged 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
God is holy, so we treat Him with respect, and He keeps His promises even when people get things wrong.
Memory Verse
1 Samuel 6:20
The men of Beth Shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before the LORD, this holy God? To whom shall he go up from us?”
(WEB)
Ask the children to stand tall, put both hands on their hearts, and bow their heads slightly as they say the verse together. The bow shows that God is holy and deserves our respect.
The Story: 1 Samuel 6 for Kids
For seven months the Philistines kept the ark of the LORD. The ark was a special wooden box that stood for God’s presence with His people. The Philistines had taken it in battle, but bad things kept happening to them. Their people were sick with painful tumors, and mice were ruining their land.
The Philistine leaders called their priests and wise men together. They asked, “What should we do with the LORD’s ark?” The wise men said, “Send it back to Israel, but do not send it back empty. Give a gift to the God of Israel. Make golden tumors and golden mice to show Him you are sorry.”
Next, they made a new cart. They took two cows that had never pulled a load and tied them to the cart. They took their calves away from them, so the cows would have to go where they were led. Then they put the ark on the cart, along with the gold gifts, and let the cows go. The leaders watched to see what would happen.
The cows did not turn left or right. They walked straight up the road to Beth Shemesh, mooing the whole way. The people of Beth Shemesh were in their wheat fields when they saw the ark coming. They were so glad that they ran to meet it. They split up the cart and gave the cows to God as a gift.
Some men in Beth Shemesh looked inside the ark, even though only certain people were allowed to do that. God struck many of them, and the people were very sad. The men of Beth Shemesh asked, “Who can stand before this holy God?” They sent messengers to Kiriath Jearim, asking the people there to come and take the ark away.
Read It Together
1 Samuel 6:3
They said, “If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, don’t send it empty; but by all means return a trespass offering to him. Then you will be healed, and it will be known to you why his hand is not removed from you.”
(WEB)
Point out that the Philistine leaders knew the God of Israel had power over their land. Ask the children what it means that the leaders wanted to make things right with Him.
1 Samuel 6:12
The cows took the straight way by the way to Beth Shemesh. They went along the highway, lowing as they went, and didn’t turn away to the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went after them to the border of Beth Shemesh.
(WEB)
Show the children how the cows walked straight without anyone steering them. Explain that God guided the cows to bring the ark home, even though the cows did not know where they were going.
1 Samuel 6:19
He struck of the men of Beth Shemesh, because they had looked into the LORD’s ark, he struck fifty thousand seventy of the men. Then the people mourned, because the LORD had struck the people with a great slaughter.
(WEB)
Explain gently that God’s holiness is serious, and that the people had looked where they were not supposed to. Remind the children that God is holy and good, and that we should always honor Him and follow His rules.
Talk About It
- Why do you think the Philistines wanted to send the ark back to Israel?
- How did the cows know which way to go, even though no one was leading them?
- How did the people of Beth Shemesh show that they were happy to see the ark?
- What does it mean that God is holy, and how can we show Him respect?
- What is one way God has kept His promises to you or your family?
Activity Ideas
Draw the Ark Going Home
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a pencil. Ask each child to draw a simple cart pulled by two cows, with a box on top to represent the ark. Let them add the golden mice and tumors as small shapes beside the cart. Encourage them to tell you one thing about the story as they draw.
Cows Walk Straight
You will need a long piece of masking tape or a rope laid out in a straight line on the floor. Have one child stand at the start and walk slowly along the line without looking down or stepping off it. Cheer as they go, then talk about how the cows walked straight toward Beth Shemesh.
Ark Reminder Card
You will need an index card, a marker, and a small piece of tape or a bookmark. Write the phrase “God is holy” on the card and decorate it with a simple drawing of a box or a cow. Have the children take it home and place it somewhere they will see it, like on the fridge or by their bed, as a reminder to honor God.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that God is holy and cannot be treated casually. The people of Beth Shemesh remind us that even good hearts can make mistakes when they forget God’s holiness. At the same time, the story shows that God keeps His word and brings His ark back to His people.
Avoid overstating to children that God strikes people every time they make a mistake. The text describes a specific moment with the ark, so it is best to focus on God’s holiness and His faithfulness rather than suggesting that He punishes children for ordinary wrongs.
A Prayer to Close
Holy God, we honor You and thank You for being good. Help us remember that You are special and worthy of our respect. Thank You for always keeping Your promises to us. Amen.
