In 2 Chronicles 34, young King Josiah tears down idols, repairs the Lord’s temple, and finds God’s Law hidden away. The lesson teaches children that God’s Word is precious, and that when we hear it we can turn back to God. It suits children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
Big Idea
God’s Word is a treasure, and when we listen to it and obey it, we love God more. Josiah listened, and he turned his whole heart back to the Lord.
Memory Verse
2 Chronicles 34:2
He did that which was right in the LORD’s eyes, and walked in the ways of David his father, and didn’t turn away to the right hand or to the left.
(WEB)
Teach children to stand up tall, then point to their heart and sweep their hand forward like a path. Say “right, right, right” as they walk the motion in place. Repeating the words with the motion helps them remember that Josiah did what was right in God’s eyes.
The Story: 2 Chronicles 34 for Kids
Josiah became king of Judah when he was only eight years old. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his grandfather David had done. Josiah wanted to follow God with his whole heart. Even while he was still young, he began to seek the God of David.
When Josiah was twenty, he began to clean up the land. He broke down the altars where people worshiped false gods. He smashed the wooden poles and the carved and melted idols until they were dust. He wanted every place in Judah and Jerusalem to be clean and set apart for the Lord.
Six years later, Josiah sent workers to repair the temple of the Lord. The workers brought out the money that had been collected for the work and gave it to the builders. They bought stone and wood and fixed the broken buildings with care. Everyone worked faithfully.
While the workers were cleaning out the temple, the priest Hilkiah found a book. It was the Book of the Law that God had given through Moses. The scribe Shaphan read it to King Josiah. When the king heard the words of God’s Law, he tore his clothes in sorrow, because his people had not obeyed what was written in it.
Josiah sent messengers to ask God what would happen. A woman named Huldah, a prophet, told them that God would bring trouble because the people had turned away from him. But God also said that Josiah’s heart was tender, and that he had humbled himself. Because of this, God would let Josiah die in peace.
Josiah gathered all the people, from the leaders to the youngest children, at the temple. He read God’s Word to all of them. He promised to follow the Lord with all his heart, and all the people made the same promise. Josiah led them in serving God for the rest of his days.
Read It Together
2 Chronicles 34:14
When they brought out the money that was brought into the LORD’s house, Hilkiah the priest found the book of the LORD’s law given by Moses.
(WEB)
Point out that the Book of the Law was hidden in the temple and nobody had been reading it. Ask the children why they think God’s Word should never be forgotten or put away on a shelf.
2 Chronicles 34:19
When the king had heard the words of the law, he tore his clothes.
(WEB)
Show how Josiah reacted when he heard God’s words. Explain that tearing his clothes was a sign of sadness and sorrow over sin, and that hearing God’s truth can move our hearts to be sorry and want to change.
2 Chronicles 34:31
The king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book.
(WEB)
Point to Josiah’s promise to follow the Lord with all his heart and soul. Explain that God wants our whole heart, and that we can make choices each day to keep following him.
Talk About It
- What do you think Josiah felt when he first heard God’s Law read out loud?
- Why do you think the people had forgotten God’s Word for so long?
- How can you keep God’s Word close to your heart this week?
- What is one thing Josiah did to clean up the land, and what could we clean up in our own hearts?
- How did Josiah lead the people to God, and who can you help learn about Jesus?
Activity Ideas
Treasure Book Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a few stickers. Ask each child to draw a big open book on their paper and decorate the cover with gold lines and colorful shapes. Inside, they can draw a picture of something God has said that they want to remember. Talk about how God’s Word is more valuable than any treasure.
Clean-Up Race
Set out a few toy idols or pictures of things that take God’s place, such as a toy or a favorite game, in a corner of the room. Give children a bin and have them race to clear the items out while you call out a Bible reminder, like “God comes first.” Afterward, talk about how Josiah removed things that were not God, and what the children can give their attention to instead.
Take-Home Promise Card
Cut index cards in half and give one to each child. Have them write or draw a promise to follow God with their whole heart, like Josiah did. Ask them to take it home and place it on their bedside table or the kitchen counter, so the family can see it. Encourage them to talk about their promise at dinner this week.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows how a nation that had neglected God’s Word was called back to it through repentance and renewal. Josiah’s reforms were not about outward behavior alone; they came from a tender heart that responded to God’s truth. The passage invites every believer to take Scripture seriously and to let it shape our actions and our worship.
Avoid overstating the idea that obeying God guarantees an easy life or protection from hardship. Josiah’s story includes God’s judgment on the nation, and his own death in battle is recorded elsewhere in Scripture. Help children see that following God is about loving him and trusting him, not about earning rewards.
A Prayer to Close
Lord, thank you for your Word, which is more precious than any treasure. Help us to listen to it, to keep it close, and to follow you with our whole hearts, just as Josiah did. Make our hearts tender toward you, and help us turn back to you whenever we wander. Amen.
