This lesson teaches children that God keeps His promises, even when His people turn away from Him. Use it with children ages 5 to 11, and plan for about 20 to 30 minutes, including the story, the activity, and prayer.
Big Idea
God loves His people and warns them to come back to Him. When we choose our own way, we lose the good things He gives, but God never stops calling us home.
Memory Verse
Deuteronomy 6:5
You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.
(WEB)
Put one hand on your heart as you say the first half of the verse, then stretch both arms wide for the second half. The motions help children remember that loving God takes our whole heart and our whole life.
The Story: 2 Kings 17 for Kids
A long time ago, the people of Israel lived in the northern part of the land, and they had a king named Hoshea. Hoshea was not a good king. He did many things that made God sad, but he was not as bad as some of the kings who came before him. Even so, he made trouble for himself by making a secret deal with the king of Egypt instead of trusting God.
The king of Assyria heard about the secret deal. He came with his army, took Hoshea away, and put him in prison. Then the Assyrian army surrounded the city of Samaria for three years. Life inside the walls was very hard, and many people grew hungry and afraid.
In the end, Samaria fell, and the Assyrians carried many of the people of Israel far away from their home. The people had turned away from God. They worshiped idols made of wood and metal, and they did things God had told them never to do. God had sent prophets to warn them again and again, saying, “Turn from your evil ways and keep my commands.” But the people would not listen.
Sadly, the people of Judah in the south did not follow God closely either. They copied the bad choices of Israel, and God let them see what happens when His people walk away from Him. Still, God had a plan to bring His people back to Himself one day.
The king of Assyria brought new people into the empty land of Israel. These new people did not know the Lord, and lions began to attack them. They asked the king for help, and he sent a priest to teach them how to honor the God of that land. The people learned some things about the Lord, but they still kept their own idols too. Mixing God with other gods never works well.
This story is sad, but it teaches an important lesson. God is faithful, even when His people are not. He keeps every promise He ever made, and He always invites us to come back to Him.
Read It Together
2 Kings 17:7
It was so because the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, who brought them up out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods…
(WEB)
Point out that the people had forgotten the great things God did when He brought them out of Egypt. Ask the children what it means to forget someone who has been good to us, and how we can remember God’s kindness every day.
2 Kings 17:13
Yet the LORD testified to Israel, and to Judah, by every prophet, and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets.”
(WEB)
Show the children that God did not give up on His people. He sent prophets again and again to warn them with love. Explain that God’s warnings are a kind of gift, because they give us a chance to change our hearts.
2 Kings 17:39
But you shall fear the LORD your God, and he will deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.”
(WEB)
Read this verse slowly and point out the word “deliver.” Remind the children that God is our protector and rescuer. When we fear and trust Him, He takes care of us in every trouble.
Talk About It
- What are some good things God has given us that we might forget to thank Him for?
- Why do you think the people of Israel stopped listening to God’s prophets?
- How does it feel when someone keeps telling us the truth out of love?
- What are some ways we can choose to follow God in our everyday lives at school or at home?
- If you made a mistake and turned away from God, what could you do to come back to Him?
Activity Ideas
Paper Heart Collage
You will need construction paper, crayons or markers, glue, and scissors. Have each child draw a large heart on the paper and write or draw one thing they love about God in the middle. Then they can add small pictures around the edge showing ways they can follow Him each day. Display the hearts in the classroom or on the fridge at home.
Follow the Leader Walk
Choose one child to be the leader, and have everyone else follow closely behind. Ask the leader to walk, hop, or spin, and the others copy each move. Afterward, talk about how it feels to follow a good leader and how God always leads His people in the right way when we listen and stay close to Him.
Take-Home Promise Card
Give each child an index card and a pencil or crayon. Ask them to write or draw a promise to God, such as “I will listen to God” or “I will thank Him today.” Encourage them to keep the card in a pocket, backpack, or on the bedside table as a reminder that God keeps His promises and we can keep ours with His help.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows the serious results of turning away from the Lord and trusting in idols, false alliances, and human strength. It also shows God’s patience, since He sent prophet after prophet to call His people back before judgment fell. The passage is a sober reminder that God’s covenant faithfulness holds firm, and that His call to wholehearted worship remains the center of life with Him.
When teaching children, avoid making the lesson mainly about punishment or fear. The story includes real judgment, but the heart of the passage is God’s love and His invitation to return. Keep the focus on God’s faithfulness and His desire for His people to trust and follow Him.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You for loving us and keeping Your promises. Help us remember all the good things You have done for us, and help us listen when You speak to our hearts. When we make mistakes, help us come back to You. We love You, Lord. Amen.
