This lesson teaches children that God keeps every promise He makes, even when things look impossible. It is designed for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach, including the story, discussion, and a short activity.
Big Idea
God always does what He says He will do, even when it seems impossible to us. We can trust His words every single time.
Memory Verse
2 Kings 7:1
Elisha said, “Hear the LORD’s word. The LORD says, ‘Tomorrow about this time a seah of fine flour will be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.’”
(WEB)
Teach the children to cup both hands together in front of their chest, then open them wide like a book as they say the words. Repeat it together three times, getting a little quieter each time until you are whispering it.
The Story: 2 Kings 7 for Kids
A long time ago, the city of Samaria was in serious trouble. An enemy army from Syria had surrounded the city, and no food could get in or out. The people were so hungry that a donkey’s head was sold for a lot of money, and some families were even desperate enough to do terrible things. Food had become very scarce.
The prophet Elisha brought a message from God to the king’s officer. Elisha said that by this time tomorrow, food would be so plentiful that flour and barley would be sold at the city gate for very little money. The officer did not believe it. He said, “Even if God opened up the sky and poured down food, could this really happen?” Elisha answered that the officer would see it happen with his own eyes, but he would not get to eat any of it.
Outside the city gate, four men who had leprosy were sitting together. They were hungry and sick, and they said to one another, “If we stay here, we will die. If we go into the city, we will die there because of the hunger. So let us go to the enemy camp. If they feed us, we will live. If they hurt us, we will only die.”
When the four men got to the edge of the enemy camp, they found that no one was there at all. God had made the Syrian army hear the sound of a great army coming toward them, so they ran away in the night and left everything behind. The four men went into one tent after another, eating food and taking silver and gold. Then they said, “We are not doing the right thing. This is a day of good news, and we are keeping it to ourselves. Let us go and tell the people in the city.”
The people went out to the enemy camp and found everything just as the four men had said. They took all the food and supplies, and God’s promise came true just as Elisha had said. The food was sold at the gate for very little money. The officer who had doubted God was given the job of watching the gate, and the crowd rushed out so quickly that he was trampled and died, just as Elisha had warned.
Read It Together
2 Kings 7:3-4
3 Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate. They said to one another, “Why do we sit here until we die? 4 If we say, ‘We will enter into the city,’ then the famine is in the city, and we will die there. If we sit still here, we also die. Now therefore come, and let us surrender to the army of the Syrians. If they save us alive, we will live; and if they kill us, we will only die.”
(WEB)
Point out that the four men were in a hard place with no good choices, yet they decided to act instead of just sitting still. Ask the children what they think about the choice these men made when they had no easy options.
2 Kings 7:6-7
6 For the Lord had made the army of the Syrians to hear the sound of chariots, and the sound of horses, even the noise of a great army; and they said to one another, “Behold, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to attack us.” 7 Therefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their donkeys, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life.
(WEB)
Show the children that God was the one who made the Syrian army hear a noise and run away. Explain that God can work in ways we do not expect, and that He can protect His people without them ever seeing Him directly.
2 Kings 7:16
The people went out and plundered the camp of the Syrians. So a seah of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the LORD’s word.
(WEB)
Point out that the verse says the food was sold “according to the LORD’s word.” Help the children see that everything happened exactly as God had said it would, which is a good reason to trust what God promises.
Talk About It
- Why do you think the four men decided to go to the enemy camp instead of staying outside the city gate?
- How do you think the officer felt when he heard Elisha’s promise, and why was it hard for him to believe?
- What is one promise from God that you have seen come true in your own life or in the Bible?
- What did the four men do when they found all the food, and why do you think they felt it was wrong to keep it to themselves?
- When something seems impossible to you, what can you remember about God that helps you trust Him?
Activity Ideas
Promise Picture Craft
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and glue. Ask each child to draw a picture of something God has promised, such as His love, His presence, or that He will always be with us. Help them write the words “God keeps His promises” across the top. Let them add stickers or cut-out shapes to decorate the page before taking it home.
Follow the Leader Trust Game
You will need a blindfold or a scarf to cover the eyes and a clear space in the room. Have one child close their eyes while another child gently guides them by the hand from one side of the room to the other, using only spoken directions. Talk afterward about how trusting someone you cannot see is like trusting God’s promises even when we cannot see how they will happen.
Promise Jar at Home
You will need a clean jar, paper, and a pencil. Each family member writes one promise from God on a slip of paper and drops it into the jar. Set aside a time each week to pull one out and read it together. This simple habit helps children remember that God’s word is trustworthy every day, not just on Sunday.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that God is faithful to His word even when circumstances look hopeless and even when people doubt. The officer’s unbelief does not change what God has said, and God uses unlikely people, including outcasts with leprosy, to bring about His plan. Adults can take comfort that God’s promises are reliable.
When teaching children, avoid suggesting that God rewards people who believe with material blessings or that faith guarantees a specific outcome in every situation. The main point is that God keeps His word and can be trusted, not that trusting Him will always produce the results we want.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You that You always keep Your promises to us. Help us to trust You even when things seem impossible. Teach us to listen for Your word and to believe what You say. Thank You for always being faithful to us. Amen.
