Deuteronomy 14 teaches children that God’s people belong to him and are set apart to live differently, especially in what they eat and how they care for others. This lesson suits children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
God chose us as his own special people, so we live in ways that show we belong to him. We remember that he cares for everyone, including those who are often forgotten.
Memory Verse
Deuteronomy 14:2
For you are a holy people to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a people for his own possession, above all peoples who are on the face of the earth.
(WEB)
Hold both hands out in front of you, palms up, then slowly bring them together over your heart as you say the words. Ask the children to copy you, so the motion reminds them that God holds them close.
The Story: Deuteronomy 14 for Kids
Long ago, God’s people were walking through the wilderness, getting ready to enter a new land. Moses stood before them and reminded them of something very important. They were the children of the LORD their God, and he had chosen them out of all the peoples on the earth.
Because they belonged to God, they were not to copy the way other nations grieved for the dead. They were not to cut their bodies or shave their heads as a sign of sadness. God wanted them to remember that they belonged to a holy God who loved them and was with them.
God also gave them rules about what they could eat. He named animals that were clean and could be eaten, like the ox, the sheep, the goat, and the deer. He named other animals that were not to be eaten, like the pig, the camel, and the rabbit. These rules helped the people remember that they were different and set apart for God.
God’s people were also to bring a tenth of their harvest and their animals to the place God chose, and to eat there with joy. Moses told them, “Rejoice, you and your household.” Even when the journey was too long to carry everything, they could turn their gifts into money and buy what they needed to celebrate before the LORD.
Moses reminded them not to forget the Levites, the foreigners, the fatherless, and the widows who lived among them. Every three years, they were to store up a tenth of their increase so these people could come and eat and be satisfied. God wanted his people to share with those who had no land or family to care for them.
Read It Together
Deuteronomy 14:1
You are the children of the LORD your God. You shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.
(WEB)
Point out that God calls his people his children. Ask the children what it means to be part of a family, and explain that God’s love makes us his family.
Deuteronomy 14:21
You shall not eat of anything that dies of itself. You may give it to the foreigner living among you who is within your gates, that he may eat it; or you may sell it to a foreigner; for you are a holy people to the LORD your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.
(WEB)
Show how this verse reminds God’s people to care for the foreigner and to remember they are holy to God. Talk about how we can share what we have with people who are new to our neighborhood or classroom.
Deuteronomy 14:27-29
27 You shall not forsake the Levite who is within your gates, for he has no portion nor inheritance with you. 28 At the end of every three years you shall bring all the tithe of your increase in the same year, and shall store it within your gates. 29 The Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the foreigner living among you, and the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.
(WEB)
Point out the list of people God cares about: the Levites, the fatherless, and the widows. Explain that God wants us to look out for people who might be left out and to share our blessings with them.
Talk About It
- What does it mean that God chose us to be his own special people?
- Why do you think God wanted his people to act differently from the people around them?
- Who are some people in our town who might feel left out, and how could we help them?
- How can we show our friends and family that we belong to God?
- What is one way you could share something you have this week?
Activity Ideas
Paper Chain of Friends
You will need colored paper, scissors, and tape or glue. Have each child write the name of someone who might need a friend, such as a new student or an older neighbor, on a strip of paper. Link the strips into a chain and hang it in your room to remind everyone that God wants us to care for all people.
Set Apart Game
Mark a line on the floor with tape or a rope. Call out animals from the lesson, like “ox” or “pig,” and have the children step over the line if the animal was clean and could be eaten, or stay back if it was not. Let them take turns calling out animals, and celebrate each correct answer so they enjoy learning God’s rules.
Share Box at Home
Give each child a small cardboard box or jar with a label that says “Share.” Ask them to put in a small coin or a note each week, then decide together with their family where the gift will go. This simple habit helps children learn that God’s people share what they have with others who need help.
Teacher Notes
For adults, Deuteronomy 14 shows that God’s people were called to be holy, meaning set apart for his purposes, in daily life and in worship. The dietary laws and rules about mourning marked Israel as belonging to God, and the tithe and generous care for the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows show that worship includes justice and mercy toward those who are vulnerable.
Avoid overstating to children that these specific food rules apply to Christians today. Focus instead on the heart of the chapter: God loves us, he calls us his own, and he cares for people who are often overlooked.
A Prayer to Close
Lord God, thank you for choosing us to be your own children. Help us live in ways that show we belong to you. Teach us to care for the people around us, especially those who feel forgotten. We love you and trust you to lead us. Amen.
