This lesson teaches children that God takes care of His people on every step of their journey, even when the road is long and the answer is “wait.” It works for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes, including the story, the memory verse, and one activity.
Big Idea
God knows where we are, He takes care of us every day, and He keeps every promise He makes, even when we have to wait a long time.
Memory Verse
Deuteronomy 2:7
For the LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hand. He has known your walking through this great wilderness. These forty years, the LORD your God has been with you. You have lacked nothing.
(WEB)
Have children stand up and take a big step forward each time they say a word of the verse. Then have them mark each step by tapping their chest and saying, “God is with me.” Repeat the motions three times so the words stick.
The Story: Deuteronomy 2 for Kids
God’s people, the Israelites, had been walking through the wilderness for a very long time. They had left Egypt and were heading toward the land God had promised them. Moses told the people what God had said, and they had been going around the same mountain for many days. Then God told Moses it was time to move on.
God gave Moses a message for the people. Their relatives, the children of Esau, lived nearby in the land of Seir. God said, “Do not fight them. I gave that land to Esau’s family, so I will not give it to you.” God told the people to buy food and water from them, and to pay for what they needed.
The people obeyed. They walked past the land of Esau’s family and then past the land of Moab. God told them not to fight the people there either, because He had given that land to other family members, the children of Lot. The people kept walking, and God kept watch over them the whole way.
The trip was long, almost forty years long. During all that time, God took care of His people. They had plenty of what they needed, and God was with them every step of the way. Even when they had to wait, God had not forgotten them.
When it was time, God spoke to Moses again. He said, “Cross the valley of the Arnon. I have given you the land of Sihon, the king of Heshbon. Go and take it.” Sihon did not let the people pass through his land peacefully, so the Israelites fought him. God helped them win, just as He had said He would.
Moses reminded the people that God had kept His word the whole time. The people had lacked nothing, because God had been with them through every hard day. God always does what He says, and that is good news for every child who trusts Him.
Read It Together
Deuteronomy 2:3
“You have encircled this mountain long enough. Turn northward.
(WEB)
Point out that God told the people when to move. Ask children how it feels to wait for a parent to say it is time to leave. Explain that God knows exactly when to move us forward.
Deuteronomy 2:25
Today I will begin to put the dread of you and the fear of you on the peoples who are under the whole sky, who shall hear the report of you, and shall tremble, and be in anguish because of you.”
(WEB)
Show children that God told Moses that He would give the people victory. Remind them that God does not forget His promises, even when it takes a long time to see them come true.
Deuteronomy 2:36
From Aroer, which is on the edge of the valley of the Arnon, and the city that is in the valley, even to Gilead, there was not a city too high for us. The LORD our God delivered up all before us.
(WEB)
Point out the words “The LORD our God delivered up all before us.” Explain that the people did not win by their own strength. God gave them the victory, and children can learn that God is the one who makes things happen.
Talk About It
- What was one thing God gave the Israelites on their long walk through the wilderness?
- Why do you think God told the people not to fight the children of Esau and the children of Lot?
- How did the people feel while they were waiting for God to tell them where to go next?
- What is something you have had to wait for, and how did you keep trusting that it would come?
- How can you remember that God is with you on your own journey, even on hard days?
Activity Ideas
Wilderness Path Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a pencil. Ask each child to draw a long winding path across the page, with small pictures along it showing things God provided, like water, food, or a tent. At the end of the path, have them draw a bright sun or a flag to show the land God promised. Talk together about how God was with them on every step.
Follow the Leader Walk
Clear a space in a room or hallway. Set a few chairs or pillows around as “mountains” to walk around. Have one child be Moses and lead the group, stopping and starting when the leader says, “Wait” or “Move on.” Each time the group moves, they say “God is with us.” This shows how the people followed God’s direction one step at a time.
Trust Bracelet Reminder
You will need pipe cleaners and a few colorful beads for each child. Have children string beads onto the pipe cleaner while you talk about God’s faithfulness on the wilderness journey. Twist the ends together to make a bracelet. Encourage them to wear it or keep it near their bed as a reminder that God takes care of them every day.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows God’s faithful care for His people over a long and sometimes uneventful journey. God directed their steps, provided what they needed, and kept His promise to bring them into the land. The chapter also shows God’s concern for other peoples, since He gave land to the families of Esau and Lot for their own inheritance.
Avoid suggesting to children that God rewards good behavior with quick, easy answers or that waiting always means something is wrong. The Israelites waited for decades, and God’s care during that time was real even though the promise came slowly. Keep the focus on God’s faithfulness, not on a formula for getting what we want.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You for walking with us on every step of our journey. Help us to trust You when we have to wait, and remind us that You always keep Your promises. Thank You for taking care of us each day. Amen.
