This lesson teaches children that God always keeps His promises, even when the people He is speaking about seem very sure of themselves. It is designed for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach, including the activity and prayer.
Big Idea
God says what He will do, and He always does it. Nothing can stop Him from keeping His word, not even a city that thinks it is too strong to fall.
Memory Verse
Ezekiel 26:14
I will make you a bare rock. You will be a place for the spreading of nets. You will be built no more; for I the LORD have spoken it,’ says the Lord the LORD.
(WEB)
Teach the children to hold both hands flat in front of them, then slowly push them apart as they say “I have spoken it.” Then clap once firmly. The motion of a clear, final word helps children remember that God’s promises are sure and that He speaks with authority.
The Story: Ezekiel 26 for Kids
God spoke to a prophet named Ezekiel. Ezekiel was a man who listened carefully to God and then told the people what God had said. This time, God sent Ezekiel with a message about a city called Tyre. Tyre was a rich and busy city by the sea, and the people of Tyre were proud of their strong walls and their many ships.
The people of Tyre had been happy when Jerusalem was broken and destroyed. They laughed and said, “Aha! Jerusalem is broken, so now we will get rich from her!” God did not forget what they said. God told Ezekiel that He was against Tyre, and that He would bring many nations against the city, like waves rolling in from the sea.
God explained that a powerful king named Nebuchadnezzar would come with horses, chariots, and many soldiers. The walls and towers that the people trusted would be broken down. The people would be frightened, and their beautiful houses and goods would be taken away. The noise of their singing and harp music would stop.
The rich city would become a bare rock, a place where fishermen spread their nets to dry. Even the faraway islands in the sea would shake when they heard what had happened to Tyre. Sailors and princes would sit on the ground in sorrow and sing a sad song about the city that had once been so strong.
God said, “I will make you a bare rock. You will be built no more, for I the LORD have spoken it.” Tyre was never built back the same way again, and the people learned that God had truly kept His word. God’s promises do not change, even when the world seems to be against them.
Read It Together
Ezekiel 26:3
Therefore thus says the Lord the LORD, ‘Behold, I am against you, Tyre, and will cause many nations to come up against you, as the sea causes its waves to come up.
(WEB)
Point out that God says “Behold, I am against you.” Explain that God was not hiding His plans. He told Tyre clearly what would happen, which shows that He is honest and that He warns people before He acts.
Ezekiel 26:16-17
16 Then all the princes of the sea will come down from their thrones, and lay aside their robes, and strip off their embroidered garments. They will clothe themselves with trembling. They will sit on the ground, and will tremble every moment, and be astonished at you. 17 They will take up a lamentation over you, and tell you, “How you are destroyed, who were inhabited by seafaring men, the renowned city, who was strong in the sea, she and her inhabitants, who caused their terror to be on all who lived there!”
(WEB)
Show the children how the princes of the sea were shocked and sad when they saw Tyre fall. Ask them to notice how big and important Tyre once was, and how quickly its pride turned into sorrow. This helps children see that boasting in our own strength is never a safe place to stand.
Ezekiel 26:20-21
20 Then I will bring you down with those who descend into the pit, to the people of old time, and will make you dwell in the lower parts of the earth, in the places that are desolate of old, with those who go down to the pit, that you be not inhabited; and I will set glory in the land of the living. 21 I will make you a terror, and you will no more have any being. Though you are sought for, yet you will never be found again,’ says the Lord the LORD.”
(WEB)
Point out the words “I will make you a terror” and “you will never be found again.” Explain that these words describe the complete end of Tyre’s power. Remind children that God is the one who decides how long a kingdom lasts, not the people who build it.
Talk About It
- What did the people of Tyre say about Jerusalem, and how did that make God feel?
- Why do you think the people of Tyre trusted their walls and their ships so much?
- What does it tell us about God that He told Tyre exactly what would happen before it did?
- How can we be glad for other people’s good things instead of laughing when they have trouble?
- When has God kept a promise to you or to someone you know?
Activity Ideas
Build a Sturdy Tower Drawing
Give each child a sheet of paper, crayons, and a pencil. Ask them to draw a tall city with strong walls and towers. Then have them color one wall and write or draw one thing that could make a wall fall down, such as a storm or a strong army. Talk about how even the strongest wall cannot stand against God’s word, and let the children share their drawings with the group.
Fishing Net Freeze Game
Choose one child to be the sea and have the rest stand in a circle holding hands as nets. The sea walks around the circle. When the teacher says “Tyre,” everyone drops hands and freezes like a bare rock. Play several rounds so children practice listening for the signal and moving together. Explain that just as the nets were spread in Tyre’s place, God’s plans are always carried out.
Take-Home Promise Card
Cut strips of cardboard or heavy paper, one for each child. Ask them to write “God keeps His word” on the strip and decorate it with stickers or markers. Encourage them to tape the card to a bedroom door or inside a school folder. Suggest they read it each morning and tell a family member one promise God has kept.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that God is sovereign over nations and cities, including those that appear secure and prosperous. Ezekiel 26 pronounces judgment on Tyre for its pride and its gloating over Jerusalem’s fall. The passage reminds us that God takes note of how people treat others and that He is faithful to fulfill what He has spoken, both in judgment and in His larger purposes for His people.
When teaching children, avoid overstating how God judges specific people today. Children may begin to think that every hard event is a punishment, or that they can predict God’s judgment on others. Keep the focus on God’s faithfulness and His honesty in speaking His word, and let children know that God’s love for them is steady and sure.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You for always keeping Your word. We are glad that You are faithful and that You tell us the truth. Help us to be honest and kind, and to be glad for others instead of proud. Thank You that we can trust You every day. Amen.
