In this lesson, children learn that God set apart a special place for worship and that his people are called to be different and holy. Ezekiel 42 is best for children ages 5 to 11, and the lesson takes about 20 to 30 minutes if you read the story aloud and do one activity together.
Big Idea
God is holy, which means he is special and set apart, and he invites his people to belong to him in a way that shows they are different from everything common.
Memory Verse
Ezekiel 42:20
He measured it on the four sides. It had a wall around it, the length five hundred, and the width five hundred, to make a separation between that which was holy and that which was common.
(WEB)
Have children stand tall with arms stretched wide like a wall, then bring their hands together in front of their chest as they say “to make a separation.” Repeat it three times, making the wall taller each time.
The Story: Ezekiel 42 for Kids
Ezekiel was a prophet who lived far from home, far from the city of Jerusalem and the great temple there. One day God lifted Ezekiel up in a vision and took him to a building with rooms and walls and courtyards. A man stood beside him holding a long measuring stick called a reed.
The man measured everything carefully. He walked through the outer courtyard and showed Ezekiel the rooms built for the priests. These rooms were special, because the priests who served God would eat the holy food from offerings there. They were set apart from the places where ordinary people walked.
The man told Ezekiel something important. He said, “When the priests finish their work, they must take off their holy clothes and leave them in these rooms. Then they must put on regular clothes before they go out to the people.” Holy things stayed in holy places, and common things stayed in common places.
Last of all, the man measured the whole area on all four sides. Each side was five hundred reeds long. A wall went all the way around it, so that the holy place was clearly separated from everything around it. God was showing Ezekiel that his place of worship was special and protected.
Read It Together
Ezekiel 42:1-3
1 Then he brought me out into the outer court, the way toward the north. Then he brought me into the room that was opposite the separate place, and which was opposite the building toward the north. 2 Before the length of one hundred cubits was the north door, and the width was fifty cubits. 3 Opposite the twenty cubits which belonged to the inner court, and opposite the pavement which belonged to the outer court, was gallery against gallery in the third floor.
(WEB)
Point out how the man led Ezekiel carefully from one place to another, and how every room and wall had its own measurement. Explain to children that God pays close attention to every detail of the places where his people meet him.
Ezekiel 42:13-14
13 Then he said to me, “The north rooms and the south rooms, which are before the separate place, are the holy rooms, where the priests who are near to the LORD shall eat the most holy things. There they shall lay the most holy things, with the meal offering, the sin offering, and the trespass offering; for the place is holy. 14 When the priests enter in, then they shall not go out of the holy place into the outer court, but they shall lay their garments in which they minister there; for they are holy. Then they shall put on other garments, and shall approach to that which is for the people.”
(WEB)
Show children the phrase about the priests leaving their holy garments behind before going out to the people. Explain that the holy clothes were kept for holy work, and that God wanted his people to understand the difference between worship and everyday life.
Talk About It
- What is one thing in your home that is special and kept for a certain purpose?
- Why do you think the priests had to take off their holy clothes before going out to the people?
- How did the wall around the holy place help people know where they could and could not go?
- What does it mean to you that God is holy and set apart?
- How can we show that we belong to God in the way we act every day?
Activity Ideas
Draw the Holy Place
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a ruler if you have one. Ask each child to draw a square courtyard with a wall around it, then draw small rooms along one side. Let them color the inside of the wall in bright colors to show that the holy place is special and set apart from the rest of the page.
Measure and Stand Apart
You will need a piece of string or a long strip of paper to act as the measuring reed. Mark out a square on the floor using masking tape or chairs, and have children walk around the edge while the leader calls out “five hundred reeds.” Then ask them to step inside the square and say together, “Holy things belong to God,” before stepping back out.
Holy and Common Bookmark
You will need an index card, a marker, and a piece of ribbon or yarn. Have the child write “Holy” on one side and “Everyday” on the other, then tie the yarn to the top as a handle. Encourage them to keep it in their Bible or book as a reminder that God makes us different and calls us to live for him each day.
Teacher Notes
For adults, Ezekiel 42 is part of a larger vision of a restored temple where God’s presence and holiness are the center of life for his people. The careful measurements show that God cares about order, boundaries, and the way his people approach him, and the holy and common distinction points forward to the way God’s people are called to live set apart for him.
Avoid overstating to children that every measurement or room has a hidden secret meaning, because the chapter is mostly describing a building in a vision and the specific details are not always explained. Keep the focus on the simple truth that God is holy and that he sets his people apart.
A Prayer to Close
Holy God, thank you that you are special and set apart from everything else. Help us to know the difference between what is holy and what is everyday, and help us belong to you in all we do. Keep us close to you each day. Amen.
