This lesson teaches children that God knows every person by name and that walking with God is a way of living every day. It works well for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes. Your class will read a long family list, find one surprising man who walked with God, and learn a simple memory verse together.
Big Idea
God remembers every person in the family of people he made, and he wants us to walk with him each day, just as Enoch did.
Memory Verse
Genesis 5:1
This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, he made him in God’s likeness.
(WEB)
Have children stand tall, then slowly lift both hands up toward the sky, as if they are reaching for a tall shelf. Then ask them to take a step forward on each word of the verse. Repeat it together three times, getting a little quieter each time.
The Story: Genesis 5 for Kids
Long, long ago, God made the first man and named him Adam. God made Adam like himself, and he made Adam and Eve as a family. Adam lived for many years and had a son named Seth, who was just like him. Adam and Eve had many other children too, and God loved every one of them.
The Bible then tells us about a long line of families. Seth had a son named Enosh. Enosh had a son named Kenan. Kenan had a son named Mahalalel, and Mahalalel had a son named Jared. Each of these men lived a very long time, and each had children. The Bible says that when each of them had died, it was the end of their days on earth.
Then came a man named Enoch, who did something special. Enoch lived for three hundred sixty-five years, and he walked with God every single day. One day, God simply took Enoch to be with him, and Enoch was not found on earth anymore. Enoch was a man who loved to spend time with God.
Enoch had a son named Methuselah, and Methuselah had a son named Lamech. When Lamech had a son, he gave him the name Noah. Lamech said that this son would bring comfort to his family and their hard work on the ground. Noah was a special boy, and God had a big plan for him.
When Noah was five hundred years old, he became the father of three sons, named Shem, Ham, and Japheth. God was still keeping track of his family, just as he kept track of every family since Adam. The story of this family is the story of God’s faithful care from the very beginning.
Read It Together
Genesis 5:2
He created them male and female, and blessed them. On the day they were created, he named them “Adam”.
(WEB)
Point out that God made both man and woman and blessed them. Ask children to notice that every person is made by God and is part of his family plan. Remind them that they are also made by God and that he cares about them.
Genesis 5:22-24
22 After Methuselah’s birth, Enoch walked with God for three hundred years, and became the father of more sons and daughters. 23 All the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty-five years. 24 Enoch walked with God, and he was not found, for God took him.
(WEB)
Read these verses slowly and point out the phrase “walked with God.” Explain that walking with God means talking to him, listening to him, and staying close to him in everything we do. Ask children to think about what this might look like in their own day.
Genesis 5:29
He named him Noah, saying, “This one will comfort us in our work and in the toil of our hands, caused by the ground which the LORD has cursed.”
(WEB)
Show children the name Noah and explain that his father hoped he would bring comfort. Point out that God used a child named Noah to do great things later in the Bible. Encourage children to see that God has special plans for each of them too.
Talk About It
- What does it mean to walk with God, and what might you do to walk with him this week?
- Why do you think God remembered every name in this long family list?
- Enoch spent time with God every day. How could you spend time with God each day?
- How do you think Lamech felt when he named his son Noah and hoped for comfort?
- What is one thing you can thank God for because he made you and knows your name?
Activity Ideas
Family Tree Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a pencil. Ask each child to draw a simple tree with branches, then write the names from the story on the branches, starting with Adam at the bottom and ending with Noah at the top. Let children add small drawings of each person if they like. Talk about how God kept track of every name in this long line.
Walking With God Game
You will need an open space and a bell or a clap. Have children walk slowly around the room while you call out simple ways to talk to God, such as praying, thanking him, or listening. When you clap, they stop and say one thing they could say to God. Repeat the game a few times, reminding children that Enoch walked with God every day.
Take-Home Walk Card
You will need index cards, a pen, and a few stickers. Give each child a card and ask them to write or draw one way they will walk with God this week, such as saying good morning to him. Encourage them to put the card somewhere they will see it each day, like on the refrigerator or by their bed. Ask them to share what they did at the next class.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that God keeps faithful records of people and that his purposes move forward through ordinary families across generations. Enoch’s life is a quiet picture of close fellowship with God, and his sudden removal from earth points toward hope beyond death. Noah’s naming also looks ahead to the flood story and God’s plan to bring relief through a human family.
Avoid overstating to children the meaning of the very long ages in this chapter. Keep the focus on God’s faithfulness and on Enoch’s walk with God rather than on speculating about exact numbers or how long people lived in the past.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank you for knowing each one of us by name, just as you knew every person in this long family. Help us to walk with you every day, talking to you, listening to you, and trusting you with all that we do. Thank you that you have good plans for each of our lives. Amen.
