This lesson teaches children that God keeps His promises, even when people make mistakes. Genesis 9 tells how God made a promise to Noah and every living creature, and gave the rainbow as a sign of it. This lesson is for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
Big Idea
God always keeps His promises. When He says something, He will do it, and the rainbow is His special reminder of that.
Memory Verse
Genesis 9:13
I set my rainbow in the cloud, and it will be a sign of a covenant between me and the earth.
(WEB)
Point up to the sky with one finger and draw a big arc in the air from left to right, like a rainbow. Say the words slowly together while you move your hand. Do the motion each time you say the verse.
The Story: Genesis 9 for Kids
Noah and his family had just stepped off the big boat called the ark. The flood was over, and the whole earth was quiet and new. God looked at Noah and his sons and gave them a happy job. He said, “Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth.” Noah’s family was going to have many children and grandchildren.
God also told them that people could now eat meat from the animals. But they must never eat the blood, because blood is precious and belongs to God. God said that He would make sure people treated each other with respect, because every person is made in God’s image. Everyone matters to Him.
Then God made a promise. He said, “I will never again send a flood to destroy the earth.” This promise was not only for Noah. It was for every living creature that was on the ark, and for all the creatures that would live on the earth after them.
God wanted Noah to have a sign to remember this promise. So He set a rainbow in the clouds. When the rain falls and the sun shines, a rainbow appears. God said, “When I see the rainbow, I will remember my promise.” God never forgets His promises, and the rainbow still reminds us of that today.
Later, Noah planted a vineyard and drank some of the wine. He became drunk and fell asleep inside his tent. His son Ham saw him like this and told his brothers. Shem and Japheth walked in backwards with a cloth and covered their father gently, so they would not look at him. Noah woke up and was sad about what happened. The story shows that even good people can make mistakes, and that God’s promises stay the same.
Read It Together
Genesis 9:1
God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, and replenish the earth.
(WEB)
Point out that God blessed Noah and his sons before He said anything else. Ask the children what a blessing means. Explain that God’s first words to this new family were kind and full of hope.
Genesis 9:11
I will establish my covenant with you: All flesh will not be cut off any more by the waters of the flood. There will never again be a flood to destroy the earth.”
(WEB)
Show the children that God promised to never destroy the earth with a flood again. Point out the words “I will establish my covenant” and explain that a covenant is a promise that God makes and keeps forever.
Genesis 9:16
The rainbow will be in the cloud. I will look at it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”
(WEB)
Point out that God says He will look at the rainbow to remember His promise. Explain that God is not forgetful like we sometimes are, and that the rainbow is a kind gift to help us remember His faithfulness too.
Talk About It
- What did God promise Noah after the flood?
- Why do you think God gave the rainbow as a sign?
- Can you think of a time when someone kept a promise to you? How did that make you feel?
- What is one thing you can do to show that you trust God’s promises?
- Why do you think it is important for people to treat each other with respect, since every person is made in God’s image?
Activity Ideas
Rainbow Paper Plate Craft
You will need a paper plate, crayons or markers, and cotton balls. Have each child draw seven colored arcs on the plate, starting with red on the outside and ending with violet on the inside. Glue cotton balls along the bottom edge to look like clouds. As children work, remind them that the rainbow is God’s promise to keep His word.
Rainbow Walk Game
You will need a small open space and some colored paper or scarves in the colors of the rainbow. Lay them on the floor in a long arc. Call out a color, and children walk or hop to that color, then reach up high like the rainbow. Each time they move, say a short phrase like “God keeps His promises.” It helps children move and remember together.
Promise Keeper Card to Take Home
You will need index cards, a pencil, and a small pocket-sized envelope. Ask each child to draw a small rainbow on the card and write or draw one promise God has made in the lesson. Let them take the card home and tuck it in a pocket or on a bedroom mirror. At bedtime, invite them to show the card to a parent and say the memory verse together.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this passage shows that God makes a covenant, a binding promise, with all creation and not just with humans. The rainbow is a visible sign that God’s commitment to preserve life on earth stands firm. It also reveals that God gives humanity responsibility to value life, since every person bears God’s image. The story of Noah’s drunkenness and his sons’ response shows that the faithful human characters are not perfect, but God’s promise does not depend on human perfection.
When teaching children, avoid overstating the story of Ham and Noah’s curse. The passage is complex and includes difficult themes that are not easily explained to young children. Keep the focus on Shem and Japheth’s respectful care for their father, and on God’s faithful promise, rather than on the curse itself.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You for keeping Your promises to us. Help us remember Your rainbow when we see it in the sky. Teach us to be honest, kind, and respectful to everyone, because we are all made by You. Help us trust that You always do what You say. Amen.
