Isaiah 30 teaches children that God wants His people to trust Him instead of running to other places for help. This lesson suits children aged 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
God is the one we can always trust. When we ask Him for help and wait for Him, He is kind and faithful, even when we feel scared.
Memory Verse
Isaiah 30:15
For thus said the Lord the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, “You will be saved in returning and rest. Your strength will be in quietness and in confidence.” You refused…
(WEB)
Have children sit down slowly with their hands folded on their laps, then rest their hands on their hearts while they say the verse together. Sitting still with hands over the heart helps them feel the meaning of quietness and trust.
The Story: Isaiah 30 for Kids
God spoke through a prophet named Isaiah to His people, who lived in the land of Judah. The people were worried about a big, powerful enemy. Instead of asking God what to do, they decided to make a plan with the country of Egypt. They wanted Egypt to protect them.
God was not happy about this. He said that trusting Egypt was like hiding under a shadow that could not really keep them safe. Egypt could not help them the way God could. The people were choosing a helper that could not truly save them.
Isaiah told the people that God had a better plan. God said, “You will be saved in returning and rest. Your strength will be in quietness and in confidence.” But the people did not want to wait. They said they would run away on horses, but they would not look to God.
Even though the people had made wrong choices, God still loved them. He waited for them to come back to Him. He wanted to be kind to them and to answer when they called out to Him. God kept His promises, even when His people did not.
The chapter also tells about a day when God would bring healing to His people. He would bind up their wounds and give them songs of joy. God is the strong and faithful one who takes care of His children.
Read It Together
Isaiah 30:18
Therefore the LORD will wait, that he may be gracious to you; and therefore he will be exalted, that he may have mercy on you, for the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all those who wait for him.
(WEB)
Point out that God waits because He wants to be kind to His people. Explain that waiting on God is not sitting around doing nothing. It means trusting that God is good and that He will help at the right time.
Isaiah 30:21
And when you turn to the right hand, and when you turn to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way. Walk in it.”
(WEB)
Show children that God guides His people with His voice. Ask them to imagine hearing a gentle voice behind them saying, “This is the way.” Explain that God helps us know which path to walk on.
Isaiah 30:26
Moreover the light of the moon will be like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD binds up the fracture of his people, and heals the wound they were struck with.
(WEB)
Tell children that God promises to heal and bind up the hurts of His people. Remind them that God cares about our hurts, whether they are in our bodies, our hearts, or our feelings.
Talk About It
- What are some things people sometimes run to for help when they feel scared?
- Why do you think God wanted His people to ask Him first?
- What does it look like to wait patiently for God when you want something right now?
- How did God show He still loved His people even when they made wrong choices?
- When you feel worried, what is one thing you can say or do to trust God?
Activity Ideas
Hand Print Craft
You will need construction paper, crayons, and glue. Have each child trace one hand on paper and cut it out. On each finger, have them write or draw one thing that helps them trust God, such as prayer, the Bible, or family. Glue the hand onto a larger sheet and hang it up as a reminder that God holds us.
Be Still Game
You will need a timer or a clock with a second hand. Tell children to move around the room like they are running to find help. Then call out “Be still!” and have everyone freeze and fold their hands. Let them stay still for thirty seconds while they say the memory verse quietly. Repeat a few times to practice quietness and trust.
Take-Home Promise Card
You will need index cards, markers, and a hole punch with yarn. Have each child write “God is my helper” on one side and draw a picture of something that helps them feel safe on the other side. Punch a hole in the corner and tie on a piece of yarn. Encourage them to keep the card in a pocket or bag and look at it when they feel worried.
Teacher Notes
For adults, Isaiah 30 is a warning against trusting human alliances and worldly power in place of God. The people wanted security from Egypt instead of from the Lord. The chapter also shows that God is patient, faithful, and eager to show mercy to those who return to Him and wait on Him.
Avoid telling children that God will always give them exactly what they ask for, or that trusting Him means nothing bad will ever happen. Focus instead on God being faithful and kind, and on the fact that He helps us as we wait and trust.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, we are glad that You are the one we can trust. Help us to wait on You when we feel worried, and help us to listen for Your voice when we are not sure which way to go. Thank You for being kind and faithful to us every day. Amen.
