In this lesson, children learn that God alone made the world, chose Cyrus to help his people, and invites everyone to look to him and be saved. It suits children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
God is the only true God, and he keeps his promises even when we cannot see how. He made everything, he uses people to do his work, and he always brings his people home.
Memory Verse
Isaiah 45:22
“Look to me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.
(WEB)
Have children stand up and turn slowly toward the window, then the door, then the wall, as they say the verse together. Each turn stands for “all the ends of the earth.” Then have them put both hands on their hearts and nod once.
The Story: Isaiah 45 for Kids
Long ago, God’s people, the Israelites, were far away from their home in the land of Judah. They had been taken to a faraway country called Babylon, and they felt lost and forgotten. The prophet Isaiah brought them a message from God, and it was full of hope.
God told them about a king named Cyrus. God said, “I have held your right hand, Cyrus, and I will go before you.” God promised that Cyrus would open the gates that had been shut, and that he would let God’s people go home. Cyrus did not know God yet, but God was using him anyway.
God also reminded his people that he is the one who made the light and the dark, the rain and the sky, and the whole earth. Some people had made idols out of wood and stone and bowed down to them. God said those idols could never save anyone. “I am the LORD, and there is no one else,” he said.
Then God spoke to his people with love. He said they would be saved with a salvation that would last forever. He told them they would never be put to shame. He asked everyone to look to him and be saved, not just the people of Israel, but people from all over the world.
The chapter ends with a happy promise. God’s people would be made right with him and would rejoice. Everyone who had been angry at God would one day bow down before him.
Read It Together
Isaiah 45:5
I am the LORD, and there is no one else. Besides me, there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not known me…
(WEB)
Point out the words “I am the LORD, and there is no one else.” Ask children to say the words with you and explain that God is the only true God. Remind them that God does not share his glory with any statue or toy.
Isaiah 45:9
Woe to him who strives with his Maker— a clay pot among the clay pots of the earth! Shall the clay ask him who fashions it, ‘What are you making?’ or your work, ‘He has no hands?’
(WEB)
Show children a clay pot if you have one. Explain that a pot cannot tell the potter how to shape it, just as we cannot tell God how to run the world. Let them see that God is the one who makes and shapes us with care.
Isaiah 45:18
For the LORD who created the heavens, the God who formed the earth and made it, who established it and didn’t create it a waste, who formed it to be inhabited says: “I am the LORD; and there is no other.
(WEB)
Point to the sky and the ground as you read. Tell children that God created the heavens and formed the earth to be a good home for people. Encourage them to name one thing God made that they enjoy.
Talk About It
- What did God promise to do for his people when they were far from home?
- How did God use Cyrus, even though Cyrus did not know him yet?
- What are some things God made that you see every day?
- Why do you think God wants everyone to look to him and be saved?
- How can you remember that God is always with you, even when things feel far away?
Activity Ideas
Sunrise Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a pencil. Ask each child to draw a sunrise over hills, with the sun in the corner and rays of light going out in every direction. As they draw, say that God forms the light and creates the day. Let them write the memory verse across the top or color it in bright letters.
Turn to the Savior
Clear a space in the room and invite children to stand in the middle. Call out a direction such as “north,” “south,” “east,” or “west,” and have them turn to face it. Each time, say, “Look to God and be saved!” Afterward, talk about how God calls people from every direction to come to him.
Story Stone Reminder
Gather small smooth stones, washable paint, and a marker. Let each child paint a stone and write or draw a symbol of God the Creator, such as a sun, a star, or a heart. Send the stones home with a note asking families to talk about one thing God made this week.
Teacher Notes
For adults, Isaiah 45 is a strong message that the LORD is the only God, the Creator of all things, and the one who sovereignly uses even outsiders like Cyrus to fulfill his purposes. It also promises a salvation that reaches every nation and assures God’s people that they will be restored and never put to shame. The chapter invites trust in God alone rather than in idols or human strength.
With children, avoid overstating the historical details about Cyrus or Babylon. Keep the focus on God’s faithfulness and his invitation to look to him, rather than on political or prophetic debates about who Cyrus was in every detail.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank you for making the whole world and for loving us so much. Help us look to you when we feel lost, and help us trust that you always keep your promises. Thank you for being the only true God who saves. Amen.
