Isaiah 47 teaches children that God sees proud people who think they are safe, and he brings them low, while he never forgets his own people. This lesson suits children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
God sees everything, and he will not let proud people who think they are better than everyone else keep hurting others. He is the one who keeps his promises.
Memory Verse
Isaiah 47:4
Our Redeemer, the LORD of Armies is his name, is the Holy One of Israel.
(WEB)
Have the children stand tall, then slowly sink down to sit on the floor as you say the verse together. Then have them stand up again with their arms stretched wide. This helps them remember that God is strong and he is our Redeemer.
The Story: Isaiah 47 for Kids
Long ago, a proud city named Babylon lived like a queen. The people there had fine clothes, big homes, and strong walls. They thought nothing could ever touch them. They had been cruel to God’s people, and they had not shown any mercy to the old and weak.
God sent the prophet Isaiah to tell the city what would happen. God said, “Come down from your throne and sit in the dust.” The proud city would no longer be called soft and special. Its women would have to grind flour, just like the servants. Everything they were proud of would be taken away.
The people of Babylon said in their hearts, “I am the greatest. No one else is like me. I will never be a widow, and I will never lose my children.” But God said these things would come to them quickly, in just one day. Their magic charms and their wise helpers would not be able to save them.
The people had trusted their own clever plans and their fortune tellers. Isaiah told them that their stargazers were like dry straw. A fire would burn them up, and they would not even be able to save themselves. Every person who had helped them would wander away alone.
The lesson was clear. God is the Holy One of Israel, and he is the one who brings low the proud. The people of Babylon learned that no one can stand against God by trusting in themselves.
Read It Together
Isaiah 47:6
I was angry with my people. I profaned my inheritance, and gave them into your hand. You showed them no mercy. You laid a very heavy yoke on the aged.
(WEB)
Point out that Babylon had been used by God to discipline his people, but then it was cruel and showed no mercy. Explain that God sees how we treat others, especially those who are weak.
Isaiah 47:8-9
8 “Now therefore hear this, you who are given to pleasures, who sit securely, who say in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one else besides me. I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children.’ 9 But these two things shall come to you in a moment in one day, the loss of children and widowhood. They will come on you in their full measure, in the multitude of your sorceries, and the great abundance of your enchantments.
(WEB)
Show the children how the city said, “I am, and there is no one else.” Explain that thinking we are better than everyone else is pride, and pride can make us forget that we need God.
Isaiah 47:13-14
13 You are wearied in the multitude of your counsels. Now let the astrologers, the stargazers, and the monthly prognosticators, stand up and save you from the things that will come on you. 14 Behold, they are like stubble. The fire will burn them. They won’t deliver themselves from the power of the flame. It won’t be a coal to warm at or a fire to sit by.
(WEB)
Point out that the people trusted stargazers and fortune tellers instead of God. Help the children see that only God can truly help us, and he is always faithful.
Talk About It
- Why do you think Babylon thought it would never lose anything?
- What are some ways people can act proud, even when they are not saying it out loud?
- How did the people of Babylon treat the old and weak, and how do you think God felt about that?
- Who do you think we should trust when we feel scared, and why?
- How can we remember that God is the one who keeps us safe?
Activity Ideas
Crown and Dust Drawing
Give each child a sheet of paper and some crayons or markers. Ask them to draw a proud king on a fancy throne wearing a crown. On the other half of the paper, have them draw the same king sitting in the dust with no crown. Talk about how God brings down the proud and lifts up the humble. Let the children take their drawings home to share.
Stand Tall, Sit Low Game
Play a simple movement game in an open space. Call out “Proud!” and have the children stand as tall as they can with their noses in the air. Call out “Humble!” and they sink down low to the floor. Mix up the commands quickly. End by reminding them that God wants us to be humble and to trust him.
Family Trust Jar
You will need an empty jar, paper slips, and a pencil. Have each family member write one thing they can trust God with this week, such as a worry or a hard day, and place it in the jar. Read the slips together at dinner. This helps children remember that God is their safe place and they do not have to trust in their own cleverness.
Teacher Notes
For adults, Isaiah 47 is a message about God’s justice against a proud nation that had oppressed others and trusted in its own power and in false spiritual practices. The chapter shows that God takes seriously how people treat the weak, and that human pride and reliance on false security will not stand before him. It also reminds believers that God alone is the Redeemer of his people.
When teaching children, avoid overstating the idea that God punishes people in simple, direct ways for every wrong. Keep the focus on God’s faithfulness and his care for the humble, rather than suggesting that every hard event is a judgment on someone’s pride.
A Prayer to Close
Lord, thank you that you see everything and you always keep your promises. Help us to be humble and kind to others, especially those who are weak. When we feel proud or afraid, remind us that you are our Redeemer and our safe place. Help us trust you every day. Amen.
