In this lesson, children learn that God is holy and powerful, and that He forgives us and asks us to say yes when He calls. This lesson works well for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
God is holy and wonderful, He forgives the sins of people who are sorry, and when He asks us to go, we can say, “Here I am, send me!”
Memory Verse
Isaiah 6:3
One called to another, and said, “Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of Armies! The whole earth is full of his glory!”
(WEB)
Have children cup their hands together in front of their chest, then lift them up high above their heads, slowly, while saying the words together. Then have them point to the ceiling on the word “glory” so they remember that God is high above everything.
The Story: Isaiah 6 for Kids
Long ago, there was a prophet named Isaiah. A king named Uzziah had just died, and Isaiah was sad and unsure what would happen next. One day, Isaiah went to the temple in Jerusalem, and he saw something amazing. He saw the Lord sitting on a high throne, and the temple was so full of God’s glory that the whole room seemed to fill up with it.
Above the throne stood special angels called seraphim. Each one had six wings. Two wings covered their faces, two covered their feet, and two were for flying. They were calling out to each other, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Armies! The whole earth is full of His glory!” The doorposts shook, and smoke filled the room.
Isaiah was scared. He said, “Woe is me! I am ruined, because I have unclean lips, and I live among people with unclean lips. My eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Armies!” Isaiah knew he was not perfect, and he felt sorry for his sin.
Then one of the angels flew to Isaiah with a hot coal from the altar. He touched Isaiah’s mouth with it and said that Isaiah’s sin was taken away and forgiven. Isaiah was clean and ready to listen to God.
Next, Isaiah heard God’s voice ask, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Isaiah did not hesitate. He said, “Here I am. Send me!” God then gave Isaiah a special message to share with the people, even though many of them would not listen right away.
Read It Together
Isaiah 6:1
In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up; and his train filled the temple.
(WEB)
Point out that Isaiah saw God sitting on a high throne. Remind children that even when a king has died, God is still King and is still in control.
Isaiah 6:5-7
5 Then I said, “Woe is me! For I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell among a people of unclean lips: for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Armies!” 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar. 7 He touched my mouth with it, and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin forgiven.”
(WEB)
Show children how Isaiah admitted his sin, and how God forgave him right away. Explain that when we are sorry for our wrongs, God is ready to forgive and make us clean.
Isaiah 6:8
I heard the Lord’s voice, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am. Send me!”
(WEB)
Point out Isaiah’s willing answer, “Here I am. Send me!” Ask children what it means to be ready to help God when He calls them, even in small ways at home or at school.
Talk About It
- What did Isaiah see when he went to the temple, and how did it make him feel?
- Why do you think the angels kept saying that God is holy?
- What did Isaiah say was wrong with him, and what did God do about it?
- How did the hot coal show that God takes away our sins?
- What is one way you could say, “Here I am, send me!” to God this week?
Activity Ideas
Angel Wing Craft
You will need paper plates, markers, glue, and cotton balls or tissue paper. Have each child draw a face on half of a paper plate, then glue six paper or tissue wings around the plate to look like a seraph. Let children decorate their angels and then tell the class one thing about the angels in Isaiah 6.
Holy, Holy, Holy Game
Choose one child to be the leader, and have everyone else stand in a line. The leader calls out “Holy!” and everyone lifts their arms high above their heads. When the leader calls out “Sinner,” everyone bows low. Play several rounds, then talk about how God is high and holy, and how He forgives us when we are sorry.
Take-Home Coal Reminder
You will need a small piece of red or orange paper and a cotton swab or clean stick. Have children glue the red paper onto the end of a popsicle stick or small cardboard piece so it looks like a coal. Encourage children to keep it on their desk or nightstand and to say, “Here I am, send me!” when they see it, reminding them to be ready for God’s work.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this passage shows that God is completely holy and worthy of worship, and that humans are sinful and cannot stand before Him on their own strength. Isaiah’s experience reminds us that God cleanses and forgives those who confess their sin, and then He calls them into His service. The whole chapter points forward to God’s plan to keep a faithful remnant alive through difficult times.
Avoid overstating to children that God’s holiness means they must be perfect before He will love them. Instead, emphasize that God forgives those who are truly sorry and that He is patient and kind. Be careful not to suggest that the hard message Isaiah was given means God wants people to fail, since the chapter focuses on God’s faithfulness to His people.
A Prayer to Close
Holy God, we praise You because You are high and lifted up and full of glory. Thank You for forgiving our sins when we say we are sorry. Help us to say, “Here I am, send me!” when You call us to love and serve others. Amen.
