This lesson teaches children that the LORD is the true, living God, and that statues and idols made by people cannot help or hurt anyone. It works well for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
Only the LORD is the real God. He made the whole world, and no statue or idol can make that claim.
Memory Verse
Jeremiah 10:10
But the LORD is the true God. He is the living God, and an everlasting King. At his wrath, the earth trembles. The nations aren’t able to withstand his indignation.
(WEB)
Hold both hands up like a cup, then lift them high over your head as you say “the LORD is the true God.” Lower your hands slowly while you say “he is the living God.” Repeat it three times until the motions feel natural.
The Story: Jeremiah 10 for Kids
God spoke through a prophet named Jeremiah to his people, the family of Israel. Many people back then bowed down to wooden and metal statues. They had seen other nations do it, and they copied them. God told his people not to be scared of those statues, because the statues could not move, talk, or do anything at all.
People cut a tree in the forest and shaped it into a little god. They covered it with silver and gold, and they nailed it so it would stay standing. It could not walk. Someone had to carry it everywhere. God said, “Do not be afraid of them, because they cannot do evil, and they cannot do good either.”
Then God reminded everyone who he really is. He made the heavens and the earth by his power and his wisdom. When he speaks, the waters roar in the sky, and he makes the wind and the rain. No idol could ever do that. God is the true King who lives forever, and the whole earth trembles when he is angry.
Jeremiah was sad for his people. He knew the shepherds of the nation had stopped asking the LORD for help, and many families were going to be scattered. Jeremiah talked to God and said, “I know that a person cannot direct his own steps.” He asked God to correct him gently and not in anger.
Read It Together
Jeremiah 10:6-7
6 There is no one like you, the LORD. You are great, and your name is great in might. 7 Who shouldn’t fear you, King of the nations? For it belongs to you. Because among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their royal estate, there is no one like you.
(WEB)
Point out that these verses say there is no one like the LORD. Ask the children to name some things that are great and wonderful, then explain that God is greater than all of them put together.
Jeremiah 10:12-13
12 God has made the earth by his power. He has established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding has he stretched out the heavens. 13 When he utters his voice, the waters in the heavens roar, and he causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth. He makes lightnings for the rain, and brings the wind out of his treasuries.
(WEB)
Show the children how God made the earth, the sky, the wind, and the rain. Ask them to look out a window or step outside and name one thing God made that they can see right now.
Jeremiah 10:23
The LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself. It is not in man who walks to direct his steps.
(WEB)
Explain that Jeremiah admitted he could not guide his own steps and needed God to lead him. Ask the children when they might need God’s help to make a good choice, and remind them that God is always ready to help.
Talk About It
- What did the statues in the story look like, and why couldn’t they help the people who made them?
- How is the LORD different from the statues that people made with their hands?
- What are some of the amazing things God made, like the sky, the rain, or the wind?
- Why do you think Jeremiah asked God to correct him gently and not in anger?
- How can you remember to trust God instead of things that cannot help you?
Activity Ideas
Draw the Real God
Give each child a sheet of paper, crayons, and a pencil. Ask them to draw something God made, such as a tree, a cloud, a river, or a mountain. Let them write the words “The LORD is the true God” across the top. Hang the pictures on the wall so the class can see how many wonderful things God has made.
Statue Freeze
Ask the children to pretend they are statues by standing completely still with arms at their sides. Call out “The LORD is the true God!” and have them move, dance, and wave. Then call out “Statue!” and they freeze again. Explain that the real God can move, speak, and act, while statues cannot.
Wind and Rain Card
Give each child an index card and a marker. Have them write “God makes the wind and the rain” on one side and draw a small cloud on the other. Let them take the card home and place it on the kitchen table or by their bed as a reminder that God is always in control of the weather and everything else.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter is a call to trust the living God over the empty promises of idols and popular trends. Jeremiah contrasts the lifeless gods that people build with the Creator who made the heavens and the earth. The passage also shows a prophet honestly admitting his weakness and asking God for gentle correction.
Avoid overstating to children that every object is an idol or that making things is wrong. The point is that people should not worship what they make, and that the LORD alone deserves our trust and worship.
A Prayer to Close
Lord God, you are the true and living King, and you made the sky, the rain, and the wind. We do not need statues to help us, because you are always with us. Help us to trust you every day, and guide our steps. Amen.
