This lesson teaches children that God’s true message always comes true, and that we should listen carefully to what God says rather than to what sounds nice. It is best for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
Big Idea
God always tells the truth, so we should trust His words and not the words of people who say what we want to hear.
Memory Verse
Jeremiah 28:9
The prophet who prophesies of peace, when the word of the prophet happens, then the prophet will be known, that the LORD has truly sent him.”
(WEB)
Hold both hands out flat, then slowly bring them together like a book closing. Each time you say the verse, move your hands the same way so your body remembers that God’s words stay true.
The Story: Jeremiah 28 for Kids
Jeremiah was a prophet, and God sent him to tell the people of Judah the truth. One day, a man named Hananiah stood up in the Lord’s house in front of everyone. He was also a prophet, and he said something very happy: the king of Babylon would soon be defeated, and all the stolen treasures would come home within two years.
The people loved hearing that. Jeremiah stood there and said, “Amen! I hope it happens just as you say.” But then he added a wise warning. He told them that a true prophet is known by whether his words come true. Some prophets had brought bad news before, and it had happened.
Hananiah was angry. He took a wooden bar off Jeremiah’s neck, which was a sign of the yoke God had put on the people, and he broke it in front of everybody. He said that God would break the yoke of Babylon in the same way.
Then God spoke to Jeremiah again. God said that breaking a wooden bar only made things worse, because God would now put an iron bar on the nations. God told Jeremiah to go and tell Hananiah that the lie had made the people trust something false.
Jeremiah gave Hananiah the hard message. He told him that God had not sent him, and that he would die that very year. Just as God said, Hananiah died in the seventh month of that same year.
Read It Together
Jeremiah 28:1
That same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, in the fifth month, Hananiah the son of Azzur, the prophet, who was of Gibeon, spoke to me in the LORD’s house, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying…
(WEB)
Point out where the story begins and where it takes place. Ask the children to notice that this happened in the Lord’s house, in front of the priests and all the people, so everyone saw what was said.
Jeremiah 28:5-6
5 Then the prophet Jeremiah said to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests, and in the presence of all the people who stood in the LORD’s house, 6 even the prophet Jeremiah said, “Amen! May the LORD do so. May the LORD perform your words which you have prophesied, to bring again the vessels of the LORD’s house, and all those who are captives, from Babylon to this place.
(WEB)
Show how Jeremiah responds to Hananiah with a kind hope, saying “Amen” even though he knows the message is not really from God. Explain that Jeremiah wanted God’s true word to be proven, not just a pleasant idea.
Jeremiah 28:15-16
15 Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen, Hananiah! The LORD has not sent you, but you make this people trust in a lie. 16 Therefore the LORD says, ‘Behold, I will send you away from off the surface of the earth. This year you will die, because you have spoken rebellion against the LORD.’”
(WEB)
Read these verses slowly and point out that Hananiah was told the truth, even though it was hard to hear. Help children see that God cares about His people believing what is true.
Talk About It
- Why do you think the people liked what Hananiah said better than what Jeremiah said?
- How can you tell if someone is telling you the truth about God?
- What did Jeremiah do when he heard Hananiah’s happy message?
- Why is it important that God’s words always come true?
- When is a time you had to choose between what sounded nice and what was really true?
Activity Ideas
Yoke Breaker Craft
You will need construction paper, scissors, glue, and a few craft sticks or popsicle sticks. Have each child draw a simple wooden bar and cut it out, then glue it on paper. Let them tear the bar in half to show what Hananiah did, then talk about how God’s true words always stand strong.
Truth or Lie Movement Game
Gather the children in an open space. Call out simple statements, some true and some false, such as “God always keeps His promises” or “God never tells the truth.” When they hear a true statement, they stand tall with arms raised, and when they hear a false one, they crouch down low. This helps children practice listening carefully.
Take-Home Promise Card
Give each child an index card and a pencil. Have them write or draw one thing they know God has promised, such as God being with them always. Encourage them to keep the card in a pocket or backpack and read it aloud each morning this week to remember that God’s words are always true.
Teacher Notes
This passage shows that God’s word is trustworthy, and a prophet’s message is tested by whether it comes true. For adults, the chapter reminds us to weigh what we hear against Scripture and to be willing to hear hard truth even when a pleasant message is more welcome. Jeremiah’s response also shows that a person can hope for good news while still knowing that God’s true word must be the measure.
When teaching children, avoid suggesting that every bad thing that happens is a punishment for disobedience or that a person who speaks falsely always meets a sudden end. Keep the focus on trusting God’s faithfulness and listening carefully to His word.
A Prayer to Close
Dear Lord, thank You that Your words are always true and never change. Help us listen carefully to You and to the Bible, and help us choose Your truth over what only sounds nice. Keep our hearts steady and our trust in You strong. Amen.
