This lesson teaches children that God made all the animals, knows each one, and takes care of them, even the ones we never see. It is written for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach. Use a simple picture of an animal or two to keep little hands and eyes busy.
Big Idea
God made every animal, knows where each one lives, and takes care of them all. That includes you. He knows exactly what each creature needs, and he does not forget any of them.
Memory Verse
Job 39:1
“Do you know the time when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears fawns?
(WEB)
Hold both hands up like a little mountain, then wiggle your fingers slowly like tiny goats climbing up and down. Say the verse together as you move your hands, then do it again with your eyes closed.
The Story: Job 39 for Kids
Long ago there was a man named Job who had lost many things. He was sad and confused, and he had many questions for God. God answered Job in a big way, not with a long speech about Job’s mistakes, but by asking him to look at the world God made. God pointed to the wild animals as examples of his care and power.
God asked Job if he knew when the mountain goats had their babies. Job did not know. God asked him about the wild donkey that roams free in the desert, and who sets it free to run wherever it likes. Job did not know that either. God was showing Job how much he knows about the world, and how much Job does not know.
Then God talked about the ostrich. The mother ostrich lays her eggs on the ground and leaves them in the dust. She does not always seem to think about them the way a mother bird would. God said that he had not given her a lot of wisdom, but still she runs fast and shows her strength. God made her that way, and he knows what she needs.
God spoke about the horse, too, bold and strong, running into battle without fear. He asked Job, “Did you give the horse his strength?” Job had to admit he did not. Then God spoke about the hawk and the eagle, who fly high above the rocks and find food far away. God asked, “Is it by your wisdom that the hawk soars?” Job knew the answer was no.
In the end, Job could see that God is wise and powerful, and that God takes care of all his creatures. Job learned that he did not need to understand everything to trust God. God knew all about every animal, and he knew all about Job too.
Read It Together
Job 39:5-8
5 “Who has set the wild donkey free? Or who has loosened the bonds of the swift donkey, 6 Whose home I have made the wilderness, and the salt land his dwelling place? 7 He scorns the tumult of the city, neither does he hear the shouting of the driver. 8 The range of the mountains is his pasture, He searches after every green thing.
(WEB)
Point out how God describes the wild donkey as free and living in the wilderness. Ask the children to notice that God made a home for the donkey in a wide, open place. Remind them that God makes a place for every creature to live.
Job 39:13-18
13 “The wings of the ostrich wave proudly; but are they the feathers and plumage of love? 14 For she leaves her eggs on the earth, warms them in the dust, 15 and forgets that the foot may crush them, or that the wild animal may trample them. 16 She deals harshly with her young ones, as if they were not hers. Though her labor is in vain, she is without fear, 17 because God has deprived her of wisdom, neither has he imparted to her understanding. 18 When she lifts up herself on high, she scorns the horse and his rider.
(WEB)
Read this slowly and explain that God says the ostrich does not have as much wisdom as people do. Help the children see that God made each animal differently, and that his care does not depend on how clever any creature is.
Job 39:26-27
26 “Is it by your wisdom that the hawk soars, and stretches her wings toward the south? 27 Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up, and makes his nest on high?
(WEB)
Point to how the hawk and the eagle can fly high because God gave them wings and the strength to use them. Explain that God is the one who makes it possible for them to soar, and that nothing they do is outside his plan.
Talk About It
- What is your favorite animal, and what do you think God made it to do?
- How do you think God takes care of the wild donkey in the desert?
- Why do you think God wanted Job to think about the animals?
- What is something you can do to take care of animals or other living things?
- How does it make you feel to know God knows every animal by name?
Activity Ideas
Draw a Wild Creature
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and maybe some old magazines for cutting. Ask each child to draw or cut out an animal from the chapter, like a goat, donkey, ostrich, horse, or eagle. As they work, talk about one thing God made that animal able to do. Hang the pictures on a wall as a reminder that God made them all.
Animal Movement Game
Clear some space in a room or yard. Call out an animal from the story and have the children move like it: leap like a horse, stretch wings like an eagle, or run free like a wild donkey. Stop the game now and then to remind the children that God made each animal to move in its own special way.
Take-Home Reminder Card
Give each child an index card and a pencil. Ask them to write or draw one animal they saw in the lesson, and add the words “God takes care of me too.” Let them take the card home and put it on the fridge or by their bed. It gives the family a simple way to talk about God’s care during the week.
Teacher Notes
For adults, Job 39 shows that God’s wisdom and power are far greater than ours. In the middle of Job’s suffering, God does not explain every reason for what happened. Instead he invites Job to see his care for creation and to trust the one who made it all. Adults can take comfort that God is attentive to every creature, and that trusting him does not require understanding everything.
When teaching children, avoid suggesting that God wants to frighten them or that he is harsh. The chapter does have a strong tone, so keep the focus on God’s care and wisdom, not on the lesson that Job was being corrected. Stress that God loves and provides for all his creatures, and let the wonder of creation carry the message.
A Prayer to Close
Lord, thank you for making every animal, big and small. Thank you for knowing where each one lives and for caring for them all. Help us to notice your care in the world around us, and to trust you even when we do not understand everything. Amen.
