In this lesson, children learn that God keeps His promises and gives His people a good place to live, even when they have to take the first step. This lesson works well for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
Big Idea
God gives His people a good inheritance, and He wants us to trust Him and take the first steps with courage.
Memory Verse
Joshua 18:3
Joshua said to the children of Israel, “How long will you neglect to go in to possess the land, which the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you?
(WEB)
Stand up tall like a soldier, then reach both arms out wide to show God’s land is big and ready for us. Say the verse out loud while you stretch, and let the arms make a big circle on “how long.”
The Story: Joshua 18 for Kids
The people of Israel had come a long way. God had brought them out of Egypt, and now they were in the land He had promised them. They gathered together at a place called Shiloh, and they set up the Tent of Meeting there. This was a special tent where they could meet with God and pray.
But some of the people were still waiting. Seven groups of families had not yet received their part of the land. Joshua, their leader, looked at them and asked a question. He said, “How long will you wait before you go in and take the land God has given you?”
Joshua told the people to choose three men from each group. These men would walk through the land and look carefully at it. They would write down what they saw, and then they would come back to Joshua. The men did just what Joshua asked. They walked all over the land and wrote down seven parts of it in a book.
Then Joshua did something special. He cast lots in Shiloh before the LORD, which means they used a kind of drawing to decide which family got which part of the land. God was in charge of each choice. Each family received a place to call home.
The tribe of Benjamin got its piece of land between the other tribes. Their land had many towns, and each town had names that the people remembered. God had given them a good place to live, and they could now plant, build, and raise their families there.
Read It Together
Joshua 18:1
The whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled themselves together at Shiloh, and set up the Tent of Meeting there. The land was subdued before them.
(WEB)
Point out that the people gathered together as one community to worship. Ask the children why it is good to come together with others to worship God.
Joshua 18:6
You shall survey the land into seven parts, and bring the description here to me; and I will cast lots for you here before the LORD our God.
(WEB)
Show the children that Joshua told the people to bring the description to him and that God would decide with them. Explain that waiting on God’s direction is an act of faith.
Joshua 18:10
Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD. There Joshua divided the land to the children of Israel according to their divisions.
(WEB)
Help the children see that Joshua cast lots before the LORD, showing that God was the one who gave each family its share. Remind them that good things come from God’s hand.
Talk About It
- What do you think the people felt when they finally saw their own land?
- Why did Joshua want the people to stop waiting and start moving forward?
- How did the men who walked through the land help everyone else?
- What is something God has given you that makes you thankful?
- When is it hard for you to take the first step toward something good?
Activity Ideas
Draw a Map of Your Own Land
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a pencil. Ask each child to draw a simple map of their home, yard, or classroom, and then to draw a “promised” spot they would love to have. Let them label the places in their map with simple words. Talk about how God gives us places to live and grow.
Walk the Land Game
You will need a open space, a few small cups or boxes, and a handful of paper slips. Hide the paper slips around the room like “land.” Have the children walk around, look carefully, and bring back one slip each time. Explain that just like the men who walked the land, they were looking carefully and reporting back to the group.
Promise Keeper Card
You will need index cards, markers, and a small ribbon or string. Let each child write one thing God has promised to do on the card, such as “God is with me.” Punch a hole in the corner, tie on the ribbon, and let them take it home. Encourage them to read the card each day this week.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that God is faithful to fulfill His promises and that He works through the faithfulness and obedience of His people. The people had to act on God’s word, and God guided them through the process of dividing the land. It also reminds us that God is the one who gives us our inheritance, not our own efforts alone.
Avoid overstating the details of the boundaries and town names to children. Keep the focus on God’s faithfulness and the people’s trust, rather than trying to explain every place name on the map.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You that You keep Your promises and give us good things. Help us to trust You when we are waiting and to take brave steps when You call us forward. Thank You for the homes and families You give us. We love You. Amen.
