This lesson teaches children that God wants His people to keep their lights burning and to live in a way that honors His name. It works for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes, including a short story and a simple activity.
Big Idea
God wants us to keep His light shining, and He wants us to treat His name with respect. Everything we do can show that we belong to Him.
Memory Verse
Leviticus 24:2
“Command the children of Israel, that they bring to you pure olive oil beaten for the light, to cause a lamp to burn continually.
(WEB)
Ask the children to hold up both hands like a little lamp, then slowly lift them above their heads and wiggle their fingers like flickering flames. Say the verse together while they keep the flame moving.
The Story: Leviticus 24 for Kids
God spoke to Moses and gave him an important job to pass along. He told Moses to ask the people of Israel to bring pure olive oil, the clear, golden kind, so that a lamp could burn in the Tent of Meeting all the time. Aaron, the priest, was in charge of keeping that lamp lit from evening until morning, every single night.
God also told Moses about bread for the table inside the Tent. The priests were to bake twelve loaves of fine flour and set them out in two rows, six in each row, on a gold table before the Lord. Every Sabbath day, the bread was replaced with fresh bread, and the old bread was eaten by Aaron and his sons in a holy place. The Lord said this was a gift that would last forever.
Then something sad happened. A young man whose mother was Israelite and whose father was Egyptian got into a fight with another man in the camp. In his anger he said terrible things about God’s name. People brought him to Moses, and they waited, because nobody yet knew what God wanted done.
God spoke to Moses again. He said, “Bring that man out of the camp. Let everyone who heard him place their hands on his head, and then the people will carry out the punishment.” God made it clear that anyone who cursed His name would have to face the consequences, and that the same rules applied to the foreigner and the native-born alike.
The people did exactly what God had said. They took the young man outside the camp and carried out the punishment. Moses reminded everyone that the Lord was their God, and the people obeyed. This was a serious moment, and it taught Israel how holy God’s name is.
Read It Together
Leviticus 24:3-4
3 Outside of the veil of the Testimony, in the Tent of Meeting, shall Aaron keep it in order from evening to morning before the LORD continually: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations. 4 He shall keep in order the lamps on the pure gold lamp stand before the LORD continually.
(WEB)
Point out that the lamp was tended from evening to morning, every night, without stopping. Show children that faithful, steady care is something God values, and that serving Him often means doing small things again and again.
Leviticus 24:8
Every Sabbath day he shall set it in order before the LORD continually. It is an everlasting covenant on the behalf of the children of Israel.
(WEB)
Explain that the bread was set out every Sabbath, which means on a regular, dependable schedule. Help children see that God’s promises and His gifts are reliable, and that He is faithful to His people over and over.
Leviticus 24:22
You shall have one kind of law for the foreigner as well as the native-born; for I am the LORD your God.’”
(WEB)
Point out that God gave the same law to the foreigner and the native-born. Tell children that God cares about everyone and that He wants every person to be treated fairly, no matter where they came from.
Talk About It
- What do you think it means to keep a light burning in your heart?
- Why do you think God wanted the lamp to stay lit every single night?
- How can you show respect for God’s name in the words you choose?
- What is one small thing you can do again and again to serve God?
- Why do you think God treats everyone fairly, no matter where they come from?
Activity Ideas
Paper Lampstand Craft
You will need paper, yellow and orange crayons or markers, scissors, and glue. Have each child draw a tall lampstand with a flame at the top, then color the flame bright yellow and orange. Let them write or draw a word for how they can keep their light shining this week.
Bread and Light Relay
Set two rows of six paper plates on the floor at one end of the room, and place a flashlight at the other end. Children take turns carrying a paper plate across the room and setting it in the correct row, then returning to tag the next player. Finish by turning on the flashlight and saying, “God keeps His light burning.”
Light at Home Reminder
You will need a small battery tea light or flashlight and an index card. Ask each child to write or draw one way they will show God’s light at home, then tape the card to the flashlight. Encourage them to switch on the light each morning as a reminder to shine for Jesus.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows God’s care for His worship and holiness. The lamp, the bread, and the careful instructions all point to a God who is orderly, faithful, and deeply concerned that His people honor Him. The passage also reveals His justice and His fairness, since the same law applied to everyone in the community.
Be careful not to make the punishment in this chapter the main focus for young children, and do not suggest that children should carry out any kind of punishment. Keep the emphasis on God’s holiness, His faithfulness, and His call for us to speak about Him with respect.
A Prayer to Close
Father, thank You for keeping Your light burning for us. Help us to be faithful in small things, to speak Your name with respect, and to treat everyone with fairness and love. Help us shine for You every day. Amen.
