Leviticus 6 teaches children that when we do wrong, we should make things right with the people we hurt and bring our sorrow to God. This lesson suits children aged 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
When we hurt someone, we make it right, and we trust God to forgive us and help us do better.
Memory Verse
Leviticus 6:5
Or any thing about which he has sworn falsely; he shall restore it even in full, and shall add a fifth part more to it. He shall return it to him to whom it belongs in the day of his being found guilty.
(WEB)
Teach children to hold both hands out flat, then turn them over and back, showing “giving back what we took.” Repeat the verse together while making the motion each time you say the word “restore” or “return.”
The Story: Leviticus 6 for Kids
God spoke to Moses one day and gave him rules for His people. These rules were about what to do when someone did something wrong. Sometimes a person would take something that did not belong to him, or he would lie to a neighbor to get what he wanted.
God said that the person who did wrong must first admit what he had done. Then he had to give back the thing he had taken. He also had to add an extra part on top of it, as a way of showing he was sorry. God wanted people to fix the harm they had caused.
Next, the person had to bring a special gift to the priest. This gift was a healthy ram from the flock. The priest would pray for him before the LORD. God said, in simple words, that the person would be forgiven for the wrong he had done.
God also gave Moses instructions for the priests, Aaron and his sons. He told them that the fire on the altar must never go out. Every morning the priests were to clean away the ashes and keep the fire burning. The fire was a sign that God’s people always belonged to Him.
The priests also had special meals and offerings they were to eat in a holy place. God told them that these offerings were set apart for Him. Everything about worship was to be treated with care and respect.
So the chapter teaches that God cares about fairness, honesty, and faithful worship. He wants His people to make wrongs right and to keep their hearts close to Him.
Read It Together
Leviticus 6:2-3
2 “If anyone sins, and commits a trespass against the LORD, and deals falsely with his neighbor in a matter of deposit, or of bargain, or of robbery, or has oppressed his neighbor, 3 or has found that which was lost, and dealt falsely therein, and swearing to a lie; in any of these things that a man does, sinning therein…
(WEB)
Point out that the chapter begins with a real example of wrong, like cheating or taking something that is not ours. Ask children to notice that God sees even the wrongs no one else sees, and that He takes them seriously.
Leviticus 6:6-7
6 He shall bring his trespass offering to the LORD, a ram without defect from the flock, according to your estimation, for a trespass offering, to the priest. 7 The priest shall make atonement for him before the LORD, and he will be forgiven concerning whatever he does to become guilty.”
(WEB)
Show children that the person did not fix things alone. He brought his gift to the priest, and God promised forgiveness. Explain that God is always ready to forgive when we come to Him honestly and sorry.
Leviticus 6:12-13
12 The fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it, it shall not go out; and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning: and he shall lay the burnt offering in order upon it, and shall burn on it the fat of the peace offerings. 13 Fire shall be kept burning on the altar continually; it shall not go out.
(WEB)
Point out the fire that must never go out. Explain that this shows God’s presence stays with His people, every morning and every day, and that He is always faithful to us.
Talk About It
- What is something you could do to make things right with someone you hurt?
- Why do you think God wants people to say they are sorry and fix the harm they caused?
- How does it feel to know that God forgives us when we come to Him honestly?
- What did the fire on the altar remind God’s people about?
- How can you show God that you want to be honest and fair this week?
Activity Ideas
Draw a Fire on the Altar
You will need paper, crayons, and glue sticks. Ask each child to draw a simple altar and then add a bright orange and yellow fire on top. Talk together about how the fire was never supposed to go out, and how God’s love for us is always burning. Let children take their drawings home.
Make It Right Relay
You will need two baskets and a few small toys or books. Set the baskets at opposite ends of the room. Children race to carry an item from one basket to the other, then run back and “return” it to the first basket. Explain that making things right means giving back what we took. Cheer each child who finishes the race.
Forgiveness Bookmark
You will need cardstock, markers, and a hole punch with a piece of yarn. Have each child write “God forgives me” on one side and draw a heart on the other. Punch a hole at the top and tie the yarn through it. Encourage children to use the bookmark at home as a reminder that God is ready to forgive when we are sorry.
Teacher Notes
For adults, Leviticus 6 shows that God cares about justice, honesty, and the way we treat our neighbors, not only about religious ritual. The offerings pointed toward the holiness of God and the need for atonement, which Christians understand is fulfilled in Jesus. Reading the chapter with care helps adults see that sin harms relationships as well as our standing before God.
Avoid overstating to children that a gift or ritual automatically earns forgiveness. Keep the focus on God’s faithfulness and on the heart that confesses and seeks to make things right, so children do not come away thinking they can buy God’s favor.
A Prayer to Close
Father, thank You for being fair and kind. Help us be honest when we make mistakes, and help us make things right with the people we hurt. Thank You that You forgive us when we come to You sorry. Keep our hearts close to You every day. Amen.
