Numbers 19 teaches children that God gave His people a way to be made clean again after touching things that made them unclean, and that God cares about being clean with Him. This lesson suits children aged 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
God gave His people a special way to get clean again, and He wants us to come to Him with clean hearts.
Memory Verse
Numbers 19:19
The clean person shall sprinkle on the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day. On the seventh day, he shall purify him. He shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at evening.
(WEB)
Have the children stand up and pretend to wash their hands together, rubbing their palms and then shaking off the water. As they do it, say the verse slowly, one phrase at a time, and let them copy the washing motion each time.
The Story: Numbers 19 for Kids
Long ago, God’s people were walking through the desert on their way to a new land. God spoke to Moses and Aaron and gave them a special rule. A red cow with no spots and no marks had to be brought to the priest Eleazar. The cow was taken outside the camp, and it was burned while the priest watched. Some of its blood was sprinkled toward the Tent of Meeting seven times.
The ashes from the burned cow were gathered up and kept in a clean place outside the camp. When a person touched something that made them unclean, like a dead body, they needed to be cleaned. The priest or a clean person mixed some of these ashes with running water. Then the water was sprinkled on the unclean person on the third day and again on the seventh day.
God also told Moses that if someone touched a dead person and did not get cleaned, they could not come near God’s holy place. God wanted His people to take this seriously. He said, in simple words, that the cleaning water was for everyone who needed it, including the foreigners who lived among them.
The people did not have to guess what to do. God gave them clear steps. They were to wash their clothes, bathe with water, wait for evening, and do what God said. Each step showed that God wanted His people ready to be near Him.
This chapter may seem strange to children, so take it slowly. Point out that God was teaching His people that being close to Him mattered very much. He also made a way for them to be made clean again.
Read It Together
Numbers 19:2
“This is the statute of the law which the LORD has commanded. Tell the children of Israel to bring you a red heifer without spot, in which is no defect, and which was never yoked.
(WEB)
Point out that God gave the rule Himself, speaking to Moses and Aaron. Ask the children to notice that God is the one who decides how His people can come close to Him, and that He chose a clear, careful way to do it.
Numbers 19:11-12
11 “He who touches the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days. 12 He shall purify himself with water on the third day, and on the seventh day he shall be clean; but if he doesn’t purify himself the third day, then the seventh day he shall not be clean.
(WEB)
Explain that touching something unclean made a person need cleaning. Show how God gave a way to be cleaned on the third day and the seventh day, which tells children that God always provides a way back to Him.
Numbers 19:19-20
19 The clean person shall sprinkle on the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day. On the seventh day, he shall purify him. He shall wash his clothes and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at evening. 20 But the man who shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from among the assembly, because he has defiled the sanctuary of the LORD. The water for impurity has not been sprinkled on him. He is unclean.
(WEB)
Help children see that the cleaning was for everyone who needed it, and that God took His holy place seriously. Talk about how God wants our hearts to be clean when we come before Him.
Talk About It
- What did God ask the people to do to get clean again?
- Why do you think God wanted His people to be clean before they came near His holy place?
- How did God show that He cared about the people who lived among His own people?
- What are some things that make us feel unclean on the inside, and how can God help us?
- Why do you think God gave clear steps instead of leaving His people to guess?
Activity Ideas
Clean Hearts Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a small cup of water. Ask each child to draw a heart on paper and color it. Then have them dip a cotton ball into the water and gently dab a little clean water on the heart to show how God makes us clean. Talk together about what it means to bring a clean heart to God.
Wash and Wait Game
You will need a clear space in the room and a few small objects like blocks or balls. Call out “unclean” and have the children freeze, then call out “wash” and have them pretend to wash their hands and clothes. Finish by calling out “clean” and letting them cheer. Talk about how God gave His people clear steps to follow.
Take-Home Clean Heart Card
You will need index cards and a pencil. Have each child write or draw one thing they want to ask God to help them keep clean inside, such as being kind or telling the truth. Let them take the card home and place it somewhere they will see each day. Encourage them to pray about it together with their family.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter teaches that God is holy and that He made a clear way for His people to be cleansed when they became unclean. The ashes and water pointed to God’s care for His people and His desire that they be prepared to draw near to Him. Read the chapter with respect for its original setting and the ways it looked forward to God’s grace.
Avoid overstating the details of the ritual to children. Do not suggest that the ashes or the water had power on their own, or that children must perform these steps to be right with God. Keep the focus on God’s faithfulness and His desire for clean hearts.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You that You are holy and that You care about us. Help us keep our hearts clean and come to You with love. Thank You for showing us the way back to You when we make mistakes. Help us remember that You are always ready to make us clean. Amen.
