Numbers 28 teaches children that God wants us to give Him our very best, and that He cares about offering gifts with a thankful heart. This lesson is for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach. It works well with a small group or a family around the kitchen table.
Big Idea
God wants the best from us, and He loves it when we give to Him with joy. Every gift we bring Him matters because we bring it to Him. Our offerings are a way of saying thank you.
Memory Verse
Numbers 28:2
“Command the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘See that you present my offering, my food for my offerings made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to me, in their due season.’
(WEB)
Ask children to hold their hands out in front of them, cupped together, as if carrying a gift. Then slowly lift their hands up high, like giving something to God in the sky. Say the verse together while lifting, and repeat it three times, getting a little louder each time.
The Story: Numbers 28 for Kids
God spoke to Moses one day in the wilderness, while the people of Israel were camped and traveling toward the land God had promised them. God gave Moses a message to share with everyone. He said, “Tell my people to bring me their offerings at the right time, so that my food is brought to me with a sweet smell.”
God gave very clear instructions about what to bring. Every morning and every evening, the people were to offer a young male lamb, with a little flour mixed with oil and a little wine poured out as a drink. These offerings were called burnt offerings, because they were burned on the altar and lifted up to God. The lambs had to be perfect, with no defects at all.
God also told them to remember special days. On the Sabbath, the day of rest, they were to offer two lambs. At the beginning of every month, they were to bring bulls, rams, and lambs as a special gift. God wanted His people to remember Him every single week and every single month, not just once in a while.
Then God talked about the great feasts. In the first month came the Passover, a holy day when the people remembered how God saved them. For seven days they ate bread without yeast, and on the first and seventh days they stopped their regular work and gathered together to worship God. Every day they brought special offerings.
God said, “Also, when you bring the first of your harvest to me at the Feast of Weeks, you must not do your regular work that day. Bring your offerings and worship me.” The people learned that God wanted them to bring Him the first and the best of everything they had. Each feast was a reminder that God takes care of them.
Read It Together
Numbers 28:9-10
9 “‘On the Sabbath day, you shall offer two male lambs a year old without defect, and two tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a meal offering, mixed with oil, and its drink offering: 10 this is the burnt offering of every Sabbath, besides the continual burnt offering, and its drink offering.
(WEB)
Point out that God wanted a special offering on the Sabbath day, a day set apart for rest and worship. Ask children what they think it means to set a day apart just for God. Help them see that a day of rest is also a gift from God.
Numbers 28:3
You shall tell them, ‘This is the offering made by fire which you shall offer to the LORD: male lambs a year old without defect, two day by day, for a continual burnt offering.
(WEB)
Show children that the offering had to be a lamb that was a year old and had no defects. Explain that God wanted the very best, not leftovers or broken things. Help them think of something they can bring to God that is good and whole.
Numbers 28:24
In this way you shall offer daily, for seven days, the food of the offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to the LORD. It shall be offered in addition to the continual burnt offering, and its drink offering.
(WEB)
Point out that the offerings were given every day for seven days, showing that God’s people worshiped Him again and again. Remind children that God is always worthy of our thanks, not just on special occasions.
Talk About It
- What is one good thing you have that you could share with God, and how could you do it?
- Why do you think God wanted the animals to be perfect and without any problems?
- How do you feel when someone gives you a gift that they chose carefully just for you?
- What special days does your family set apart to thank God, and what do you do on them?
- How can you show God you are thankful for Him when you are not in church?
Activity Ideas
Draw Your Best Gift
Give each child a sheet of paper, crayons or markers, and a pencil. Ask them to draw one good gift they would like to give to God, such as their favorite toy, a kind action, or a song they can sing. Let them tell the class what they drew and why it is special to them. Display the drawings on a wall as a reminder that God values our best.
Morning and Evening Movement Game
Gather the children in an open space and explain that they will play a game about the morning and evening offerings. Call out “morning” and have them stretch their arms up high, then call out “evening” and have them bring their arms down slowly to their chest. Mix up the calls faster and faster, then end by all saying together, “We give our best to God.” This helps children remember the rhythm of worship.
Take-Home Thank You Card
Provide construction paper, glue, stickers, and safety scissors. Ask each child to fold a piece of paper in half and make a card for God. Inside, they can write or draw one thing they are thankful for this week. Encourage them to place the card on the family dinner table or near their bed as a daily reminder to thank God for His goodness.
Teacher Notes
For adults, Numbers 28 shows that God set up a regular pattern of worship that involved offering something valuable to Him. The chapter reveals His holiness and His desire for His people to keep their attention on Him every day, every week, and every season. Ultimately these offerings pointed forward to the sacrifice that Christians believe Jesus later fulfilled, though a child’s lesson does not need to explore that depth.
When teaching children, avoid implying that God only loves us when we give Him something impressive or that He requires perfection from us before He accepts us. Children should understand that God delights in grateful hearts, and that the offerings in this chapter were an expression of relationship rather than a payment to earn His favor.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You for loving us and for wanting our best gifts. Help us to remember You every day and every week. Teach us to give You our thanks with joyful hearts. We love You, Lord. Amen.
