This lesson teaches children that God keeps His promises and that His people should obey Him, even when obeying is difficult. It suits children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
God is fair and He keeps His promises. When we follow Him, we can trust that He takes care of us and His people, even when things are hard to understand.
Memory Verse
Numbers 31:2
“Avenge the children of Israel for the Midianites. Afterward you shall be gathered to your people.”
(WEB)
Have the children stand up and point to the sky when they say the word “LORD.” Then have them cross their arms over their hearts when they say “vengeance,” showing that God is in charge of what is right. Practice it together three times.
The Story: Numbers 31 for Kids
God spoke to Moses and told him something important. The people of Midian had led the Israelites into sin, and God said it was time for Israel to act. Moses gathered twelve thousand brave men, one thousand from each tribe, and sent them to fight. Phinehas, the son of the priest Eleazar, went with them and carried the holy trumpets.
The army won the battle. They defeated the people of Midian, including their five kings. Then they brought home the captives, the animals, and the goods they had taken. Moses was upset when he saw that the soldiers had kept the Midianite women alive. He told them that these women had caused God’s people to turn away from Him.
Moses gave clear instructions. Every soldier and every captive had to stay outside the camp for seven days and wash themselves to become clean again. Their clothes and all their belongings had to be washed too. The priest Eleazar explained that gold and metal items had to pass through fire, and everything else had to be cleaned with water.
Next, God told Moses to divide all the plunder into two equal parts. The soldiers received one half, and the rest of the people received the other half. From the soldiers’ share, a small part was given to the priests as an offering to God. From the people’s share, one out of every fifty was given to the Levites, who cared for the Tabernacle.
The captains came to Moses with a gift. They said that not one of their soldiers had died in the battle. They brought gold jewelry to offer to God. Moses and Eleazar received it and placed it in the Tent of Meeting as a reminder for the Israelites.
The people of Israel saw how God protected them and kept His word. The story reminds us that God cares about His people, and that He wants us to obey Him with honest and thankful hearts.
Read It Together
Numbers 31:3-4
3 Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian, to execute the LORD’s vengeance on Midian. 4 Of every tribe one thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, you shall send to the war.”
(WEB)
Point out that Moses listened to God and then led the people to do what God asked. Ask the children how it helps to have a leader who listens carefully to God.
Numbers 31:19-20
19 “Encamp outside of the camp seven days. Whoever has killed any person, and whoever has touched any slain, purify yourselves on the third day and on the seventh day, you and your captives. 20 As to every garment, and all that is made of skin, and all work of goats’ hair, and all things made of wood, you shall purify yourselves.”
(WEB)
Show the children that God gave clear rules about becoming clean again. Explain that God cares about holiness and that He gives His people ways to make things right.
Numbers 31:49-50
49 They said to Moses, “Your servants have taken the sum of the men of war who are under our command, and there lacks not one man of us. 50 We have brought the LORD’s offering, what every man has gotten, of jewels of gold, armlets, and bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and necklaces, to make atonement for our souls before the LORD.”
(WEB)
Highlight that the captains noticed God’s protection and wanted to thank Him. Point out how they gave their gifts to God because they were grateful, not because they had to.
Talk About It
- Why do you think God wanted His people to be clean after the battle?
- How did Moses show that he was listening to God?
- What can we do to say thank you to God when He takes care of us?
- Why is it important for us to share what we have with others who serve God?
- What is one way you can trust God when something feels hard or confusing?
Activity Ideas
Gold Offering Crown Craft
You will need yellow construction paper, glue, glitter or gold foil stickers, and scissors. Cut a strip of paper long enough to wrap around each child’s head and tape it into a circle. Let the children decorate the crown with gold stickers and glitter. Talk about how the captains gave their gold jewelry to God as a thank-you gift.
Clean Up Relay Game
You will need two buckets of water, two cups, and a few plastic toys or cloth scraps to act as the things that need cleaning. Divide the children into two teams. Each child must carry a cup of water from the bucket to a bin, pouring it over a toy, and then run back to tag the next player. Explain that the people had to wash their belongings to be clean before God.
Thank You Jar at Home
You will need an empty jar, paper, and a pen or crayons. Have the child write or draw one thing God has provided each day, such as food, a home, or a friend, and place it in the jar. Read the notes together once a week. This helps children remember that God takes care of His people just as He did for Israel.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that God is just and keeps His promises, even when His instructions seem strange or severe. It also shows the importance of purity, obedience, and gratitude in the life of God’s people. Readers may want to reflect on how God’s holiness calls His people to a life of faithfulness.
When teaching children, avoid overstating the violence of the battle or the details of the captives. Keep the focus on Moses’ obedience, God’s care for His people, and the gratitude of the captains. Let the children know that the Bible is honest about hard events, and that they can always ask a trusted adult to help them understand.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You for keeping Your promises to us. Help us to listen to You and obey You, even when things are hard. Teach us to be thankful for the good things You give us. Help us trust that You take care of us every day. Amen.
