This lesson teaches children that God sees every wrong thing and will deal with it, and that He is able to remove sin from His people’s land. It works well for children ages 5 to 11, and it takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
God sees all wrong things, and He will remove them. Nothing hidden can stay hidden from Him, and He is faithful to clean up what is bad.
Memory Verse
Zechariah 5:4
I will cause it to go out,” says the LORD of Armies, “and it will enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him who swears falsely by my name; and it will remain in the middle of his house, and will destroy it with its timber and its stones.”
(WEB)
Hold both hands flat in front of you, then slowly sweep them outward like a big broom. Say the verse together while you sweep, showing that God’s word goes out and clears away what is wrong.
The Story: Zechariah 5 for Kids
Zechariah was a prophet who lived after God’s people returned home from a long time away in another land. One night he had a series of strange pictures, and the first one was a giant scroll flying through the air. It was very big, longer than a house and wider than a car. An angel who was talking with Zechariah asked him what he saw.
The angel explained that the scroll was a curse going out over the whole land. It was meant for people who steal and for people who lie in God’s name. The angel said God would send it into their homes, and it would stay there and destroy what was inside.
Then Zechariah saw another picture. It was a large basket, called an ephah, and a heavy lead cover was lifted on top of it. Inside the basket sat a woman. The angel said her name was Wickedness. He pushed her down into the basket and closed the heavy lead lid over her mouth so she could not get out.
Next, Zechariah looked up and saw two women with wings like a stork’s wings. They lifted the basket up high, up between the earth and the sky. Zechariah was curious and asked the angel where they were taking it. The angel answered that they were taking it to the land of Shinar, to build it a house. There Wickedness would stay in her own place.
So the lesson of these pictures is simple. God knows exactly what is wrong in His world, and He is able to deal with it completely. He is not afraid of sin, and He does not let it stay where it does not belong.
Read It Together
Zechariah 5:1-2
1 Then again I lifted up my eyes, and saw, and behold, a flying scroll. 2 He said to me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a flying scroll; its length is twenty cubits, and its width ten cubits.”
(WEB)
Point out that Zechariah looked up and saw something, and that God shows him what is coming. Ask the children what it means that God can show things to His servants. Remind them that God sees everything before it happens.
Zechariah 5:5-8
5 Then the angel who talked with me came forward, and said to me, “Lift up now your eyes, and see what is this that is appearing.” 6 I said, “What is it?” He said, “This is the ephah basket that is appearing.” He said moreover, “This is their appearance in all the land 7 (and behold, a talent of lead was lifted up); and this is a woman sitting in the middle of the ephah basket.” 8 He said, “This is Wickedness”; and he threw her down into the middle of the ephah basket; and he threw the weight of lead on its mouth.
(WEB)
Show how the angel helps Zechariah understand the pictures, and how the woman is named Wickedness. Explain that God does not pretend sin is small. He puts it in a place where it cannot hurt His people anymore.
Zechariah 5:9-11
9 Then lifted I up my eyes, and saw, and behold, there were two women, and the wind was in their wings. Now they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the ephah basket between earth and the sky. 10 Then I said to the angel who talked with me, “Where are these carrying the ephah basket?” 11 He said to me, “To build her a house in the land of Shinar. When it is prepared, she will be set there in her own place.”
(WEB)
Point to the two women who carry the basket far away. Explain that God sends sin away from His people so they can live in peace. Ask the children to notice that God has a plan for where wrong things will go.
Talk About It
- What did Zechariah see in the first picture, and what did the scroll do to the homes of people who lied or stole?
- Why do you think God wanted the basket of Wickedness covered with a heavy lid?
- How does it feel to know that God sees everything, even the things nobody else sees?
- What are some ways we can choose to be honest and kind instead of stealing or lying?
- Where do you think God wants wrong things to go, and why is that good news for us?
Activity Ideas
Draw the Flying Scroll
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a ruler. Have each child draw a long scroll that is much bigger than the page, with the words “God sees all” written across it. Let them add little houses underneath to show where the curse goes. Talk about how the scroll reminds us that God knows what is happening everywhere.
Sweep Away the Wickedness
You will need a broom, a few paper cups, and a small box to act as the basket. Place some paper cups inside the box and put a lid on top to show Wickedness being shut in. Let children take turns sweeping the cups out of the room as they say the memory verse. Explain that God clears away what is wrong.
Take-Home Prayer Card
You will need an index card, a pencil, and a marker. Have each child write the memory verse on one side and draw a picture of a stork or a basket on the other. Encourage them to keep the card on the fridge or by their bed. At home they can read the verse each evening and remember that God sees and cares.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that God is holy and sees all wrong, both public and private. It also shows that He is committed to removing sin from His people and from the land. The vision points forward to God’s justice and His power to deal with evil completely.
When teaching children, avoid overstating how this passage applies to everyday punishment or to specific people. Focus instead on God’s character: He sees what is wrong, He is able to deal with it, and He loves His people enough to clean up what would hurt them.
A Prayer to Close
Father, thank You that You see everything, even the things nobody else sees. Help us to be honest and kind, and to choose what is good. Thank You that You can clear away what is wrong and keep Your people safe. We trust You to take care of us every day. Amen.
