In this lesson, children learn that God calls His people to be holy, set apart for Him in how they live and what they eat. It works well for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes, including the story, a few verses, and an activity.
Big Idea
God chose His people to belong to Him, and He wants them to live in ways that show they are His special family. Because God is holy, His people can be set apart and different from others around them.
Memory Verse
Deuteronomy 14:2
For you are a holy people to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a people for his own possession, above all peoples who are on the face of the earth.
(WEB)
Put your hands on your heart and say the verse slowly. Then lift both arms up high and make a big circle with them, like a wreath, to show that God has chosen you as His very own. Do the motions together three times.
The Story: Deuteronomy 14 for Kids
Long ago, Moses spoke to the people of Israel as they prepared to enter the land God promised them. Moses reminded them that they were God’s children. God had chosen them out of all the peoples on the earth to be His own special people.
Because they belonged to God, the people were not to act like the nations around them. When someone died, they were not to cut their bodies or shave their heads in the way others did in mourning. God wanted His people to remember that they were set apart for Him.
God also gave the people rules about what they could eat. Some animals were clean and could be eaten, like the ox, the sheep, the goat, and the deer. Other animals were unclean and were not to be eaten, like the camel, the rabbit, and the pig. Fish with fins and scales were good to eat, but creatures without them were not.
God also told the people to bring a tenth of their harvest and their animals to the place He would choose. Moses said, “You shall eat there before the LORD your God, and you shall rejoice.” The people were to celebrate and remember that God provided for them. They were also told to share with the Levites, the foreigners, the fatherless, and the widows, so everyone could eat and be satisfied.
The people learned that God’s blessing came as they trusted Him, honored Him, and cared for others. God wanted them to live as a holy, joyful family that showed His goodness to the world.
Read It Together
Deuteronomy 14:1
You are the children of the LORD your God. You shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.
(WEB)
Point out that God calls His people His children. Ask the children what it means to belong to a family and how that changes the way we act. Explain that this verse begins the chapter by reminding everyone whose they are.
Deuteronomy 14:21
You shall not eat of anything that dies of itself. You may give it to the foreigner living among you who is within your gates, that he may eat it; or you may sell it to a foreigner; for you are a holy people to the LORD your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.
(WEB)
Show that God’s people were to honor Him in daily choices, and that they were to share food with the foreigner and others in need. Help the children see that God cares about kindness as well as obedience.
Deuteronomy 14:28-29
28 At the end of every three years you shall bring all the tithe of your increase in the same year, and shall store it within your gates. 29 The Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the foreigner living among you, and the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.
(WEB)
Point out the words “that the LORD your God may bless you.” Explain that when God’s people share with those who have less, they are part of how God blesses the whole community. Ask the children who in their church or neighborhood might need help.
Talk About It
- What does it mean that God chose the people of Israel to be His own special family?
- Why do you think God wanted His people to be different from the nations around them?
- How can you show that you belong to God in the way you treat your family and friends?
- Why did God want His people to share their food with others, like the Levites and widows?
- What is one way you can remember that God is holy and set apart?
Activity Ideas
Crown of Chosen Ones Craft
You will need construction paper, crayons or markers, scissors, and tape. Cut a strip of paper long enough to wrap around each child’s head, and have them decorate it with bright designs. Write “God’s Chosen Child” on the crown, then tape it to fit. Talk about how God calls His people His own while the children wear their crowns.
Clean and Unclean Movement Game
Gather the children in an open space and call out animals from the lesson. If the animal is clean, like a sheep or deer, children hop forward on two feet. If the animal is unclean, like a camel or rabbit, they freeze and say, “Set apart for God.” Mix in simple reminders that God wants His people to be different in how they live.
Take-Home Share Box
Give each child a small paper box or envelope and some dried beans or cereal pieces. Ask them to put a few pieces inside each day and give them to someone who needs help, like a neighbor or family member. Encourage the family to talk together about how sharing shows God’s care for others.
Teacher Notes
For adults, Deuteronomy 14 shows that God’s people belong to Him and are called to live in holy ways that reflect His character. The food laws and mourning practices marked Israel as a distinct community, and the chapter also highlights generosity toward the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows. Adults can see how God’s holiness shapes both worship and care for the vulnerable.
Avoid overstating the specific dietary rules as a direct guide for Christians today. Children may take away the idea that following food rules makes them holy. Instead, emphasize that God’s people are called to belong to Him, honor Him, and care for others.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You that You chose us to be Your own special family. Help us live in ways that show we belong to You, and help us share and care for others the way You care for us. Thank You for always providing for Your people. Amen.
