This lesson teaches children that God fights for His people and keeps His promises, even when the battle looks big. It is made for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes, including the story, the verses, and the activity.
Big Idea
God keeps His promises and fights for His people, so we do not need to be afraid. When the way looks scary, we can trust that He is with us.
Memory Verse
Deuteronomy 3:22
You shall not fear them; for the LORD your God himself fights for you.”
(WEB)
Have the children stand tall, then cross their arms over their chests and hold their own shoulders as they say the verse together. Hugging yourself reminds them that God holds them close. Repeat it three times, getting a little quieter each time.
The Story: Deuteronomy 3 for Kids
Moses was the leader of God’s people, the Israelites, and they had been walking through the wilderness for a long time. Now they were ready to go into a new land. First they turned toward a place called Bashan, where a big king named Og lived.
King Og came out to fight them, and he brought all his soldiers along. The Israelites must have felt nervous. But God spoke to Moses and said, “Don’t be afraid of him. I have given him into your hand.”
God kept His word. The Israelites won the battle, and they took sixty cities that belonged to King Og. Everything happened just as God had promised. The people did not win because they were strong, but because God was fighting for them.
After the victory, Moses gave land to some of the tribes, the Reubenites and the Gadites, and to half of the tribe of Manasseh. He told the men to go and help their brothers, and then to come back home to their families. God wanted everyone to have a place to live.
Moses wanted very much to go into the land himself. He asked God to let him see the good land across the Jordan River. But God said no. Instead, God told Moses to climb a mountain and look at the land from far away. God said Joshua would lead the people into the land.
Read It Together
Deuteronomy 3:2
The LORD said to me, “Don’t fear him; for I have delivered him, with all his people, and his land, into your hand. You shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.”
(WEB)
Point out that God spoke to Moses before the battle started. God told him not to be afraid, because God had already given the victory. Ask the children what God said to Moses that helped him feel brave.
Deuteronomy 3:21-22
21 I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, “Your eyes have seen all that the LORD your God has done to these two kings. So shall the LORD do to all the kingdoms where you go over. 22 You shall not fear them; for the LORD your God himself fights for you.”
(WEB)
Show the children that Moses told Joshua the same thing God had told him. Joshua had watched God win the battles, so he could trust God to win the next ones. Explain that God was going to be with Joshua just as He was with Moses.
Deuteronomy 3:26-27
26 But the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, and didn’t listen to me. The LORD said to me, “Let this satisfy you. Speak no more to me of this matter. 27 Go up to the top of Pisgah, and lift up your eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and see with your eyes; for you shall not go over this Jordan.
(WEB)
This is a hard passage, so go slowly. Explain that Moses did not get to enter the land, but God still loved him and gave him a view of the land. Tell the children that even when God says no, He is still good and still caring for us.
Talk About It
- What did God tell Moses when King Og came to fight?
- How do you think the Israelites felt before the battle, and how do you think they felt after God won it for them?
- What is something that makes you feel scared, and what can you remember about God when you feel that way?
- Why do you think God wanted the families to stay safe in their cities while the men went to help their brothers?
- How did Moses feel when God said no to him, and what can we do when we do not get what we ask God for?
Activity Ideas
Mountain View Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a picture of a mountain if you have one. Ask each child to draw a tall mountain on one side of the page and a green valley with a river on the other. Let them draw a small person on the mountain top looking across at the land. Talk together about how God let Moses see the land from far away.
Be Brave, God Fights
Clear a space in the room and invite the children to stand in one spot. Call out, “Be brave!” and have them stomp their feet. Then call out, “God fights for you!” and have them clap their hands above their heads. Mix up the actions, and each time you say “God fights for you,” let everyone cheer together.
Brave Heart Bookmark
You will need cardstock or a sheet of paper, scissors, a pencil, and some stickers if you like. Have each child cut a long rectangle, then write “God fights for me” and the memory verse reference on it. Let them decorate it with a heart or a sticker. Encourage them to use it in their Bible or storybook at home.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this passage shows God’s faithfulness in a very concrete way. God gave Israel victory over Og not by their own strength but because He had promised to do it. The chapter also shows that God’s plans sometimes include limits, as with Moses, yet He remains faithful and good in every case. Read it as a reminder that God’s promises do not depend on our size or skill.
One thing to avoid overstating to children is the violence in the story. Keep the focus on God being with His people and on trust, rather than on the destruction of the cities. You can say that the battle was hard and that God protected His people, without describing the harm in detail.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You that You keep Your promises and fight for us. Help us not to be afraid when things feel big or scary. Teach us to trust You, even when we do not understand Your plans. We love You and we trust You. Amen.
