This lesson teaches children that God gives every person special gifts to use for Him, and that He also gives us a day of rest. It is designed for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes, including the story, a verse, and a short activity.
Big Idea
God gives skills to His people, and He wants them to work hard and also rest. Both are good gifts from Him.
Memory Verse
Exodus 31:3
And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all kinds of workmanship…
(WEB)
Read the verse slowly and point to your head on the word wisdom. Then hold your hands out like you are holding a tool, and move them back and forth like you are building something. Ask the children to do the motions with you as they say the words.
The Story: Exodus 31 for Kids
Moses was on top of a mountain called Sinai, and God was talking to him. God had a special job for the people of Israel. They were going to build a holy tent where God could be close to them, called the Tent of Meeting. It would need beautiful things made of gold, silver, and bronze, and it would need carved wood and shiny stones.
God chose a man named Bezalel to lead the work. God filled Bezalel with His Spirit, which gave him wisdom and understanding. God also picked a helper named Oholiab. God said that He had put wisdom in the hearts of many skillful people, so they could make everything He asked for.
Then God gave Moses an important reminder. He said, “Keep my Sabbath, because it is a sign between you and me.” The Sabbath was a special day of rest. The people were to work for six days, but on the seventh day they were to stop and rest, because God rested on the seventh day too.
When God finished talking with Moses on the mountain, He gave him two stone tablets. God had written on them with His own finger. These tablets were a reminder of the promises God made to His people.
Read It Together
Exodus 31:1-2
1 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Behold, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah…
(WEB)
Point out that God called Bezalel by name. Ask the children to notice that God knew Bezalel personally, and that God knows each of them by name too.
Exodus 31:13
“Speak also to the children of Israel, saying, ‘Most certainly you shall keep my Sabbaths: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you.
(WEB)
Show the children that the Sabbath is a sign, something that helps people remember God. Explain that God wants His people to know Him and to be set apart for Him.
Exodus 31:17
It is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.’”
(WEB)
Point out that God rested on the seventh day after creating everything. Explain that rest is part of God’s plan, and that it is good for us to rest too.
Talk About It
- What is one thing you are good at, and how could you use it to help others?
- Why do you think God gave Bezalel wisdom and understanding?
- How does it feel to rest after you have worked hard for a long time?
- What can your family do together on a day of rest to honor God?
- Why do you think God wanted His people to remember the Sabbath?
Activity Ideas
Build a Paper Tent
You will need construction paper, scissors, tape, and crayons or markers. Help the children fold a sheet of paper into a simple tent shape and tape the sides together. Let them decorate the outside with gold and silver lines, like the beautiful things God asked the people to make. Talk about how God wanted His people to make a place to meet with Him.
Work and Rest Game
Choose a leader who calls out “Work!” and “Rest!” Children should move around the room, pretend to hammer or carve, when they hear “Work!” and freeze with their hands on their heads when they hear “Rest!” Play for a few minutes, then talk about how work and rest both matter to God.
Sabbath Reminder Card
Give each child an index card and crayons. Ask them to draw a picture of something they can do on a day of rest to honor God, like going to church, praying, or sharing a meal with family. Let them take the card home and put it on the fridge or by their bed as a reminder of the Sabbath.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that God cares about both creativity and rest. He gives people skills for meaningful work, and He invites us to stop and remember that He is the One who sustains us. The Sabbath was a sign of the covenant relationship between God and Israel, and Christians see this rest as pointing toward the peace we find in Christ.
Be careful not to make children feel that they must earn God’s love by working hard or by keeping rules perfectly. Make it clear that rest is a gift and that God delights in His people, not just in what they do.
A Prayer to Close
Father, thank You for the gifts You give us and for the rest You give us each week. Help us use our skills to love and serve others, and help us remember to rest in You. Thank You for knowing each of us by name. Amen.
