In this lesson, children learn that God keeps His promises and that He is always with His people, even after a long and hard time. Ezekiel 48 ends the book with a map of the land, the tribes, and a city where God lives among His people, and its last words give the city a new name. This lesson is for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
Big Idea
God promised His people a home, and He keeps His promises. He is always with us, so we are never alone.
Memory Verse
Ezekiel 48:35
“It shall be eighteen thousand reeds around: and the name of the city from that day shall be, ‘The LORD is there.’
(WEB)
Have the children place both hands over their heart, then point up and say “The Lord is there!” together. Repeat it three times, getting a little louder each time, and then whisper it once.
The Story: Ezekiel 48 for Kids
The prophet Ezekiel was far away from home. His people, the Israelites, had been taken to a land called Babylon because they had turned away from God. Ezekiel was sad, but God gave him a special vision of a new land that would one day belong to God’s people again.
In the vision, Ezekiel saw the land divided into long strips, one for each of the twelve tribes. Each tribe had its own place to live, and every tribe got a portion of land from north to south. Ezekiel could see that each family had a place of their own.
In the middle of the land was a holy space set apart for God. The priests, who served God in the temple, had their own special section close by. The people who worked for God, called the Levites, had a section too. Everything was measured carefully, just as God wanted.
Right in the center of the land was a city. The city had twelve gates, three on each side, and each gate was named after one of the tribes of Israel. Ezekiel saw people walking in and out of the gates, going about their days.
At the very end, the angel told Ezekiel what the city would be called. The city would be named “The Lord is there.” God’s people would have a home, and God Himself would be right there with them.
God told the people that this land was for them. He wanted them to live together, to care for one another, and to remember that He was in their midst. It was a promise of hope for everyone who was far from home.
Read It Together
Ezekiel 48:1
“Now these are the names of the tribes: From the north end, beside the way of Hethlon to the entrance of Hamath, Hazar Enan at the border of Damascus, northward beside Hamath (and they shall have their sides east and west), Dan, one portion.
(WEB)
Point out that the names of the tribes are listed from the north edge to the south. Ask the children to find the word “portion,” which means a share or piece, and explain that every tribe got its own piece of land from God.
Ezekiel 48:10-11
10 For these, even for the priests, shall be the holy offering: toward the north twenty-five thousand in length, and toward the west ten thousand in width, and toward the east ten thousand in width, and toward the south twenty-five thousand in length: and the sanctuary of the LORD shall be in the middle of it. 11 It shall be for the priests who are sanctified of the sons of Zadok, who have kept my instruction, who didn’t go astray when the children of Israel went astray, as the Levites went astray.
(WEB)
Explain that God set apart a holy place for the priests and asked them to keep His instructions. Remind the children that God notices people who stay faithful to Him, even when others do not.
Ezekiel 48:30-34
30 “These are the exits of the city: On the north side four thousand and five hundred reeds by measure; 31 and the gates of the city shall be named after the tribes of Israel, three gates northward: the gate of Reuben, one; the gate of Judah, one; the gate of Levi, one. 32 “At the east side four thousand and five hundred reeds, and three gates: even the gate of Joseph, one; the gate of Benjamin, one; the gate of Dan, one. 33 “At the south side four thousand and five hundred reeds by measure, and three gates: the gate of Simeon, one; the gate of Issachar, one; the gate of Zebulun, one. 34 “At the west side four thousand and five hundred reeds, with their three gates: the gate of Gad, one; the gate of Asher, one; the gate of Naphtali, one.
(WEB)
Show the children how the twelve gates were named after the tribes. Point out that every family of God had a place at the city, so everyone was welcome and included.
Talk About It
- What do you think it would feel like to be far away from your home, like Ezekiel and the people in Babylon?
- Why do you think God gave every tribe its own special piece of land?
- How does it make you feel to know that God wanted to live right in the middle of His people?
- What is one way you can show someone that God is with them this week?
- Why do you think God gave the city a new name, “The Lord is there”?
Activity Ideas
Draw the Tribes Map
You will need paper, crayons, and a ruler. Draw a large rectangle to stand for the land, then divide it into twelve long strips, side by side. Have each child label a strip with a tribe name, and draw a small city with twelve gates in the middle. Talk about how God placed every family in its own place.
Walk Through the Gates
You will need masking tape or chairs to make a square on the floor, with four openings on each side. Name the openings after the tribes, and let the children take turns walking in through a gate and calling out its name. End by having everyone stand in the middle and say, “The Lord is there!”
Take-Home Reminder Card
You will need an index card, a pencil, and a sticker or a crayon. Ask each child to write “The Lord is there” on the card and decorate it. Encourage them to put the card on their bedroom door or by their bed, so they can see it each day and remember that God is always with them.
Teacher Notes
For adults, Ezekiel 48 closes the book with a vision of restored land, a holy space at its center, and a city that bears a name of God’s presence. Read in full, the chapter speaks of God’s faithfulness to bring His people home and to dwell among them. The final words, “The Lord is there,” sum up the whole book of hope.
When teaching children, avoid overstating the details of the measurements or the exact layout of the land. Those specifics are hard for young children to picture, so keep the focus on the simple truth that God keeps His promises and is always with His people.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You for keeping Your promises to Your people. Thank You that You are always with us, wherever we are. Help us to remember that we are never alone, and to show Your love to others today. Amen.
