This lesson teaches children that God rescues people who trust Him, even when everything around them is wrong. It suits children aged 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes. Because Genesis 19 contains some very hard material, the teacher should plan to tell the rescue part of the story and keep the later events brief and age-appropriate.
Big Idea
God keeps His promises and rescues the people who trust Him, even when they are scared and don’t understand what is happening.
Memory Verse
Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
(WEB)
Have the children cup both hands together in front of their chest, then lift them up over their heads like a shelter. Say the verse together while they hold the shelter position. Repeat it three times, lowering and raising the hands each time.
The Story: Genesis 19 for Kids
Two angels came to the city of Sodom in the evening. Lot was sitting at the city gate, and when he saw the visitors he got up and bowed low to meet them. He invited them to his home to wash their feet and stay the night. They agreed, and Lot made them a warm meal with bread that had no yeast in it.
Before they went to bed, the men of Sodom came to Lot’s door. They were full of wickedness, and they wanted to hurt the visitors. Lot went out and asked them to stop, but they pushed hard against the door. Then the angels pulled Lot back inside and shut the door, and the men outside could not find it.
The angels told Lot that God was going to destroy the city because the people had become so wicked. They said, “Get up! Get out of this place!” Lot tried to warn his sons-in-law, but they laughed and thought he was joking. In the morning the angels urged Lot to hurry. Lot hesitated, so the angels took him, his wife, and his two daughters by the hand and led them out of the city. The Lord was merciful to them.
The angels said, “Escape for your life! Don’t look back!” Lot asked to go to a small city nearby, and the angel agreed to spare it. Lot reached Zoar just as the sun rose over the land. Then the Lord sent fire and sulfur down from the sky on Sodom and Gomorrah.
Lot’s wife looked back at the burning city, and she became a pillar of salt. Early the next morning, Abraham looked out toward the cities and saw smoke rising like the smoke of a furnace. God had remembered Abraham and had brought Lot out safely.
Lot went to live in the mountains with his two daughters, because he was afraid to stay in Zoar. The story also tells of hard and sad things that happened after this. Teachers can briefly say that these events are not a good example for us, and that the main point of the chapter is how God rescued Lot.
Read It Together
Genesis 19:16
But he lingered; and the men grabbed his hand, his wife’s hand, and his two daughters’ hands, the LORD being merciful to him; and they took him out, and set him outside of the city.
(WEB)
Point out that Lot hesitated, but the men took him by the hand and led him out. Explain that God was merciful and rescued Lot even when Lot was slow to leave. Ask children what it means that God helps people who are slow to obey.
Genesis 19:17
It came to pass, when they had taken them out, that he said, “Escape for your life! Don’t look behind you, and don’t stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be consumed!”
(WEB)
Show children the instruction to escape and not look behind. Explain that when God says to go, we run to Him and do not look back at the things we are leaving. Ask the children what things they might need to leave behind in order to follow God.
Genesis 19:29
When God destroyed the cities of the plain, God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the middle of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot lived.
(WEB)
Point out that God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the destruction. Explain that God remembers and cares for the people who love Him. Ask children to name someone who cares about them and remembers them.
Talk About It
- What did Lot do when the angels came to visit him?
- How do you think Lot felt when the men of the city came to his door?
- Why do you think Lot was slow to leave the city, and what helped him get out?
- What did the angels tell Lot to do, and why was it important to do it quickly?
- How can you run to God when you feel scared or unsure about what to do?
Activity Ideas
Draw a Safe Shelter
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a pencil. Ask each child to draw a picture of a small house or tent with a strong door and a safe place inside. Ask them to write or draw a small figure of themselves going inside with God close by. Talk about how God is a safe place for His people.
Run to the Mountain
You will need a few chairs or cones to mark a starting line and a finish line in the room. Explain that the finish line is the safe mountain, and the children must run to it without looking back. Play a round where you call out “Go!” and everyone runs. Afterward, talk about how God calls us to follow Him with our whole heart.
Salt and Light Snack
You will need crackers, a small dish of salt, and cups of water. Give each child a cracker and a small pinch of salt to sprinkle on top. Talk about how Lot’s wife looked back and became a pillar of salt, and how God wants us to look forward to Him. Remind the children that God’s promises are sure and that He is always ready to help them.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this passage shows God’s justice against great wickedness alongside His mercy toward those who trust Him. The angels’ rescue of Lot reveals that God acts to protect His people even when they are reluctant. The chapter also shows the seriousness of looking back to the things God has called us to leave behind.
Avoid overstating to children the details of the sins described in this chapter, or suggesting that the events are a model to imitate. Keep the focus on God’s rescue, His faithfulness to Abraham, and the call to follow Him without looking back.
A Prayer to Close
Dear Lord, thank You that You are our safe place when we feel scared. Help us to run to You when we are unsure, and to trust You even when we don’t understand what is happening around us. Thank You for remembering us and for rescuing us. Help us to follow You every day. Amen.
