This lesson teaches children that God is the one they should trust, not the things they make or the strength they think they have. It is designed for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
God is our strong rock and our Maker. When we forget Him and trust in things that cannot save us, we can look back to Him and find real help.
Memory Verse
Isaiah 17:7
In that day, people will look to their Maker, and their eyes will have respect for the Holy One of Israel.
(WEB)
Have children cup their hands in front of their eyes, then slowly lift their heads and open their hands wide as they say “look to our Maker.” The motion shows looking away from small things and up to God.
The Story: Isaiah 17 for Kids
Long ago, a prophet named Isaiah wrote a message about the city of Damascus. Damascus was a famous, strong city in the land of Syria. God told Isaiah that a day was coming when the city would be broken down into a heap of ruins. Its strong walls would not keep it safe.
The people of Israel were also facing hard times. God said that their wealth and strength would become thin, like a field after the harvest is gathered. Only a few small pieces would be left, like a few olives hanging on the top of a tree. The people had been turning away from God and trusting in idols they had made with their own hands.
But God did not leave His people without hope. He said that in that day, people would finally look up to their Maker. They would stop trusting in the things they had made and start respecting the Holy One of Israel. God is the one who can truly keep us safe.
God reminded them that He is the rock of their strength. He said, “You have forgotten the God who saves you.” When people forget God, they often plant their hopes in things that cannot grow a good harvest. But God is faithful, and He can always bring His people back to Him.
Isaiah shared that God is the one who rebukes the nations that rush against His people. When the enemies come like crashing waves, God can send them running away like chaff blown by the wind. By evening, the terror is gone, and God has kept His people safe.
Read It Together
Isaiah 17:6
Yet gleanings will be left there, like the shaking of an olive tree, two or three olives in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outermost branches of a fruitful tree,” says the LORD, the God of Israel.
(WEB)
Point out that even when most of the harvest is gone, God still leaves something behind. Explain that God does not forget His people, even in a season of loss. Help children notice the small pieces that remain.
Isaiah 17:8
They will not look to the altars, the work of their hands; neither shall they respect that which their fingers have made, either the Asherah poles, or the incense altars.
(WEB)
Ask children what kinds of things people sometimes trust instead of God. Explain that this verse warns against trusting things people make with their hands. Let them name a few things that can distract us from God today.
Isaiah 17:10
For you have forgotten the God of your salvation, and have not remembered the rock of your strength. Therefore you plant pleasant plants, and set out foreign seedlings.
(WEB)
Point out the words about forgetting and remembering. Explain that God is our rock and our strength, and that He wants us to remember Him every day. Ask children how they might remember God during their day.
Talk About It
- What is something people might trust in instead of God?
- How does it feel to know God is strong enough to keep us safe?
- What does it mean that God is our Maker?
- What can we do when we notice we have forgotten God?
- How can we look to God during a hard day?
Activity Ideas
Rock and Tree Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a few small stones if you have them. Have each child draw a large rock in the center of the page and write the words “God is our strength” near it. Then let them draw a small tree with a few olives or leaves on the top branch, reminding them that God keeps what remains. Display the pictures on the wall as a class reminder.
Look Up Game
Gather the children in a circle. Call out things we might trust, like a toy, a pile of money, or a favorite game. When you call out one of those things, children should look down and shake their heads. When you call out “God our Maker,” children should look up at the ceiling and raise their hands. This helps children practice looking to God instead of other things.
Family Reminder Jar
You will need an empty jar, paper, and a pen. Ask each family member to write one way they can look to God this week, then fold the paper and place it in the jar. Each evening, have someone pull out a slip and read it together. This simple habit helps the family remember God every day.
Teacher Notes
This passage shows that God alone is our true strength and security. The people of Israel and Damascus had trusted in their cities, their harvests, and the idols their hands had made, but none of those things could save them. For adults, the chapter invites a daily check of where we place our trust, and a turning back to the Lord who remembers and keeps His people.
Avoid overstating the idea that God will always protect us from every hard thing in life. The chapter speaks of God’s judgment on nations and of a season of loss for Israel. Children should hear that God is faithful and strong, while being gently honest that He does not promise every earthly outcome.
A Prayer to Close
Lord, thank You for being our Maker and our strong rock. Help us not to trust in things that cannot help us. When we forget You, remind us to look up to You. Keep us close to You every day. Amen.
