Isaiah 20 teaches children that God is the only one who can truly keep us safe, even when other people seem like the better choice. This lesson suits children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
God is the one we can really trust. When we want help from other things, we can always come back to God first, because He keeps His promises even when the people around us do not.
Memory Verse
Isaiah 20:6
The inhabitants of this coast land will say in that day, ‘Behold, this is our expectation, where we fled for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria. And we, how will we escape?’”
(WEB)
Put one hand on your heart and then lift both arms up high, like a child asking for help from a parent. Say the last words slowly while you hold your arms up. Repeat the motion together three times so the children remember it.
The Story: Isaiah 20 for Kids
A long time ago, there was a big, powerful king named Sargon who ruled a country called Assyria. He sent a soldier named Tartan to attack a city called Ashdod. Tartan fought hard, and he captured the city. Many people were scared, and they wondered who could protect them now.
God told His prophet Isaiah to do something very unusual. God said, “Take off your sackcloth and your shoes.” Isaiah obeyed, and he walked around without his outer clothes and without shoes. People must have stared at him, but Isaiah kept following what God asked him to do.
God explained why Isaiah looked so strange. For three years, Isaiah walked this way as a sign for the people of Egypt and Ethiopia. God was showing them something important that was about to happen. Their hopes were resting on these two nations to help them, but those nations could not save anyone.
God said that the king of Assyria would lead away the people of Egypt and Ethiopia as prisoners. Both young and old would walk away with nothing on their feet and no covering on their bodies. It would be a sad and shameful day for them.
The people who lived along the coast would look at what happened and feel frightened. They would say, “We ran to Egypt for help, and look what happened to them. How will we ever escape?” They had trusted the wrong helpers, and now they felt lost.
Read It Together
Isaiah 20:1
In the year that Tartan came to Ashdod, when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him, and he fought against Ashdod and took it…
(WEB)
Point out the time and place in this verse, and ask the children who the king was that sent Tartan. Explain that a real city and a real army are part of this true story. Help them see that God’s messages happened in real places with real people.
Isaiah 20:3
The LORD said, “As my servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and a wonder concerning Egypt and concerning Ethiopia…
(WEB)
Show the children that God called Isaiah “my servant” and used his life as a sign. Explain that God sometimes teaches His people by letting them see something unusual. Point out that Isaiah obeyed even when the job was hard and embarrassing.
Isaiah 20:5
They will be dismayed and confounded, because of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory.
(WEB)
Point out the two words “expectation” and “glory,” and explain that these were the things the people had hoped in. Help children see that trusting the wrong things always leads to disappointment. Remind them that God never lets down the people who trust Him.
Talk About It
- What did the people of the coast hope would save them, and why do you think they picked that?
- Why do you think God asked Isaiah to walk around without his shoes and clothes?
- What are some things people sometimes trust instead of God when they feel scared?
- How can you tell when someone or something is not strong enough to help us?
- What is one way you can show God that you trust Him this week?
Activity Ideas
Draw a Safe Place
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a pencil. Ask each child to draw a picture of a place or person they feel safe with, then draw a small heart in the corner. Talk about how God is the strongest and safest place of all. Let children share their drawings if they want to.
Shoes Off, Hands Up
You will need an open space and no special supplies. Call out “Trust!” and have the children take a step and then lift their arms high. Call out “Look away!” and have them turn in a circle and face a new direction. Play for a few minutes, then remind the children that God is always ready to help them whichever way they turn.
Safe Helper Card
You will need an index card, a marker, and a small piece of tape or a pocket for the card. Help each child write or draw one person or thing from God’s care, such as a family member, a Bible verse, or a prayer. Ask them to carry the card in a pocket or a backpack this week as a reminder that God is their true helper.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that human power and political alliances cannot finally save anyone, and the people who put their hope in Egypt and Ethiopia found that out the hard way. God uses even strange and costly signs to call His people back to Himself. The lesson reminds us that God’s faithfulness does not depend on the strength of nations or leaders.
Avoid suggesting to children that God will always rescue them from every bad thing that happens to them. Isaiah 20 speaks to nations and their false hopes, so focus on the idea that God is trustworthy and that other helpers can fail, rather than promising specific outcomes in their own lives.
A Prayer to Close
Father, thank You that You are the one we can always trust. When we feel scared or want to look to the wrong things for help, help us remember that You are strong and You keep Your promises. Teach us to come to You first every day. Amen.
