This lesson teaches children that God tells the truth and keeps his promises, even when his people forget him. It suits children aged 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach, including the activity.
Big Idea
God always keeps his word. He told his people what would happen, and he kept his promise to take care of them, even when they were not listening.
Memory Verse
Isaiah 48:17
The LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way that you should go.
(WEB)
Teach the children to put one hand on their heart and then point up to the sky while they say the verse. Repeat it three times, getting a little quieter each time, until everyone can say it with their eyes closed.
The Story: Isaiah 48 for Kids
God spoke to his people, the family of Jacob, who were also called Israel. They had come out of the waters of Judah, and they often said they belonged to God. But they did not always mean what they said. Their hearts were stubborn, like hard iron and cold brass.
God wanted them to know that he was the one in charge. Long before anything happened, he told them what he was going to do. He said it so they could not later claim that their idols had made it happen. God said, “I told you these things so you would know that I am the one who did them.”
God also told them about new things he was going to do, things they had never heard before. He had a plan to bring his people out of trouble. He would use a king named Cyrus to set his people free from the land of Babylon. Then they would sing and shout the good news all the way to the ends of the earth.
God reminded them that he had cared for them in the wilderness. When they were thirsty in the desert, he made water flow out of a rock for them. He was kind to them even when they had not been kind to him. He said, “Oh, that you had listened to my commands!” Their peace would have been like a river that never runs dry.
God loves his people, and he is faithful. He is the one who leads us on the right path. He does not change his mind about the good things he promised. This is the good news that God wanted his people to remember.
Read It Together
Isaiah 48:20-21
20 Leave Babylon! Flee from the Chaldeans! With a voice of singing announce this, tell it even to the end of the earth: say, “The LORD has redeemed his servant Jacob!” 21 They didn’t thirst when he led them through the deserts. He caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them. He split the rock also, and the waters gushed out.
(WEB)
Show the children how God cared for his people in the desert, bringing them water from a rock. Explain that this was a true story that reminds us God takes care of us even in hard places.
Isaiah 48:10
Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver. I have chosen you in the furnace of affliction.
(WEB)
Help the children understand that God refined his people like someone who makes silver pure through fire. Explain that God’s discipline is never meant to hurt us but to make us more like him.
Talk About It
- What did God tell his people before those things happened, and why do you think he did that?
- How did God take care of his people when they were thirsty in the desert?
- What are some ways you can show God that you want to listen to what he says?
- Why is it good to know that God always keeps his promises?
- What is one new thing you learned about God from this story today?
Activity Ideas
Rock and Water Painting
You will need a few flat stones, washable paint, paper, and a cup of water. Let each child paint a rock blue or brown, then dip a paintbrush in water and draw a stream flowing from the top of their rock. As they paint, talk about how God brought water out of a rock for his people in the desert.
Promise Keeper Game
You will need a blindfold and a small object like a shoe or a toy. Have one child hide the object in the room while another child listens for clues from the rest of the group. Each time the seeker gets closer, the group says “God keeps his promises!” Explain that just as the seeker kept searching until they found it, God keeps going with his plans for us.
Take-Home Promise Card
You will need index cards, crayons, and a pen. Have each child write or draw one promise God has made, such as “God leads me” or “God takes care of me,” on the card. Encourage them to place the card on their bedside table or in their backpack so they can read it each morning and remember that God is faithful.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that God is the true God who speaks first and then acts. He tells his people what he will do so they can trust him and not the idols they are tempted to serve. God is shown as patient and merciful, holding back his anger for the sake of his own name and his people’s good.
With children, avoid overstating the idea that God only blesses people who obey him perfectly. Keep the focus on God’s faithfulness and his desire for us to listen, rather than suggesting that every hard thing is a punishment for something we did wrong.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank you that you always keep your promises and that you lead us on the right path. Help us to listen to your words and trust you when things feel hard. Thank you for taking care of us like you cared for your people long ago. Amen.
