Jeremiah 10 teaches children that the Lord is the one true God, and idols made of wood, silver and gold cannot save or help anyone. This lesson is for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
God is real, strong and alive, and he is the only God worth trusting. Things people make with their hands cannot hear, speak or help us.
Memory Verse
Jeremiah 10:10
But the LORD is the true God. He is the living God, and an everlasting King. At his wrath, the earth trembles. The nations aren’t able to withstand his indignation.
(WEB)
Hold both arms up high like a tall tree, then slowly bring them down while saying “The Lord is the true God.” Ask the children to copy you, and repeat it three times, getting a little louder each time.
The Story: Jeremiah 10 for Kids
Long ago, God spoke to his people, the nation of Israel, through a prophet named Jeremiah. God told them not to copy the way other nations lived. Those nations made idols, which are statues of gods, out of wood. A worker would cut down a tree, then cover the wood with silver and gold so it looked shiny and special.
The idols had nails and hammers to hold them in place so they would not fall over. People had to carry them from place to place, because the idols could not walk. They could not talk, and they could not do anything good or bad. God told his people, “Do not be afraid of them.”
Then God reminded his people about who he is. He made the earth, the sky, the rain and the wind. His voice makes the waters roar in the heavens. He is the living God who rules forever, and the whole earth shakes when he is angry.
The prophet Jeremiah also spoke about his own sadness. He felt hurt and worried for his people, and he felt like his home had been torn apart. He prayed to God and asked him to correct him gently, not in anger. Jeremiah trusted that God would still take care of his people.
Read It Together
Jeremiah 10:6
There is no one like you, the LORD. You are great, and your name is great in might.
(WEB)
Point out the words “There is no one like you, the LORD.” Explain that nothing else can be compared to God, because he is greater than anything we can see or touch.
Jeremiah 10:12
God has made the earth by his power. He has established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding has he stretched out the heavens.
(WEB)
Show the children that God made the whole earth by his power and wisdom. Ask them to look out a window or at a picture of nature and name one thing God made.
Jeremiah 10:23
The LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself. It is not in man who walks to direct his steps.
(WEB)
Explain that people cannot direct their own steps in the way that God can. Help the children see that we need God to guide us each day, just as a child holds a parent’s hand when crossing a street.
Talk About It
- What is something people made that they thought was special, and how can we tell it is not God?
- What did God make in the sky or on the earth that shows how powerful he is?
- Why do you think the idols could not walk, talk or help anyone?
- How does it feel to know that God is always with us and never sleeps?
- What is one way we can trust God instead of trusting things we own?
Activity Ideas
Draw a Living God and a Silent Idol
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a pencil. Ask each child to draw a picture of something God made, such as a tree or the sun, next to a drawing of a pretend idol with a big gold crown. Talk about how the living thing can grow and move, while the idol just sits there.
Statue Freeze Game
Choose one child to be the “idol” and freeze in a silly pose without speaking or moving. Then ask the others to shout out, “Can you talk? Can you walk? Can you help us?” When the children see the idol cannot respond, have them stand tall and shout, “The Lord is the true God!”
Take-Home Promise Card
You will need an index card or scrap paper, a marker and a small stick of tape. Have each child write or draw one thing God has made, then tape the card to a bathroom mirror or inside a shoe. Encourage the family to read it together each morning as a reminder that God is the one we trust.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter is a warning against trusting anything that cannot save, such as wealth, status or man-made objects. It also shows that the Lord is far greater than any created thing and deserves complete trust. Jeremiah’s honest sorrow and his plea for gentle correction show that God welcomes our real feelings when we bring them to him.
Avoid overstating to children that every object is an idol or that making things is wrong. The point is that God alone deserves our worship and trust, and that human-made idols cannot help us. Keep the focus on God’s greatness and faithfulness rather than on fear of statues.
A Prayer to Close
Lord, you are the true God, and you are alive and strong forever. Help us to trust you and not things we make or own. Guide our steps each day, and help us remember that you made the sky, the earth and everything in it. Amen.
