In this lesson, children learn that God loves when people keep their promises and obey him, even when it is hard. This lesson works for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
God is pleased when we keep our promises and obey him. He also wants us to listen when he speaks to us.
Memory Verse
Jeremiah 35:19
Therefore the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Jonadab the son of Rechab will not lack a man to stand before me forever.’”
(WEB)
Teach the children to cross their hearts with one finger, then hold up one finger like a promise. Each time they say the verse, they repeat the motion, so their hands remind them that God keeps his word and wants us to keep ours.
The Story: Jeremiah 35 for Kids
A long time ago, God spoke to a prophet named Jeremiah. God told Jeremiah to go find a family called the Rechabites. Jeremiah went to find them, and he invited them into a room in the Lord’s house. He set cups and bowls of wine in front of them.
The Rechabites said no. They explained that their father, Jonadab, had told them never to drink wine. He had also told them not to build houses or plant vineyards. They lived in tents so they could move from place to place. They had kept every single promise to their father for a very long time.
Then God spoke to Jeremiah again. God said, “The Rechabites obeyed their father. But you, people of Judah, have not listened to me, even though I have sent my prophets to you again and again.” The people had turned away from God and were serving other gods. They did not listen when God called to them.
God told Jeremiah to tell the Rechabites something wonderful. Because they had kept their promise and obeyed their father, God promised that their family would always have someone to serve him. The Rechabites were rewarded for their faithfulness.
Read It Together
Jeremiah 35:2-3
2 “Go to the house of the Rechabites, and speak to them, and bring them into the LORD’s house, into one of the rooms, and give them wine to drink.” 3 Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, the son of Habazziniah, with his brothers, all his sons, and the whole house of the Rechabites…
(WEB)
Point out that God told Jeremiah to bring the Rechabites into the house of the Lord and offer them wine. Ask the children what they think the Rechabites would do when they were offered something they had promised never to drink.
Jeremiah 35:6-7
6 But they said, “We will drink no wine; for Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, saying, ‘You shall drink no wine, neither you, nor your sons, forever. 7 You shall not build a house, sow seed, plant a vineyard, or have any; but all your days you shall dwell in tents, that you may live many days in the land in which you live as nomads.’
(WEB)
Show the children the promise Jonadab made to his family. Explain that the Rechabites said no, even though a room full of wine was right in front of them. Point out how clearly they remembered and followed their father’s words.
Jeremiah 35:17-18
17 “Therefore the LORD, the God of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Behold, I will bring on Judah and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them; because I have spoken to them, but they have not heard; and I have called to them, but they have not answered.’” 18 Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, “The LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Because you have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according to all that he commanded you;’
(WEB)
Help the children see the contrast. The Rechabites kept their promise, but the people of Judah did not answer when God called. Explain that God notices both faithfulness and the lack of it, and he always keeps his own word.
Talk About It
- What did the Rechabites promise their father they would do, and why do you think they kept that promise?
- How do you feel when you keep a promise, even when it is hard to do?
- Why do you think God was pleased with the Rechabites?
- What are some ways we can listen to God when he speaks to us?
- What is one promise you can make to God or to someone you love this week?
Activity Ideas
Promise Tent Craft
You will need construction paper, crayons, tape, and a pencil. Have each child fold a sheet of paper in half to make a tent shape, then write or draw one promise they want to keep on the inside. Let them decorate the outside. Encourage them to keep the tent on their desk or bedside table as a reminder.
Listen and Follow Game
Gather the children in a open space and call out simple directions like “hop three times” or “touch your nose.” The children must follow only the directions that begin with the words “God says.” Explain that listening carefully helps us follow God, just as the Rechabites followed their father’s commands closely.
Promise Keeper Take Home
Give each child a small index card and a pencil. Ask them to write one promise they will keep this week, such as helping set the table or being kind to a sibling. Have them take the card home and place it somewhere they will see it each day. At the end of the week, ask them to share whether they kept their promise.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this passage shows that God values faithfulness and obedience, and that he is honored when people keep their word over many years. The Rechabites’ example stands in contrast to the people of Judah, who would not listen even after repeated warnings. Adults can reflect on whether they listen to God’s voice with the same care.
When teaching children, avoid suggesting that God rewards obedience with guaranteed material success or that keeping rules alone earns God’s favor. The point is faithfulness to God and listening to him, not a formula that produces blessings on demand.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank you for keeping every promise you make to us. Help us remember to keep our promises too, even when they are hard. Teach us to listen carefully when you speak, and help us follow you every day. Amen.
