This lesson teaches children that God is far greater than anything we can see or understand, and that He made and holds the whole world in His hands. It works well for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
Big Idea
God is so powerful and wise that we can only see a tiny part of what He does. Everything in the sky, the sea, and the earth belongs to Him.
Memory Verse
Job 26:14
Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways. How small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?”
(WEB)
Cup both hands together like a small bowl, then slowly open them wide as you say the last words. Let the motion show how small our whisper is compared to God’s big thunder.
The Story: Job 26 for Kids
Job was a good man who had lost almost everything. His friends kept giving him advice, but it did not help him feel better. One day Job turned to them and said something surprising. He told them that they had not really helped the weak, and that they had not shared any real wisdom with the people who needed it.
Then Job began to talk about how powerful God is. He said that the spirits of people who have died tremble before God, even in the deep waters where sea creatures live. Nothing can hide from God, not even the place of the dead. God stretches the sky out over empty space and hangs the earth on nothing at all. People look up and see clouds, but God is the one who holds them together.
Job said that God draws a line on the waters, and He separates light from darkness. The pillars that hold up the heavens shake when God speaks sternly. When God stirs up the sea with His power, it obeys Him. Job said that God’s Spirit has decorated the heavens with beauty, and His hand is strong enough to control even the fierce sea monster that the ancient people feared.
Then Job said something Job’s listeners had to think about for a long time. He said, “These are only the edges of what God does.” We hear just a small whisper about who God is. But who can understand the thunder of His power? Job was reminding everyone that God is far bigger than we can imagine.
Read It Together
Job 26:7
He stretches out the north over empty space, and hangs the earth on nothing.
(WEB)
Point out that God hangs the earth on nothing, and ask the children to imagine something holding up a big ball with no string or rope. Explain that God is strong enough to do what seems impossible to us, and that He does it every day.
Job 26:12-13
12 He stirs up the sea with his power, and by his understanding he strikes through Rahab. 13 By his Spirit the heavens are garnished. His hand has pierced the swift serpent.
(WEB)
Show the children how God uses His power and understanding to calm the sea and to make the heavens beautiful. Help them see that the same God who made the sky also cares about the details of creation.
Talk About It
- What is one thing in the sky that God made and holds up?
- Why do you think Job said we only hear a small whisper about God?
- How does it feel to know that God is stronger than the sea?
- What is something God does that you think is amazing?
- How can we show that we trust God when we do not understand everything?
Activity Ideas
Paper Sky Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a pencil. Ask each child to draw a large sky with clouds, the sea at the bottom, and a small picture of themselves at the edge. Talk about how God’s power reaches far beyond what we can draw. Let them add stars or a sun if they want.
Whisper and Thunder Game
Gather the children in a circle. Have one child whisper a simple sentence about God, like “God made the sky,” and then ask the group to repeat it loudly like thunder. Switch roles so everyone gets a turn. This helps children feel the difference between our small words and God’s great power.
Take-Home Hand Bowl
Give each child a small paper cup or a folded paper bowl to take home. On the outside, have them write the words “God is powerful.” Ask the children to show the bowl to their family at dinner and say the memory verse using the hand motion from class. Encourage them to talk about one thing God made that they saw that week.
Teacher Notes
Job 26 is a poem about the greatness of God. Job is responding to his friends and affirming that God rules over creation, the dead, the sea, the sky, and the boundaries of light and darkness. For adults, the chapter reminds us that human knowledge is limited, and that God’s wisdom and power are beyond what we can fully grasp. It invites humility and worship rather than pride.
Be careful not to overstate the details of the poem to children, especially the references to Sheol, Abaddon, and Rahab. These are ancient images, and children do not need a full explanation of them to understand that God is in control of everything. Focus on the big truth that God is powerful and wise.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You that You are so much bigger than we can understand. We praise You for making the sky, the sea, and everything in them. Help us trust You when we do not know all the answers. Amen.
