This lesson teaches children that God made the animals, knows each one, and cares for them, even the ones people cannot tame. It suits children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes, so you can fit it into a Sunday school hour or a family devotion at the kitchen table.
Big Idea
God made every animal, knows how each one lives, and takes care of them all. We can trust God, because he is wiser and stronger than anything he has made.
Memory Verse
Job 39:1
“Do you know the time when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears fawns?
(WEB)
Ask the children to hold their hands out like a mountain goat leaping up a rocky hill, then bring their hands together in front of their chest. Say the verse slowly while they copy you, so the motion helps them remember that God knows even the wild mountain animals.
The Story: Job 39 for Kids
Job was a good man who lost almost everything he had. His friends talked a lot, but Job wanted to hear from God. One day God spoke to him from a great storm and began asking questions. God asked Job, “Do you know when the mountain goats have their babies?” Job did not know. God did. He watches over the mother goats while they give birth, and he helps their little ones grow strong.
Next God talked about the wild donkey. This donkey runs free in the wide, dry wilderness and does not listen to the noise of the busy city. God gave it a home in that empty land and fed it with green grass growing on the hills. God said, “I made the wild donkey and I give it what it needs.” The donkey does not need a person to take care of it, because God already does.
God also asked about the wild ox and the ostrich. Job could not make the wild ox work for him, and he could not explain why the ostrich leaves her eggs on the ground. The ostrich seems to forget her eggs, but God did not forget her. God made her that way, and she runs so fast that she does not need to be afraid. Job could not understand all of this, and that was the point.
God asked about the horse, the hawk, and the eagle too. Job could not give the horse its strength or teach the hawk how to fly south. Only God can make a horse so brave and a bird so high and free. The eagle builds its nest high on a cliff, and it can see its food from very far away. God answered Job by showing him that the whole world is full of creatures God made with wisdom.
When God finished speaking, Job learned that he did not have to understand everything to trust God. Job saw that God was wise, strong, and close to every creature. Job could rest in that truth, and so can we.
Read It Together
Job 39:5-8
5 “Who has set the wild donkey free? Or who has loosened the bonds of the swift donkey, 6 Whose home I have made the wilderness, and the salt land his dwelling place? 7 He scorns the tumult of the city, neither does he hear the shouting of the driver. 8 The range of the mountains is his pasture, He searches after every green thing.
(WEB)
Point out that God gave the wild donkey a home in the wilderness and the grass it eats. Ask the children what kind of places animals live in around their own neighborhood, and remind them that God made each home for each creature.
Job 39:13-18
13 “The wings of the ostrich wave proudly; but are they the feathers and plumage of love? 14 For she leaves her eggs on the earth, warms them in the dust, 15 and forgets that the foot may crush them, or that the wild animal may trample them. 16 She deals harshly with her young ones, as if they were not hers. Though her labor is in vain, she is without fear, 17 because God has deprived her of wisdom, neither has he imparted to her understanding. 18 When she lifts up herself on high, she scorns the horse and his rider.
(WEB)
Explain that God did not give the ostrich wisdom in the same way he gave it to people, but he still cared for her and made her special. Help the children see that God makes each creature different on purpose, and nothing is left out of his care.
Job 39:26-29
26 “Is it by your wisdom that the hawk soars, and stretches her wings toward the south? 27 Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up, and makes his nest on high? 28 On the cliff he dwells, and makes his home, on the point of the cliff, and the stronghold. 29 From there he spies out the prey. His eyes see it afar off.
(WEB)
Show the children that the hawk and the eagle can fly high because God made their wings and eyes to work that way. Ask them to think about something they are good at, and talk about how that gift also came from God.
Talk About It
- What is one animal God made that you think is the most amazing, and why?
- How does it make you feel to know God knows every mountain goat by name?
- Why do you think God wanted Job to see all the animals he made?
- What is something you do not understand yet, but you can still trust God about?
- How can we show God that we are thankful for the animals and the world he made?
Activity Ideas
Paper Plate Animal Friends
You will need paper plates, crayons or markers, glue, scrap paper, and safety scissors. Let each child choose one animal from today’s story, such as a mountain goat, wild donkey, ostrich, horse, or eagle. They can draw the animal on the plate, add paper pieces for wings, ears, or horns, and then write the animal’s name on the back. Set the finished animals on a windowsill as a reminder that God made each creature.
Animal Movement Game
Clear some space in the room and call out an animal from the story. The children move like that animal: they leap like a goat, gallop like the wild donkey, or flap their arms like an eagle. Every time you call out “God made it!” they freeze and say “God cares for it!” This game gets everyone moving while they remember the animals in Job 39.
Take-Home Nature Walk
Give each child a small paper bag or a notebook and ask them to look for three living creatures on a walk outside or in the yard. They can be birds, bugs, squirrels, or even worms. At home, they draw or describe each creature and say a short thank-you prayer to God for making it. This helps the lesson continue beyond the classroom.
Teacher Notes
Job 39 shows that God is not like us. He is wise in ways we cannot fully measure, and he is generous to every creature he made. For adults, the chapter invites humility: we do not have to understand all of God’s work to trust that he is good and that he is in control of creation.
When teaching children, avoid suggesting that God does not care for people or that animals matter more than people. Job 39 focuses on God’s wisdom and care for creation, and people are also precious to him. Keep the emphasis on God’s wisdom and love, not on turning the chapter into a lesson about animals alone.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank you for making every animal and knowing each one by name. Thank you that you are wiser than we can understand and that you care for every creature. Help us trust you even when we have questions, and help us remember that you are always close to us. Amen.
