Joshua 18 teaches children that God gives every family a place of their own, and that he keeps his promises even when waiting is hard. This lesson suits children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
God keeps his promises and gives each of his people a special place to belong. He is faithful even when we have to wait and work for what he has promised.
Memory Verse
Joshua 18:3
Joshua said to the children of Israel, “How long will you neglect to go in to possess the land, which the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you?
(WEB)
Hold both hands out in front of you, palms up, as if you are receiving a gift. Then slowly wave them toward the ground, showing that the land is God’s gift to us. Say the verse together while you move your hands.
The Story: Joshua 18 for Kids
Many years ago, the people of Israel had walked a long way to reach the land God promised them. Now they had gathered together at Shiloh, and they set up the special tent where they could meet with God. The land had been won, and the people were ready to live there. But there was still work to do, because seven of the tribes had not yet received their own part of the land.
Joshua, the leader of God’s people, looked at them and asked, “How long will you wait before you go and take the land that God has given you?” He told them to choose three men from each tribe. These men would walk through the whole land and write down what it was like, dividing it into seven parts. Then they would bring their writing back to Joshua.
The men got up and went. They walked through the land city by city and wrote everything down carefully in a book. When they came back to Joshua at the camp in Shiloh, he did something special. He cast lots before the LORD, which was a way of letting God choose, and God showed each tribe which part of the land would be theirs.
The tribe of Benjamin received its share right in the middle of the other tribes. The land had cities, villages, hills, and valleys, and God gave all of it to them. The people did not have to guess where they belonged, because God had already decided and made it clear.
The chapter ends by listing the cities that belonged to Benjamin’s family. There were twelve cities with their villages in one section, and fourteen more in another. Each name was a reminder that God had planned a home for these people. Nothing about their inheritance was left to chance.
Read It Together
Joshua 18:1
The whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled themselves together at Shiloh, and set up the Tent of Meeting there. The land was subdued before them.
(WEB)
Point out that the people gathered at Shiloh to meet with God, and that the land had already been subdued before them. Ask children what it means to come together in one place to worship. Remind them that God was with his people even before they had everything finished.
Joshua 18:6
You shall survey the land into seven parts, and bring the description here to me; and I will cast lots for you here before the LORD our God.
(WEB)
Show that Joshua asked the men to survey the land and bring the description back to him, and that the lots would be cast before the LORD. Explain that God’s people waited for him to decide and trusted that he would do what was fair. Help children see that waiting for God can be a way of trusting him.
Joshua 18:10
Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD. There Joshua divided the land to the children of Israel according to their divisions.
(WEB)
Point out that Joshua divided the land according to each tribe’s divisions, so every family got a clear share. Explain that God cares about each person and family, and that everyone has a place with him. Invite children to name something God has given their family.
Talk About It
- What do you think the people felt like when they finally got to see the land God had promised them?
- Why do you think the seven tribes needed to be reminded to go and take their share?
- What is something God has given you that you are thankful for?
- How do you think it helped the people to know exactly which part of the land belonged to them?
- When is it hard for you to wait for something, and how can you trust God while you wait?
Activity Ideas
Draw a Map of Your Home
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a pencil. Ask each child to draw a simple map of their home, showing the rooms, the yard, and any special places. As they draw, talk about how God gives us homes and families. Let them write their name on the map and add a small drawing of something they are thankful for.
Marching to the Land
You will need an open space and a few small cups or cones to mark cities. Set the cones around the room and ask children to walk slowly from one cone to the next, like the men who surveyed the land. Each time they reach a cone, have them say the name of one thing God has given them. This helps them move and remember the story together.
Thankful Stones to Take Home
You will need small smooth stones or paper circles, and markers. Give each child a stone or circle and ask them to write or draw one way God has given them a place to belong. Let them take the stone home and place it somewhere they will see during the week. Encourage them to share it with their family at dinner.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that God is faithful to give his people a place, and that he directs even the details of how the land is divided. The lots cast before the LORD remind us that God, not human preference, makes the final decision. The long lists of cities also show that God knows his people by name and by family.
Be careful not to overstate the military and geographic details to children, since much of the chapter is a list of places that young listeners will not remember. Focus instead on the trust that God’s people placed in him to give them what was promised. Keep the message simple: God keeps his word and gives each of us a place.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank you for keeping your promises to your people and for giving each of us a place to belong. Help us to wait for you with patience and trust. Teach us to be thankful for the things you give us every day. Amen.
