This lesson teaches children that God cares about making people clean and welcoming them back to their families and community after illness, and that He gives a way to be made new. It suits children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes, including the story, verses, and a short activity.
Big Idea
God makes things clean and new, and He helps people come back home to Him and to their friends and family.
Memory Verse
Leviticus 14:7
He shall sprinkle on him who is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird go into the open field.
(WEB)
Have children stand up and sprinkle their fingers in the air like drops of water, then wash their hands together slowly. Each time they do it, they can say “Made clean!” to remember that God makes His people clean.
The Story: Leviticus 14 for Kids
Long ago, God gave Moses and the priests special rules for people who had a terrible skin sickness called leprosy. A person with this sickness could not live near other people until they were well again. They had to stay outside the camp, away from their homes and families.
When a person got better, they went to the priest. The priest went outside the camp to check on them. If the sickness was truly gone, the priest made a special offering. He used two live birds, some cedar wood, some red cloth, and a plant called hyssop. One bird was killed over running water, and the other bird was set free in the open field.
The healed person then washed their clothes, shaved all their hair, and took a bath. After seven days, they shaved again and washed once more. On the eighth day, they brought sheep, flour, and oil to the Tent of Meeting, where the priest made a sacrifice for them. The priest put blood and oil on the person’s right ear, thumb, and big toe, and then on their head. The priest said, in effect, “You are clean now.”
God also gave rules for a house where mold or a sickness had spread on the walls. The priest checked the house, and if the problem was worse, he had the bad stones taken out and the house cleaned. If it was still bad, the house was torn down. If it was healed, the priest cleansed the house with the same kind of birds, wood, and water, and he said that it was clean again.
God wanted His people to know the difference between clean and unclean, and He showed them how to be made clean and welcomed back. Everything in these rules shows that God is the one who makes things new.
Read It Together
Leviticus 14:2
“This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing. He shall be brought to the priest…
(WEB)
Point out that the sick person was brought to the priest, which shows that there was a way back to the community. Ask children to notice that the healing was something the priest checked and confirmed, not something the person did alone.
Leviticus 14:8
“He who is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and bathe himself in water; and he shall be clean. After that he shall come into the camp, but shall dwell outside his tent seven days.
(WEB)
Show children the steps of washing, shaving, and bathing, and explain that being clean was a process that took time. Point out the words “he shall be clean” and remind children that God is patient with us as we are made new.
Leviticus 14:20
And the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the meal offering on the altar. The priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be clean.
(WEB)
Explain that the priest made atonement, which means he made things right with God for the person. Point out the final words “he shall be clean,” and help children see that God is the one who restores people.
Talk About It
- How do you think the sick person felt when they had to stay outside their home for a long time?
- Why do you think God wanted the priest to check the person before they came back to the camp?
- What does it feel like when you are welcomed back after being away from your friends?
- What are some ways that God makes us new, even when we feel like we have messed up?
- How can we help someone feel welcome when they come back to our group after being sick?
Activity Ideas
Clean Hands Handprint Craft
You will need construction paper, washable paint, a damp paper towel, and a marker. Have each child paint one hand and press it onto the paper to make a handprint. While the paint dries, write “Made Clean by God” across the top. Children can wipe their hands on the damp towel afterward to see how cleaning works, and talk about how God makes us new.
Water Splash Relay
You will need two cups, a bucket of water, and a sponge. Divide children into two teams and have each team carry water from the bucket to a bowl using a sponge. Each time someone squeezes water from the sponge, the team says “Clean!” together. Explain that the people in the story had to wash and be made clean, and that God helped them come back home.
Welcome Home Card
You will need paper, crayons, and an envelope. Have each child draw a picture of someone they know who has been sick or away and write a short note saying they are glad that person is back. Children can take the card home to give to a family member or friend. Encourage them to remember that God welcomes us back and helps us feel whole again.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this passage shows that God cared about physical health, community, and the process of restoration. The priest’s role in examining and declaring someone clean points forward to the importance of God’s people helping one another. The rules also show that God takes sin and impurity seriously while making a way for people to be restored.
Avoid suggesting to children that sickness is a punishment from God or that people who are sick are unclean in God’s eyes. The passage describes ritual and community rules of ancient Israel, and children should understand that God loves and cares for everyone, including those who are ill.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You that You make us clean and new. Help us to remember that You welcome us back when we have been away, and help us welcome others with kindness. Thank You for caring for us in every way. Amen.
