This lesson teaches children that God sees cruelty and lies, and he does not let wicked people get away with them forever. It works well for children ages 5 to 11, and it takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach. Because the chapter is serious, keep the tone calm and steady, and focus on God’s justice and his faithfulness to the people he loves.
Big Idea
God sees when people are cruel and when they lie, and God is always fair. He will set things right in his own time, so we can trust him.
Memory Verse
Nahum 3:5
“Behold, I am against you,” says the LORD of Armies, “and I will lift your skirts over your face. I will show the nations your nakedness, and the kingdoms your shame.
(WEB)
Teach the children to cross their arms over their chests and then open their hands wide, like a book opening. Say the words together slowly, opening your hands on the word “behold.” Repeat it three times so the motion sticks.
The Story: Nahum 3 for Kids
Long ago, there was a great city called Nineveh. It was the capital of the Assyrian empire, and it was big, rich, and strong. But the people of Nineveh were cruel. They hurt others to get what they wanted, and they told lies to cover up their wrongs. Their city was full of robbery and fighting.
God sent his prophet Nahum to tell the people of Nineveh what was coming. Nahum described the noise of the armies: horses running, chariots rattling, and swords flashing. The city would be attacked, and many would fall. The people had trusted in their strength, but their strength would not save them.
God spoke to Nineveh through Nahum with a clear message. He said, “I am against you.” God was not pleased with their cruelty. He would show the nations what Nineveh had done, and everyone would see that their wickedness was real. Those who looked at the city would walk away, and they would ask, “Who will feel sorry for her?”
Nahum asked the city a question that makes us think. He reminded the people of another great city, No-Amon, which also had rivers and walls and strong helpers. Even that mighty city was carried away into captivity. Nineveh was no better, and it would not be safe just because it was big.
The city tried to get ready for the attack. Its guards were strong, but Nahum said they would flee like grasshoppers when the sun came out. The king of Assyria had shepherds who should have cared for the people, but they were sleeping. The people were scattered on the mountains, and nobody was there to gather them back together.
The chapter ends with a sad truth. Nineveh’s wound could not be healed. Everyone who heard the news of the city’s fall clapped their hands with joy, because so many people had suffered from its endless cruelty. God remembers the hurt that wicked people cause, and he does not forget.
Read It Together
Nahum 3:1
Woe to the bloody city! It is all full of lies and robbery. The prey doesn’t depart.
(WEB)
Point out that Nahum calls the city “bloody” and “full of lies.” Ask the children what kind of city would be called that, and remind them that God notices both violence and dishonesty.
Nahum 3:7
It will happen that all those who look at you will flee from you, and say, ‘Nineveh is laid waste! Who will mourn for her?’ Where will I seek comforters for you?”
(WEB)
Explain that the people who saw Nineveh’s downfall had also suffered from its cruelty. Help the children see that God’s justice can bring relief to those who have been hurt by wicked people.
Nahum 3:19
There is no healing your wound, for your injury is fatal. All who hear the report of you clap their hands over you; for who hasn’t felt your endless cruelty?
(WEB)
Point out the final question, which reminds us that cruelty is noticed and remembered. Tell the children that this verse shows that no one is forgotten by God, especially those who have been hurt.
Talk About It
- What did the people of Nineveh do that made God unhappy?
- Why do you think Nineveh trusted in its walls and guards instead of in God?
- How does it feel to know that God sees when people are cruel to others?
- What is one way we can be honest with the people around us this week?
- Who can we pray for when we know someone is being treated unfairly?
Activity Ideas
Draw a City Wall
You will need paper, crayons, and a pencil. Ask each child to draw a city with tall walls, strong gates, and a few towers. Then have them draw a small figure of God watching over it from above. Talk together about how God sees everything inside the walls, not just what is outside.
Grasshopper Scatter Game
Clear a space in the room or outside. Ask the children to crouch low and hop around like grasshoppers. Then call out, “The sun is shining!” and have them run and find a hiding spot. Explain that the grasshoppers in Nahum fled when the sun came out, and that God’s light shows what is hidden.
Take-Home Truth Card
You will need index cards and a marker. Write the words “God sees everything” on one side of each card and “God is always fair” on the other. Let each child take a card home and place it somewhere they will see it, such as by their bed or on the fridge. Encourage them to read it aloud at bedtime with their family.
Teacher Notes
Nahum 3 is a message of judgment against Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian empire, for its violence, deception, and oppression of other nations. For adults, the chapter shows that God is not indifferent to injustice, and that worldly power and military strength cannot protect those who build their lives on cruelty and lies. It also reminds us that God’s justice brings relief to those who have suffered at the hands of others.
When teaching children, avoid overstating the violence or making the chapter sound like a list of gruesome details. Keep the focus on God’s character, his faithfulness, and his care for those who are hurt. Be careful not to suggest that every hardship is a direct punishment for someone’s sin, since the chapter is about one specific city and its specific wickedness.
A Prayer to Close
Lord, thank you that you see everything, and that you are always fair. Help us to be honest and kind to the people around us. When we see people being hurt, help us to pray for them and to trust you to make things right. Thank you for loving us and caring for us. Amen.
