This lesson teaches children that God is holy and that he chooses who leads his people, so we should trust his choice and not grumble against the leaders he gives us. It works well for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes, including the story, the verses, and the activity.
Big Idea
God is in charge, and he takes care of his people. When we grumble and try to take over, we are not trusting him, but God still knows who belongs to him.
Memory Verse
Numbers 16:5
He said to Korah and to all his company, “In the morning, the LORD will show who are his, and who is holy, and will cause him to come near to him. Even him whom he shall choose, he will cause to come near to him.
(WEB)
Say the verse slowly with the children. Each time you say “the LORD will show who is his,” have them raise both hands high, then bring them down to their hearts. This motion helps them remember that God knows whose he is.
The Story: Numbers 16 for Kids
Moses was the leader God had chosen to bring the people of Israel out of Egypt. They were walking through the wilderness, and they were tired and hungry. Some men named Korah, Dathan, and Abiram did not like how things were going. They gathered two hundred fifty other leaders and went to Moses and Aaron.
They said, “You are taking too much on yourselves! Everyone here belongs to God, so why do you think you are better than everyone else?” Moses fell down on his face when he heard this. He knew that only God could decide who would serve him as priest. Moses told them to bring their incense burners to the tent the next morning, and God would show who was his.
Then the ground under Korah, Dathan, and Abiram split open. The earth swallowed them and everyone who went with them. Fire also came out from the LORD and burned the two hundred fifty men who were offering the incense. God was showing that he is holy and that he chooses who serves him.
The next day, the people were upset with Moses and Aaron. They said, “You have killed the LORD’s people!” They had forgotten what had just happened. God became angry again, and a plague began to spread among the people. Aaron ran to the middle of the crowd with his incense burner and stood between the dead and the living. The plague stopped, but many people had died because of their complaining.
Read It Together
Numbers 16:3
They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said to them, “You take too much on yourself, since all the congregation are holy, everyone of them, and the LORD is among them! Why do you lift yourselves up above the LORD’s assembly?”
(WEB)
Point out that these men said the whole community was holy, which is true. But they wanted to take leadership that God had not given them. Ask the children what it means to want something that is not ours to take.
Numbers 16:28-30
28 Moses said, “Hereby you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these works; for they are not from my own mind. 29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they experience what all men experience, then the LORD hasn’t sent me. 30 But if the LORD makes a new thing, and the ground opens its mouth, and swallows them up, with all that belong to them, and they go down alive into Sheol; then you shall understand that these men have despised the LORD.”
(WEB)
Moses told the people how they would know God had sent him. Show the children that God answered in a way no one could miss. Help them see that God wants everyone to know he is the one in charge.
Numbers 16:46-48
46 Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer, and put fire from off the altar in it, and lay incense on it, and carry it quickly to the congregation, and make atonement for them; for wrath has gone out from the LORD! The plague has begun.” 47 Aaron did as Moses said, and ran into the middle of the assembly. The plague had already begun among the people. He put on the incense, and made atonement for the people. 48 He stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.
(WEB)
Point out how Aaron stood between the people and the plague to make things right. Explain that God gave a way for his people to be protected, and that Aaron was the one who ran to help. Ask the children how they can help others when something goes wrong.
Talk About It
- What did Korah and his friends want, and why did they think they should have it?
- How do you think Moses felt when people said he was taking too much for himself?
- Why did God show who was his in such a big way?
- What is one thing you can do when you feel like complaining about the people God has put in charge?
- How did Aaron help the people when the plague started?
Activity Ideas
Paper Incense Burner Craft
You will need paper cups, colored paper, glue, and cotton balls. Let each child decorate a paper cup and glue on cotton balls to look like smoke. As they work, talk about how the incense rose up before God. Ask them to hold their burner and say the memory verse together.
Who Is in Charge Game
Choose one child to be the leader, like Moses. The other children stand in a line and take turns asking the leader a question. Each time, the leader must listen and answer patiently. Then let the children switch places. Afterward, talk about how it feels to wait for someone to decide and to trust that they are being fair.
Take-Home Thankful Chart
Give each child a sheet of paper and a pencil. Ask them to draw three people in their life who lead or help them, such as parents, teachers, or pastors. Next to each one, they can write one thing they can thank God for about that person. Encourage them to share the chart with their family at home.
Teacher Notes
This passage shows that God is holy and that he chooses who will lead and serve him. For adults, it is a reminder that complaining against God’s appointed leaders can lead to serious consequences. It also shows that God is patient and provides a way to make things right, as Aaron did with the incense.
Avoid implying that every hardship is a direct punishment from God. Children can easily misunderstand this and fear that any trouble means they have done something wrong. Focus instead on God’s holiness, his choice, and his care for his people.
A Prayer to Close
Lord, thank you that you are holy and that you know who belongs to you. Help us trust the leaders you have given us and not complain when things are hard. Teach us to be thankful and to help others as Aaron did. Amen.
