This lesson teaches children that God sees proud hearts and that He does not let wrong actions go unanswered, even when the people doing them think they are safe. It is written for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach, including the activities.
Big Idea
God sees how people treat each other, and He is fair. Being proud and mean to others never makes us safe, and God always keeps His promises.
Memory Verse
Obadiah 1:3
The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high, who says in his heart, ‘Who will bring me down to the ground?’
(WEB)
Have children stand tall and put their hands high above their heads, then slowly lower them to their sides while saying the verse together. Then have them tuck their arms in close to their bodies, like a little bird settling into a nest. This motion reminds them that pride can make us feel high up, but God is always able to bring us back down to the ground.
The Story: Obadiah 1 for Kids
Long ago, there was a people called the Edomites. They lived in the mountains and rocky places near the land of Judah. Their home was up high, in rock caves and cliffs, and they felt very strong and safe there. Their ancestor was Esau, the brother of Jacob, so the two peoples were family.
The Edomites were proud. They thought no one could ever bring them down. They said to themselves, “Who will bring me down to the ground?” They looked at God’s people in Judah when trouble came and did not help them. Some of them even laughed and cheered when bad things happened to their own relatives.
God was not happy about this. He sent a message through a prophet named Obadiah. God said, “Even if you build your nest up among the stars, I will bring you down from there.” God wanted the Edomites to know that He saw everything they had done, and He would not forget.
God also said that the Edomites would be treated the way they had treated others. Their own friends would turn against them, and their wise men and strong fighters would be defeated. God kept His word, and the Edomites lost their power.
In the end, God promised that His people would be restored. Those who were rescued would live on Mount Zion, and God’s kingdom would last forever. God’s people did not have to fear, because God was in charge of all of it.
Read It Together
Obadiah 1:12
But don’t look down on your brother in the day of his disaster, and don’t rejoice over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction. Don’t speak proudly in the day of distress.
(WEB)
Point out the words “don’t look down on your brother” and “don’t rejoice.” Explain that God is telling the Edomites not to laugh when someone else is in trouble. Ask children what it might look like to be kind to a friend who is having a hard day.
Obadiah 1:15
For the day of the LORD is near all the nations! As you have done, it will be done to you. Your deeds will return upon your own head.
(WEB)
Show children how the verse says that what we do will come back to us. Explain that this is a promise about God being fair, not a reason to be scared. Help them see that God wants us to choose kindness so that our actions reflect His goodness.
Obadiah 1:17
But in Mount Zion, there will be those who escape, and it will be holy. The house of Jacob will possess their possessions.
(WEB)
Point out that even in hard times, God promises that some will escape and that Mount Zion will be holy. Remind children that God always keeps His people safe in the end, and that His plans are good even when we cannot see them yet.
Talk About It
- What is one thing the Edomites did that made God unhappy?
- How do you think it feels to be laughed at when you are in trouble?
- What are some ways we can be kind to a friend who is having a hard time?
- Why do you think God wanted the Edomites to remember that He saw what they did?
- When you feel proud of something you did, what can you say to God instead?
Activity Ideas
Build a High Nest Craft
You will need paper, crayons, scissors, and glue. Have each child draw a tall mountain with a little nest on top, then cut it out and glue it to a piece of construction paper. Ask them to write or draw one way they can show kindness to someone this week. Let them place the picture where they will see it each day as a reminder that God sees their hearts.
Mountain Stand-Up Game
Clear a space in your room and have children stand in a circle. Call out “high mountain” and they stretch tall on their toes, then call out “rock bottom” and they crouch low to the floor. Repeat the motions faster and faster, and talk about how God can bring the proudest people back down. Finish by having everyone sit quietly together and say the memory verse.
Kindness Jar Take-Home
You will need an empty jar or cup and some small slips of paper. Give each child a jar to take home and a few slips of paper. Ask them to write down one kind thing they did for someone each day and put the paper in the jar. At the end of the week, have the family read the slips together and thank God for helping them show kindness to others.
Teacher Notes
Obadiah’s message is a warning about pride and cruelty. The Edomites looked down on their relatives, and God declared that their pride would bring them low. For adults, the passage reminds us that God takes seriously how we treat others, especially those who are suffering, and that He is faithful to bring justice and to restore His people.
Be careful not to suggest that every misfortune is a direct punishment for a specific sin, or that children should use this passage to judge others. The focus is on God’s justice and His faithfulness to His people, and children should come away feeling safe in God’s care rather than afraid of His anger.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank You for seeing everything we do and for being fair to everyone. Help us to be kind, even when it is hard, and to never laugh when others are sad. Keep our hearts humble, and help us remember that You are always in charge. Amen.
