The walls of Jericho came down because God kept His promise and the people trusted Him and obeyed, even when the plan seemed strange. This lesson suits children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes to teach.
Big Idea
God keeps every promise He makes, and when we trust Him and do what He says, He does things we could never do on our own.
Memory Verse
Joshua 6:20
So the people shouted and the priests blew the trumpets. When the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight in front of him, and they took the city.
(WEB)
Have the children stand up, march in place seven steps, then freeze and shout together on the word “shout.” Repeat the motion twice so the children link the verse with the march and the shout.
The Story: Joshua 6 for Kids
God’s people, the Israelites, had come to the land He promised them. Their first big challenge was a city called Jericho. Its walls were so thick and tall that nobody could go in or out. The people inside were scared, and the Israelites were waiting outside. Joshua was the leader of God’s people, and he listened carefully to God.
God spoke to Joshua and gave him a plan that sounded very strange. For six days, all the fighting men would march around the city once each day. Seven priests would walk in front, carrying trumpets made from rams’ horns, and they would carry the ark, the special box that showed God was with His people. Nobody was allowed to say a single word. Quiet, marching, and trumpets, that was all.
On the seventh day, the people got up very early. They marched around the city seven times instead of just once. When the priests blew one long blast on the trumpets, Joshua told the people, “Shout, for the LORD has given you the city!” The people shouted with all their might, and the walls of Jericho fell flat to the ground.
The Israelites ran straight into the city, just as God had said. Rahab was a woman in Jericho who had hidden the two spies Joshua had sent earlier. Because she had helped them, the spies kept their promise to save her and her family. Rahab and her family were brought out safely before the city was burned.
The whole story shows that God was with Joshua, and everyone in the land heard about what God had done. The people did not win by their own strength. They won because God gave them the victory and they obeyed Him.
Read It Together
Joshua 6:2
The LORD said to Joshua, “Behold, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the mighty men of valor.
(WEB)
Point out that God told Joshua, “I have given Jericho into your hand” before any marching began. Explain that God’s promise came first, and the people’s obedience was their response to it.
Joshua 6:16
At the seventh time, when the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “Shout, for the LORD has given you the city!
(WEB)
Show the children that the shout came at the right moment, after the seventh march. Explain that waiting for God’s signal and then acting on it is part of trusting Him.
Joshua 6:22-23
22 Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the prostitute’s house, and bring the woman and all that she has out from there, as you swore to her.” 23 The young men who were spies went in, and brought out Rahab with her father, her mother, her brothers, and all that she had. They also brought out all of her relatives, and they set them outside of the camp of Israel.
(WEB)
Point out that Rahab was saved because she had helped God’s messengers. Talk about how God remembers kindness and keeps the promises made to people who trust Him.
Talk About It
- What did the people of Israel have to do every day for six days, and how do you think they felt about marching around the city?
- Why do you think God wanted the people to stay quiet until the very last moment?
- How did Rahab show she trusted God’s people, and what happened because of her choice?
- What is one promise God has made that you can count on, even when you do not understand how it will happen?
- When has it been hard for you to wait for God, and what helped you keep trusting Him?
Activity Ideas
Paper Wall Craft
Give each child a sheet of brown or gray construction paper, crayons, and glue. Have them draw a tall wall with bricks, then cut the paper into a few pieces to make it look like the wall is crumbling. Glue the pieces onto a larger sheet and write “God keeps His promises” across the bottom so children can take their creation home.
March and Shout Game
Set up a path of pillows or chairs around the room to act as the city walls. Children march around in a line while one adult plays a trumpet, a drum, or claps loudly. When the sound stops, everyone freezes and shouts together. Play several rounds so the children feel the rhythm of the story.
Take-Home Promise Card
Cut index cards and give each child one card along with a marker. Ask them to write or draw one thing God has promised, such as being with them always. Encourage them to place it somewhere they will see it each morning, like a bedroom mirror or a lunchbox, and to talk about it with a parent at dinner.
Teacher Notes
For adults, the story teaches that God’s victory comes through His power, not human strength or clever planning. The Israelites had no siege equipment and no army large enough to take the walls. Their obedience showed trust in God’s word, and the walls fell by His action. Rahab’s inclusion also reminds adults that God’s mercy reaches people from unexpected backgrounds when they turn to Him in faith.
Avoid suggesting that the marching or shouting itself has magical power, or that children can make God act by doing the right motions. The point is trust and obedience to God’s command, not a ritual that guarantees a result. Keep the focus on who God is and what He promised.
A Prayer to Close
Dear Lord, thank You that You keep every promise You make to us. Help us trust You when Your plans seem strange, and help us wait patiently for Your signal. Thank You for being with us and for doing what we could never do alone. Amen.
