This lesson teaches children that God promises to clean away our sin and make us his own, even when we make mistakes. It works well for children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes, including the story, questions, and a short activity.
Big Idea
God promises to wash away our sin and keep us close to him. He makes us clean, and then we belong to him.
Memory Verse
Zechariah 13:9
I will bring the third part into the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will test them like gold is tested. They will call on my name, and I will hear them. I will say, ‘It is my people;’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’”
(WEB)
Teach the children to cup both hands together like a bowl, then pour invisible water from one hand to the other as they say the verse. Repeat it three times, faster each time, until the words and the motion come easily together.
The Story: Zechariah 13 for Kids
A long time ago, God spoke to a prophet named Zechariah. God told the people of Jerusalem that a day was coming when he would open a special fountain. Water from this fountain would wash away their sin and make them clean inside. Everyone in the city would be able to come and be made new.
God also promised to clear away the idols, the statues that people had been praying to instead of him. He would take away the false prophets too, the people who told lies in his name. The land would be cleaned of everything that pulled the people away from God. Nothing false would be left behind.
The Bible tells us that God would make the people go through hard times. Two parts of the land would be cut off and lost, but a third part would be left. God said he would take that third part through the fire, the way a silver worker heats silver to burn off the dirt. The fire would make them pure and strong.
In the middle of these promises, God said something very tender. He said, “They will call on my name, and I will hear them.” God wanted his people to pray to him, and he promised to listen. He told them, “It is my people,” and they would answer, “The LORD is my God.”
Read It Together
Zechariah 13:1
“In that day there will be a spring opened to David’s house and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness.
(WEB)
Point out the word “spring.” Explain that a spring is a place where clean water comes up out of the ground. God was promising a source of cleansing for sin, which means he was going to make his people clean from the inside out.
Zechariah 13:7
“Awake, sword, against my shepherd, and against the man who is close to me,” says the LORD of Armies. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; and I will turn my hand against the little ones.
(WEB)
Ask the children to notice the word “shepherd.” Tell them that a shepherd takes care of sheep, and that this verse looks forward to a shepherd who would be struck. Explain simply that this points toward something God would do later, and let children know the story will keep going in the Bible.
Talk About It
- What did God say he would wash away from his people?
- Why do you think God wanted to take away the idols that people prayed to?
- How does it feel to know that God hears us when we pray?
- What is something you could do to remember that God is making you clean?
- Why do you think God says that his people belong to him?
Activity Ideas
Paper Fountain Drawing
You will need paper, crayons or markers, and a glue stick. Ask each child to draw a fountain with clean blue water spilling out of it, then write or draw a sin they want God to wash away. Glue a small paper drop beside it to show that God makes us clean. Let children explain their picture to the group.
Pour and Clean Game
You will need two cups, a small bowl, and a sponge. Have one child pour water from one cup to another while the group says the memory verse. Then let the child wipe a table with the sponge. Explain that the water and sponge remind us that God cleans us, and take turns so everyone gets a chance.
Refiner’s Fire Card for Home
You will need an index card, a pen, and a clear sheet of tape. Have each child write the memory verse on the card and decorate it with a simple flame shape. Tape it to the bathroom mirror or kitchen window. Encourage children to read it aloud each morning and say the words “The LORD is my God” together as a family.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows that God is the one who cleanses his people and restores them. The fountain pictures God’s grace, the refining fire pictures God’s purifying work, and the shepherd passage points forward to a coming Savior, which Christians have historically connected to Jesus. The closing promise that God hears and calls his people his own gives a strong foundation for prayer and trust.
When teaching children, avoid overstating the details of the prophecy, such as the exact meaning of the wounds or the precise identity of the shepherd. Keep the focus on the simple truths: God cleans us, God listens to us, and God calls us his own. Children learn best when the message is clear and warm.
A Prayer to Close
Dear God, thank you for washing away our sin and making us clean. Thank you for listening when we call to you. Help us remember that we belong to you. Help us to trust you every day. Amen.
