For Kids · 3 min with a grown-up
God gave the prophet Isaiah a loving message for the city of Jerusalem. The people had forgotten the most important thing - to look to God.
Today's Story
Trouble was coming near the city of Jerusalem. But instead of stopping to pray and ask God for help, the people threw a big, noisy party!
They climbed up on their rooftops. They cheered and shouted. They feasted on yummy food. “Let's eat and drink!” they laughed. “Tomorrow we might not get another chance!”
They checked their tall, strong walls. They counted their weapons. They fixed up their water pipes so they wouldn't run dry. They were very busy getting ready - but they forgot the One thing that mattered most.
So God sent Isaiah with a gentle reminder: “You looked at your walls. You looked at your water. But you did not look to Me - the One who made it all.” God wanted them to turn to Him and trust Him.
There was also a proud man named Shebna. He had an important job, but he only thought about himself and his fancy things. So God gave his job to a kind, humble man named Eliakim instead. God handed Eliakim a special key - he would be trusted to open doors and shut them, helping take care of the whole city.
God's message was simple: don't trust your stuff. Trust the God who loves you.
A Big Word
Talk About It
- When something hard or scary happens in your day, what do you do first? What would it look like to talk to God first?
- The people trusted their tall walls instead of God. What are some things we sometimes trust in instead of God?
- God gave humble Eliakim a special key because He could trust him. What is one small job your family trusts you to do?