For Kids · 3 min with a grown-up
In these night pictures, God is tidying up His land — sweeping the wrong things far away so His people can live in a good, clean home.
Today's Story
Zechariah looked up and saw something strange floating through the sky — a giant scroll, like a huge unrolled banner, flying high overhead.
“What is it?” he asked.
The angel told him it had to do with two things God does not like: telling lies, and taking what isn't yours. God wanted His people to be honest and fair. So the flying scroll was God's way of saying, “These wrong things have to go.”
Then the angel showed Zechariah another picture: a big basket with a heavy lid. Inside the basket was all the badness God was cleaning out of the land. The angel pressed the lid down tight so none of it could get loose.
Then — whoosh — two helpers with wings like a stork lifted the whole basket up into the air and carried it far, far away, all the way to a distant land. Gone. Out of God's good country for good.
It was like watching God sweep every last crumb of mess out the door so the house could be clean and bright. God wasn't being mean. He was making a good, safe place for His people to live — a home where honest, kind people belong.
A Big Word
Talk About It
- When is it hardest for you to tell the truth — maybe when you might get in trouble? What could help you be honest anyway?
- God swept the wrong things into a basket and carried them far away. How does it feel to know God wants to clean the yucky stuff out of our world?
- God wanted a home full of honest, kind people. What is one kind or honest thing you could do today to help make your home a good place?