Amaziah and the Hired Soldiers — God Can Give You More Preschool Lesson
Preschool lesson (ages 3–6, 20 minutes)
1. Welcome (3 min)
Sit in a circle, greet every child by name and show one thing from the story to touch.
2. The little story (5 min)
Teach the refrain first: “God is greater than all the silver.”
Amaziah was the king of Judah. He became king when he was twenty-five years old. He lived in Jerusalem. He did what was right in the LORD’s eyes. But he did not do it with his whole heart.
King Amaziah wanted to go to war against a people called Edom. Edom was a land of red rocks and high mountains, south of Judah. So he gathered all the men of Judah together. He put captains over them – leaders for each big group.
Then he counted his soldiers. He counted every man who was twenty years old or older. Three hundred thousand men! They could all fight with spear and shield. That is so, so many! But the king wanted even more.
Long before, God’s people had split into two lands. One land was called Judah. The other land was called Israel. So King Amaziah hired one hundred thousand strong soldiers from Israel. Hired means he paid them to come and fight for him. He paid them a hundred talents of silver. Silver is a shiny, white metal. People used it to pay for things. A talent was a big, heavy lump of silver. It was too heavy for you to lift! Can you pretend to lift something very heavy? Ugh!
A hundred of those heavy lumps! That was a lot of money. God is greater than all the silver.
Then a man of God came to the king. A man of God is a prophet. He tells people God’s words. “O king, don’t let the army of Israel go with you,” he said. “For the LORD is not with Israel.” And he said, “God has power to help.”
What do you think the king said? Maybe Amaziah was worried about his money. “But what shall we do for the hundred talents?” he asked. All that silver! He had already paid it.
The man of God answered, “The LORD is able to give you much more than this.” God is greater than all the silver.
Now the king had to choose. Keep the soldiers and lose God’s help? Or send them home and lose the silver?
King Amaziah listened to the man of God. He sent the hired soldiers back home. Can you wave goodbye to them? Bye-bye, soldiers! Bye-bye, silver! Maybe that was hard for the king.
The soldiers from Israel were angry. But they went home. And the hundred talents of silver went with them. God is greater than all the silver.
Amaziah was brave now. He led his own people out to battle. They went to a place called the Valley of Salt. It was near the big Salt Sea, where the water tastes very salty. And Judah won the battle.
Amaziah had let go of his silver. But he had listened to God.
Silver shines. Gold shines. But God made the silver and the gold. He made everything!
The LORD is able to give much more than silver and gold. God is greater than all the silver.
3. Talk together (3 min)
- Why do you think it was hard for Amaziah to send the soldiers home?
- What good things has God given you?
4. Move (3 min)
Refrain Freeze: move around the room; when you say the refrain, everyone freezes and says it together.
5. Make (4 min)
Draw a line to who said it.
6. Verse and prayer (2 min)
“The LORD is able to give you much more than this.” — 2 Chronicles 25:9 (The LORD → point up; give you → open both hands; much more → spread your arms wide)
Dear God, thank you for all you give me. You are greater than all the silver and gold. Amen.
Lesson for older kids (ages 6–10)
Big idea: God can give you more
Memory verse: “The LORD is able to give you much more than this.” — 2 Chronicles 25:9 · WEB
The Bible story
Young King Amaziah hired a mighty army with silver, but God taught him a gentle lesson: the Lord can always give you far more than money ever could.
Talk about it
- How old was Amaziah when he became king? — Twenty-five years old
- In which land did King Amaziah rule? — Judah
- What did Amaziah decide he needed to protect his people? — A big army
- What did the king use to hire extra soldiers? — Silver money
- Who came to the palace with a message from God? — A prophet
- What did the prophet tell the king to do with the hired soldiers? — Send them home
Where is Jesus in this story?
Amaziah sent away the soldiers he had already paid for, trusting the prophet's words that the Lord could give him much more (2 Chronicles 25:9). Jesus made a similar promise: “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33). When we put God first, we never end up poorer in the end.
What God wants to tell us
Amaziah thought his silver made him strong, but God gently showed him that true safety comes from trusting the Lord. When we obey God, even when it feels scary or costs us something, we discover that His hands are never empty. God is far bigger than money, and He loves to give His children exactly what they need. You can trust Him with your worries, because He always has more to give than you could ask or imagine.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You that Your hands are never empty and that You always have more to give. Help me to trust You instead of worrying, and to obey You even when it feels hard. Thank You that You love me and take care of me every day. Amen.
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