Israel Asks for a King 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: “But God was their real King.”
Samuel was God’s prophet. He listened to God and told the people God’s words. He led God’s people for many years. His home was in a town called Ramah. Now Samuel was old. But God was their real King.
Samuel made his two sons leaders too. Their names were Joel and Abijah. But they were not fair. They took money from people to help them get their way. They did not walk in Samuel’s ways.
One day the leaders of Israel came to Samuel in Ramah. “Behold, you are old, and your sons don’t walk in your ways,” they said. “Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.” All the other countries around them had kings. Now God’s people wanted one too.
Samuel did not like this at all. So Samuel prayed to the LORD.
The LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people. They have not rejected you. But they have rejected me as the king over them.” Rejected means they pushed God away. But God was their real King.
God said they had turned away from him many times before. They had done it ever since he brought them out of Egypt. Now they were doing it to Samuel too.
The LORD told Samuel to warn the people. So Samuel told them what a king would do. “He will take your sons,” said Samuel. They would drive the king’s chariots. A chariot is a fast wagon pulled by horses. Some sons would run in front of the chariots. Can you run in place, fast, fast, fast?
Other sons would plow the king’s fields. They would bring in his harvest. They would make things for his army.
“He will take your daughters to be cooks, and to be bakers,” said Samuel. Can you pretend to stir a big pot of soup? Stir, stir, stir!
“He will take your fields,” Samuel said. “He will take your donkeys. He will take one tenth of your flocks.” Let’s count on our fingers. Sons, daughters, fields, donkeys, sheep! That’s a lot!
“And you will be his servants,” said Samuel. A servant has to work for someone else.
But the people would not listen to Samuel. “No, but we will have a king over us,” they said. “We also may be like all the nations. Our king may fight our battles.” But God was their real King.
Samuel told the LORD all that the people said. The LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice, and make them a king.” Can you put a pretend crown on your head?
Then Samuel said to the people, “Everyone go to your own city.” So everyone went home. Soon God’s people would have a king. Their first king would be a tall young man named Saul.
God let his people have a king. He still loved them, and he still cared for them. Kings would come and go. But the LORD would always be the greatest King of all. But God was their real King.
3. Talk together (3 min)
- Why do you think the people wanted to be like all the other nations?
- How do you think Samuel felt when the people would not listen?
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)
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart” — Proverbs 3:5 (Trust → fold your hands; in the LORD → point up; with all your heart → both hands on your heart)
Dear God, you are the King of everything. Thank you for loving us and caring for us. Amen.
Lesson for older kids (ages 6–10)
Big idea: God's Way Is Best
Memory verse: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and don't lean on your own understanding.” — Proverbs 3:5 · WEB
The Bible story
Long ago, God's people begged for a king to lead them like other nations — but would a crown really give them what their hearts were truly missing?
Talk about it
- Who was the wise man who listened to God and helped His people? — Samuel
- Why did the people feel worried as Samuel grew old? — His sons did not follow God
- What did the leaders of Israel ask Samuel to give them? — A king
- Why did the people want a king? — To be like the other nations
- How did Samuel feel when he heard what the people asked? — Sad
- What wise thing did Samuel do first? — He prayed to God
Where is Jesus in this story?
Samuel warned that an earthly king would take and take: their sons, daughters, fields and harvests (1 Samuel 8:11–17). Jesus is a completely different kind of King. He said He “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Instead of taking from His people, King Jesus gives.
What God wants to tell us
Sometimes we want whatever everyone else has, just like Israel wanted a king. But God knows us better than we know ourselves, and His plans are always full of love. Even when the people did not choose His way, God did not stop caring for them. We can trust that God is the very best leader for our hearts, and He will never, ever leave us.
Prayer
Dear Lord, thank You for loving me and leading me, even when I want to go my own way. Help me to trust that Your way is always the best. Thank You for sending Jesus to be my kind and perfect King. I love You. Amen.
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