Bezalel and Oholiab — Artists for God 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: “Willing hearts and skillful hands.”
God wanted his people to build a special tent in the wilderness. It would be God’s tent, right in the middle of the camp. It was called the Tent of Meeting. God said, “Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.” A sanctuary is a holy place. Dwell means to live. God wanted to live among his people! But who could make something so beautiful?
God told Moses, “Behold, I have called by name Bezalel.” Can you say it? Bez-al-el! Bezalel came from the family of Judah. His grandfather was named Hur.
God said, “I have filled him with the Spirit of God.” God’s own Spirit would help him. God gave Bezalel skill. Skill means knowing how to make things well. Bezalel could work with gold, silver, and bronze. He could cut stones and carve wood.
God gave him a helper too. His name was Oholiab. He came from the family of Dan. And God put it in their hearts to teach others.
Moses told the people what God said. “Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as the LORD’s offering.” A willing heart means you want to give. Nobody had to give. They could give if they wanted to.
And the people came! Men and women came. Everyone whose heart wanted to give came. Willing hearts and skillful hands.
They brought gold earrings and rings and bracelets. They brought silver and bronze. When they left Egypt, the Egyptians had given them gold and silver. Now they gave it to God. Can you take off a pretend ring and give it to God?
They brought cloth in beautiful colors: blue, purple, and red. They brought goats’ hair, and wood from acacia trees. They brought oil for the lamps and sweet-smelling spices. The leaders brought precious stones.
The women who were good at it spun thread with their hands. Round and round! Can you spin your hands like them?
Then Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and all the wise helpers. They began to make God’s beautiful tent. Tap, tap, tap went the hammers! Willing hearts and skillful hands.
God had told them what to make. There was the tent, with its boards and curtains. There was a special box called the ark. There was a table, and a lampstand for light.
What a lot of beautiful things! Every morning the people brought even more gifts. More and more and more!
Then the workers came to Moses. They said, “The people have brought much more than enough.” What do you think Moses said?
Moses sent a message all through the camp. “Let neither man nor woman make anything else for the offering.” The people had to stop giving! There was more than enough – even too much! Willing hearts and skillful hands.
Everyone had helped. Some gave gold. Some spun thread. Some carved wood. Each one helped in their own way.
God filled his people with wisdom and skill, and he made their hearts willing. Willing hearts and skillful hands.
3. Talk together (3 min)
- What would you like to have made for God’s tent?
- How do you think the people felt when they had to stop giving?
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)
“I have filled him with the Spirit of God” — Exodus 31:3 (I have filled him → move your hands from your feet up to your head; the Spirit of God → point up high)
Dear God, thank you for my hands and all the things they can make. Thank you for every good gift. Amen.
Lesson for older kids (ages 6–10)
Big idea: God gives you special gifts
Memory verse: “I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all kinds of workmanship.” — Exodus 31:3 · WEB
The Bible story
Meet Bezalel and Oholiab, two clever artists God filled with skill to build a beautiful tent — and discover the special gift God has hidden inside you too!
Talk about it
- Where were God's people living when this story happened? — In the desert
- What did God want the people to build? — A special tent for God
- Who did God choose to be the main artist? — Bezalel
- What did God fill Bezalel with? — God's Spirit and skill
- Who was Bezalel's kind helper? — Oholiab
- What else could Bezalel and Oholiab do besides make things? — Teach others to help
Where is Jesus in this story?
Bezalel used his skill to build the tabernacle, God's beautiful tent. Jesus once worked with His hands as a carpenter (Mark 6:3), but He builds something far greater. The Bible compares Him to a builder who deserves more honor than the house (Hebrews 3:3) and says that we, His people, are now God's house (Hebrews 3:6).
What God wants to tell us
God gave Bezalel and Oholiab clever hands to make beautiful things, and He gives special gifts to you too. Maybe you can draw, sing, build, help, or make people smile. Whatever you are good at is a gift from God, and He is happy when you use it with love to help others and to say thank you to Him.
Prayer
Loving God, thank You for making me able to do special things. Please fill my hands and my heart with Your love, so I can make good and beautiful things for You. Help me to share my gifts to make other people happy. Amen.
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