Ebed-Melech Pulls Jeremiah from the Pit 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: “Ebed-Melech trusted the LORD.”
Jeremiah the prophet told the people God’s words. The army of Babylon was outside the city of Jerusalem. Jeremiah told them what God had said. The army of Babylon would take the city. Jeremiah always said what God told him, even when it was hard.
Some leaders in Jerusalem did not like his message. They said his words made the soldiers and the people weak. They said to King Zedekiah, “Let this man be put to death.” The king said, “He is in your hand.” That meant: do what you want with him.
So they took Jeremiah. There was a deep pit in the yard of the guard. It was a pit for keeping rain water. They let Jeremiah down into it with ropes.
There was no water in the pit, only mud. And Jeremiah sank down in the mud. Mud is soft, wet dirt, like at the bottom of a puddle. Squish! Can you make a squishy, muddy sound?
In the king’s house worked a man named Ebed-Melech. He came from the land of Ethiopia, far away in the south. He heard what they had done to Jeremiah. Ebed-Melech trusted the LORD.
The king was sitting at one of the city gates. Ebed-Melech went out to him there. He spoke up for Jeremiah. “My lord the king, these men have done evil,” he said. “He is likely to die in the place where he is.” There was no more bread in the city.
The king said, “Take thirty men with you. Take up Jeremiah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he dies.” A dungeon is a deep, dark place like that pit. Thirty men! Let’s count by tens: ten, twenty, thirty!
Ebed-Melech went to a storeroom under the king’s house. There he found some old rags and worn-out clothes. He let them down to Jeremiah on ropes. Ebed-Melech trusted the LORD.
“Put these rags under your arms, under the ropes,” Ebed-Melech said. With the soft rags, the ropes would not hurt. And Jeremiah did so.
Then the men pulled. Thirty men pulled together. Pull, pull, pull! Can you pull a rope, hand over hand? Up, up came Jeremiah, out of the mud! Ebed-Melech trusted the LORD.
Jeremiah was out of the pit. Now he was safe from the mud. He stayed in the yard of the guard.
Later God sent a message to Ebed-Melech through Jeremiah. God knew Ebed-Melech’s name. God knew how he had helped. Hard days were coming for the city. But God said, “I will deliver you in that day.” Deliver means save.
The LORD said, “You will not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid.” “For I will surely save you, because you have put your trust in me.”
God saw the kind helper, and God promised to keep him safe. Ebed-Melech trusted the LORD.
3. Talk together (3 min)
- How do you think Jeremiah felt down in the muddy pit?
- Why do you think Ebed-Melech gave Jeremiah soft rags for the ropes?
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 the men pulling Jeremiah up out of the muddy pit.
6. Verse and prayer (2 min)
“I will surely save you” — Jeremiah 39:18 (I → point up; will surely save you → reach down and pull up)
Dear God, thank you for kind helpers. Help me to be kind and brave like Ebed-Melech. Amen.
Lesson for older kids (ages 6–10)
Big idea: Be Brave and Kind
Memory verse: “For I will surely save you. You won't fall by the sword, but you will escape with your life, because you have put your trust in me.” — Jeremiah 39:18 · WEB
The Bible story
When brave Jeremiah was dropped into a deep, muddy pit, one kind helper named Ebed-Melech ran to the king to save his friend with soft old rags and a rope.
Talk about it
- What special job did Jeremiah have? — He was a prophet
- Why were the important men cross with Jeremiah? — His message upset them
- Where did the men put Jeremiah? — In a deep muddy pit
- What was at the bottom of the pit? — Sticky mud
- Did God forget about Jeremiah? — No, help was coming
- Who was the kind helper in the palace? — Ebed-Melech from Cush
Where is Jesus in this story?
Ebed-Melech noticed a man in trouble and hurried to help, even though it was risky. Jesus said that when we care for people who are hungry, sick, or locked away, we are caring for him: “I was in prison and you came to visit me” (Matthew 25:36). Every brave, kind rescue like Ebed-Melech's is a way of loving Jesus himself.
What God wants to tell us
This story shows us that God sees everyone who is hurting, even when they feel alone in a dark place. He often sends His help through kind people who are brave enough to care. Ebed-Melech was not a king or a powerful leader, just a gentle helper with a loving heart, yet God used him to save Jeremiah's life. You do not have to be big or important to do something good. When you notice someone who needs help, you can be brave and kind too, and God can use your caring heart to make a real difference.
Prayer
Thank You, God, that You never forget me, even when I feel alone. Thank You for helpers like Ebed-Melech who are brave and kind. Please help me to notice people who need me and to help them with a loving heart. Amen.
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