Ezekiel Sees God’s Glory 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: “This was the glory of the LORD!”
Ezekiel was a priest – a man who served God. He lived far from home, by the river Chebar in Babylon. God’s people had been taken away there. One day the heavens opened. And Ezekiel saw visions of God. A vision is when God lets someone see things we usually can’t see.
Ezekiel looked. A stormy wind came out of the north. Whoosh! There was a great cloud, with flashing lightning. In the middle was fire, shining like glowing metal. This was the glory of the LORD!
Out of the cloud came four living creatures. Each one had four wings. Under their wings they had hands like a man’s hands. Two wings touched the wings of the next creature. Two wings covered their bodies.
Each one had four faces. There was the face of a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle. Let’s count the faces: one, two, three, four! A lion is strong. An ox works hard. An eagle flies high.
Their feet sparkled like shiny bronze. They glowed like burning coals, like bright torches. Fire went up and down among them. Lightning flashed out of the fire. Zip! Zap!
The creatures ran and came back, fast as a flash of lightning. Can you make your hands zip back and forth, fast like lightning? When they moved, they went straight ahead. They never turned. Wherever the Spirit wanted to go, they went.
Next to each creature was a wheel. It looked like a wheel within a wheel, sparkling like a jewel. When the creatures went, the wheels went with them. When the creatures stood still, the wheels stood still. When the creatures rose up, the wheels rose up too! This was the glory of the LORD!
Ezekiel heard the noise of their wings. It sounded like great waters, like a big rushing river. Whoooosh! It sounded like a whole army.
When the creatures stood still, they let down their wings. Then it was quiet. Shh. And there was a voice from above.
Above the creatures was something like shining crystal. Above that was a throne, blue like a sapphire stone. A sapphire is a deep blue jewel. On the throne was someone who looked like a man. He shone with fire and bright light. This was the glory of the LORD!
All around him was brightness. It was like the rainbow in the cloud on a rainy day. Can you draw a big rainbow in the air with your finger?
This was the glory of the LORD! Glory means God’s great, shining greatness.
When Ezekiel saw it, he fell on his face. Then he heard a voice. “Son of man, stand on your feet. I will speak with you.” Son of man means a person, a human.
God’s Spirit came into Ezekiel and set him on his feet. Can you stand up on your feet, like Ezekiel?
God is great and shining. He was with his people, even far from home. This was the glory of the LORD!
3. Talk together (3 min)
- Which part of Ezekiel’s vision would you most like to see?
- How do you think Ezekiel felt when he saw the rainbow around God’s throne?
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)
Each creature had 4 faces. Color the man, the lion, the ox and the eagle.
6. Verse and prayer (2 min)
“This was the appearance of the likeness of the LORD’s glory.” — Ezekiel 1:28 (the LORD’s glory → open your hands wide like bright light; This was → point up high)
Dear God, you are great and full of glory. Thank you that you are with me, even far from home. Amen.
Lesson for older kids (ages 6–10)
Big idea: God is always near
Memory verse: “This was the appearance of the likeness of the LORD's glory.” — Ezekiel 1:28 · WEB
The Bible story
By a far-away river, young Ezekiel looks up and sees a shining storm, sparkling wheels and a rainbow-bright throne where God Himself is sitting.
Talk about it
- Where was Ezekiel sitting at the start of the story? — Beside the Kebar River
- How were Ezekiel and his people feeling? — Heavy and sad
- What did Ezekiel see coming from the north? — A great cloud with fire
- What came out of the shining cloud? — Four living creatures
- How did the living creatures move? — Fast, like lightning
- What did Ezekiel see beside the creatures? — Great sparkling wheels
Where is Jesus in this story?
After seeing God's glory, Ezekiel fell face down (Ezekiel 1:28). Centuries later, the apostle John saw the risen Jesus shining like the sun and fell at his feet too. But Jesus placed his right hand on him and said, “Do not be afraid” (Revelation 1:17). The glorious God Ezekiel saw has come close to us in Jesus, and his glory is kind.
What God wants to tell us
Ezekiel felt far from home and very sad, but God came close and showed him how wonderful and mighty He is. God's glory means He is bigger and brighter than anything we can imagine, and yet He spoke to one lonely young man by a river. That same God sees you too. Even when you feel small, sad, or far from the people you love, God is near, He knows your name, and His shining love is always with you.
Prayer
Dear God, thank You that You are so big and bright and wonderful, yet You come close to me. Thank You that You never forget me, even when I feel small or far away. Help me to remember You are always near. I love You. Amen.
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