Joel — The Locusts and the Promise 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 had not forgotten his people.”
Joel was a prophet – a man who tells God’s words. He lived in a land of fields and fruit trees. But one year, a big trouble came: locusts!
Locusts are hungry bugs, like big grasshoppers. They came in a swarm – a huge crowd of bugs, all flying together. There were so many, nobody could count them. Bzzz! Can you buzz like a locust?
Joel asked the old people, “Has this ever happened in your days?” No, never! Joel said, “Tell your children about it.” And that is why we still tell this story today.
First came one kind of locust. Then came another kind, and another, and another. What one left, the next one ate. Let’s count them on our fingers: one, two, three, four! Munch, munch!
Joel said their teeth were like a lion’s teeth. They ate the wheat and the barley. They ate the grapevines. They ate the fig trees, even the bark – the skin of the tree. The branches were left bare and white.
The pomegranate tree dried up. The palm tree dried up. Even the apple tree dried up! The seeds in the ground did not grow. The barns were empty, with no grain inside.
The cows had no grass, and they groaned. Moo! The sheep had nothing to eat. Even the little streams of water dried up. Joy was gone from the land. But God had not forgotten his people.
Joel prayed, “LORD, I cry to you.” He said that even the animals in the fields were crying out to God.
Then God gave Joel a message. “Yet even now,” says the LORD, “turn to me with all your heart.” To turn to God means to come back to him – like running back into a big hug.
Joel said, “Turn to the LORD, your God; for he is gracious and merciful.” That means God is very kind and loves to forgive.
Joel said, “Blow the trumpet in Zion!” Toot, toot! Can you blow a trumpet? It was time to call everyone to God’s house.
Joel said to gather all the people. The old people should come, and the moms and dads. The children should come, and even the babies! The priests should pray, “Spare your people, LORD.” Spare means “please help them.”
Then the LORD had pity on his people. Pity means he felt sorry for them and wanted to help. But God had not forgotten his people.
The LORD answered, “Behold, I will send you grain, new wine, and oil.” Grain is for bread, and oil is for cooking.
Joel said, “Land, don’t be afraid. Be glad and rejoice.” He told the animals not to be afraid too. The grass would grow green again. The fig tree and the grapevine would have fruit. Can you grow up tall like a little tree?
God would send the rain again, just as before. Pitter, patter! There would be lots of wheat again. But God had not forgotten his people.
God said, “I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten. You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied.” Restore means to give back. God would give back what the locusts took.
God said, “My people will never again be disappointed.” God is kind. When his people came back to him, he gave them a brand-new start. But God had not forgotten his people.
3. Talk together (3 min)
- How do you think the people felt when the locusts ate everything?
- What would you like to eat when the fields are green again?
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 land green again, with fruit on the trees and grain in the fields.
6. Verse and prayer (2 min)
“Be glad and rejoice, for the LORD has done great things” — Joel 2:21 (Be glad → a big smile; rejoice → clap your hands; great things → open your arms wide)
Dear God, thank you that you are kind and full of love. Thank you for the food you give us. Amen.
Lesson for older kids (ages 6–10)
Big idea: God can make things new again
Memory verse: “I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten.” — Joel 2:25 · WEB
The Bible story
When hungry locusts eat every leaf and the land turns bare and brown, God gives His people a beautiful promise that green fields and joy will come again.
Talk about it
- What was Joel's special job? — A prophet of God
- What filled the sky and came over the fields? — A cloud of locusts
- What did the hungry locusts do? — They ate up all the crops
- How did the people feel when the food was gone? — Very sad
- What did Joel tell the people to do? — Turn back to God
- What is God like, according to Joel? — Kind and full of love
Where is Jesus in this story?
God's promise to Joel to pour out His Spirit came true long after, when Jesus came to rescue us and sent the Holy Spirit to help everyone who loves Him. Just as God promised to make the bare fields green again, Jesus makes our hearts new and fills us with hope. He is the greatest promise of all, showing that God's love always brings us back to life and joy.
What God wants to tell us
Sometimes hard days come, like when the locusts ate all the crops, and everything can feel sad and empty. But this story shows us that God never stops loving us and He is always ready to bring good things back. God is kind, quick to forgive, and full of hope. When we turn to Him, He can fill our empty places and help green joy grow again.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You that You are kind and full of love. When days feel hard and empty, help me trust that You can make things new and good again. Thank You for always keeping Your promises. Amen.
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