Jehoshaphat, an Obedient King

Teacher, this is a class for a calm heart. After Solomon, the children meet Jehoshaphat — a king who felt afraid and, instead of shouting, prayed. The quarterly organizes Sunday into short segments, and that is how it works with 3- and 4-year-olds: nothing goes past ten minutes. Story, song, activity, snack — a young child does not sit through a lecture, she alternates. Keep two phrases in mind and repeat them throughout the whole class: "Jehoshaphat prayed" and "the people sang".

One word of caution. Jehoshaphat was blessed, but the blessing was not a payment. Do not teach that whoever obeys "wins a prize from God" — that plants a bargain in the child's heart. Teach what is true: we obey because we love our Heavenly Father, and He takes care of us because He loves us.

I — Arrival: the little house that God guards

Welcome each child with a smile and her name on your lips. Wear a little poster-board house around your neck on a string and speak slowly:

— Look at my little house. God takes care of my house. God takes care of your house too. God takes care of you.

Let each child touch the little house and ask: "Who lives in your house?" They will say mommy, daddy, grandma, the dog. Celebrate every answer. Then invite them to gratitude and the offering, with a single sentence: "Our Heavenly Father is good to us."

🏛 Fun fact — what is a king? A king is the one in charge of a big city. The king wears a crown: a shiny golden hat. Show the crown cutout and say: "Jehoshaphat wore a crown. But the One who is truly in charge is our Heavenly Father."

II — The story: Jehoshaphat prayed, the people sang

Seat the children in a circle on the floor, right close to you. Review with them: "What was the name of the very wise king? SOL-O-MON!" Clap your hands on each syllable. Now tell the story, holding the pictures from the quarterly in your hand.

After Solomon, a long time passed, and other kings came. One of them was named Jehoshaphat, the son of King Asa. Shall we say it together? JE-HOSH-A-PHAT.

Jehoshaphat loved our Heavenly Father. Jehoshaphat loved the Bible, the Book of God. And he wanted everyone to know the Bible too. So he sent many men to teach the Word of God to all the people. Jehoshaphat liked to choose what was right. He did not always get it right — sometimes he made mistakes, like everyone else. But he loved our Heavenly Father very much.

One day bad news arrived. Angry people were coming from far away to enter the city. Many angry people. The king felt afraid. Do you know what he did? He did not shout. He prayed.

Jehoshaphat spoke like this: "Heavenly Father, You are strong. We are small. We need You."

And he called all the people to pray together. Daddy, mommy, grandpa, grandma — and the little children too. Everyone standing up, praying. And our Heavenly Father answered: "Do not be afraid. I will take care of you."

Then Jehoshaphat had a wonderful idea. He called the singers and put the singers in front of everyone, singing like this:

— Praise God, because His love never ends!

The people went out singing. Singing out loud. Singing happily. And our Heavenly Father took care of His people. When the people got there, the danger was already over — and no one among the people of God got hurt. The people of God did not even need to fight — they just sang and worshiped our Heavenly Father.

Repeat with the children, clapping your hands: "Jehoshaphat prayed! The people sang! God took care!"

❤ For the child's heart. You can talk to our Heavenly Father too. When you are afraid of the dark, talk to Him. When you are sad, talk to Him. He hears your tiny little voice. And He takes care of you because He loves you very much.

III — Sing, color, and keep in the heart

Sing. A short song with gestures, three times: "I will pray, I will sing, my Heavenly Father will keep me safe." Hands together on "pray", hands up on "sing", hands over the chest on "keep me safe".

The verse with gestures. One piece at a time: Happy (big smile) are those who keep (closed hands, one over the other) the commandments (open hands) of God (little finger pointing up) and obey Him (little finger pointing to everyone) with all their heart (hands forming a heart). Explain: "We feel joyful when we obey our Heavenly Father."

The colorful crown. Each child receives the cutout of a crown, spreads glue with a little finger, and sticks on colorful pencil shavings. While they work: "God guarded Jehoshaphat's house. God guards your house."

Activity and goodbye. Help them cross out the picture that does not belong to the scene and write the number 3. Put the supplies away together — putting things away is obeying too. Review with the two phrases of the class and say goodbye to each child by name.

Christ in the Lesson

Jehoshaphat chose to obey, but he made mistakes many times, like all of us. There is a King who never made a mistake: the Lord Jesus. He said that He always does what pleases the Father (John 8:29) — and He obeyed the Father from beginning to end, all the way to the cross.

Jehoshaphat heard from the Lord: "You need not fight this battle. Take up your positions, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out and face them tomorrow, for the LORD is with you.’" (2 Chronicles 20:17) That is what the Gospel proclaims: salvation is the Lord's work, not ours. To the child, say it simply: "Jesus is the King who always obeyed our Heavenly Father. And Jesus takes care of you."

Practical Application

Obeying at home is obeying God. Putting the toy away when mommy asks, holding hands to cross the street, coming when daddy calls. It is the same choice Jehoshaphat made, in child size.

Praying before, not after. Teach the child to talk to our Heavenly Father in the moment of fear — before going to sleep, before a shot, when it thunders.

Singing as a family and not bargaining. Praising together in the living room teaches more than a lot of explanation. And gently correct the idea of a trade: "We obey because we love our Heavenly Father. And He takes care of us because He loves us."

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You because You take care of our house and of every child in this classroom, and because You hear even the tiniest little voice. Help these children choose what is right every day and talk to You when they feel afraid. Thank You for Jesus, the King who always obeyed the Father. In His name, amen.

Soli Deo Gloria — Scripture governs; everything else, on its knees.

Teacher's Guide

Essence of the class

King Jehoshaphat felt afraid, but he chose to talk to our Heavenly Father — and our Heavenly Father took care of His people.

Map of the class

Time	Stage
0–7 min	Arrival with the little house + gratitude and offering
7–12 min	Song with gestures + verse with motions
12–20 min	The story of Jehoshaphat with the pictures
20–25 min	Class activity "prayed and sang"
25–33 min	Crafts: the colorful crown
33–40 min	Snack + quarterly activity
40–45 min	Prayer, review, and goodbye

Start like this

Walk in wearing the little house around your neck and stay quiet for a few seconds without explaining. When someone points at it, say: "Look, a little house! God takes care of my house. God takes care of your house too." Let each child touch it with a little finger and say who lives with her — keep the names in mind for the closing prayer.

Point 1 — Jehoshaphat chose to obey

• In the quarterly: the story section, first part — Jehoshaphat takes Asa's place and decides to follow God (picture 6/1).
• What to teach: Jehoshaphat loved the Word of God and had it taught to all the people. Obeying is not a one-time thing — it is again, and again.
• Anchor verse (BSB): "Blessed are those who keep His testimonies and seek Him with all their heart." (Psalm 119:2)
• Key question: "Who here obeys mommy?"
• Likely answers (+ going deeper): "Me!", "Sometimes", or just little hands raised. Go deeper: "And when mommy tells you to put your toy away, do you put it away?"
• If no one speaks: share first yourself — "Today I obeyed: I woke up early to come see you." Then ask again, looking at just one child.

Point 2 — Jehoshaphat prayed and the people sang

• In the quarterly: the story section, in the part about the prayer and the singers (pictures 6/2 to 6/4).
• What to teach: angry people came and the king felt afraid. He did not shout: he prayed and called the people to pray together. Then he sent the singers to go in front praising. God took care of His people, and they did not even need to fight. Calm voice, without weapons or injuries.
• Anchor verse (BSB): "Then Jehoshaphat consulted with the people and appointed those who would sing to the LORD and praise the splendor of His holiness. As they went out before the army, they were singing: “Give thanks to the LORD, for His loving devotion endures forever.”" (2 Chronicles 20:21)
• Key question: "What do we do when we feel afraid?"
• Likely answers (+ going deeper): "Call mommy", "cry", "run". Welcome them all — calling mommy is completely right. Go deeper: "And we can talk to our Heavenly Father too, just like Jehoshaphat."
• If no one speaks: put your hands together in prayer and say softly, "Heavenly Father, help me." At this age, an imitated gesture already counts as an answer.

Class activity

• Goal: to fix the two phrases of the class in their minds using their whole bodies, without competition and without singling anyone out.
• Materials: none (optional: one shaker per child, if there are enough for everyone).
• Step by step: everyone standing in a circle, with space between them. When they hear "Jehoshaphat prayed!", they put their little hands together and bow their heads quietly. When they hear "The people sang!", they raise their arms and sing "Praise God, His love never ends!" walking in a circle. Alternate about six times and end on the singing part. No one is out, no one loses, no one bumps into anyone.
• Wrap-up (back to the text): "Jehoshaphat prayed. The people sang. And our Heavenly Father took care of everyone."

Wrap-up + challenge of the week

• Wrap-up: "Jehoshaphat felt afraid, but he talked to our Heavenly Father, and our Heavenly Father took care of him. Jesus is the King who always obeyed, and Jesus takes care of you."
• Challenge: ask the parents at the door: every night this week, before bed, pray just one sentence together — "Heavenly Father, thank You because You take care of our house" — and then sing a short song of praise. On Sunday, ask the children who sang at home.

Teacher's kit

• Before: read 2 Chronicles 20 with your Bible open and the story section in the quarterly. Memorize the two anchor phrases.
• Bring: the poster-board little house on a string, one crown cutout per child, glue, sharpened pencils with the shavings in a small container, and the quarterly.
• Safety: shavings and small pieces stay in your hand or in a supervised container — hand them out little by little, and never leave a child alone with them.
• Pray beforehand: ask the Lord for calmness in your voice. A peaceful teacher teaches more than any picture.

Homework

Your mission for the week

Dads and moms, this activity is to be done together with your child. Every night this week, before bed, pray just one sentence together: "Heavenly Father, thank You because You take care of our house." Then sing a short song of praise — it can be very simple, and it can be out of tune.

Why

Jehoshaphat prayed and the people sang before anything happened (2 Chronicles 20:21). A young child learns through what is repeated: by praying and singing every night with you, she grows up knowing whom to talk to when she feels afraid.

How to know you did it

Seven nights, the same sentence and a song. If on Saturday the child starts the sentence on her own, you did it.

On Sunday, come back with the story

Ask your child: "Who prayed? Who sang?" And come tell us in the classroom what he or she answered.