Free Bible lesson for kids · Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
Lot Escapes from Sodom
When the LORD told Abraham how grievous the sin of Sodom was, Abraham drew near and prayed for the city, asking God to spare it even for ten righteous people. Two angels warned Lot, and when he lingered, they took him, his wife and his two daughters by the hand and led them out, “the LORD being merciful unto him.” They were told not to look back, but Lot’s wife looked back and became a pillar of salt; God remembered Abraham and brought Lot out safe.
- Bible passage
- Genesis 18:16–33 · 19:12–29
- Big idea
- God is merciful to rescue us, so we follow Him and do not look back.
- Memory verse
Remember Lot’s wife.
Luke 17:32 (KJV)- Ages
- Preschool to preteen (3 to 12), with tips for each age
- Time
- About 45 minutes
- Included, free
- Animated story film, coloring page, class sheet, teacher guide, questions and answers, a game
The story
The LORD told Abraham that the sin of Sodom was very grievous (Genesis 18:20). Abraham drew near and asked, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” He prayed again and again, and the LORD said He would not destroy the city even for ten righteous people (Genesis 18:23–32). Later the angels told Lot, Abraham’s nephew, to bring his family out (Genesis 19:12–15).
When Lot lingered, the angels took him, his wife and his two daughters by the hand and brought them out, “the LORD being merciful unto him” (Genesis 19:16). They said, “Escape for thy life; look not behind thee” (Genesis 19:17). Lot fled to Zoar (Genesis 19:20–23). Then the LORD rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:24). But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:26). God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out safely (Genesis 19:29).
Read it in the Bible: Genesis 18:16–33 (KJV)
16And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. 17And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; 18Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. 20And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; 21I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. 22And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD. 23And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? 24Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? 25That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? 26And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes. 27And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the LORD, which am but dust and ashes: 28Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it. 29And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty’s sake. 30And he said unto him, Oh let not the LORD be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there. 31And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the LORD: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty’s sake. 32And he said, Oh let not the LORD be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake. 33And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.
Questions to ask
What did Abraham do when he heard about Sodom?
He drew near and prayed for the city (Genesis 18:23–32).
How did the angels bring Lot out of the city?
They took him, his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the LORD being merciful unto him (Genesis 19:16).
What were Lot and his family told not to do?
Look back: “look not behind thee” (Genesis 19:17). But Lot’s wife looked back (Genesis 19:26).
What this story teaches
- God is the Judge of all the earth, and He does right (Genesis 18:25).
- We can pray for others who need God’s mercy (Genesis 18:23–32).
- God is merciful, even when we are slow to obey (Genesis 19:16).
- When God rescues us, we must not look back (Genesis 19:17, 26).
- God remembered Abraham and brought Lot out safely (Genesis 19:29).
Jesus Rescues Us
The angels led Lot out before judgment came. Jesus gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from this present evil world.
Galatians 1:4
A 45-minute lesson plan
| 5 min | Welcome and pray. Greet each child by name and pray: Pray for someone who needs God’s mercy, and thank Him for rescuing us. |
|---|---|
| 10 min | The story. Play the story film: each verse appears on screen in the King James Version while the scene plays. Pause to ask what happens next. |
| 10 min | Talk about it. Ask the three questions below. Then ask: “God is merciful to rescue us, so we follow Him and do not look back.” What does that mean for us? |
| 5 min | Memory verse. Say Luke 17:32 together, covering one word at a time until the children can say it alone. |
| 10 min | Activity. Younger children color the coloring page while you retell the story; older children do the class sheet (memory-verse fill-in, word search and questions). |
| 5 min | Pray and send home. Pray together and send the sheet home so families can talk about the first question this week. |
- Preschool: keep it short and physical. Act out the story, use a simple prop, and repeat the big idea in one sentence.
- Elementary: let children find the passage in their own Bibles. Ask “who, what, where” questions first, then “why.”
- Preteens: read the verses before and after the passage, and ask how this story fits the whole story of the Bible.
Game time
For kids · game · indoors or out · about 8 minutes
Don’t Look Back!
You need: Open space
- The kids start at one end. The leader walks behind them as they hurry toward the mountain at the far end.
- The leader calls, “Run to the mountain!” and kids move forward, but if the leader sees anyone looking back, that child freezes as a statue.
- Everyone who makes it to the mountain cheers.
The angels led Lot out of the city, “the LORD being merciful unto him.” God wants us to keep going forward with Him.
For youth group · activity · indoors · about 20 minutes
Pray for Your Town
You need: A printed map of your town, sticky notes, pens
- Read Genesis 18:23–33: Abraham prayed for the city.
- Put sticky-note prayers on the map: schools, neighborhoods, hospitals, leaders.
- Pray over the map together.
Abraham drew near and prayed for a whole city. Our prayers for our town matter to God.
Pray
Pray for someone who needs God’s mercy, and thank Him for rescuing us.