Teach Them Jesus with Building Bricks
Gideon's 300: Humility
Judges 7:1-22; James 4:10; 2 Corinthians 4:7 Old Testament PrincipleHumility
The Midianites had a huge army, like a swarm of locusts. God chose Gideon to save Israel. Gideon gathered 32,000 men. But God said, "You have too many! Israel might brag that they saved themselves." So God sent men home until only 300 were left. One night, God let Gideon sneak down to the enemy camp. He heard a soldier tell a dream. A loaf of barley bread rolled into the camp and knocked a tent flat! The soldier said it meant God would give Gideon the victory. Gideon worshiped God. With trumpets, jars and torches, the 300 shouted, and God made the enemy run. Humility means knowing God is great and giving Him the glory.
Humility means knowing that God is great and we depend on Him. We don't need to brag. God gets the glory for every good thing He does through us.
- CreationGod made it
- FallWe broke it
- RedemptionJesus fixes it (this lesson)
- RestorationJesus makes it new
Memory verse
“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.”
James 4:10 BSB
Christ Connection · Need
God shrank Gideon's army so Israel couldn't say, "My own hand has saved me" (Judges 7:2). We need saving from sin even more, and we can't do it ourselves. Jesus did it all. "For it is by grace you have been saved through faith… not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9). Like Gideon's men with light in clay jars, we carry the good news "in jars of clay," so the power is clearly God's (2 Corinthians 4:7).
1 Corinthians 1:27-29; 2 Corinthians 4:7; Ephesians 2:8-9
The Big Story · Redemption
Ever since the garden, people have wanted to be great on their own. But we can't save ourselves from sin. God sent Jesus, who humbled Himself all the way to the cross, to save us. We are saved by grace, as a gift, so that no one can boast except in what God has done.
Teacher Guide
This version includes:
- Background and context for the passage
- Hidden in Plain Sight: the detail most people miss
- The Christ Connection: how this story points to Jesus
- A 45-minute class plan and prep checklist
- A map of where it happened
- Object lesson: Too many bricks!
- Bible Kitchen (taste the story): The tumbling barley loaf
- A skit to act out the story
- Review game: Jars and torches
- Pronunciation help, tips for every age, song ideas and a note for parents
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
Preschool (ages 3–5)
God is great! I don't brag.
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 4-minute Bible story written for this age
- 3 discussion questions
- 2 activities: Toot, smash, shine!, Color the jar and torch
- 5 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: at home, at church
- Song ideas, Live It, a prayer, and a printable student handout (preview below)
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
Free preview · Kindergarten – 2nd grade
The Midianites had a huge army. God chose Gideon to save Israel, and Gideon gathered 32,000 men. God said, "Too many! Israel might brag that they saved themselves." So God sent men home until only 300 were left. At night, Gideon heard an enemy soldier tell a dream about a loaf of bread knocking a tent flat. Then the 300 blew trumpets, smashed jars and held up torches, and God made the enemy run. Humility means knowing God is great and giving Him the glory.
Start here
Do "Too many bricks!" Pour out a big pile, then pick out three bricks. Ask, "If the tiny group won, who would get the credit?" Say, "Let's see what God did with Gideon's army."
Bible story 6 min
The Midianites were mean to Israel. They came with so many camels, no one could count them! They took Israel's food. God chose a man named Gideon to save His people.
Gideon called the men of Israel. 32,000 came! But God said, "You have too many men. Israel might brag and say, 'We saved ourselves!'"
So Gideon said, "If you are afraid, go home." 22,000 men left. 10,000 were still there.
The rest of the story, discussion questions, songs, Live It and prayer are for members.
Try an activity
Build jars and torches 10 min
You’ll need: A tub of building bricks, Baseplates, Minifigures or small brick people
- Pairs build a jar with a torch from the build guide, and a Midianite tent.
- Hide the torch inside the jar. Put the soldiers around the tent.
- On "Now!" take the top off the jars and shout, "A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!" Knock the tent over.
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
3rd – 4th grade
Gideon gathered 32,000 men against the Midianites, whose camels were as many as the sand on the seashore. But God said, "You have too many people… lest Israel glorify themselves over Me." He cut the army to 300. That night Gideon overheard an enemy soldier describe a dream about a loaf of barley bread flattening a tent. Gideon worshiped. The 300 surrounded the camp with trumpets, jars and torches, and the LORD made the enemy turn on each other and flee. Humility means knowing God is great, depending on Him and giving Him the glory.
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 8-minute Bible story written for this age, with a Hidden in Plain Sight moment
- 5 discussion questions
- 2 activities: Shrinking the army, Jars and torches
- 5 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: at home, at school, with friends
- Song ideas, Live It, a prayer, and a printable student handout (preview below)
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
5th – 6th grade
Gideon, the least in his family from the weakest clan, gathered 32,000 men against a Midianite horde. God said the army was too big, "lest Israel glorify themselves over Me." He cut it to 300. That night Gideon overheard an enemy soldier dreaming of a cheap loaf of barley bread flattening a tent, and he worshiped. With trumpets, smashed jars and torches, the 300 shouted, and the LORD turned the enemy against itself. Humility means seeing that God is great, depending on Him and refusing to steal His glory.
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 10-minute Bible story written for this age, with a Hidden in Plain Sight moment
- 6 discussion questions
- 2 activities: So that no one can boast, Giving God the glory
- 5 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: at home, at school, online and on screens
- Song ideas, Live It, a prayer, and a printable student handout (preview below)
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
More lessons on Humility
The same principle in other Bible stories.
In the BeginningThe Tower of BabelGenesis 11:1-9; Genesis 12:1-3People tried to make themselves great without God, but God brought their tower down and began His own plan to bless every nation.Old TestamentHumility
The Writing on the WallDaniel 5:1-31King Belshazzar of Babylon threw a huge party. He drank from the gold cups taken from God's temple and praised idols. Suddenly, the fingers of a hand appeared and wrote on the wall! No one could read it, until old Daniel came. Daniel said, "You knew how God humbled King Nebuchadnezzar, but you did not humble yourself." The words meant God had ended the king's rule. That very night, Babylon fell. God is the true King, and He wants us to walk humbly with Him.Old TestamentHumility
Make Way for Jesus: John the BaptistMark 1:1-8; John 1:19-34; John 3:26-30God sent John the Baptist to get people ready for Jesus. John lived in the wilderness, wore camel's hair and ate locusts and wild honey. Crowds came to hear him, and people turned from their sins and were baptized. Leaders asked, "Who are you? Are you the Christ?" John said, "No. I'm just a voice getting the way ready. I'm not even worthy to untie His sandals." When Jesus came, John pointed and said, "Look, the Lamb of God!" Later he said, "He must increase; I must decrease." Humility means making much of Jesus, not of ourselves.New TestamentHumility
With NatureWhere Were You? God Answers Job from the StormJob 38:1-41; Job 39:1-30; Job 42:1-6, 10; Job 1:1-22Job lost almost everything and asked God, "Why?" God answered from a storm, not with an explanation, but by showing Job His power and care in creation, from the stars to the snow to the baby ravens. Job humbly trusted God, because God was bigger than his questions.Old TestamentHumility
Kings and ProphetsGod Chooses David1 Samuel 16:1-13God sent Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint a new king, and instead of the tall older brothers, God chose David, the youngest shepherd, because the LORD looks at the heart.Old TestamentHumility
Just Say the Word: The Centurion’s ServantLuke 7:1-10A Roman army officer in Capernaum had a servant who was very sick. The town leaders told Jesus, "This man is worthy of Your help." But the officer sent word, "I am not worthy for You to come to my house. Just say the word, and my servant will be healed." Jesus was amazed at his faith, and the servant was healed. When we come to Jesus humbly, we can trust His powerful word.New TestamentHumility