The Gates of Jerusalem · Lesson 5
The Gates of Jerusalem: The Dung Gate
Nehemiah 3:14; Nehemiah 2:13; Nehemiah 12:31; Philippians 3:7-9; 1 John 1:9 Old Testament PrincipleRepentance
The Dung Gate was Jerusalem's garbage gate. Every day, trash was carried out through it. A city leader named Malchijah rebuilt it himself. At the wall's big celebration, a choir marched toward the Dung Gate singing thanks to God! Our sins are like trash that piles up inside us. We can't clean ourselves up. When we turn to God and tell Him our sins, He forgives us and takes them away because of Jesus.
God welcomes us back when we turn from sin. When we confess, He forgives us and cleans us because of Jesus, and our trash becomes a reason to thank Him.
- CreationGod made it
- FallWe broke it
- RedemptionJesus fixes it (this lesson)
- RestorationJesus makes it new
Memory verse
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
1 John 1:9 BSB
Christ Connection · Picture
The New Testament doesn't mention the Dung Gate. But it's a good picture to remember what Jesus does with our sin. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us" (1 John 1:9). Paul even called his best achievements "rubbish" compared with knowing Jesus (Philippians 3:8). Jesus suffered "outside the city gate" to make us clean (Hebrews 13:12). He takes our trash away.
1 John 1:9; Philippians 3:8; Hebrews 13:12
The Big Story · Redemption
God cleaned up His broken city and filled even its garbage gate with songs of thanks, a picture of Jesus, who takes away the sin of everyone who turns to Him.
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 50-minute class plan and prep checklist
- Object lesson: Who takes out the trash?
- Dasch’s Dig Site (bible-times history): Trash tells the story
- A skit to act out the story
- Review game: Trash toss
- 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 forgives me when I say sorry.
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 4-minute Bible story written for this age, with a Hidden in Plain Sight moment
- 3 discussion questions
- 2 activities: Take out the trash, Clean and happy
- 5 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: at home, with brothers and sisters
- 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 Dung Gate was Jerusalem's garbage gate. A leader named Malchijah rebuilt it himself. When the wall was done, a choir marched toward the Dung Gate singing thanks to God! Sin is like trash that piles up. We can't clean ourselves. When we tell God our sins and turn back to Him, He forgives us and makes us clean because of Jesus.
Memory verse
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.”
Adapted from 1 John 1:9
Start here
Ask, "What's the worst job at your house?" Let kids answer. (Taking out the trash!) Say, "Today's gate is the garbage gate. Let's find out who took that job."
Bible story 6 min
A big city makes lots of trash. Jerusalem had broken pots, ashes and food scraps. Where did it all go? Out the Dung Gate!
The Dung Gate was broken and burned, like the other gates. Who would fix the garbage gate?
A leader named Malchijah did! He was in charge of a whole town. But he took the messiest job. He hung new doors. He put in bolts and bars.
The rest of the story, discussion questions, songs, Live It and prayer are for members.
Try an activity
Trash relay 8 min
You’ll need: Paper slips, A small trash can
- Teams line up. Each child crumples a paper ball and runs it to the trash can across the room. When the team is done, they march back together singing, "Thank You, God!"
Every lesson, every age, from $25 a month. · Log in
3rd – 4th grade
The Dung Gate was where Jerusalem's garbage went out, and nobody would choose to rebuild it. But Malchijah, a ruler of a whole district, did. And when the wall was finished, the first great choir marched along the top of the wall toward the Dung Gate, singing thanks to God. Sin is like garbage. It piles up, it stinks, and hiding it doesn't make it go away. When we turn back to God and confess, He forgives us and cleans us because of Jesus, and our trash becomes a reason to praise Him.
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: Taking out the trash, Wall of Jerusalem
- 5 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: at school, at home, 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
The Dung Gate was where Jerusalem's garbage, ashes and waste went out to the valley. Malchijah, the ruler of a district, rebuilt it himself, and at the dedication the first great thanksgiving choir marched along the top of the wall toward the Dung Gate. The trash gate became a road for praise. Paul used a rough word for garbage to describe his best religious achievements next to knowing Christ. We can't clean ourselves up, with good deeds or with hiding. Repentance means turning from sin and confessing it honestly, and God, faithful and just because of Jesus, forgives and cleanses us.
This version includes:
- An opening hook and a 10-minute Bible story written for this age, with a Hidden in Plain Sight moment
- 5 discussion questions
- 2 activities: Garbage and grace, Taking out my trash
- 5 “Dasch Digs Up” facts
- Real-life connections: with friends, at school, 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
More lessons from this story
Same Bible story, a different principle.
More lessons on Repentance
The same principle in other Bible stories.
Jesus the KingJesus and ZacchaeusLuke 19:1-10; Exodus 22:1Zacchaeus, a cheating tax collector, climbed a tree to see Jesus. Jesus called him by name and came to his house, and Zacchaeus turned from his sin and made things right.New TestamentRepentance
The Church BeginsSaul Meets JesusActs 9:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:17Saul was trying to hurt Jesus' followers. But on the road to Damascus, the risen Jesus stopped him with a bright light and spoke to him. Saul turned around, followed Jesus, and became one of His greatest messengers.New TestamentRepentance
The Golden CalfExodus 32:1-35; Exodus 34:1-8While Moses was on Mount Sinai with God, the people grew tired of waiting. They made a golden calf and worshiped it. God was angry, but Moses prayed for the people, and God showed mercy. When we sin, we don't make excuses. We repent, turn back to God and tell Him the truth, and He forgives.Old TestamentRepentance
You Are the Man: Nathan’s Story for King David2 Samuel 12:1-13; 2 Samuel 11:1-27; Psalm 51:1-12; 1 John 1:9King David did terrible things. He took another man's wife, Bathsheba, and had her husband, Uriah, killed in battle. Then he tried to hide it. But God saw, and He sent the prophet Nathan to David with a story about a rich man who stole a poor man's only lamb. David was furious – "The man who did this deserves to die!" Nathan said, "You are that man!" David stopped hiding. "I have sinned against the LORD," he said. And Nathan answered, "The LORD has taken away your sin. You will not die." Repentance means agreeing with God about our sin and turning back to Him, because He is ready to forgive.Old TestamentRepentance
With Building BricksJonah and Nineveh: RepentanceJonah 1–3; Acts 3:19; Matthew 12:41God told Jonah to go to the big, wicked city of Nineveh. But Jonah ran the other way! God sent a storm, and Jonah was thrown into the sea. God sent a huge fish to swallow him. Inside the fish, Jonah prayed and turned back to God. The fish spit him out on dry land. Then God gave Jonah a second chance. Jonah went to Nineveh and gave a very short message. "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned!" The whole city believed God. From the king to the cows, they turned from their evil ways, and God showed them mercy. Repentance means turning away from sin and back to God.Old TestamentRepentance
The Rooster Crows: Peter Denies JesusLuke 22:31-34; Luke 22:54-62At the Last Supper, Peter said he would never leave Jesus. But Jesus said that before the rooster crowed, Peter would say three times that he didn't know Him. Jesus also said, "I have prayed for you." That night, Jesus was arrested. By a fire in the high priest's courtyard, Peter said three times, "I don't know Him!" The rooster crowed, and Jesus turned and looked at Peter. Peter went out and cried hard. But Jesus had already prayed for him. Peter turned back, and Jesus forgave him.New TestamentRepentance