10 Bible Characters for Kids - First Things First
If I had to choose just ten Bible characters to introduce to kids, these are the ones I'd go with.
Children often hear Bible stories but they don't get to connect with the people on the pages of Scripture. This blog post slows down and gets those basic things in place first: Who do they need to know for this story to make sense? Here are 10 Bible Characters for Kids to get a foundational understanding of the Bible.
First things, first.
May you find space here to pause, reflect, and abide.
Who are the 10 Most Important Bible Characters for Kids to Know?
The Bible tells one big story: God made a perfect world; Adam broke it. God promised to restore it. His promise was echoed over many years. Jesus accomplished the rescue. And the Holy Spirit and the Church are sharing that good news today. The Bible figures children need to know before anything else are:
God
Why?
God is the most important being in the Bible.
He is present on every page of Scripture (even where He seems quiet).
First person of the Trinity.
Big story role:
God created everything and everyone to worship Him and be with Him.
Verse:
Genesis 1:1 — "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."
Adam
Why?
Adam is the first person God made.
He is a great symbol for all of mankind and received the promise first.
Big story role:
Adam was God's friend who then turned away from God (and chose sin).
Who else?
Eve.
Verse:
Genesis 2:7 — "Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust..."
Abraham
Why?
He received God's promise and became the "father" of God's people.
He is featured in the important formation years of Israel in the Old Testament.
Big story role:
God promised to make him into a great nation and to save the world through his offspring (Jesus).
Who else?
Sarah. Isaac. Jacob. The 12 tribes.
Verse:
Genesis 12:2 — "I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you..."
Moses
Why?
He led the Israelites out of Egypt and to the Promised Land.
He is featured in most of the Old Testament law books.
Big story role:
Through the wilderness years with Moses, God taught His people how to live His way.
Who else?
Joshua (who actually led the people into the Promised Land).
Verse:
Deuteronomy 34:10 — "Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face."
David
Why?
He was a great king and a man after God's own heart.
He wrote many of the Psalms.
Big story role:
He was a king of Israel who did what was good in God's eyes.
Who else?
Verse:
1 Samuel 13:14 — "The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart..."
Jeremiah
Why?
He is an example of a prophet.
They were God's special messengers who echoed the promise.
Big story role:
The prophets repeated God's promise and talked about the Savior who would come (Jesus).
Who else?
Verse:
Jeremiah 23:5 — “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.”
Jesus
Why?
Jesus is the most important person in the history of the world.
He fulfilled God's promise and is now our King enthroned.
2nd person in the Trinity.
Big story role:
He lived the perfect life, died the perfect death, defeated death and gave us eternal life.
Verse:
John 3:16 — "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son..."
John
Why?
He is an example of a disciple.
He stayed very close to Jesus and wrote 5 books in the New Testament.
Big story role:
The disciples followed Jesus and learned from Him how to live God's way.
Who else?
Peter, Andrew, Matthew, etc.
Verse:
John 13:23 — "One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him."
Paul
Why?
He is an example of someone who encountered Jesus later (like us).
He wrote a big portion (13 letters) of the New Testament.
Big story role:
He was a leader in the Early Church (the first Christians) and a great missionary.
Who else?
See Book of Acts.
Verse:
Acts 9:15 — "This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name..."
Holy Spirit
Why?
The Spirit is still active in the world today.
He is our Helper and Friend - also, the spiritual gifts and fruit of the spirit.
3rd person in the Trinity.
Big story role:
The Holy Spirit is still writing God's story in and through your life.
Verse:
John 14:26 — "But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send..."
Help Kids Know Important Bible Figures
Question to ask kids: 'If you could meet any of these 10 people, who would it be and why?' My favorite way of teaching kids about the important people in the Bible is through printable Bible character cards. Something happens when kids can see a picture symbolizing who someone was and what God did in their life.
My printable cards are hand-illustrated and a fun way to make this more hands-on :)
P.S. If you enjoyed this post or feel curious to go deeper, I want to invite you to sign up for my newsletter. Be the first to hear about new resources to lead kids in faith.
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