This story is the first in a collection of Bible stories for kids about Lent: Take Up Your Cross: Lenten Bible Stories.
Dust to Dust: A Bible Story for Kids about Ash Wednesday
We begin each season of Lent with a day called Ash Wednesday. It is common to have our foreheads marked with ashes as a sign of our desire for mercy.
This is the story of God’s punishment for Adam and Eve after they ate the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. As you read the story, pay attention to the way God describes death to Adam.
When God made Adam in the Garden of Eden, he formed him out of the clay in the ground. He had big plans for Adam, but he also had one important rule: do not eat the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.
“If you eat the fruit from that tree, you will die,” God told him.
This command was given to Adam’s wife, Eve, too. The Serpent, who is the devil, came and tempted Eve. He convinced her to eat the forbidden fruit. She gave some to her husband, Adam, who ate it as well.
They were immediately ashamed of disobeying God. They tried to hide from him, but God found them.
“You are banished from the garden. You will no longer eat the fruit from the Tree of Life,” God told Adam. “Now you must work hard for your food. You must make bread for yourself to eat. Years from now you will die and return to the ground. I made you out of the ground. You are dust and to dust you shall return.”
Reflection Questions
- What punishment did God give to Adam for his sin?
- Why did God tell Adam he is dust and to dust he shall return?
- What does it feel like to do something wrong? How can you feel better after hurting or disobeying someone?
- Why do you think we look to Jesus’ cross today as our new Tree of Life?
More Lenten Bible Stories for Kids
Get your copy of the entire collection of short Bible stories for you and your family to read at dinner, before bed, or any time you can find to break open the Word of God:
