Minor Prophets -- Habakkuk

MINOR PROPHETS: HABAKKUK

Objectives:

  1. Students should identify Habakkuk as a prophet who prophecies of the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ.
  2. Students should be able to tell of his message to the people of Judah.
  3. Students should be able to tell the story of Daniel and Habakkuk.
  4. Students should learn the names of all 12 “minor prophets”.

 

Possible Lesson Plan:

  1. Open with prayer.

 

  1. Scripture Reference: Habakkuk lived in the land of Judea during the time of the prophets Daniel and Jeremiah. Read Daniel 22:33 -- In the book of Daniel, according to the Septuagint, an angel told Habakkuk to take his stew and bread to Daniel while he was in the lion’s den. Habakkuk was in Judea; Daniel in Babylon. The angel transported Habakkuk to Babylon and provided food for Daniel! The icon on the right pictures Daniel in the lion’s den with Habakkuk and the angel above him and Christ above all. As to the message of the Lord to His people through Habakkuk, Habakkuk saw the terrible evil among his own people and spoke to them of God’s coming judgment at the hands of the Babylonians. The icon on the left pictures Habakkuk’s vision of the Babylonian army in its pride. Who then can we trust? Read Habakkuk’s answer in Habakkuk 3:17-19. Finally, read 2:20 and 3:3 – prophecies of the coming of Jesus 600 years before the Nativity. Habakkuk – a short book with a lot to say!

 

  1. Learning Game: Try Concentration with all 12 minor prophets.

 

  1. Discussion: How would you like to go down in history as a “minor prophet”? No one knows who you are or what you said and did individually! But these were real people, speaking for the Lord from very different vantage points. Compare and contrast Habakkuk and Jonah (whom you’ve already met).  Where were they from? Who were they to speak to? What was the response of each to God’s calling? What was the message? What was the outcome for each?

           

  1. Make “Habakkuk’s Stew”: Try making a real stew if you have access to a kitchen. Cut the meat, chop the vegetables, boil and enjoy with bread. OR, take a small plastic cup, silver or black if possible. Poke two holes across from each other near the top and attach a pipe cleaner for a handle. Squirt in a good quantity of glue and add dried beans, barley, dried peas and corn,  in a pleasing arrangement. When it dries, spray with clear spray to make the stew pot more permanent. Consider using as a Christmas ornament; Habakkuk’s prophecy is read at Nativity.

 

  1. Close with prayer. Pray that we will respond to God’s call as did Ninevah, and not as did Judah.