This thoughtful article provides simple ways to connect the prophets of the Old Testament to kids today.
Daniel and Jonah (of lion’s den and big fish fame, respectively) show up in children’s Bible lessons early on. But what can kids learn from the other Old Testament prophets? What can kids learn from prophets like Jeremiah, Hosea, and Malachi?
What they can learn is a lot about the nature and character of God. For this reason, we don’t want to overlook teaching kids about the Old Testament prophets.
This is not a perfect analogy, but it conveys the idea of the prophets’ messages. The “mom” in this story represents God, the child is the Israelites, and the matches are the false gods they’re messing around with.
In the case of Israel, the consequence or judgment was not that they would get burned by fire, but that they would be conquered by other nations and hauled off as slaves.
The promise for the future was not hugs and kisses and treats, but that God would restore His people—bring them back together, rebuild Jerusalem, and live in close fellowship with them once again. That is the message of both the major and minor prophets.
God’s greatest desire is to have a loving relationship with us.
The books of the Old Testament prophets teach us about the character of God. He is totally opposed to sin. Sin is bad for us, and He wants what is best for us.
When we sin, God often lets us feel the consequences, but He is always faithful to His people. God’s greatest desire is to have a loving relationship with us. He will warn us again and again. He gives second and third and fourth chances—over and over.
God the Father wanted a relationship with us so much, that even way back in the Old Testament, He had a plan. He would send His Son Jesus to save us from sin and reconcile us to God. The prophets teach us that this was God’s plan all along:
“He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. … Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering … But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Isaiah 53:3-5
This prophecy was fulfilled seven centuries later. Jesus did come, and He bore the punishment that brought us peace and salvation.
The character of God and the foreshadowing of the gospel are all over the 17 books of the prophets in the Old Testament. This is what we want kids to know as they learn and develop their faith!
