Teaching Your Kids the Minor Prophets (Beyond Jonah)
Today’s post is sponsored by Christian Focus Publications, and written by Brian J. Wright and John R. Brown, authors of the God’s Daring Dozen series.
“Mommy, Daddy, who were the Minor Prophets?”
“Well, there’s Jonah and ….”
And unfortunately, most parents are stumped at one. The Minor Prophets make up nearly a fifth of the books of Scripture, yet few people are familiar with even their names, much less their content. Now, however, there are books available that introduce both adults and children to these amazing men of God.
Introducing Kids (and Parents) to the Minor Prophets
God’s Daring Dozen is the first children’s picture book series on the Minor Prophets in the history of children’s literature. These books faithfully convey this neglected portion of God’s word in a way that is engaging and understandable for adults and children alike.
This series has several other significant features:
- The authors are seminary-trained pastors, who are also parents.
- The illustrations are archaeologically informed, from the Assyrian armies to the Babylonian gates.
- The figures are realistically presented to emphasize that these men actually lived, and these events actually occurred.
- The titles are taglines to make the books’ messages memorable: Obadiah and the Ninevites, Joel and the Locusts, Malachi’s Final Message, etc.
- The words intentionally reflect God’s word. For example, the first word in the Hebrew text of Jonah is “And it happened,” so the opening words of Jonah’s Journeysare, “And it happened.” The book of Nahum ends with a question, therefore so does Nahum & the Ninevites.
- Prolonged divine speech is preserved in the children’s books when indicated by the prophets, like Nahum and Malachi.
- The themes of the biblical books, like the Day of the Lord in Joel, are echoed in their illustrated summaries.
- Messianic images and prophesies are highlighted, and New Testament references to them are mentioned.
- The books are situated in the context of redemption history and the gospel message.
This level of detail—examining the original language, researching archaeological findings, reviewing commentaries and reference works—is unique for a children’s series, yet the authors are committed to accurately communicating God’s inspired revelation.
Why Do Children (and Parents) Need to Understand These Canonical Works?
The Minor Prophets are inspired revelation to equip us. That’s why Paul wrote, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work (2 Tim 3.16–17).” The Minor Prophets contain God’s warnings to sober us. “Return to Me,” declares the Lord of hosts, “that I may return to you” (Zech 1.3). The Minor Prophets are divine instruction to encourage us. Whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope (Rom 15.4).
Jesus modeled using “all the Prophets” to teach about Himself (Luke 24:27). The early church did likewise (Act 10:43), as did Christian families in the first century (2 Tim 3:15). Will you?
Grab your set God’s Daring Dozen books from your local Christian bookstore, or from the Christian Focus website.
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The Ten Commandments for Children
This week the blog is sponsored by Reformed Free Publishing Association. This post is about their brand new picture book, The Ten Commandments for Children, written by Prof. Ron Cammenga and illustrated by Ana Sebastián.
Jesus Christ is glorified when we obey Him. That is what Jesus meant when he told his disciples, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Because we love our Savior and we want to bring glory to his great name, we live according to his law—by keeping the Sabbath day holy, avoiding theft and murder, telling the truth, and all the rest. We want our children to show the world their love for Jesus, and so we teach them to obey God’s law, too, even from a young age.
But what is harder to explain to our children, and what we can often forget, is that there is so much more to keeping God’s law than following a list of do’s and do not’s. God sees and knows our hearts.
We might bring the whole family to church each week, but God knows where our minds actually are on Sunday morning. Our children might not swipe the gadgets from Best Buy that are small enough to fit in their pockets, but God sees the bitterness and envy they harbor toward friends and classmates who always seem to have the latest device connected to their air pods.
Truly keeping God’s law is so much more than external obedience. Truly keeping God’s law is loving him and loving others from the heart.If you are looking for a resource you can share with your family to explain and apply this truth, consider The Ten Commandments for Children by Ronald Cammenga. This new children’s book from the Reformed Free Publishing Association (RFPA) explains and applies each commandment in language that kids understand. In two to three chapters, it covers what God forbids—the negative side of each commandment—and what he requires—the positive.
The book is made up of 28 two-page chapters that can be used either as lessons or devotions on God’s law. Here is the layout of the book:Chapters 1–2 introduce the law of God
Chapters 3–6 explain why God has given us his law
Chapter 7 teaches about love, the summary of the law
Chapters 8–28 present each commandment in two to three chapters, focusing first on what is forbidden in each commandment (the negative) and then what is required (the positive)This book is the first in a three-part series by the author, Prof. Ron Cammenga of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
If you have children or grandchildren, Ten Commandments would make a great devotional to close out the summer or start the school year off right.
“The book is designed not just to be read to them,” says the author, “but also to serve as a devotional you can use with your kids in the morning before they go off to school.”
Kids and parents alike will also appreciate the beautiful full-color illustrations by Ana Sebastián, a digital illustrator based in Madrid, Spain.Here are a couple of excerpts from chapters 24 and 25 that demonstrate the positive and the negative applications of the ninth commandment.
From Chapter 24, “Do Not Lie!”
A lie is a deliberate untruth. You know what the truth is. But you deliberately change the truth.
Often people lie to cover up a sin or avoid punishment. How often haven’t you done that? You were being mean to your sister or brother, but when your mother asks you about it, you lie. You deny that you said or did anything mean.
From Chapter 25, “Speak the Truth in Love!”
We must speak the truth that God is the only true God, that God’s word is truth, that God’s Son Jesus is the only Savior. We must also speak the truth about ourselves—never lying to impress people with how great we are. And we must speak the truth about others so that we never put them down or make them look bad. Solomon wrote in Proverbs 12:22, “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord: but they that deal truly are his delight.”
Let’s teach our children to glorify their only Savior, by keeping his commandments from the heart.
You can purchase your copy of The Ten Commandments for Children here. Subscribe to the Reformed Free Publishing Association email list on their website homepage to be notified of sales, news, and upcoming children’s book releases. -
A La Carte (January 31)
Good morning! Grace and peace to you.
(Yesterday on the blog: God Is At Work, Even When All Seems Still)
Good fear, bad fear
Andrée Seu Peterson considers various kinds of fear, both good and bad.
Pronouns for God
“One of my regular complaints is that Western theologians behave as though they are the ones who determine what is and what is not correct for the rest of the world.” In this article, Eddie looks at some discussions of pronouns and shows that we may be too hasty in the way we speak about them. After all, not all languages work like English.
Zwingli: God’s Armed Prophet
I really enjoyed this interview with Bruce Gordon as he discusses Huldrych Zwingli.
Leadership in Civil War, Treason, Hypocrisy, and the Burden of History
Similarly, I really enjoyed this discussion between Al Mohler and Allen Guelzo as they discuss Robert E. Lee. The best part may come right at the very end.
Cannabis is in the Bible: Debunking an Interpretative Myth
“‘The Bible includes cannabis as part of the worship of Yahweh!’ Marijuana advocates often repeat this claim in an effort to gain leverage for the moral permissibility of smoking pot. The claim is so strange and peculiar, pastors, church leaders, and parents can be caught off guard and find themselves ill-prepared to answer this bit of cannabis urban legend. Does the Bible mention cannabis as part of worshipping the LORD?”
10 Passages to Read with Someone Who Is Near Death
This is one that is probably worthy of a bookmark since, sooner or later, you’ll likely have opportunity.God’s house is a hive for workers, not a nest for drones. —Charles Spurgeon
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A La Carte (January 19)
May the Lord bless and keep you today.
There is a good selection of new Kindle deals today.
Shall we cancel the theologians?
Carl Trueman says “there is a form of cancel culture emerging within the ranks of Christians. It operates with selective pieties drawn from the wider woke culture and reflects, whether by accident or design, the same self-righteousness that marks the secular world.”
3 Simple Ways to Flatten Your Neighbor
And in a not-entirely-dissimilar way, Trevin Wax says “unfortunately, many in our society seem to be reverting to fourth-grade categorizations for just about everyone, and often doing so with the zeal of a crusader for a righteous cause.”
Ligonier’s New Bible for Students and Young Adults
The Reformation Study Bible, Student Edition from Ligonier Ministries is an ideal resource to help young people grow in their knowledge of God and His Word. Its many unique features include hundreds of questions and answers that bring clarity to key subjects of the Christian faith. Use code CHALLIES by January 21 to save an extra 5% on this new study Bible in the Ligonier store. (Sponsored Link)
When Aslan Wept
Writing from Bangalore, Sheena Gershom looks at an excerpt from C.S. Lewis and asks, “Isn’t that an accurate picture of the love and compassion of our Lord in the face of our disheartening circumstances? While it is within God’s power to remove our suffering and make us feel better again, sometimes He does not. We can only trust that He’s grieving alongside us while working things out behind the scenes for our good and His glory.”
Christians Are Going Back to Church—But Maybe Not the Same One
In this article, CT says something many of us have been observing: that there is a lot of movement between churches at the moment.
How To Understand And Dispel The Fear Of Witchcraft
Joseph Byamukama writes about witchcraft–a very present and pressing issue in many settings. “In 2016, the former Ugandan Parliament House Speaker Rebecca Kadaga raised eyebrows and caused controversy for her re-election thanksgiving to the ancestors in a shrine. Before her, the then Vice President, Professor Gilbert Bukenya, had done the same. Indeed many politically influential Africans appeal to the power of witchcraft. But what is witchcraft? Why does it persist in Africa? And how do we respond to it as Christians?”
Flashback: On Being Thought Well of By Outsiders
An elder must have the respect not only of believers but also of unbelievers. And here is how this one challenges me: To be respected he must be known.More skepticism may be traced to a neglected prayer closet than to the arguments of infidels or the halls of secularists. —F.B. Meyer
