Lesson 154: Nahum, Habakkuk,
Zephaniah
---Looking
at the picture on the board, imagine that the arrows represent the evils and
perils that threaten us in our day.
---What are some of the evils and perils that
threaten us in our day?
---The
prophet Nahum prophesied during the time of the Assyrian Empire, approximately
100 years after the time of Jonah. The Assyrian army had already destroyed the
Northern Kingdom of Israel and was planning to conquer the Southern Kingdom of
Judah.
---Turn to Bible Map no. 5, “The Assyrian Empire.” Locate Nineveh and Jerusalem on
the map. Nineveh was the capital city of Assyria.
---The phrase
“the burden of Nineveh” refers to a message of doom pronounced against Nineveh.
More than 100 years after Jonah preached to them, the people of Nineveh had
again become wicked at the time of Nahum.
---Scan Nahum
1:1–8 looking for words and phrases that describe
the nature of God, including His power and His being slow to anger.
---How did the Lord feel about Nineveh? Why
was He angry?
---The
phrase “the Lord is slow to anger” in verse 3 implies that the Lord had given
the people of Nineveh adequate time to repent. Because they chose not to repent
and continued in wickedness, they would experience the Lord’s judgments.
The Lord is
a _____________________________________________________, and He knows those who
trust Him.
---Read the
following statement by Elder Richard G. Scott::
“To trust
means to obey willingly without knowing the end from the beginning (see Prov.
3:5–7)” (“Trust
in the Lord,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 17).
---In what ways have you witnessed that the
Lord blesses those who trust Him?
---Record a
goal in your class notebooks stating how you plan to better show your trust in
the Lord.
---In Nahum 1:9–14 Nahum prophesied that Nineveh
would be destroyed for its wickedness. In verse 15, Nahum reminded the Jews keep the feasts and
vows that were designated by the law of Moses.
---How might the observance of these feasts
and rituals help the people develop trust in the Lord so they could be
protected by Him?
---In Nahum 2–3 Nahum saw that Nineveh’s downfall would be desolating. These
prophecies about the destruction of Nineveh can be likened to the destruction
of the wicked in the last days at the Lord’s Second Coming.
---The
prophet Habakkuk may have lived sometime between the fall of the northern
tribes of Israel (721 B.C.) and the destruction of Jerusalem
(587 B.C.).
---In Habakkuk 1–2 Habakkuk learned that the Lord would use a wicked nation (the
Babylonians, also known as Chaldeans) to destroy the kingdom of Judah. This
troubled Habakkuk, and he asked the Lord why He would use a wicked people to
destroy His chosen people. The Lord answered kindly and encouraged patience, assuring
Habakkuk that in time the wicked Chaldeans would also be punished.
---What did Habakkuk learn?
III. Zephaniah 1–3
Zephaniah prophesies of the
destruction of Jerusalem as a type of the Second Coming
School test Date Audition
Performance Athletic
meet or game Mission
Patriarchal blessing General conference
---Choose
one of these events and explain what you would do to prepare for that event.
---Why does it matter how we prepare for the
Savior’s Second Coming?
---The
prophet Zephaniah probably lived during the time of Habakkuk, Jeremiah, Lehi,
and other prophets, and he joined them in warning the kingdom of Judah of
approaching destruction. Zephaniah’s prophecies also apply to the latter days
and warn of the calamities to come before the Second Coming of the Savior.
---Zephaniah 1 records the Lord’s description of the destruction awaiting the
people because they “turned back from the Lord” (Zephaniah
1:6). The Lord “bid his guests” to
come to “a sacrifice” that He had prepared and said that He would punish those
who came clothed with “strange apparel” (Zephaniah
1:7–8). “Strange apparel” in this context likely means foreign apparel
worn for idolatrous purposes; those wearing it would have shown indifference
for Jehovah.
---What will the nation of Judah experience
because of their sins?
---What did the Lord counsel the Jews to do
before the day of the Lord’s anger?
---What is meekness?
---To better
understand the meaning of the word meekness, read the following statement by
President Gordon B. Hinckley:
“Meekness
implies a spirit of gratitude as opposed to an attitude of
self-sufficiency, an acknowledgment of a greater power beyond oneself, a
recognition of God, and an acceptance of his commandments” (“With
All Thy Getting Get Understanding,” Ensign,
Aug. 1988, 3–4).
---What principle do these verses teach that
can help us prepare for the day of the Lord’s Second Coming?
As we seek
the Lord, seek righteousness, and seek meekness, we can be ___________________________________________.
Application---How do you think we can be
more righteous and meek?
---In Zephaniah 2:4–3:7 Zephaniah prophesied that the Lord would destroy several wicked
nations. Similar destruction will come to all of the wicked in the day of God’s
judgment before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
---Read Zephaniah
3:8 looking for
what the Lord counseled the righteous to do to prepare for the Second Coming.
---Mark what
you find.
---What do you think it means to “wait” upon
the Lord?
---To better
understand what it means to wait upon the Lord, read aloud the following
explanation from President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency:
“The word
wait in scripture language means to hope for or anticipate” (“Waiting
Upon the Lord” [Brigham Young University fireside, Sept. 30, 1990], 4; speeches.byu.edu).
---What are some ways we can show that we
hope for and anticipate the Second Coming?
---What did the Lord promise to those who
wait upon Him faithfully?
---What principle can we learn from these
verses about waiting upon the Lord?
If we will
wait upon the Lord, He will ___________________________________________________________________.
---Waiting
upon the Lord takes patience.
---Read the
following statement by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland and write it in the margin
of your scriptures or in your notebook.
“Some
blessings come soon, some come late, and some don’t come until heaven; but for
those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come” (“An
High Priest of Good Things to Come,” Ensign,
Nov. 1999, 38).
---When have you or someone you know waited
upon the Lord and been delivered from sorrow or afflictions?
Lesson 155: Haggai; Zechariah 1–2
---Demo
---Locate
“Haggai” on the diagram “The Kingdoms of Israel and Judah at a Glance.”
---After the Jews arrived in
Jerusalem from their captivity in Babylon, they put great effort into
rebuilding the temple, the city, their homes, and their lives. However, because
of opposition from the Samaritans and their own apathy, they stopped working on
the temple for several years (see Ezra
4:1–5, 24).
---The word
ceiled means “paneled” (see verse 4,
footnote a). “Ceiled
houses” refers to the way many Jews furnished their homes with fine wood, and
the phrase “this house” refers to the temple.
---How had the people placed their will ahead
of the Lord’s will?
---Thinking
of the demo, read Haggai
1:5–7 looking for similarities between the Jews’
situation and the container.
---How was the Jews’ situation similar to the
container with holes?
---Notice
the phrase “consider your ways” in verses 5
and 7
---Why do you think the Jews needed to
consider their ways?
---What did the Lord instruct the people to
do?
---In Haggai 1:9–11 the Lord told the Jews that the difficulties they were experiencing,
including a drought and a famine, were the result of putting a higher priority
on furnishing their own homes than on rebuilding His temple.
---What did the Jews decide to do?
---According to verse 13, what was the Lord’s message to
the people because of their decision to work on the temple?
---Haggai 2:1–6 says that after the Jews struggled for nearly a month to rebuild
the temple, the Lord spoke words of encouragement to them through the prophet
Haggai.
---Why could the people be strong and
fearless as they rebuilt the temple?
---Read Haggai
2:7–9 the title
“the desire of all nations” (verse 7) refers to the Savior Jesus Christ.
---This
prophecy could refer to the Savior’s visits to the temple during His mortal
ministry. It could also refer to His visit to His temple in Jerusalem at the
Second Coming, which may be what Haggai meant when he said, “The glory of this
latter house shall be greater than of the former,” or Solomon’s temple (verse 9).
---What principle we can learn from verse 9 that can help us understand an
important purpose of temples?
When we are
in the house of the Lord, He can ________________________________________________________.
---To better
understand this principle, read the following statement by Elder David B.
Haight of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:
“The moment
we step into the house of the Lord, the atmosphere changes from the worldly to
the heavenly, where respite from the normal activities of life is found, and
where peace of mind and spirit is received. It is a refuge from the ills of
life and a protection from the temptations that are contrary to our spiritual
well-being” (“Temples
and the Work Therein,” Ensign, Nov. 1990, 61).
---Think of
a time when you felt peace in the temple. Share with your group if appropriate.
---Remember
to be worthy to be in the temple and to go to the temple as often as they can.
---The
verses in Haggai 2:10–17 refer to ordinances of the law of
Moses related to holiness and cleanliness and
again identify the Jews’ temporal problems as a result of not building the
temple.
---What did the Lord say He would do for
Israel starting from the day they continued working on the temple?
---What principle can we learn from these
verses?
If we put
God and His will first in our lives, then He will __________________________________________________.
---What are some situations in which we would
need to decide whether to put God first? (for example, accepting a well-paying
job that requires working on the Sabbath instead of going to church).
---How might God bless us in all aspects of
our lives as we put Him first?
---To better
understand how you will be blessed as you place God first in your lives, read the
following statement by President Ezra Taft Benson:
“Men and
women who turn their lives over to God will find out that he can make a lot
more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their
vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits,
multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls,
raise up friends, and pour out peace” (“Jesus
Christ—Gifts and Expectations,” New Era, May 1975, 20).
---Ponder
how putting God first in your lives has blessed you.
---Ponder
how well you are doing with putting God first in your lives.
---Make any
changes that would help you put God first in your lives.
---Haggai 2:20–23 says that the Lord, through Haggai, told of the great influence
that Zerubbabel would have on Judah.
---Zechariah
prophesied in Jerusalem at about the same time as Haggai. At a time when the
Jews felt that God had forgotten them and their struggles, Zechariah (whose
name means “Jehovah remembers”) received eight different visions that restored
the Jews’ hope and faith in God’s love for them (see Bible Dictionary,
“Zechariah”).
---Read Zechariah
1:1–3 looking for
a truth that might have strengthened the Jews’ faith in God’s love.
If we turn unto
the Lord, then He will _______________________________________________________________.
---How do we turn to the Lord?
---Some
people may mistakenly believe that when they turn away from God by committing
sin, He also turns away from them.
---Read the
following statement by Elder Neal A. Maxwell and listen for an explanation
of God’s attitude toward those who sin.
“In the
anguishing process of repentance, we may sometimes feel God has deserted us.
The reality is that our behavior has isolated us from Him. Thus, while we are
turning away from evil but have not yet turned fully to God, we are especially
vulnerable. Yet we must not give up, but, instead, reach out to God’s awaiting
arm of mercy, which is outstretched ‘all the day long.’ (Jacob
5:47; 6:4; 2 Ne.
28:32; Morm.
5:11.)” (“Repentance,” Ensign,
Nov. 1991, 31).
---Why might someone feel like God has turned
away from them?
---What does Elder Maxwell teach about God’s
desires for those who sin?
---In the rest of Zechariah 1–2 Zechariah prophesied that
there would be peace in the land so that the temple could be rebuilt. He also
prophesied that in the last days Judah would be gathered to Jerusalem and the
Lord would dwell in the midst of His people.
Lesson 156: Zechariah 3–8
I. Zechariah 3–4
Joshua, the high priest, is
prepared to officiate, and Zerubbabel is charged with rebuilding the temple
---Make a
list of individuals you hope to associate with in the celestial kingdom.
---Why did you include those individuals on your
lists?
---In this
lesson, we will learn about visions that the Lord gave to Zechariah, a prophet
who lived during the time of Haggai and Ezra. He was also one of many Jews who
returned to Jerusalem from Babylon as a result of the decree by King Cyrus of
Persia.
---The
“brand plucked out of the fire” in verse 2 represents the people of Judah
who were delivered from exile by the decree of King Cyrus.
---Who stood before the angel? What was he
wearing?
---Who stood next to Joshua before the angel
of the Lord?
---What is one meaning of the name Satan?
---What did the angel command others nearby
to remove from Joshua?
---What could the changing of Joshua’s
garment symbolize?
---The
clothing referred to in verse 5 was the attire priests wore to
officiate in the temple. This included a “fair mitre,” which was a clean, or
pure, cap (see footnote a).
---What was Joshua commanded to do? The
phrase “keep my charge” [verse 7] means to keep God’s
commandments and fulfill the duties He requires, including priesthood duties.
---Who does the phrase “these that stand by”
refer to? (“The heavenly messengers” [see verse 7,
footnote c].)
---To be
given “places to walk among [the angels]” (verse 7) means that Joshua would be
worthy to enter the Lord’s presence and dwell with those who live in the
celestial kingdom.
---What principle can we learn from Joshua’s
experience about how we can be worthy to enter the Lord’s presence?
If we walk
in the Lord’s ways and keep our covenants, then we will __________________________________________.
---How can we walk in the Lord’s ways?
---When have you seen someone walk in the
Lord’s ways? What stood out to you about that person’s example?
---Imagine
how you would feel if you were unprepared to be in the Lord’s presence. Then imagine that you had prepared yourselves
to be in His presence. How different are those feelings?
---To better
understand what you need to do now to prepare for being in the Lord’s presence,
complete the following statement in their class notebooks:
I will walk
in the Lord’s ways and be worthy to enter His presence by …
---Zechariah 3:8–4:14 explains that Zechariah had a vision of the Second Coming of
Jesus Christ, who is referred to as “the BRANCH” in these verses and in Zechariah 6:12. In addition, the Lord revealed to Zechariah that Zerubbabel, the
appointed governor of Judah, was to lay the foundation of and finish building
the temple.
Zechariah 5–6 an angel showed Zechariah
visions of how wickedness would be removed from the earth as part of the Second
Coming.
---Fill in
the provided chart by making a check mark in the column that best represents your
motivation for each form of worship.
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Meet
others’ expectations
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Feel good
about myself
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Draw
closer to Heavenly Father
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I go to
church in order to …
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I pray in
order to …
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I fast in
order to …
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I go to
the temple in order to …
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I serve
others in order to …
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---For 70
years the Jews had mourned the loss of their land and the destruction of the
temple. As part of their mourning, they participated in ritual fasts. As
recorded in Zechariah 7:1–3, the people asked Zechariah if
they needed to continue fasting even though they had returned to Jerusalem and
were rebuilding the temple.
---What did the Lord ask those who
participated in these ritual fasts?
---What do the Lord’s questions in verses 5–6 indicate about the thoughts and
desires of the people?
---The way
the Jews had been fasting illustrated their misunderstanding of the proper
focus of worship.
---What can we learn from these verses about
the proper focus of worship?
When we
worship, we should focus on ________________________ and not on ourselves.
---What are some improper or selfish reasons
why someone might choose to worship?
---Why is it important that our worship is
focused on the Lord and our relationship with Him?
---What have you done to make your worship of
the Lord more focused on Him?
---Looking
at your self-evaluation chart, consider how you will focus your worship more on
the Lord.
---In Zechariah 7:8–10 the Lord reminded the Jews
of commandments He had given them through past prophets whom they had refused
to follow.
---What attitudes or behaviors prevented the
people from receiving answers from the Lord?
---What principle can we learn from these
verses about what we need to do to receive answers to our prayers?
As we soften
our hearts to the word of the Lord, we can ________________________________________________.
---What does it mean to soften our hearts?
---Why is a soft heart essential to receiving
answers to our prayers?
---In Zechariah 7:14–8:2 the Lord described the
consequences that the people experienced because they turned away from Him.
---Zechariah 8 records the Lord’s description of a joyful day when the
relationship between Him and the people of Judah would be restored.
---Read Zechariah
8:3–8 looking for
what the Lord said He would do for His people. (the Joseph Smith Translation changed the word “save” in verse 7 to “gather” [in Zechariah 8:7,
footnote a].) When Zechariah gave this prophecy, Jerusalem
was largely desolate, its temple lay in ruins, and many of the Lord’s people
were still scattered.
---Why do you think the image of streets
being filled with elderly people and children playing would have been
“marvellous in the eyes of the” Jews in Zechariah’s day (verse 6)?
---What truth can we learn from these verses?
The Lord in
His mercy will __________________________________________________________________________.
---What other blessings did the Lord promise
His people?
---How is gathering His people a
manifestation of the Savior’s mercy?
---Ponder a
time when you recognized the Lord’s hand mercifully bringing you closer to Him.
---In Zechariah 8:16–23 the Lord encouraged His
people to be honest and virtuous and to rejoice in their hopeful future. He
also foretold of a future day when many people and nations would seek the Lord
in Jerusalem.
DEMO
---Bring to
class an empty container (such as a plastic bottle) with several small holes in
the bottom, a pitcher of water, a sponge or rag, and a pan large enough to
catch the water that will spill.
---Invite a
student to come to the front of the class and use the sponge or rag to transfer
the water from the pitcher to the container with holes. (Make sure the student
does this over the pan so it catches the water that spills.) After the student
struggles to complete this task, ask the following question:
---Why is it a challenge to fill a container
that has holes?
---Ask
students to ponder how this activity could represent the experience of someone
who is given the word of God but chooses to ignore God’s will and pursue his or
her own desires instead.
---As we
study the prophecies of Nahum, look for truths that will help you find
protection against the evils of our day.
---Look for
a truth in Zephaniah that will help you know how you can prepare for the Second
Coming.
---Look for
truths as you study the book of Haggai that illustrate the blessings of putting
God and His will first in our lives.
---Look for
principles as we study Zechariah 3 that illustrate how we can
prepare to return to live with Heavenly Father and His righteous children.
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