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Case File: Four Prophets and a Promise

Crack a 700-year-old clue, wait on Habakkuk’s watchtower, and find out what the Lord really wants from us

  • ⭐ Valiant 9–10
  • Week 49
  • 📅 Sunday, December 6, 2026
🤔 Forehead Guess🏆 Showdown
💡 The big idea

The Lord always keeps His promises and delights in mercy, so I can trust Him with my hard questions and give Him what He wants most.

I can do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God, and trust His timing when I have questions.

Come, Follow Me manualOpen this week (Micah; Nahum; Habakkuk; Zephaniah)
Know the chapters

Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk and Zephaniah are four short books near the end of the Old Testament. Micah prophesied in Judah at the same time as Isaiah, about 700 years before Jesus was born. That’s Micah 1:1. Judah’s leaders took bribes, and its priests taught for money. Yet they bragged, “Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us.” That’s Micah 3:11. Nahum foretold the fall of Nineveh, the proud capital of Assyria. Assyria had carried away the northern tribes of Israel. The city later fell, just as he said. Habakkuk wrote as Babylon was rising. Zephaniah preached during the reign of good King Josiah, in Zephaniah 1:1. All four warned about pride and wickedness. But every one of them also pointed to the Lord’s mercy and a future full of hope.

The headline prophecy for your class is Micah 5:2. Micah named the exact village where Israel’s promised Ruler would be born. It’s Bethlehem, “little among the thousands of Judah.” He added that His “goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” That’s a hint that Jesus lived before His birth. Seven hundred years later, wise men asked where the new King was. Herod’s chief priests and scribes answered by quoting Micah, in Matthew 2:4–6. Nine- to eleven-year-olds are old enough to love this. They can find the prophecy themselves, then turn to Matthew and watch it come true. That’s the heart of today: the Lord keeps His promises.

Micah 6:6–8 is one of the most famous passages in the Old Testament. Micah imagines people offering bigger and bigger gifts to God. Calves. Thousands of rams. Ten thousand rivers of oil. Then he gives the Lord’s real answer: “to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.” Jesus taught the same three ideas in Matthew 23:23. He called “judgment, mercy, and faith” the “weightier matters of the law.” Help your class see the difference between doing merciful things and loving mercy. The Lord wants our hearts, not just our actions. Micah ends his book praising a God who “delighteth in mercy.” He casts our sins “into the depths of the sea,” in Micah 7:18–19.

Habakkuk is perfect for this age group because he asks God real, honest questions. How long? Why do wicked people seem to win? That’s Habakkuk 1:2–4. Instead of quitting, he climbs his watchtower to wait for an answer, in 2:1. The Lord tells him to write the vision plainly and wait, “because it will surely come.” That’s 2:2–3. By chapter 3, Habakkuk sings that even if every crop fails, “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD.” That’s 3:17–18. Joseph Smith asked similar questions in Liberty Jail and received comfort, in Doctrine and Covenants 121:1–8. Let your class know questions are welcome. What matters is bringing them to the Lord. Zephaniah adds a tender promise to close. The Lord “will joy over thee with singing,” in Zephaniah 3:17.

Only have 5 minutes?

Read Micah 5:2 with Matthew 2:4–6. Then read Micah 6:6–8 and Habakkuk 2:1–3. Open with the Case File race in the scriptures. Tell the Four Prophets story in Teach Mode while kids listen for the word “promise.” Say Micah 6:8 with motions. Play Justly, Mercy or Humbly in two teams, then close with the Watchtower Journal. Brought nothing? Tap “I brought nothing.” The race becomes Twenty Questions, and the journal is written at home.

What to bring2 items

Tick what you have. Forgot something? Every step that needs a supply has a no-supplies version in the plan below.

Before class

  1. Read Micah 5:2 with Matthew 2:4–6, Micah 6:6–8 and Habakkuk 2:1–3.
  2. Practice finding Micah. It’s between Jonah and Nahum. Mark Micah 5:2, Micah 6:6–8, Habakkuk 2:3 and Matthew 2:6 in your scriptures for the Scripture Reader.

If your class is wild

  • Nine- to eleven-year-olds love to win. Keep one running team score from the hook through the Justly, Mercy or Humbly? game and crown the champions at the end.
  • If the room drifts, tap your wrist and whisper, “Wait for it…” Wait until every hand is tapping.
  • Give your wiggliest good reader the Scripture Reader job. Responsibility calms a lot of wiggles.
  • In team rounds, only the captain answers. Blurting from the other team gives the point away.
  • If a “why” question stumps you, say so and write it down. That is exactly what Habakkuk did, and it models faith.

The 25-minute plan24 min + bonus

Bonus steps are for when you have extra time. Steps that mention Teach Mode, the Sound Board or other class games refer to the Gospel Sparks app; on the web you can play Forehead Guess and Scripture Showdown from this page.

1. Hook

Case File: Where Is the King?

3 min

A scripture-finding race lets them discover a 700-year-old prophecy with their own hands.

  1. SAY“Case file! Wise men asked King Herod where the newborn King would be. Herod’s experts quoted a prophet from seven hundred years earlier. Find him! Micah chapter 5.”
  2. Pairs race to find Micah 5:2. Tip: Micah sits between Jonah and Nahum. The first pair to read the town’s name aloud scores a point for their side.
  3. Ask: “A prophet named the exact town seven hundred years early. Why would God tell people so far ahead?” Take one or two quick answers.
🌪️ Only one partner holds the scriptures. The other is the lookout who calls out book names. No grabbing.

Class screen: 🕵️ Case File: Where would the promised King be born? · Clue: Micah chapter 5 · Find it. Read it. Win it.

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: Scriptures for each pair of kids (their own, a classroom set from the library, or Gospel Library on a parent-approved device)

Twenty Questions: Where Is the King?

  1. SAY“Case file! Wise men asked King Herod where the newborn King would be. Herod’s experts quoted a prophet from seven hundred years earlier. Guess the town!”
  2. Two teams take turns asking yes-or-no questions, like “Is it a big city?” The first team to name Bethlehem scores a point. Stuck? Clue: King David grew up there.
  3. Read Micah 5:2 from your own scriptures. Ask: “Why would God tell people so far ahead?”

Class screen: 🕵️ Twenty Questions: Where would the promised King be born? · Yes-or-no questions only · First team to guess wins

2. Story

Story: Four Prophets and a Promise

7 min

Four prophets show that the Lord keeps His promises, welcomes honest questions and wants our hearts. And Micah’s Bethlehem clue comes true.

  1. SAY“Four prophets, one big promise, and a seven-hundred-year wait. Listen for the word ‘promise.’ Point up each time you hear it.”
  2. Open the story in Teach Mode. Read each scene, and watch for pointing fingers. Nod to the Scripture Reader at scenes 1, 5 and 7.
  3. After scene 4, ask: “Is it okay to ask God hard questions?” Then ask: “What did Habakkuk do with his?” He asked, then watched and waited.
  4. After scene 7, ask: “Micah was right seven hundred years early. How does that help you trust God’s other promises?”
🌪️ If the room drifts, whisper “promise” and watch the fingers go up.

Class screen: ⭐ Four Prophets and a Promise · 👂 Listen for “promise” · ☝️ Point up!

3. Scripture

Key Verse: Micah 6:8

4 min

Reading the whole passage from their seats shows them what the Lord wants most, and why.

  1. SAY“What gift does the Lord really want? Let’s read it.”
  2. One reader reads Micah 6:6–7, louder with each offer. Another answers calmly with Micah 6:8.
  3. SAY“Do justly. Be fair when no one’s checking. Love mercy. Want to forgive, not just do it. Walk humbly. Stay close and let Him lead.”
  4. Teach the motions one phrase at a time. Say the verse together twice, then ask: “Who can say it without looking?”
  5. Ask: “Why would God turn down rivers of oil and ask for mercy instead?” Listen for: He already owns everything. He wants our hearts.

Class screen: ⚖️ What does the Lord require of thee? · Do justly ⚖️ · Love mercy 💗 · Walk humbly with thy God 🙏

4. Game

Justly, Mercy or Humbly?

7 min

Two teams turn Micah 6:8 into real choices they’ll face this week, with friendly competition.

  1. SAY“Two teams! I’ll read a moment. You huddle for ten seconds. Then your captain shows the motion from Micah 6:8 that fits, and tells what you’d do.”
  2. Read one moment from the screen. The right motion scores 1 point. A real, specific plan, like “I’d invite her to our game,” scores a bonus point.
  3. Switch captains every round so everyone gets a turn. Play six or seven rounds.
  4. Ask: “Which one is hardest for you: justly, mercy or humbly?” Then: “Why?” Share your own answer too.
🌪️ Only the captain answers, and the other team keeps score. Blurting gives the point to the other side.

Class screen: ⚖️ Justly, mercy or humbly? What would you do? · You’re the ref and your best friend is out · A kid who teased you drops their lunch tray · You win the spelling bee · You find $5 on the playground · Your brother breaks your LEGO build and says sorry · You didn’t get the answer you prayed for yet

5. Testimony

Testimony & Watchtower Journal

3 min

End calm, with a way to bring their own questions to the Lord this week.

  1. SAY“Habakkuk climbed his watchtower to wait for the Lord. Let’s be that still.”
  2. Lower your voice and wait for quiet.
  3. In a sentence or two, share a time the Lord kept a promise to you. Or share a question He answered in His own time.
  4. Hand out cards. Each child writes one private question for Heavenly Father on one side and “Micah 6:8” on the other.
  5. Share the Watchtower Journal challenge on the screen, then ask a child to say the closing prayer.

Class screen: 🗼 Climb your watchtower: ask, watch, and wait for it · Write your question · Pray about it · Watch for the answer

No supplies? Do this instead

Instead of: One index card or half sheet of paper per child, and a few pencils

  1. SAY“Habakkuk climbed his watchtower to wait for the Lord. Let’s be that still.”
  2. Lower your voice and wait for quiet.
  3. In a sentence or two, share a time the Lord kept a promise to you. Or share a question He answered in His own time.
  4. Everyone closes their eyes and silently thinks of one question for Heavenly Father. Say: “Write it down at home tonight. That’s your watchtower.”
  5. Share the Watchtower Journal challenge on the screen, then ask a child to say the closing prayer.
6. Game

Forehead Guess: Minor Prophets Edition

4 minBONUS

A Heads Up–style challenge with harder words reviews every prophet, place and idea from today.

  1. SAY“Same teams! Give clues, but don’t say the word.”
  2. Tap Forehead Guess. One kid holds your phone or tablet on their forehead, screen facing their team. Tilt down for “got it,” up to pass. Turns last 45 seconds.
  3. Bonus point if a clue-giver names the book where the word appears. Alternate teams and add to today’s score.
🌪️ Pick each guesser with the Name Spinner, and the other team keeps score so everyone stays involved.
▶ Play Forehead Guess on the web

Class screen: 🤔 Forehead Guess: Minor Prophets Edition · No saying the word · Bonus: name the book

7. Game

Scripture Showdown

5 minBONUS

A fast team quiz with harder questions reviews the whole lesson.

  1. SAY“It’s Team Watchtower against Team Bethlehem!”
  2. Pick a captain for each team and tap Scripture Showdown. Read each question aloud.
  3. Teams huddle for 10 seconds, and only the captain may answer.
  4. Bonus point if the team can name the book where the answer is found.
▶ Play Scripture Showdown on the web

Class screen: 🏆 Scripture Showdown!

The story

Four Prophets and a Promise

Micah 3; 5–6; Nahum 1; Habakkuk 1–3; Zephaniah 3; Matthew 2:1–11 ↗

Optional helpers

  • Scripture ReaderFrom their seat, reads Micah 5:2, Habakkuk 2:3 and Matthew 2:6 aloud when you nod.
  • Sound HelperSits next to you and taps each scene’s sound on your phone or tablet.

Scenes

  1. 🧑‍🌾📜 A country prophet names a tiny town

    About seven hundred years before Jesus was born, the prophet Micah warned Judah’s greedy leaders. Then the Lord showed him a secret. The promised Ruler would be born in Bethlehem. It was a village so small, hardly anyone noticed it.

    🙌

  2. 🐏🛢️ Thousands of rams? Rivers of oil?

    People wondered what gift would please God. Thousands of rams? Ten thousand rivers of oil? Micah’s answer surprised them. The Lord wanted something bigger than any gift. He wanted their hearts. And the way they treated other people.

    🙌

  3. 🏙️🎶 Nahum and Zephaniah: strong and singing

    The prophet Nahum said proud, cruel Nineveh would fall. And it did. But he promised the Lord is a strong hold in the day of trouble. Zephaniah made a promise too. One day the Lord would rejoice over His people with singing.

    🙌

  4. 🙋❓ Habakkuk asks God hard questions

    The prophet Habakkuk saw violence and unfairness everywhere. He prayed, “O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear!” He asked God why. He was completely honest with God about how he felt.

    🙌 Palms up: “How long, Lord?”

  5. 🗼👀 Waiting on the watchtower

    Habakkuk didn’t quit. He went up on his watchtower. He watched and waited for the Lord’s answer. The Lord told him to write the vision down plainly. And be patient. It would surely come, right on time.

    🙌

  6. 🌳🎉 “Yet I will rejoice!”

    Habakkuk wrote a song. Even if the fig tree has no blossoms. Even if the fields grow nothing, and the flocks are gone. “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD.” His joy didn’t depend on his crops. It depended on God.

    🙌 Hand on heart and whisper: “Yet I will rejoice.”

  7. 👑📜⭐ 700 years later, the scroll opens

    Seven hundred years passed. Wise men came to King Herod. They asked, “Where is he that is born King of the Jews?” Herod’s scribes opened Micah’s old words. Bethlehem! The wise men followed the star. And they worshipped the young child Jesus.

    🙌 Point up: “He keeps His promises!”

Key verse

Micah 6:8 ↗
“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”
In kid words: God has already shown you what is good: do what is fair and right, love being kind and forgiving, and stay humbly close to Him.
🙌 “He hath shewed thee… what is good” = open your hands like a book · “what doth the LORD require of thee” = palms up, shrug, then point to yourself · “to do justly” = hold both hands flat like balanced scales · “and to love mercy” = cross your arms over your heart · “and to walk humbly” = walk in place with your head gently bowed · “with thy God” = point up and smile

More verses

Micah 5:2 ↗
“But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”
In kid words: Little Bethlehem, you’re a tiny town, but Israel’s Ruler will be born in you, and He has existed forever.
Nahum 1:7 ↗
“The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.”
In kid words: The Lord is good. He is like a fortress when trouble comes, and He knows everyone who trusts Him.
Habakkuk 2:3 ↗
“though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”
In kid words: Even if it seems slow, wait for it. God’s promise will come at exactly the right time.
Zephaniah 3:17 ↗
“he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.”
In kid words: The Lord is so happy about you that it’s like He sings for joy.

Forehead Guess words20 words

  • 🧑‍🌾 Micah
  • 🏰 Nahum
  • 🗼 Habakkuk
  • 🎶 Zephaniah
  • 🏘️ Bethlehem
  • 🏙️ Nineveh
  • ⚔️ Assyria
  • 👀 Watchtower
  • 🛡️ Stronghold
  • 🌳 Fig Tree
  • 🛢️ Rivers of Oil
  • 🚜 Plowshare
  • 📜 Scribes
  • 👑 King Herod
  • 🔭 Wise Men
  • ⚖️ Justice
  • 💗 Mercy
  • 🙇 Humble
  • 🌊 Depths of the Sea
  • ✍️ Vision
Clues for each word
  • Micah: Country prophet who named Bethlehem 700 years early
  • Nahum: Prophet who said the Lord is a strong hold in trouble
  • Habakkuk: Prophet who asked “How long?” and climbed a watchtower
  • Zephaniah: Prophet who said the Lord rejoices over us with singing
  • Bethlehem: “Little among the thousands of Judah”
  • Nineveh: Assyria’s proud capital; Jonah warned it, Nahum saw it fall
  • Assyria: Empire that carried away the northern tribes of Israel
  • Watchtower: Where Habakkuk waited for the Lord’s answer
  • Stronghold: A fortress; Nahum said the Lord is one
  • Fig Tree: Even if it didn’t blossom, Habakkuk would still rejoice
  • Rivers of Oil: Ten thousand of them still wouldn’t be what God wants most
  • Plowshare: Micah said swords would be beaten into these
  • Scribes: Experts who read Micah’s prophecy to King Herod
  • King Herod: Troubled ruler who didn’t want another king
  • Wise Men: Followed a star from the East to worship Jesus
  • Justice: Doing what is fair and right
  • Mercy: Micah says the Lord delights in it
  • Humble: How Micah 6:8 says to walk with God
  • Depths of the Sea: Where the Lord casts the sins we repent of
  • Vision: The Lord told Habakkuk to write it plainly
▶ Play Forehead GuessFull screen, 60-second timer, works on any phone.

Scripture Showdown10 questions

  1. Which book sits right between Jonah and Nahum?
    • A. Micah
    • B. Malachi
    • C. Hosea
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Micah Micah is tiny and easy to miss, just like Bethlehem!

  2. Micah 5:2 calls Bethlehem “little among the thousands of” what?
    • A. Egypt
    • B. Judah
    • C. Babylon
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Judah Bethlehem was a small village in Judah, and that’s where the Savior was born.

  3. Who read Micah’s prophecy to King Herod?
    • A. The wise men
    • B. The shepherds
    • C. The chief priests and scribes
    Show answer

    ✅ C. The chief priests and scribes Herod’s own experts quoted Micah in Matthew 2:4–6.

  4. Micah asked if the Lord wanted ten thousands of rivers of what?
    • A. Milk
    • B. Oil
    • C. Gold
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Oil Micah 6:7. Even rivers of oil can’t replace a good heart.

  5. Jesus called judgment, mercy and faith the “weightier matters” of what?
    • A. The law
    • B. The temple
    • C. The harvest
    Show answer

    ✅ A. The law Matthew 23:23: the same three ideas Micah taught in Micah 6:8.

  6. Which city did Nahum say would fall?
    • A. Jericho
    • B. Nineveh
    • C. Bethlehem
    Show answer

    ✅ B. Nineveh Nineveh, the capital of Assyria. It had gone back to cruelty after Jonah’s day.

  7. Where did Habakkuk go to wait for the Lord’s answer?
    • A. Up on his tower
    • B. Into a cave
    • C. Onto a ship
    Show answer

    ✅ A. Up on his tower “I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower” (Habakkuk 2:1).

  8. Micah 7:19 says the Lord casts our forgiven sins where?
    • A. Into a fire
    • B. Over a mountain
    • C. Into the depths of the sea
    Show answer

    ✅ C. Into the depths of the sea When we repent, the Lord doesn’t keep our sins on display. They’re gone.

  9. Even with no figs and no crops, Habakkuk said…
    • A. “I give up”
    • B. “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD”
    • C. “Send more rain”
    Show answer

    ✅ B. “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD” Habakkuk 3:17–18. His joy came from God, not from his crops.

  10. Zephaniah 3:17 says the Lord will joy over you with what?
    • A. Trumpets
    • B. Thunder
    • C. Singing
    Show answer

    ✅ C. Singing The Lord is so glad about His people that He rejoices over them with singing.

▶ Play Scripture ShowdownTeams take turns on one screen.

Songs

  • O Little Town of Bethlehem Hymns, no. 208

    Sing it right after the story: it’s about the little town Micah named. Find it ↗

  • Dare to Do Right Children’s Songbook, p. 158

    “Do justly” in song form: doing right even when it’s hard. Find it ↗

  • We’ll Bring the World His Truth Children’s Songbook, p. 172

    Habakkuk saw a day when the knowledge of the Lord would fill the earth (Habakkuk 2:14), and we can help. Find it ↗

This week’s challenge

Watchtower Journal

Write down one question you have for Heavenly Father. Pray about it this week. Each night, “climb your watchtower” and write one thought, scripture or experience that helped. Also do one Micah 6:8 thing every day. Do something fair, something merciful, or say a humble, real prayer.

Text the parents

Today in Primary we cracked a 700-year-old case. Micah named Bethlehem as the Savior’s birthplace in Micah 5:2. Herod’s scribes quoted him in Matthew 2:4–6. We learned what the Lord wants most, from Micah 6:8: “to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.” And we learned that Habakkuk brought hard questions to God and waited for His answer. Ask your child: what question did you put in your Watchtower Journal? How can our family help you watch for an answer?

📝 After class

What worked? Who needs a check-in this week? Jot it here on a printed copy, or in the app’s private class notes.

Got extra time?

👯 Twin Prophecies · 5 min

  1. Split into two teams. Team A reads Micah 4:1–3. Team B reads Isaiah 2:2–4.
  2. Race to find what’s the same and what’s different. They’re nearly identical, because Micah and Isaiah lived at the same time.
  3. Ask: “Both prophets saw people streaming to the ‘mountain of the LORD’ to learn His ways. What is that mountain today?” Temples.
  4. Ask: “What does ‘beat their swords into plowshares’ look like at school or at home?”

🌊 As the Waters Cover the Sea · 4 min

  1. Read Habakkuk 2:14: the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord “as the waters cover the sea.”
  2. Set out an empty clear cup. Kids share true things about Jesus Christ, something He did or taught. Pour in a little water for each one.
  3. When it’s full, ask: “How could you help fill your school, team or neighborhood with knowledge of Jesus? Who do you know serving a mission?”

⛈️ Questions in the Storm · 5 min

  1. Read Habakkuk 1:2 and Mark 4:37–40. Both Habakkuk and the disciples asked, in effect, “Don’t You care?”
  2. Summarize Doctrine and Covenants 121:1–8. In Liberty Jail, Joseph Smith asked, “Where art thou?” The Lord answered with peace and a promise.
  3. Ask: “What did the Lord do in each story? What can you do when you have a question that isn’t answered yet?”

🎉 Reasons to Rejoice · 4 min

  1. In pairs, read Zephaniah 3:14–20. Finish this sentence as many ways as you can: “Be glad and rejoice with all the heart because…”
  2. The pair with the most reasons reads their list aloud.
  3. Mention that when Jesus visited the Nephites, He blessed their children one by one. Angels surrounded them, in 3 Nephi 17:21–24. Ask: “How does Jesus feel about you?”

Sources

Scripture quotations are from the King James Version, the Bible used by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Tap or click a reference to open it in Gospel Library. Start with the official Come, Follow Me manual; these ideas are here to help it come alive.

All Valiant 9–10 lessons