Prophets Foretold the Birth Lesson

of Jesus Christ (Christmas) 46

Purpose To strengthen each child’s testimony of the divinity of Jesus Christ’s birth.

Preparation 1. Prayerfully study:

• Isaiah 7:14—Isaiah prophesies that a pure young woman will give birth to
God’s son.
• Matthew 1:18–23—Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled.
• Isaiah 9:6—Isaiah prophesies that Jesus Christ will come as a baby; Jesus
is described by several names.
• Micah 5:2—Micah prophesies that Jesus will be born in Bethlehem.
• Matthew 2:4–6—The scribes knew that Bethlehem was the prophesied
birthplace of the Messiah.
• 1 Nephi 11:18–21—Nephi prophesies that the Son of God will be born to a
virgin.
• Luke 1:26–31—A virgin named Mary will be the mother of Jesus Christ.
• Alma 7:9–10—Alma prophesies that Jesus will be born to Mary.
• Luke 2:4–7—Jesus is born.
• Helaman 14:1–6—Samuel the Lamanite prophesies of the signs at Jesus’
birth.
• 3 Nephi 1:4–21—On the night of Jesus’ birth, there was no darkness in
America and a new star rose.
• Matthew 2:2—A new star appeared in Israel.
2. Study the lesson and decide how you want to teach the children the scripture
account (see “Preparing Your Lessons,” p. vi, and “Teaching from the Scrip-
tures,” p. vii). Select the discussion questions and enrichment activities that
will best help the children achieve the purpose of the lesson.
3. Materials needed:
a. A Bible and a Book of Mormon for each child.
b. The chart “Prophets Foretold the Birth of Jesus Christ” (at the end of the
lesson).
c. Simple props, such as scarves and a doll, for a Christmas nativity scene
(see the attention activity).
d. Pictures 6-49, Isaiah Writes of Christ’s Birth (Gospel Art Picture Kit 113;
62339), and 6-50, The Birth of Jesus (Gospel Art Picture Kit 200; 62116).

Suggested
Lesson
Development Invite a child to give the opening prayer.
Attention Activity Choose several children to make a Christmas nativity scene using simple props.
You should have someone represent Mary and Joseph and have a doll to repre-
sent the baby Jesus. Other children could be angels, shepherds, and wise men.
Allow the class members to tell the things they remember about Jesus Christ’s
birth. Ask them how they know about this important event. Explain that even

207
 though it happened nearly 2,000 years ago, we have the account of Jesus’ birth
recorded in the scriptures.
Tell the children that Joseph and Mary knew about this event before it happened.
From the time of Adam, Heavenly Father promised through prophets to send
his Son to be the Savior of the world. Many prophets prophesied of the coming
of Jesus Christ. They knew Heavenly Father would keep his promise, and they
looked forward anxiously for the Savior to be born.
Scripture Account Using the scriptures listed in the “Preparation” section, teach the prophecies of
Jesus Christ’s birth and how they were fulfilled. (For suggested ways to teach
the scripture account, see “Teaching from the Scriptures,” p. vii.) Display the
chart located at the end of the lesson, which depicts the prophets who foretold
the Savior’s birth. Show the pictures at appropriate times.
Discussion and Study the following questions and the scripture references as you prepare your
Application lesson. Use the questions you feel will best help the children understand the
Questions scriptures and apply the principles in their lives. Reading and discussing the
scriptures with the children in class will help them gain personal insights.
• Who did Isaiah prophesy would be the mother of Jesus Christ? (Isaiah 7:14.
Explain that virgin means a pure, unmarried woman. Note that Isaiah lived about
740 B.C., which means before the birth of Christ.) To whom was the angel
Gabriel sent to announce the news that Jesus was about to be born and to
testify of the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy? (Luke 1:26–31; Matthew 1:18–23.)
• How did Isaiah say Jesus would come? (Isaiah 9:6; as a baby.) What other
names did Isaiah use to describe Christ? What do these names tell us about
Jesus Christ? (See enrichment activity 6.)
• Where was Jesus to be born? (Micah 5:2.) When King Herod asked the priests
and scribes where Jesus would be born, how did they know it would be in
Bethlehem? (Matthew 2:4–6; explain that these men had read the prophecies
in the scriptures.)
• Whom did Nephi see in a vision? (1 Nephi 11:18–21; point out that Nephi lived
about 600 B.C.) Help the children understand that the Nephites had the brass
plates, which contained many of the ancient prophecies. But they also had
their own prophets who foretold the birth of Jesus Christ. Whom did Alma
prophesy would be the mother of the Son of God? (Alma 7:9–10; point out
that Alma lived about 80 B.C.)
• What signs did Samuel the Lamanite prophesy would come at the birth of
Jesus? (Helaman 14:2–5; these prophecies occurred five or six years before
the birth of Jesus Christ.) What did the people who did not believe Samuel’s
prophecies do? (3 Nephi 1:6, 9.) When Nephi prayed in behalf of the righteous
people, what comfort was he given? (3 Nephi 1:11–13.) How were Samuel’s
prophecies fulfilled? (3 Nephi 1:15, 19, 21.) How do we know a new star ap-
peared in Israel also? (Matthew 2:1–2.)

Enrichment
Activities You may use one or more of the following activities any time during the lesson
or as a review, summary, or challenge.
1. Display the chart located at the end of the lesson, which shows the ancient
prophets Isaiah, Micah, Nephi, Alma, and Samuel the Lamanite. The children
could take turns reading the prophecies that foretold the birth of Jesus Christ.

208
 Lesson 46

2. Suggest that in preparation for Christmas the class members individually or

with their families read the following scriptures, which prophesy of Jesus
Christ’s birth:
Micah 5:2
Isaiah 7:14
Isaiah 9:6–7
Alma 7:9–10
Helaman 14:1–6
1 Nephi 11:18–21
The children could write these references on a note card to take home, or
you could prepare a handout with the references for each child.
3. List key words on the chalkboard (or show pictures illustrating these items)
from prophecies of Christ’s birth such as Bethlehem, star, Mary, and so on.
Have the children listen for these words as you read or retell the Christmas
story from Luke 1:26–38 and 2:1–19. Discuss with the children the feelings
Joseph, Mary, and the shepherds might have had as they participated in the
fulfillment of the prophecies of Christ’s birth.
4. Help the children understand and memorize the ninth article of faith. During
the discussion point out that we are living in a time when prophecies and
revelations are being fulfilled, and invite the children to name some of these
prophecies. Share your feelings about being part of a church with continuing
revelation and being a witness to the fulfillment of prophecies in your own
lifetime.
5. Discuss how the Savior’s birth, life, and Atonement are the greatest gifts we
will ever receive. What gift can we give Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ at
this special season of the year? Challenge the children to give the gift of love
to others. You may want to tell the following story as an example of how one
young boy gave his father a gift of love.
A few days before Christmas, when Rob was fifteen years old, he overheard
his father say to his mother, “Mary, I hate to call Rob to milk the cows in the
mornings. He’s growing so fast and he needs his sleep. . . . I wish I could
manage alone.”
These simple words made Rob fully realize something for the first time: his
father loved him!
The family was poor. Rob had bought his father an inexpensive tie, but as
he lay thinking on the night before Christmas, it didn’t seem enough. With
growing excitement he decided on a better gift. He would get up early and
milk the cows before his father got up. He laughed to himself in anticipa-
tion of his father’s surprise.
The task went more easily than he had ever known it to go before. Milking
for once was not a chore. It was something else—a gift to his father, who
loved him.
His task finished, Rob returned to his bed just moments before his father
called him. He knew his father would go to the barn ahead of him to get
started and in only a few minutes would discover the two big cans standing
in the milk-house, filled. Breathlessly, Rob waited for his return.

209
 After what seemed an eternity, Rob heard his bedroom door open, heard
his father laughing, a “sobbing sort of laugh,” and heard his father say,
“Thought you’d fool me, did you?”
“It’s for Christmas, Dad!” In the morning darkness, he found his father and
clutched him in a great hug. Rob’s heart was “bursting with love.”
“Son, I thank you,” his father said. “Nobody ever did a nicer thing. . . . The
best Christmas gift I ever had, and I’ll remember it, son, every year on
Christmas morning, so long as I live.” (Adapted from Pearl S. Buck,
“Christmas Day in the Morning,” in Colliers, 23 Dec. 1955, pp. 10–11.)
6. If possible, bring a recording of “For unto Us a Child Is Born” from Handel’s
Messiah. After you have listened to the music, you might have the children
compare the words of the song with the prophecies of Isaiah.
7. Sing or read the words to “When He Comes Again” (Children’s Songbook,
p. 82), “Samuel Tells of the Baby Jesus” (Children’s Songbook, p. 36), or
“Away in a Manger” (Children’s Songbook, p. 42).

Conclusion
Testimony Share your feelings about the divinity of Christ’s birth and your gratitude for this
wonderful gift that Heavenly Father has given to each of us.
Suggested Family Encourage the children to share with their families a specific part of the lesson,
Sharing such as a story, question, or activity, or to read with their families the “Suggested
Home Reading.”
Suggested Home Suggest that the children study Isaiah 7:14 and 9:6 at home as a review of this
Reading lesson.
Invite a child to give the closing prayer.

210
 Prophets Foretold the Birth of Christ

Isaiah (740 B.C.) Samuel the

Isaiah 7:14; 9:6 Lamanite (5 B.C.)
Helaman 14:1–6

Micah (720 B.C.) Alma (80 B.C.)

Micah 5:2 Alma 7:9–10

Nephi (600 B.C.)

1 Nephi 11:18–21