Habakkuk 3
Explanation and Bible story for toddlers and preschoolers (ages 3-6)
The Explanation
It was evening. The sun was almost gone.
A man sat outside, all alone. His name was Habakkuk. That is a funny name. Say it once: Ha-ba-kuk.
Habakkuk was scared. Very scared.
Soldiers were coming to his land. Big soldiers, with loud feet. Habakkuk shook. His hands shook. His mouth shook. Even his knees shook.
So Habakkuk began to talk to God. Not with a big voice. With a soft, shaky voice.
"God," he said, "I have heard about You. I have heard the wonderful things You do."
And then Habakkuk closed his eyes. And he remembered.
He remembered how strong God is. God is so bright, like the sun coming up in the morning. So bright you have to squeeze your eyes shut. Light shines out of God's hands.
Habakkuk remembered more. When God stands up, the ground wobbles. When God looks, the big mountains shiver. The old, old hills lie down flat.
And the sea? The deep, deep water? The waves roared. Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh. But God walked right through the water. God is not scared of water.
The sun stood still to look. The moon stood still too.
Habakkuk sat in the dark and he thought: God is so strong. Stronger than water. Stronger than mountains. Stronger than soldiers with loud feet.
What Does This Mean?
But Habakkuk was still a little bit scared. Because tomorrow was coming. And tomorrow might be hard.
Maybe there would be no figs on the fig tree. No grapes on the vine. No bread in the kitchen. Maybe the sheep would be gone. Maybe the stable would be empty and quiet.
Habakkuk looked around at the dark. And then something happened inside him.
He stood up. And he began to sing.
Yes! Habakkuk sang. In the dark. When he was still scared. He sang: "I will be glad. I will be glad about God! God is my strong God."
Habakkuk did not have figs. He did not have bread. But he had God. And God was enough.
The Common Thread
Habakkuk sang one more thing. He said: God makes my feet like a deer's feet.
Have you ever seen a deer? A deer has thin little legs. But a deer can jump. Up, up, up the rocks. Very high. And a deer does not fall.
God held Habakkuk tight, like He holds a deer on a high rock. God does not let go. Not ever.
God still holds people tight today. He sent Jesus to hold us tight. Jesus is strong, stronger than the sea.
For You
Sometimes you are scared too. Maybe at night, when your room is dark. Maybe when you hear a strange noise.
Then you may do what Habakkuk did. You may say out loud: "God is stronger. God holds me tight."
And then, if you want, you can sing. Just a little song. Even in the dark.
Talk About It
What makes you scared sometimes?
What song would you like to sing to God?
Praying Together
God, it is dark sometimes. And I get scared.
But You are strong. Stronger than everything.
Hold me tight, God. Like a deer on a rock.
Thank You that You are with me.
Amen.
Questions about Habakkuk 3
Short answers for anyone reading about this for the first time.
What is Habakkuk 3 about?
What does Habakkuk 3 say?
What does Habakkuk 3 teach us about God?
What can toddlers learn from Habakkuk 3?
Why is Habakkuk 3 an important Bible story?
What others discovered
Habakkuk had just been told judgment was coming. His response wasn't bargaining. It was, "In wrath, you remember mercy."
Notice where he asks God to act: "in the middle of the years." Not in the glorious past he had only heard about. Not in some far off someday. Here, in the long middle stretch where you are standing right now.
Rottenness enters into my bones, and I tremble in my place." That is the prophet who will say two verses later, "yet I will rejoice in Yahweh." Faith did not steady his knees. He shook, and waited anyway. So if your body is afraid while your heart still says yes to God, you are not failing. You are in good company.
You went out for the salvation of your people." Notice the verb. God does not send word from a safe distance. He goes out.
Habakkuk had watched an empire rise and wondered aloud where God was. The answer he received was not a tidy explanation but a marching God, crushing the head of the wicked house, the same promise whispered back in Eden.
Whatever you are watching rise today, He has already gone out.
You marched through the land in wrath. You threshed the nations in anger." Threshing sounds violent, and it is. But no farmer beats a harvest to ruin it. He beats it to free the grain. Habakkuk trembled before this God and still sang. Could the pressure on you now be God loosening what was never grain?
Looking for something for slightly older children?
We also have dedicated versions for elementary age (7-12) and teens (12 and up).
Open in the Children's Bible tool
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