Use this creative activity to teach about the story of the priest Zechariah meeting the angel Gabriel
In the temple in Jerusalem Zechariah is visited by the angel Gabriel. But who is he?
This idea is part of a complete Sunday school lesson on Zechariah meeting the angel Gabriel, as part of our series for advent and Christmas.
What do you need:
- worksheet with the various illustrations of angels - download here: Angels-worksheet.pdf
- pens
What to do:
Tell the children: Zechariah is visited in the temple by the angel Gabriel. What would he have looked like?
Show the children the six images of angels and ask them which one they think looks most like the angel Gabriel?
The angel Gabriel appears four times in the Bible. He visits Daniel two times – do you remember the lions den and the hand that wrote on the wall? He visits Mary to tell her that she is going to have a baby, and today he visits Zechariah.
Who knows what the name Gabriel means? It means ‘the power of God’. Gabriel’s messages come with the power of God. That’s why he was also able to say that Gabriel would not be able to talk until the baby was born. You have to be really powerful to make someone not speak for nine months.
- Why are Zechariah and Mary afraid when they see Gabriel?
- Would you be afraid if you were suddenly to see an angel?
- What do you think about the fact that Gabriel punished Zechariah by saying that he wasn’t allowed to talk any more?
- Show the children the six pictures of angels once more.
- Which of these pictures can we cross out, because they absolutely don’t look like Gabriel?
Cross out the pictures that the children indicate. Are there any left, or is it actually true that we really don’t know what angels look like?