3. Cain and Abel (Genesis 4)

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Lesson

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Main Point: We must do everything God’s way.

PPT VERSE

Key Verse:

Abel had faith. So he offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did. Because of his faith Abel was praised as a godly man. God said good things about his offerings. - Hebrews 11:4a

Props: a stuffed animal sheep, a basket of fruits and vegetables

Review

Say: Last week, we talked about the first two people that God created. Adam and Eve lived in a special garden in Eden. Everything was wonderful there. They had everything they needed, and they even spent precious time with God in the garden. God had one really important rule for them. Ask: Does anyone remember the rule? They couldn’t eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Say: With all the wonderful things God had blessed them with, there was only one thing that was forbidden. God wanted to protect Adam and Eve. The devil came to Eve in the form of a crafty serpent. He tempted Eve to doubt God’s character. The devil wanted Eve to disobey God and eat the fruit. The devil lied to Eve. Sadly, Eve chose to believe the serpent instead of God. She and Adam both ate the forbidden fruit. This was man’s first sin. Immediately they felt guilt and shame, and they hid from God. Because they sinned, they were sent away from the garden, away from the tree of life. From that moment on, their lives would have many hardships, and they would not live forever. Sin brought death. God announced that one day one of the offspring of Eve would crush the devil.

Cain And Abel (Genesis 4:1 - 4:7)

PPT CUE

Ask: Has anyone ever heard that everyone on earth is related? Listen for answers. Say: This is actually true. This is because ALL people who have ever be born came from Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve were the first people. They were married and they had children, and those children had children, so on. There was no other source from which people could have come. Their family line has carried on to this day (Genesis 5). So, in essence, we are all very distant cousins. Our ancestors, Adam and Eve, chose to sin. The Bible tells us that once sin had entered the world through Adam, sin would be passed down to all people (Romans 5:12). Sin became part of Adam and Eve and it was passed along to their children and grandchildren. It has been passed on and on - even down to each of us sitting in this room. With that in mind, let’s look at Adam and Eve’s first children.

Adam and Eve had a baby boy. Eve named him Cain. Eve said, “With the help of the Lord, I have had a baby boy.” (Genesis 1:1) Later, they had another son who they named Abel. The boys grew up. Abel took care of sheep, and Cain farmed the land.

After some time, Cain gathered some of the things he had grown. He brought them as an offering to the Lord. Show the kids your fruits and vegetables. But Abel brought the fattest parts of some of the lambs from his flock. They were the male animals that were born first to their mothers. Show your lamb. The Lord was pleased with Abel and his offering. But he wasn’t pleased with Cain and his offering. - Genesis 4:3-5a

Note to Teacher: While we are not told what God told Adam and his sons about atoning sacrifices, we know that God never changes. Because Scripture reveals later that only blood meets God’s requirement for atonement, we know that it has always been God’s requirement. In fact, as early as Genesis 3:15, God alludes to His plan of redemption which comes with the shedding of Christ’s perfect blood (1 John 3:8). Moses wrote the book of Genesis to inform and instruct the Israelites. All of the Israelites knew God’s commands about offerings and sacrifices very well. Further, Hebrews 11:4 uses the word thysia, which means “sacrifice, victim” for the sacrifices offered by both Cain and Abel.

Say: The Bible does not tell us the account of God instructing Cain and Abel to bring Him an offering. So, we must look to other parts of the Bible for information about the offerings that God required. There were several types of sacrifices that God accepted. There were grain offerings, burnt offerings, peace offerings, and animal offerings. Different things were offered for different reasons. For example, some offerings were offered to thank God and some were offered to make a vow to God (Leviticus 7:12, 16). God gave specific instructions about the offerings of His people. For the covering of sins, God’s law required the shedding of blood from an animal sacrifice (Hebrews 9:7). None of us likes to talk about killing an animal. This seems very strange and harsh to us, but God is very serious about sin. Last week we saw that sin brings death (Romans 6:23). Listen to what the Bible says about blood:

The life of each creature is in its blood. So I have given you the blood of animals to pay for your sin on the altar. Blood is life. That is why blood pays for your sin. - Leviticus 17:11

The Bible says that life is in the blood of an animal. This is a fact that has been well known by doctors for years and years. You may have seen a similar slogan on bumper stickers or t-shirts. It says “Give blood, Give life.” People donate blood to help save the lives of others. Once again, modern science confirms what the Bible told us thousands of years ago.

The life that is in the blood of an animal sacrifice covers the death that comes from man’s sin. The Bible says, “Without the spilling of blood, no one can be forgiven.” (Hebrews 9:22b)

Because Abel had faith in God, he offered what God required. Abel offered an animal, and Scripture tells us that Abel was declared righteous when God spoke well of his offerings (Hebrews 11:4). But God was not pleased with Cain or his offering. Cain became very angry.

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why are you looking so sad? Do what is right. Then you will be accepted. If you don’t do what is right, sin is waiting at your door to grab you. It longs to have you. But you must rule over it.” - Genesis 4:6-7

Clearly, Cain knew what the right thing to do was. He simply chose to do otherwise. He wanted to give God an offering that seemed good to him. He did not meet God’s requirement. Today we see another wonderful attribute of God. We see that God is kind. He was kind to come to Cain and urge him to change his ways. He was kind to warn Cain that sin was about to overtake him. God did NOT compare Cain to his brother Abel. God told Cain that he did not meet God’s standard. But Cain would not submit to God’s gentle urging; he refused to heed God’s warning.

Cain Murders Abel (Genesis 4:8-26)

Even though God did not compare Cain to Abel, Cain compared himself to his brother. He was very angry that God accepted Abel’s offering, but did not accept his. Here, we see the sin of pride again. Cain thought his offering was as good as Abel’s. Cain thought he deserved as much praise as Abel. Just as God had warned, Cain’s pride, jealousy, and bitterness overtook him. Cain invited his brother to go out to a field. There Cain attacked Abel and killed him. This was a terrible thing! With only four people on the entire planet, we see the earth’s first murder (Mark 7:21). Then, just as God did with Adam, God came to Cain to ask him about his sin. God gave Cain the opportunity to confess what he had done.

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”

“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I supposed to look after my brother?” - Genesis 4:9

Not only did Cain lie to God, but he had a sarcastic and disrespectful attitude! Of course God already knew what had happened to Abel. God told Cain that Abel’s blood was crying out to Him from the ground. God announced Cain’s punishment:

“So I am putting a curse on you. I am driving you away from the ground...When you work the ground, it will not produce its crops for you anymore. You will be a restless person who wanders around on the earth.”

Cain said to the Lord, “You are punishing me more than I can take. Today you are driving me away from the land. I will be hidden from You. I’ll be a restless person who wanders around on the earth. Anyone who finds me will kill me.”

But the Lord said to him, “No. Anyone who kills you will be paid back seven times.” The Lord put a mark on Cain. Then anyone who found him wouldn’t kill him.

So Cain went away from the Lord. He lived in the land of Nod. It was east of Eden. - Genesis 4:11-16

PPT CUE

Ask: Who remembers what Cain’s job was? He was a farmer. Say: God put a curse on Cain so that no matter how hard he worked, he could no longer produce a good crop of food. Cain would have to find another way to survive.

But the worst part of his punishment was being sent out of God’s presence. Sin always separates us from God (Isaiah 59:2).

Even when he was confronted by God Almighty, Cain did not repent from his sin. He did not agree with God that it was wrong, or offer a heart-felt apology. Cain cried out that his punishment was too much for him. This is similar to a child shouting. “That’s not fair!” Actually, it was more than fair. Cain killed Abel, yet God allowed Cain to live. And, when Cain whined that someone might want to kill him (just like he killed his brother) God gave him protection from being killed.

Eventually Cain was married and had children. Cain’s sin, violence and disrespect for God carried on to his descendents (Genesis 4:19, 23-24). Adam and Eve had another son and they named him Seth. Eve said, “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.” (Genesis 4:25b)

PPT CUE

Application: First of all, the Bible tells us that respect for the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7). All of us should be able to look at the world God created just by speaking and know that God is AWESOME and worthy of our complete respect (Revelation 4:11). Cain did not respect God. He did not follow God’s plan of offering an animal. Cain tried to gain acceptance from God his own way.

People still try to gain acceptance from God their own way. Some people think that if they do good things, like go to church or help other people, God will accept them. Let’s see what God Almighty thinks about the good things that we do:

All of the good things we do are like polluted rags to You. - Isaiah 64:6b

God is perfect and holy. Because we are sinners, everything within us is polluted.

Some people think that they are not as bad as others, so God must think they are okay. Let’s see what the Bible says about comparing ourselves to others:

Everyone has sinned. No one measures up to God’s glory. - Romans 3:23

Just like with Cain and Abel, God does not compare one person to another. We are each measured according to God’s perfect standard, and no one measures up.

So, each of us inherited a sin nature from Adam and Eve. Each of us has chosen to sin, and our sin separates us from God. The AWESOME news is that God has provided a way for us to be right with Him. God wants each one of us to come to Him, His way (2 Peter 3:9). God provided a perfect blood sacrifice when He sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for us. All we must do is believe in Him, and place our trust in Him. There is NO OTHER WAY for our sins to be forgiven, and to be made right with God (John 14:6). We will learn more about God’s provision in the weeks to come.

PPT CUE

Main Point: We must do everything God’s way.

Main Point: God’s blessings are greater than anything else we could want.

Unless otherwise noted the Scriptures taken from: Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version, (NIrV®)

Special thanks to John R. Cross, The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus, GoodSeed International.

4. Noah Listens to God (Genesis 6:9-8:22)

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Lesson

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Main Point: God loves people and wants to rescue them.

PPT VERSE

Key Verse:

The Lord is not slow to keep His promise. He is not slow in the way some people understand it. He is patient with you. He doesn’t want anyone to be destroyed. Instead, He wants all people to turn away from their sins. - 2 Peter 3:9

Background

Ask: Who can tell me what this is? Noah’s Ark Say: It’s interesting that nearly everyone in the world could point to that picture and name it as Noah’s Ark. It’s so familiar and so well known. Nearly every tribe—even in remote areas—has a story about a worldwide flood. Anthropologists have collected between 250 and 300 such flood stories.

Because stories of Noah’s Ark have been passed down in many different versions, it is actually rare to find people who know the TRUTH and the real message of the Ark. If you think you’ve heard this story 100 times, think again! God’s Word is so rich and deep. The more we study the Bible, the more truth we learn from God.

PPT VERSE

Ask: Who were the first two people that God created? Adam and Eve. Say: Everyone in the world is a descendant of Adam and Eve. Noah came nine generations after Adam and Eve. You could say that Noah was the great, great, great, great, great, great, grandson of Adam and Eve. Let’s learn more about Noah by turning to Genesis 6:9.

Noah

This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God. Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. - Genesis 6:9-10 NIV

Ask: What two words in that verse describe Noah? Righteous & Blameless. Say: Righteous means to be pure in heart in God’s sight. Notice what else was said about Noah: He walked with God. WOW! In just one sentence, look what has been written about Noah! He was righteous, blameless, and a man who walked with God.

Say: What does it mean to walk with God? Think back to the beginning of Genesis when God created Adam and Eve and had sweet fellowship with them in the Garden of Eden. Every day, Adam and Eve walked with God in the cool of the day. Can you just imagine what it would be like to take a walk through a perfect garden with the Creator?

To walk with God doesn’t just mean to walk physically beside God, but rather to be aware of His presence every moment in your life. Walking with God means listening to Him. Noah was obviously listening to God! The Bible says that God promises to bless those who listen to God and walk in His ways (Proverbs 8:32, Psalm 128:1).

It is very important to listen to God! Back in the Garden of Eden, God clearly told Adam and Eve that they could eat the fruit from every tree—except for one: The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. God said that if they ate from that one tree, they would surely DIE! (Genesis 2:16-17) Satan, who came to Adam and Eve in the form of a snake, told them that God was lying, and if they ate from that tree, they would be like God (Genesis 3:4). Adam and Eve listened to Satan instead of listening to God. They chose to sin, and everything changed! (Genesis 3:7)

When sin came into the world, things were no longer “good”. Sin always spoils things, and by Noah’s day, nine generations later, the world was in terrible shape!

Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. - Genesis 6:11 NIV

Ask: What two words are used to describe the world? Corrupt & Violent Say: This means that the earth was very sinful in God’s eyes. It was full of mean and harmful acts. People were making many bad choices. Is that how God created our world to be, corrupt and full of violence? No! In Genesis chapter one, the Bible says that everything God created was GOOD. But here we are in Genesis chapter 6, and already God sees the earth as corrupt and full of violence.

PPT VERSE

God saw how sinful the earth had become. All of the people on earth were leading very sinful lives. - Genesis 6:12

Say: All the people had chosen to sin. They had ruined the good world God had created.

Ask: What are some ways that we can actually ruin our own lives? Listen for answers

How would you describe our world today? How do you think God sees our world? Listen for answers

Say: While God saw the world as corrupt and full of violence, He saw Noah as a righteous and blameless man. Noah listened to God, and because he listened, God told him some BAD NEWS and then some GOOD NEWS:

BAD NEWS: God was going to send punishment to the earth.

So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people. They have filled the earth with their harmful acts. You can be sure that I am going to destroy both them and the earth. - Genesis 6:13

“I am going to bring a flood on the earth. It will destroy all life under the sky. It will destroy every living creature that breathes. Everything on earth will die. Genesis 6:17

PPT CUE

GOOD NEWS: God had a rescue plan! God gave Noah EXACT directions.

“So make yourself an ark out of cypress wood. Make rooms in it. Cover it with tar inside and out. Here is how I want you to build it. The ark has to be 450 feet long. It has to be 75 feet wide and 45 feet high. Make a roof for it. Leave the sides of the ark open a foot and a half from the top. Put a door in one side of the ark. Make lower, middle, and upper decks. - Genesis 6:14-16

“But I will make my covenant with you. You will enter the ark. Your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives will enter it with you.

“Bring two of every living thing into the ark. Bring male and female of them into it. They will be kept alive with you. Two of every kind of bird will come to you. Two of every kind of animal will come to you. And two of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you. All of them will be kept alive with you.

“Take every kind of food that you will need. Store it away. It will be food for you and for them.” - Genesis 6:18-21

Say: Notice that God said, two of every kind of bird will come to you. Genesis 7:8-10 tells us that is exactly what happened! A male and a female of each animal came to Noah and entered the ark. The animals obeyed God! Everything happened exactly as God had commanded Noah. God ALWAYS keeps His promises! God sent a male and a female of each animal, so there would be a mommy and a daddy of each kind of animal. One day, they would have baby animals.

Isn’t it interesting that Noah didn’t have to figure out a way to get all those animals on the ark by himself? He didn’t have to search for them or trap them or bring them in on a rope. God had those animals come to Noah! Think about that! When is the last time you saw that many animals willingly come to a person? It is not natural for animals to come, two by two, to a person—much less line up to get on a boat! God did a mighty miracle here!

Say: God gave Noah specific directions to follow while building the ark. God told Noah exactly how big it should be and what type of wood to use. God told Noah to cover it with tar to make it waterproof. God told Noah to bring food for his family and the animals. And God told Noah to make ONE door—and through that ONE door, all who entered would be saved.

The best part is that Noah listened to God! All throughout the Bible, we see that when disaster is about to happen, God always sends a warning. It took Noah 120 years to build this ark, and all the while, he was preaching God’s truth to the people around him. The problem isn’t that God didn’t send a warning; the problem is that the people didn’t listen. Noah’s neighbors had 120 years to trust and believe in God, but they would not listen! Noah DID listen, and he followed the directions that God gave him.

PPT VERSE

Noah did everything exactly as God commanded him. - Genesis 6:22

Say: After Noah had followed all of God’s instructions, and after the animals, Noah, and his family were safe in the Ark, GOD SHUT THE DOOR. And SEVEN DAYS later, it began to rain. Ask: Do you think it was hard for Noah and his family to stay in that ark for 7 days before the rain even began? Yes, they probably wondered if it would ever rain.

Say: Noah LISTENED to God; Noah TRUSTED God. When God said it was going to rain in 7 days, Noah BELIEVED God! This is what it means to have FAITH—to believe and trust what God says. (Romans 10:17 says that faith comes by hearing, or listening.)

And think of this: it had never rained before! It may have seemed strange to Noah that God would tell him that big drops of water were going to fall from the sky. We see rain all the time, but Noah had NEVER seen rain before, and he was 600 years old! But whether Noah had seen rain or not, Noah chose to LISTEN TO GOD and to BELIEVE GOD!

Application: It is very important for us to listen to God as well! God may tell you to do something or to go somewhere. He may tell you to be kind to an unfriendly child at school. He may tell your parents that your family should move to a new city. It’s very important that you listen to God and trust Him. Obeying God is the key to God’s blessing in your life. Luke 11:28 says, “Blessed are those who hear God’s word and obey it.”

Ask: What if Noah had not listened to God? Noah and his family would have been destroyed in the flood. There would have been no more people! Say: There would not have been “another chance” for mankind. Because Noah listened and obeyed, the human race could continue.

Then the rain began to fall.

Rain fell on the earth for 40 days and 40 nights. - Genesis 7:12

For 40 days the flood kept coming on the earth. As the waters rose higher, they lifted the ark high above the earth. The waters rose higher and higher on the earth. And the ark floated on the water.

The waters rose on the earth until all of the high mountains under the entire sky were covered. The waters continued to rise until they covered the mountains by more than 20 feet.

Every living thing that moved on the earth died. The birds, the livestock and the wild animals died. All of the creatures that filled the earth also died. And so did every human being. Everything on dry land that had the breath of life in it died. Every living thing on the earth was wiped out. People and animals were destroyed. The creatures that move along the ground and the birds of the air were wiped out.

Everything was destroyed from the earth. Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark were left.

The waters flooded the earth for 150 days. - Genesis 7:17-24

Say: The waters flooded the earth for 150 days (Genesis 7:24) then went down over a few months. Five months after the flood began, the ark landed on the mountains of Ararat (Genesis 8:4). It took a long time for the waters to recede and for the ground to be dry enough to walk on. It was a little more than a year that Noah and his family spent on the ark. And when it was safe and God told them to leave, they got off the ark.

The earth and all its filth had been washed away by the big flood, and Noah and his family came out of the ark into a clean, brand new world with new life all around them!

Then God said to Noah, “Come out of the ark. Bring your wife and your sons and their wives with you.

“Bring out every kind of living thing that is with you. Bring the birds, the animals, and all of the creatures that move along the ground. Then they can multiply on the earth. They can have little ones and increase their numbers.”

So Noah came out of the ark. His sons and his wife and his sons’ wives were with him. All of the animals came out of the ark. The creatures that move along the ground also came out. So did all of the birds. Everything that moves on the earth came out of the ark. One kind after another came out.

Then Noah built an altar to honor the Lord. He took some of all of the “clean” animals and birds. He sacrificed burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar.

Their smell was pleasant to the Lord. He said to Himself, “I will never put a curse on the ground again because of man. I will not do it even though his heart is always directed toward what is evil. His thoughts are evil from the time he is young. I will never destroy all living things again, as I have just done. - Genesis 8:15-21

Say: God made a promise that He would never again destroy the earth with water. He set a rainbow in the clouds as a sign of His promise (Genesis 9:12-17). God told Noah and his sons to go out and have many children to fill the earth with people (Genesis 9:1).

Jesus: Our Rescue Plan

In the story of Noah, we see two very evident characteristics of God. God is just and God is merciful. These two characteristics may seem like opposites, but they are really not at all. They are much like two sides of the same coin.

First, God is just. Another word for just is fair. Like a good judge, He must punish sin. It would not be fair for a judge to allow someone to break the law and not punish him. In the same way, God must punish sin. But this does not make God happy. Genesis 6:6 tells us that God’s heart was filled with pain.

Secondly, God is merciful. This means He is compassionate and kind, not wanting to punish. God loves His people very much. Therefore, He had a rescue plan for Noah and his family. And, God allowed Noah to warn those around him for 120 years.

God never changes! He is still perfectly just and merciful today. He must still punish sin, but He has provided a rescue plan for all who will listen. The Bible says that each of us has sinned and will be punished for our sin (Romans 3: 23, 2:23). But, in His mercy, God sent His one and only Son, Jesus, to become our substitute. When Jesus died on the cross, He met God’s punishment requirement. All who place their trust in Jesus will be saved from eternal punishment, and given eternal life in God’s kingdom (John 3:16). Just as there was only one door to enter the ark and be saved from destruction, trusting Jesus is the only way to enter God’s kingdom and be saved from eternal punishment.

Say: God loves people. He wanted Noah’s generation to listen to His Word and be rescued! There came a time, however, when it was too late. We can only imagine that when the rain started falling that the people suddenly wanted to listen, but at that point, it was too late.

Just as God gave the people in Noah’s day a lot of time to trust in Him, He has given you many opportunities to trust and believe. It is important to listen to God NOW - TODAY!

PPT MAIN POINT

Main Point: God loves people and wants to rescue them.

Teacher Note: We can see similarities in God’s rescue plan for Noah, and His rescue plan for us.

The door: There was only one door on the ark. Anyone who trusted in the ark that God provided would enter through that door and be saved from the flood.

Jesus said, “I am the Door. Anyone who goes in through Me will be saved from the punishment of sin.” - John 10:9a

New Life: When the waters receeded and Noah’s family came out of the ark, the sinful world they had left was washed away. They entered into a brand new world with new life budding all around them.

When Jesus died, was buried, and then rose from the dead, He took away the power of sin and death. Anyone who trusts in Him has a completely NEW LIFE! God has made a way for us to have a clean, brand new life in Him.

Anyone who believes in Christ is a new creation. The old is gone! The new has come! - 2 Corinthians 5:17

The Light: God placed a rainbow in the sky as a sign of His promise that He would never flood the earth again. A rainbow is made from seven colors of light.

Jesus said, I am the LIGHT of the world (John 8:12). Even in the rainbow, we can remember that God keeps His promises and that Jesus is the LIGHT! Those 7 colors of light are ALWAYS in the same order: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet. God is orderly and deliberate in everything He does! We can always trust Him and depend on Him.

Unless otherwise noted the Scriptures taken from: Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version, (NIrV®)

Special thanks to John R. Cross, The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus, GoodSeed International.

5. The Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9)

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Lesson

PPT TITLE

Main Point: God loves people. He wants us to listen to Him and obey Him because He knows what is best.

PPT VERSE

Key Verse:

Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, My thoughts and My ways are higher than yours. - Isaiah 55:9 CEV

PPT CUE

Teacher: If you know how to say anything in another language, begin your lesson by speaking that language. If you don’t speak another language, invite someone else to begin your lesson.

Say: Today we’re going to learn why there are so many languages in the world.

Backgroundview

Say: Last week, we talked about Noah. Just nine generations after Adam and Eve, everyone on earth had chosen to become wicked and violent—except one man, Noah. Ask: Who remembers how the Bible described Noah? Righteous, blameless, walked with God Say: God was broken-hearted about the sin that covered the earth (Genesis 6:6). He was going to flood the earth to get rid of all the wicked people. Out of justice and mercy, God gave a warning and a rescue plan to Noah. God told Noah to build a huge boat called an ark. God gave Noah 120 years to build that ark and to warn everyone around him about the flood that was coming. Sadly, no one listened to God’s warning other than Noah and his family. At just the right time, God brought two of every type of animal to Noah. Noah and his family entered the one door on the ark. Because Noah and his family listened to God, they were safe from the destruction of the flood.

Noah and his family came out of the ark when the flood was over. They would start a new life on the fresh, new, clean earth.

Noah’s Descendants

Since Noah and his three sons lived through the flood and experienced God’s deliverance, it is very likely that their children heard all about God and His wonderful power. But somewhere down the line, the parents were not faithful in teaching their children to listen to, trust, and obey God. Here we are in Genesis chapter 11, and something terrible is going on!

Ask: After the floodwaters went down and Noah and his family got out of the Ark, do you remember what God told Noah’s sons to do? Have many children, fill the earth.

Then God gave his blessing to Noah and his sons. He said to them, "Have children and increase your numbers. Fill the earth.” - Genesis 9:1

Say: And this is the problem: they did NOT fill the earth. They were all staying in one place. They moved east and settled down there.

The whole world had only one language. All people spoke it. They moved to the east and found a broad valley in Babylonia. There they settled down.

They said to each other, ‘Come. Let's make bricks and bake them well.’ They used bricks instead of stones. They used tar to hold the bricks together.

Then they said, ‘Come. Let's build a city for ourselves. Let's build a tower that reaches to the sky. We'll make a name for ourselves. Then we won't be scattered over the face of the whole earth.’” - Genesis 11:1-4

Teacher Note: Notice, They used bricks (which are MAN-made) instead of stones (which are GOD-made).

Ask: Did you hear that? Let’s build a city for ourselves. We’ll make a name for ourselves. Then we won’t be scattered over the face of the whole earth.

Ask: Were they obeying God’s command to fill the earth? No.

Say: Sin ALWAYS spoils things. Because the people chose to disobey God, there were going to be serious consequences. The Bible says that the whole world had only one language. All the people spoke it. There is certainly nothing wrong with speaking one language. But like every other good gift that God has given to people, it was misused.

Ask: Can you think of other good gifts that God has given to people that we misuse? Listen for answers.

Say: For example, sleep is a good gift from God. In Psalms, the Bible tells us that God gives His children rest. Can rest be misused? Yes. If someone is lazy and stays in the bed or on the couch all the time instead of getting up and going to school or work, then rest is being used in the wrong way.

This is how it was with the gift of language. By itself, one common language was a good thing. But when the people used that gift as a means of disobeying God, it became a bad thing.

Say: The people had clear intentions: they wanted to build a city For Themselves and make a name For Themselves. It was all about them, and NOTHING about God! And to make matters worse, they were in clear opposition to what God said: “Fill the earth”. Their ending statement indicated that the main reason for building this tower was that they did not want to be scattered all over the earth.

Building this tower was not easy. Look at what hard work they put into this effort: they made their own bricks and even had to bake them. Most of the buildings at that time were made from rock, but the area that they settled into did not have enough rocks for this tower. That’s why they had to make bricks.

Ask: Do you think that making and baking bricks was an easy process? No.

Say: They went through a lot of hard work to disobey God. Whenever you disobey God, things get MUCH harder!

Note to Teacher: Think about times in your own life when you’ve sinned and gone your own way. Those are some of the hardest times! That’s why Jesus said that His yoke was easy and His burden was light (Matthew 11:30). Sin weighs us down and makes us miserable in the end. It is hard work to stay in sin!

The real issue here is a lack of listening to God and trusting God. When God told the people to fill the earth, He meant it. He knew that it was for their own good and the good of future generations. The Bible says that God’s ways are FAR better than our ways (Isaiah 55:9). But the people couldn’t imagine not all living together. By not obeying God, the people showed that they didn’t trust that God’s way was the BEST way! They did not have faith in God. Hebrews 11:6 says, “Without faith, it is impossible to please God.” Let’s see what God thought about the people’s tower.

But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. The Lord said, “They are one people. And all of them speak the same language. That is why they can do this. Now they will be able to do anything they plan to. Come. Let us go down and mix up their language. Then they will not understand each other.”

So the Lord scattered them from there over the whole earth. And they stopped building the city. The Lord mixed up the language of the whole world there. That's why the city was named Babel. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth. - Genesis 11:5-9

It is impossible to succeed against the plans of the Lord (Psalm 33:11). No matter how hard these people tried to do their own thing, their plans could never succeed against the plan of our all-powerful God. Some people work very hard to oppose God and His people. But they will never succeed. God is ALWAYS the Victor! And God is the Victor in this story. Because God loves people, He steps in to help them listen to His way, which is always the BEST way!

The Bible says that God “mixed up their language” so that they could not understand each other. Then the Bible says that He scattered them over the whole earth. The city was named Babel. Mixing up the language and scattering the people was really not so much of a punishment as it was an incredible act of mercy.

Ask: Have you ever been FORCED to obey? Do not be frustrated with God for this. Instead, GIVE THANKS! He loves you, and He ALWAYS knows what is BEST for you!

Say: The irony here is that the thing the people feared the most (being scattered) was the very thing that saved their lives! God clearly knows what is best, and we are wise if we listen to Him from the beginning (Proverbs 8:33)!

Noah’s descendant had put their trust in themselves by building a tall tower. Ask: What are some things that people today put their trust in? Other people, money, stuff, technology, etc.

Application: At any time, if we begin to trust in something other than God, we are in serious danger (Psalm 20:7)!

Main Point: God loves people. He wants us to listen to Him and obey Him because He knows what is best.

Teacher Note: Zephaniah 3:9 indicates that one day we may all serve God with one language.

“In the end, I will turn things around for the people. I'll give them a language undistorted, unpolluted, words to address God in worship.” - Zephaniah 3:9 (The Message)

Unless otherwise noted the Scriptures taken from: Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version, (NIrV®)

Special thanks to John R. Cross, The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus, GoodSeed International.

6. Abram Listens to God (Genesis 12; 13; 15)

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Lesson

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Main Point: When we have faith, we will listen to God and obey Him.

Key Verse: Abraham had faith. So he obeyed God. God called him to go to a place he would later receive as his own. So he went. He did it even though he didn't know where he was going. - Hebrews 11:8

Introduction

Say: Raise your hand if you’ve ever moved from one house to another. Did you help pack? Did you help move things? If you did, you know that moving is hard work! The more stuff you have to move, the harder it is! But what if your parents told you that your family was moving, and yet they had NO IDEA where they were moving? How would that make you feel? The Bible tells us that’s exactly what happened to a man named Abram.

Abram’s Faith (Genesis 12:1-9)

Listen to what God told Abram:

PPT VERSE

The Lord had said to Abram, "Leave your country and your people. Leave your father's family. Go to the land I will show you.
“I will make you into a great nation.
I will bless you.
I will make your name great.
You will be a blessing to others.
I will bless those who bless you.
I will put a curse on anyone who calls down a curse on you.
All nations on earth
will be blessed because of you.”

So Abram left, just as the Lord had told him. Lot, his nephew, went with him. There were many people in this family. In these days, families always stayed and moved together. Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran. - Genesis 12:1-4

God’s blessing came with God’s instructions. Isn’t it wonderful that God revealed His blessing to Abram at the same time that He told him to move?

Say: Abram was 75 years old when God told him to move. Abram obeyed God and left for a land that God would show him. Abram had a lot of faith in God. Abram trusted God to lead him. He didn’t have a map or a compass, and he didn’t know where he was moving! Everything was unknown! Abram listened carefully to all of God’s directions. Abram’s life depended upon how well he listened to what God said. God led Abram to the land of Canaan. It was there that God made a promise to Abram:

PPT VERSE

“I will give this land to your children after you.” - Genesis 12:7

Say: So Abram built an altar there to honor the Lord, who had appeared to him.

Ask: Did you notice what God said to Abram? “I will give this land to your children after you.” Did Abram have any children? No. So we have to try to imagine how hard this must have been for Abram to believe.

The Bible tells us that Abram had faith (Hebrews 11:8). In fact, many people call Abram the father of faith (Romans 4:11). Even though Abram didn’t have children the he could see and touch, he knew that God promised that he would have children one day. Because God promised it, Abram was absolutely CERTAIN it would happen. To Abram, those children were as real as you and I.

Application: The Bible says that without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). Faith is being CERTAIN that what God says WILL happen. The Bible tells us the way to increase our faith is by studying God’s word, the Bible.

So faith comes from hearing the message. And the message that is heard is the word of Christ. - Hebrews 10:17

When we have faith - when we are CERTAIN that God CAN and WILL keep His promises, we will listen to and obey God.

Abram Falters (Genesis 12:10-20; Genesis 13)

Say: Remember Abram was 75 years old when God told him to move. He took his wife, Sarai and his nephew, Lot, and all the things and servants he had accumulated. But he had no children - YET! God always keeps His promises, but sometimes there is a time of waiting. Later, God even told Abram:

PPT VERSE

The Lord took Abram outside and said, “Look up at the sky. Count the stars, if you can." Then He said to him, "That is how many children you will have.” - Genesis 15:5

Say: Abram’s faith was not perfect. Although Abram showed great trust in God by leaving his home country and going to an unknown land, there were times that he tried to handle things on his own. Soon after Abram moved to Canaan, there was a severe famine in the land. This means that there was very little food, and the people were hungry.

He took his wife, Sarai, down to Egypt. Sarai was very beautiful, and Abram was afraid that the Egyptians would kill him so that they could have Sarai to themselves. So he told Sarai to pretend that she was his sister. He thought that perhaps the Egyptian people would treat him well for her sake.

When Pharaoh, the ruler of the land, saw how beautiful Sarai was, he wanted her to live in the palace with him. But God protected Abram and Sarai and sent terrible diseases on Pharaoh. When Pharaoh realized that Sarai was Abram’s wife, he became very angry with Abram for lying to him, and he sent Abram and Sarai away.

This is an example of a time when Abram chose not to listen to God. And because of this, he endangered himself and his wife. But God remained faithful even when Abram was not. Because of God’s blessing, Abram had accumulated a lot of wealth. He had many flocks, herds, and tents. His nephew, Lot, also had many animals. Soon, the land they were both living in became too crowded. The servants began to fight and argue, and they didn’t have enough pasture for the animals.

So Abram told Lot to look at all the land around them and choose whichever land he wanted. Lot chose the whole plain of Jordan because it was well watered and the land was fertile. But the Bible also says that Lot chose to live near Sodom.

Lot made a very poor choice. Sodom was filled with wicked people. The Bible warns us to make choices that honor God. When Lot moved his family near a wicked city, he made a very bad decision, and this ruined his family. Sin always spoils things, and Lot’s entire family was harmed.

Abram, on the other hand, continued to be in God’s blessing. Listen to what God said to Abram:

The Lord spoke to Abram after Lot had left Him. He said, “Look up from where you are. Look north and south. Look east and west. I will give you all of the land that you see. I will give it to you and your children after you forever.

“I will make your children like the dust of the earth. Can dust be counted? If it can, then your children can be counted. Go. Walk through the land. See how long and wide it is. I am giving it to you.” - Genesis 13:14-17

Say: Because Abram had faith, he listened to God. And even when his faith was weak and he struggled to obey God, God was still faithful to His promises. Even though Abram had to wait a very long time for a son, God kept His promise. And even though it would be nearly 800 years before Abram’s descendants lived in the land God promised, God kept His word.

This is a very important lesson to remember: God ALWAYS keeps His promises. It is VERY important to LISTEN to God and to obey Him in every way!

Application: Just as God made promises to Abraham, God has made promises to you. There are many promises in the Bible for you. For example, God promises that if you put your trust in His Son, Jesus, He completely forgets your sins! (Isaiah 43:25). Will God keep this promise? Yes! And God promises to be with you always. Will God keep this promise? Yes! God’s promises are awesome, and they are ALWAYS for your good (Romans 8:28). When you dig into His word, you will find His promises and your faith will grow.

Optional for Older Students: And, by studying God’s word, you will find out what promises God did not make. For example, God does not promise that you will not have problems in your life. God uses difficult times to grow your character, and to bring glory to Himself (Romans 5:3-4, John 9:3). But what God does promise is that He will be with you IN your difficult time (Psalm 91:15). You must always seek to understand God’s promises fully in order to have faith in Him and live the life God wants you to live.

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PPT CUE

Main Point: When we have faith, we will listen to God and obey him.

Unless otherwise noted the Scriptures taken from: Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version, (NIrV®)

Special thanks to John R. Cross, The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus, GoodSeed International.

8. Lot Does Not Listen to God (Genesis 18-19)

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Lesson

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Main Point: God loves us and wants the absolute best for us.

PPT VERSE

Key Verse:

“I know the plans I have for you,” announces the Lord. “I want you to enjoy success. I do not plan to harm you. I will give you hope for the years to come.” - Jeremiah 29:11

Say: This is a VERY SAD story in the Bible about a man who did not listen to God. God loves us and wants the absolute best for us. We can TRUST GOD and make the right choice. It is very important to obey God all the time.

Background/Review

Say: Last week we talked about a man named Abram. God told Abram to move to a new country, and Abram listened to God even though Abram didn’t even know where God would lead him! Abram and his wife did not have any children of their own, but they had lots of other family member that moved with them. Abram took his nephew, Lot, with him.

Lot

Say: After awhile, Abram and Lot both accumulated so many animals that there wasn’t enough land for them all. So Abram told Lot to look at all the land around them and to choose whichever land he wanted for himself. This was a very generous offer from Abram. The Bible says that Lot “pitched his tent toward Sodom”, (Genesis 13:12) This was a very bad choice because Sodom was a wicked city. Lot had a wife and two daughters. When he chose to live near a wicked city, he put his entire family at risk!

Abram was listening to God and learning to trust Him more. God changed Abram’s name to Abraham, which means, “the father of many nations.” God also changed Sarai’s name to Sarah and told Abraham that she would have a son.

While Abraham was listening to God, the city of Sodom (where Lot lived) became more and more wicked. We are going to see a lot of opposite things going on at the same time!

There is blessing in obedience (Deuteronomy 11:27)! As we study today, pay attention to how God blessed Abraham. There is punishment for not obeying God (Ezra 7:26). Listen carefully to what happened to Lot and his family. Both Lot and Abraham came to the land at the same time, but what happens to each of them is completely opposite!

Ask: What do you think happens when you live among wicked people for such a long time? You accept sinful behavior; your children may think that wickedness is okay; you are miserable.

Say: Later in the Bible, we read that Lot was bothered by all the wickedness around him. The sad thing is that he did not move away from it, and he did not protect his family from the evil all around them.

2 Peter 2:7-8 says, “God saved Lot. He was a man who did what was right. He was shocked by the dirty, sinful lives of people who didn’t obey God’s laws. That good man lived among them day after day. He saw and heard the evil things they were doing. They were breaking God’s laws. And his godly spirit was deeply troubled.”

On the other hand, God appeared to Abraham to tell him that next year, he and Sarah were going to have a son! (Genesis 18:10) This was wonderful news. Abraham believed God! Just after Abraham received this wonderful news, God told him that the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were so wicked that He was going to destroy them (Genesis 18:20-21).

Ask: How would you feel if God told YOU that He was going to destroy a city? What would you do?

Say: Abraham pleaded with God not to destroy the righteous people in the city. Surely, he was thinking of his nephew, Lot. Abraham said, “If there are 50 righteous people, will you destroy the city?” But God said that there weren’t even 50 righteous people. Then Abraham said, “How about 45?” But there weren’t even 45 righteous people! Then Abraham said, “What if there were 40?” The Lord said that there weren’t even 40 righteous people. Then Abraham said, “30?” No - not even 30! “How about 20?” Not even 20! Finally, Abraham said, “10?” Sadly, God said that there weren’t even TEN righteous people in those cities! (Genesis 18:23-33)

Later that night, two angels (dressed as men) came to Lot’s house (Genesis 19:3). They warned Lot to get out of the city because it was going to be completely destroyed (Genesis 19:13).

Ask: Do you think Lot will listen? Do you think he will obey them?

Say: Evidently, Lot knew they were serious. He went out into the city to find the two men that were going to marry his daughters, and he warned them to flee with his family. But they thought Lot was crazy! (Genesis 19:14) They would not listen!

Ask: Why do you think they wouldn’t listen? Perhaps this was the first time Lot even mentioned his faith. It’s one thing to not be listened to, but these men thought that Lot had lost his mind.

Say: Time was running out, and Lot and his family needed to escape quickly! When Lot hesitated, the angels grabbed his hand and the hands of his wife and daughters and led them safely out of the city (Genesis 19:16). As soon as they were safe, the angels told them, “Run for your lives and do not look back. Don’t stop anywhere in the plains. Run all the way to the mountains!” (Genesis 19:17)

Ask: Have you ever hesitated when you should have been fleeing from danger? Why did Lot and his family hesitate? They didn’t want to leave, they liked their home and friends. Lot and his family had grown attached to the things around them. Don’t forget, the Bible tells us they were in a wicked city.

Application: We must be sure not to become attached to the things around us. Like Abraham, we should always be willing to give up anything God asks us to leave. God always knows what is best for us. We must always obey Him.

Say: Lot did not want to live in the mountains, and he pleaded with the angels to let him live in a town nearby called Zoar (Genesis 19:19-20). They agreed to his request, but urged him to RUN! When Lot and his family finally arrived at Zoar, God rained down burning sulfur on the cities. Burning sulfur would have smelled terrible. Everything was destroyed (Genesis 19:24-25)!

Strangely enough, Lot’s wife did not listen to the angel’s warning! Just before she reached safety, she LOOKED BACK, and she became a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:26)! How tragic to be SO CLOSE to a rescue and then look back. Apparently, she just wouldn’t leave the attachments of the past behind. (Note to teacher: The Hebrew verb is nabat, “look, regard, gaze”).

The next day, Abraham went out to the place where God spoke to him. He saw thick smoke coming up from the cities that God had destroyed.

So when God destroyed the cities of the valley, he showed concern for Abraham. He brought Lot out safely when he destroyed the cities where Lot had lived. - Genesis 19:29

“God did not forget his promise to Abraham. He didn’t deliver Sodom because he couldn’t find ten righteous people, yet he delivered the object of Abraham’s concern—Lot. God is faithful. We can count on Him.” (www.jesuswalk.com)

Abraham and Lot came to this land at the same time. They had the same God. Abraham listened to God, and he was blessed. His family increased. Last week, we learned that God promised Abraham as many children as there are stars in the sky! But sadly, Lot did not listen. His wife died, and his 2 daughters made TERRIBLE choices even after they fled the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Application: We all have choices everyday. Will we choose to listen to God? Do we want God’s blessing or His punishment? We will be blessed when we TRUST and OBEY God.

PPT MAIN POINT

Main Point: God loves us and wants the absolute best for us.

Unless otherwise noted the Scriptures taken from: Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version, (NIrV®)

Special thanks to John R. Cross, The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus, GoodSeed International.

9. Abraham Tested with Isaac (Genesis 21-22)

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Lesson

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Main Point: Our faith makes us right with God.

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Key Verse: Abram believed the Lord. The Lord accepted Abram because he believed. So his faith made him right with the Lord. - Genesis 15:6

Props: A glass of iced tea or lemonade; packets of sugar substitute

Review

Last week, we learned about Abram marrying a second wife, Hagar, because his wife, Sarai, was not able to have children. Abram and Sarai took matters into their own hands and tried to “help” God fulfill His promise to give Abram many descendants. This was a big mistake! God does not need anyone’s help! God was doing everything in HIS timing. Abram was wrong to do things his own way and his sin caused big trouble. Abram and Hagar had a son. Ask: Who remembers the name of their son? Ishmael

New Names, Renewed Promise (Genesis 17)

Say: Thirteen years after Ishmael was born, God came to Abram.

When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him. He said, “I am the Mighty God. Walk with me and live without any blame. I will now put into practice my covenant between me and you. I will greatly increase your numbers. You will not be called Abram anymore. Your name will be Abraham, because I have made you a father of many nations. I will give you many children. Nations will come from you. And kings will come from you.” - Genesis 17:1-2, 5-6

The Lord changed Abram’s name to Abraham which means father of many, many people. God also changed Sarai’s name to Sarah which means noble, or royal, woman.

PPT VERSE

Then God said, “I will bless Ishmael. But your wife Sarah will have a son by you. And you will name him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him. It will be a covenant that lasts forever. It will be for Isaac and for his family after him.” - Genesis 17:19

God’s amazing promise to bless every person on earth through Abraham would come through Isaac. But God did not forget about Ishmael. Because Abraham loved Ishmael so much, God promised to bless him with many descendants. God said that Ishmael would be the father of 12 rulers, and make his people into a great nation (Genesis 17:20). God told Abraham that Sarah’s son would be born in one year. Abraham listened to God and obeyed everything the Lord instructed him to do (Genesis 17:10, 23-27).

Isaac (Genesis 21:1-7)

Say: The Lord kept his word and did for Sarah exactly what He had promised. She became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age. This happened at just the time God had said it would. - Genesis 21:1-2

Just as God had promised, Sarah had a son. Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 90 years old when the child was born. Wow! That is really old. The Bible says their bodies were good as dead (Romans 4:19). It is very rare for someone to live to be 100 nowadays. Think about the oldest person you know. For some of you, that might be a great-grandparent. Can you imagine that person becoming a new mom or dad at their age?

As God had instructed, Abraham and Sarah named their son Isaac. Isaac means he laughs or laughter.

Sarah said, “God has given laughter to me. Everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” - Genesis 21:6

Hagar & Ishmael Sent Away (Genesis 21:8-20)

Say: Ishmael was thirteen years old when Isaac was born. As Isaac grew, there were problems with his big brother Ishmael. Ishmael teased Isaac. When Sarah saw this, she told Abraham to send Ishmael and his mother away. Sarah did not want her son to share his inheritance with his half-brother. Inheritance is the blessing of the father, and all the money and property passed down from a parent to a child. This upset Abraham, because Ishmael was his son and he loved him. But God told Abraham not to be upset. God told Abraham to do what Sarah said, because the wonderful promises He made were going to be fulfilled through Isaac. God promised that Ishmael would have many descendants, also.

The next morning, Abraham gave food and water to Hagar, and sent her and Ishmael into the desert. God provided for Hagar and Ishmael in the desert. God was with Ishmael as he continued to grow up. Ishmael became an archer. Later, Hagar found a wife for him in Egypt.

Application: Even though all the stories in the Bible actually happened, many of them are also pictures of spiritual truths. The New Testament book of Galatians helps to explain how we can see a spiritual truth in the true story of Ishmael and Isaac. Galatians tells us that Hagar’s son is a picture of trying to do things our own way, while Sarah’s son is a picture God doing things His way. When Abraham took Hagar as his wife, he was trying to achieve God’s goal by his own power. When Sarah (who was as good as dead) had a baby, it was by God’s power (Galatians 4:23). Hagar’s child was sent away and would not receive Abraham’s inheritance. Sarah’s child was welcome and would receive Abraham’s inheritance. In the same way, if we try to be accepted by God by working to do good things, we will not be accepted by Him. But, if we have faith in what God did when He sent His Son to die for us, then we will be accepted by God. When we try to earn our way to God, we are like Ishmael. When we TRUST and HAVE FAITH in Jesus, we are like Isaac (Galatians 4:30-31).

Abraham Tested (Genesis 22)

Say: The next part of our story is very different from anything we have read before. It is an amazing story of Abraham’s faith, and God’s faithfulness.

Some time later God put Abraham to the test. He said to him, “Abraham!”

“Here I am,” Abraham replied.

Then God said, “Take your son, your only son. He is the one you love. Take Isaac. Go to Moriah. Give him to me there as a burnt offering. Sacrifice him on one of the mountains I will tell you about.” - Genesis 22:1-2

God told Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac. God had never asked anyone to do such a thing before that time, and never has since then. (Note to Teacher: Be sure to make to following point, especially for younger children.) Say: God did not intend for Abraham to kill his son. God would NEVER allow a man to kill his son. This was a TEST to see what Abraham would do.

Abraham did not question God. He simply obeyed. Just as before, God told Abraham to go, and Abraham went.

Abraham cut wood for the burnt offering, loaded up his donkey, took two servants along with Isaac, and set out toward the place God had told him. It took three days for them to get to the right place. Does anyone wonder what Abraham was thinking as they traveled? Was he really going to kill his own son? If Isaac was killed, how would God fulfill His promise for Abraham’s family line to continue through Isaac? Another part of the Bible tells us what Abraham was thinking. Hebrews 11:19 says, “Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again.” (NLT)

Abraham saw the place in the distance. Listen to how SURE Abraham was that God would keep His promise about Isaac:

He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there and worship. Then we’ll come back to you.” - Genesis 22:5

We are not told exactly how old Isaac was at this time, but we are told he was old enough to carry the wood for the offering. And he was old enough to ask a very important question.

“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said. “But where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

Abraham answered, “God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” - Genesis 22:7b-8a

Abraham’s answer showed that even though he did not know exactly how God would do it, He was CERTAIN God would provide what was needed, and God would keep all of His promises. When they reached the right place, Abraham built an altar and put the wood on it. He tied up Isaac and laid him on top of the wood. Then, just as he was about to kill Isaac, he heard a voice.

The angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven. He said, “Abraham! Abraham!”

“Here I am,” Abraham replied.

“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you have respect for God. You have not held back from Me your son, your only son.” - Genesis 22:11-12

God stopped Abraham just in time! When Abraham looked up, he saw a ram caught in a bush by its horns. Because the ram was caught by its horns, it was not scratched or cut up by the bush. The Lord provided a perfect animal as a substitute sacrifice for Isaac. He went to get it and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of Isaac. Abraham named that mountain, “The Lord will provide.”

PPT VERSE

Notice what God said to Abraham. He said, “Now I know that you have respect for God. You have not held back from me your son, your only son.” (Genesis 22:12b) Abraham’s actions gave PROOF of His faith in God and the respect he had for God.

Because Abraham was willing to obey God, even if that meant giving up the one thing most precious to him, he PROVED that He trusted and respected God above all things. The Bible says that Abraham was fully persuaded that God had the power to keep His promises (Romans 4:21). That means that Abraham knew that no matter what, no matter how, God could do and would do what He said He would do. Because Abraham proved his faith by obeying, God repeated His promises.

The angel of the Lord called out to Abraham from heaven a second time. He said, “I am taking an oath in My own name. I will bless you because of what you have done,” announces the Lord. “You have not held back your son, your only son. Genesis 22:15-16

The word “only” used here means begotten one, most dear, one that cannot be replaced.

“So I will certainly bless you. I will make your children after you as many as the stars in the sky. I will make them as many as the grains of sand on the seashore. Your children will take over the cities of their enemies. All nations on earth will be blessed because of your children. All of that will happen because you have obeyed Me.” - Genesis 22:17-18

Application: Again, this true story is a picture of a spiritual truth. God provided a substitute sacrifice for Isaac. And, at the just the right time, God provided a substitute sacrifice for us.

Hold up your iced tea (or lemonade). Look at this glass of iced tea (or lemonade). I love sweet iced tea made with sugar. But if I were on a diet, or if I was trying to stay away from sugar, I would use some of this stuff. Pour in sugar substitute. Ask: Who knows what this is called? (Kids will most likely call out brand names.) Say: It is known by the brand name, but it is a “sugar substitute.” It takes place of the sugar that should be there. Similarly, when your teacher at school is sick for the day, who does the principle sends in to teach? A substitute teacher. Say: A substitute comes in to take the place of what should be there. (Be sure to use this wording.)

Because of our sin, each of us deserves death (Romans 6:23). We deserve to be separated from God forever. But God provided a perfect, final substitute sacrifice for us - His Son Jesus. The Bible calls Jesus, “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29) When we place our trust in Jesus, our substitute sacrifice, we are forgiven of our sins and we are accepted by God.

Abraham was accepted by God because of his faith (Romans 4:22). If you trust God and have placed your faith in Jesus, you, too, are accepted by God!

The words “God accepted Abraham’s faith” were written not only for Abraham. They were written also for us. We believe in the God who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. So God will accept our faith and make us right with Himself. - Romans 4:23

PPT MAIN POINT

Main Point: Our faith makes us right with God.

Main Point: God’s blessings are greater than anything else we could want.

Unless otherwise noted the Scriptures taken from: Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version, (NIrV®)

Special thanks to John R. Cross, The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus, GoodSeed International.

10. Isaac and Rebekah (Genesis 24)

Related Media

Lesson

PPT TITLE

Main Point: Doing things God’s way leads to many blessings.

PPT VERSE

Key Verse:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take. - Proverbs 3:5-6

Props: Hand-held paper windmill; 4 or 5 “gold and silver” costume jewelry bracelets, plastic “gold” coins (one coin per student)

Review

Say: Some things are impossible for us to see. Wind is an example of something we cannot see. The only way that we know that wind exists is to feel it, or see it working. For example, when I blow into the air, I am making a little bit of wind. But you can’t see the wind coming out of my mouth. However, I can PROVE that wind is coming out. Teacher: Hold up your paper windmill, holding it completely still. Then tell the kids to watch as you blow on it. Say: When you see the windmill turn, you see PROOF that I am making wind. Ask: What are some other things we cannot see? Love, anger, air, God. Say: God is Spirit, and we cannot see Him (John 4:24, 1 John 4:20). But He CERTAINLY is real. The Bible tells us that God created everything in the world to give PROOF of His power and greatness. He gave us something we can see to PROVE what we cannot see (Romans 1:20).

Faith is another thing we cannot see. Last week we learned that Abraham PROVED he had faith in God because he was willing to sacrifice his son. Abraham trusted God completely. God had promised that Isaac would one day have children, and Abraham knew that God ALWAYS keeps His promises. Abraham was certain that even if Isaac died, God would bring him back to life. Of course, the Lord stopped Abraham before any harm came to Isaac. Because Abraham obeyed God, we know how much Abraham trusted and respected God. Then God, Himself, provided a ram as a substitute sacrifice.

Search For A Wife (Genesis 24:1-27)

Say: Genesis 23 tells us that Abraham’s wife, Sarah, died at the age of 127. Abraham buried her in a cave near Hebron, in the land of Canaan where they lived. About three years later, when Abraham was 140 years old, he called his most trusted servant and gave him a very important job. Abraham said:

“I’m living among the people of Canaan. But I want you to promise me that you won’t get a wife for my son from their daughters. Instead, promise me that you will go to my country and to my own relatives. Get a wife for my son Isaac from there.”

The servant asked him, “What if the woman doesn’t want to come back with me to this land? Then should I take your son back to the country you came from?”

“Make sure you don’t take my son back there,” Abraham said. “The Lord, the God of heaven, took me away from my father’s family. He brought me out of my own land. And He made me a promise with an oath. He said, ‘I will give this land to your family after you.’ The Lord will send his angel ahead of you. So you will be able to get a wife for my son from there.” - Genesis 24:3b-7

Say: Isaac was 40 years old, and had not married yet. Abraham wanted to find a wife for him. Two things were very important to him. First, he wanted to be sure that Isaac did not marry a Canaanite woman. The Bible tells us that God did not want Abraham’s family to marry people from Canaan because the Canaanites worshipped false gods (Deuteronomy 7:1-4). And, secondly, Abraham wanted to be sure Isaac did not go back to the land that Abraham had come from. God had called Abraham out of that land, and Abraham did not want his son to return there. It, too, was filled with people who worshipped false gods (Joshua 24:2). God is VERY serious about His people staying far away from false gods. The first of the Ten Commandments is, “Do not put any other gods in place of Me.” (Exodus 20:3)

So, Abraham wanted the right woman in the right place for Isaac. Abraham’s servant swore an oath to his master that he would do what Abraham asked. Abraham was living in the land of Canaan, near Hebron. Teacher: Show Hebron on the map. Show the long trek toward Padan Aram. The servant took ten camels, other servants, and all kinds of good things from Abraham on his trip (Genesis 24:10, 32). He set out for Aram Naharai. He made his way to the town of Nahor. Nahor was Abraham’s brother.

Note to Teacher: Aram Naharaim (Genesis 24:10) refers to Mesopotamia, the land between the Tigris River on the east, and the Euphrates on the west. The “town of Nahor” is not mentioned by name. However, Genesis 28:5 tells us that Rebekah’s father’s house is in Paddan Aram.

Say: This time, Abraham did everything God’s way. He followed what God had said about who his son should marry. He did not just pick any girl from any land. Instead, Abraham believed that God would lead his servant to just the right woman. Ask: Why do you think Abraham sent his servant instead of going himself? God told him to leave that land so he didn’t want to go back, and he was far too old to make such a trip.

Say: This trip was very long. It was almost 500 miles. That is a long way to travel on the back of a camel! When the servant arrived at the well just outside of the town, it was late in the day. It was the time when women went out to gather water at the well. Listen to the faithful prayer of the servant, as he depended totally on God:

Then he prayed, “Lord, You are the God of my master Abraham. Give me success today. Be kind to my master Abraham. I’m standing beside this spring. The daughters of the people who live in the town are coming out here to get water. I will speak to a young woman. I’ll say, ‘Please lower your jar so I can have a drink.’ Suppose she says, ‘Have a drink of water. And I’ll get some for your camels too.’ Then let her be the one You have chosen for your servant Isaac. That’s how I’ll know You have been kind to my master.” - Genesis 24: 12-14

Even before he had finished praying, a beautiful young lady named Rebekah approached the well, carrying a water jar. After she filled her jar, the servant hurried over to her and asked for a drink. She gave him water right away. Then she offered to get water for all of his camels. She emptied her water jar into the watering trough and ran back to the well to get more water. The servant watched Rebekah closely to see if she was the one God had chosen for Isaac. When the camels finished drinking, the servant gave Rebekah some gold jewelry. Give some of your jewelry to some of the girls. Imagine how surprised Rebekah was to receive gold in exchange for water!

The servant asked whose daughter Rebekah was, and if there was room for he and the other servants to spend the night at her father’s house. She told him there was plenty of room for them, and that she was the daughter of Bethel, who was the son of Nahor. Ask: Who can remember who Nahor was? Nahor was Abraham’s brother!

The man bowed low and worshiped the Lord. “Praise the Lord, the God of my master, Abraham,” he said. “The Lord has shown unfailing love and faithfulness to my master, for He has led me straight to my master’s relatives.” - Genesis 24:26-27 NLT

The servant was overwhelmed at God’s amazing answer to his prayer. God had led him straight to Abraham’s great-niece! The servant stopped and took the time to praise God for His faithfulness to him and to Abraham.

Application: Let’s look a little closer at Abraham’s trusted servant. The Bible does not tell us his name, but the Bible tells us he was in charge of everything that Abraham owned (Genesis 24:2). Ask: Thinking about our story so far, what else can you tell me about him? He was loyal, obedient, respectful, and he trusted God. Say: More than likely, this servant was one of the servants Abraham took with him when he went to sacrifice Isaac (Genesis 22:3). Because this servant was very close to Abraham, he knew a great deal about God. He knew that God is good and kind (Psalm 73:1, Jeremiah 9:24). He knew that God hears our prayers (Proverbs 15:29). He knew that God longs to give good things to those who follow Him (Matthew 7:11). And he knew that God is powerful enough to lead him 500 miles across the desert to just the right woman to fulfill His plan. By watching Abraham, the servant knew how to praise and worship the Lord. God chose Abraham and blessed him. This servant put his trust in God because of Abraham’s example.

If you are a Christian, you have been chosen by God and blessed by Him. Do the people around you know about God’s goodness, faithfulness, and power, just by being around you? Have people learned how to praise God by watching you?

Rebekah’s Family (Genesis 24:28-67)

Say: Rebekah ran home to tell her family what had happened at the well. It was not every day that girls were lavished with gifts by strangers from a far-away land! As soon as Rebekah’s brother, Laban, saw the gold and heard the story, he went out to meet this mysterious man.

“Come and stay with us, you who are blessed by the Lord! Why are you standing here outside the town when I have a room all ready for you and a place prepared for the camels?” - Genesis 24:31

PPT CUE

It is interesting that Laban called the servant “You who are blessed by the Lord.” Remember that one of God’s promises to Abraham was that He would bless anyone who blessed him. This servant was a faithful servant to Abraham, and God had indeed blessed him. Laban took the servant to his home and took care of the camels. A meal was prepared and placed in front of the servant. But the servant refused to eat until he had told Rebekah’s family the reason for his visit.

He told them all about how God had blessed Abraham and how God gave him and Sarah a child in their old age. He told them how Abraham instructed him to go to the land of his relatives to find a wife for his beloved son. The servant even told them how he had prayed at the well, and how Rebekah came down at just the right time. Then the servant asked Rebekah’s brother and father if they would allow Rebekah to marry Isaac. The servant said:

“So tell me - will you or won’t you show unfailing love and faithfulness to my master? Please tell me yes or no, and then I’ll know what to do next.”

Then Laban and Bethuel replied, “The Lord has obviously brought you here, so there is nothing we can say. Here is Rebekah; take her and go. Yes, let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has directed.” - Genesis 24:49-51

Say: Rebekah’s family respected the Lord. They knew that God had worked out this plan for their daughter, so they wanted her to go. They trusted God enough to know that His plan was the very best thing for her. When the servant heard their answer, he bowed down to worship the Lord again. Then he took out the gifts that Abraham had sent with him. He gave clothing and more jewelry to Rebekah. He also gave expensive gifts to her family. Pass out more of your jewelry and gold coins. Then they ate together and the servant and his men spent the night. The next morning the servant asked for them to send him back to Abraham. Rebekah’s family wanted her to stay with them a while longer. The servant pleaded for them to let them go right away. They decided to let Rebekah make the decision. She said, “Yes, I will go.”

Literally overnight, Rebekah’s life changed completely. She left her mother, father, brother, and all of her friends. It was very likely she would never see any of these people again. She left everything that was familiar to her to marry a man she had never met. She TRUSTED God enough to go with the man He had sent for her. She believed that God’s way was the BEST way. Rebekah’s family sent some of her servant girls with her.

And they gave Rebekah their blessing. They said to her, “Dear sister, may your family grow by thousands and thousands. May your children after you take over the cities of their enemies.” - Genesis 24:60b

Then Rebekah and her servant girls traveled with Abraham’s servant toward the Negev Desert (just south of Beersheba) where Isaac lived. One evening, Isaac went out to one of his fields to think. When he looked up, he saw camels coming toward him. Rebekah looked up and saw Isaac. She asked Abraham’s servant who he was. When she found out he was Isaac, Rebekah covered her face with her veil. Then the servant told Isaac everything that had happened.

Isaac brought Rebekah into the tent that had belonged to his mother Sarah. And he married Rebekah. She became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother died. - Genesis 24:67

In the weeks to come, we will see how God kept His promises to Abraham by giving many descendants to Isaac and Rebekah.

Application: Abraham’s servant insisted that he take Rebekah home to Isaac right away. This faithful servant knew how important it is to obey God right away. Often times, if we wait to obey, we become distracted by other things. Before long we may forget about God’s instruction, or even choose not to obey.

This is a beautiful story. It is a love story, and a story of listening to and obeying God. Abraham obeyed God by finding a wife for his son God’s way. Rebekah and her entire family were willing to do exactly what they knew God wanted them to do. And, Abraham’s servant is a wonderful example of abiding in God. He had become very close to the Lord, and the Lord stayed close to him. He prayed to the Lord and worshipped Him. The servant was able to be a part of God’s plan because he trusted and rested in the Lord.

God’s perfect plan for marriage is one man with one woman for a lifetime. Even though you are young, it is not too early for you to pray about your future. Ask God to mold you into a godly person that would be a wonderful husband or wife. And ask God to lead you to the husband or wife He knows is right for you, at exactly the right time in your life. Abide with Him, and He will guide you to the right person at the right time.

PPT MAIN POINT

Main Point: Doing things God’s way leads to many blessings.

Unless otherwise noted the Scriptures taken from: Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version, (NIrV®)

Special thanks to John R. Cross, The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus, GoodSeed International.

11. Jacob and Esau (Genesis 25:19-34; 27:1-40)

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Lesson

PPT TITLE

Main Point: Abiding in God is the key to peace and wisdom.

PPT VERSE

Key Verse:

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:6-7 NLT

Props: blind fold, an orange slice (sealed in a ziploc bag), chocolate, plastic snake or worms (add 1 or 2 drops of salad oil to make them feel real) Keep these items hidden!

Review

Say: Isaac married Rebekah when he was 40 years old. God renewed His promises to Isaac. God promised Isaac that he would have as many descendants as there were stars in the sky. He promised to give Isaac’s descendants the land of Canaan, and that all people would be blessed through them. God remained with Isaac and blessed him greatly.

Twins! (Genesis 25:19-34)

Say: Isaac and Rebekah had been married for 20 years, yet they had no children. Remember, after Abraham and Sarah had waited for their child for 10 years, Abraham wrongly took matters into his own hands by marrying a second wife. After 20 years of waiting for a child, listen to what Isaac did:

Rebekah couldn’t have children. So Isaac prayed to the Lord for her. And the Lord answered his prayer. His wife Rebekah became pregnant. - Genesis 25:21

Isaac did not do as his father had done. Isaac had faith that God would send him a child. Perhaps he learned from the sins of his parents. Surely Isaac saw how much trouble the sin of Abraham and Sarah had caused their family. This time, Isaac kept his eyes focused on God and His promises.

Rebekah felt a lot of movement going on inside of her belly. She didn’t know what was happening. So she, also, went to the Lord with her concerns. The Lord had an interesting explanation for her. She was going to have twin boys! God told Rebekah about the future of her two sons:

The Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your body. Two tribes that are now inside you will be separated. One nation will be stronger than the other. The older son will serve the younger one.” - Genesis 25:23

Each son’s descendants would become a nation of people, one nation would be stronger than the other, and the younger son would rule over the older son. This was a very interesting prophecy. Rebekah must have thought about this over and over while her belly was getting bigger and bigger. Soon, it was time for the babies to be born.

The first one to come out was red. His whole body was covered with hair. So they named him Esau. Then his brother came out. His hand was holding onto Esau’s heel. So he was named Jacob. - Genesis 25:25

Esau means “hairy,” and Jacob means “heel holder, or one who takes the place of another.” It is very unusual to have a baby that is hairy all over. The Bible doesn’t tell us exactly how hairy he was, but it was certainly more than the average baby because they named him “hairy.” Esau was the older brother because he was born just moments before Jacob.

The boys grew up. They were very different from each other, as brothers and sisters often are. Esau became a skillful hunter. He loved being outside in the countryside. But Jacob was a quiet man. He liked staying near his tent. He was what we would call “a home-body.” Just for fun, let’s see a show of hands. Ask: Who would rather play outside? And who likes staying inside?

Say: The Bible says that the boys’ father, Isaac, loved to eat wild meat, so Esau was his favorite son. But Jacob was favored by his mother, Rebekah.

Application: It is wonderful that Isaac went to God when he was sad about not having any children yet. He did not go out and do things his own way. Instead, he prayed for his wife, and God answered his prayers. Then we saw that Rebekah also went to God when she was concerned about her pregnancy. God gave her wisdom and even a prophecy about the future of her children.

When you are sad, disappointed, or confused, do you go to God first, or do you run to another source? Do you talk to God, or reach for the telephone? It is good to get advice from godly people (Proverbs 19:20), but it is BETTER to go straight to the source! Going to God first ensures that we are keeping our focus on Him. You would be amazed at how God can work out an answer if you simply ask Him first. God speaks to us through the Holy Spirit, through His Word, through godly people, and through our circumstances. Make it your habit to run to God FIRST, then wait to be amazed at how He will answer you. Remember, Isaac asked for a son, and God gave him twins!

Birthright For Sale (Genesis 25:29-34)

Ask: Raise your hand if you have ever traded anything. Call on a few students to tell what they traded and what they received in return. Be prepared to give your own example of something you have traded if the students do not volunteer. Choose one of the students who shared and ask him or her a few more questions. Why did you give away your _____? I was tired of it, I grew out of it, etc. And why did you want the _____ that you traded for? It was cool, etc. Say: Okay, so you had something you didn’t care about anymore, and the other person had something they didn’t really care about, so you traded. Ask the group: As long as both people know what they are getting, is that considered a fair deal? Yes. The next part of Jacob and Esau’s story tells about a trade that they made.

Say: Because Esau was the oldest son, he received the birthright of the family. That means when the father of a family died, all of his property, money, and belongings were given to his sons. The son who held the birthright would receive twice as much as the other sons (Deuteronomy 21:15,16, 2 Chronicles 21:3).

One day Jacob was cooking some stew. Esau came in from the open country. He was very hungry. He said to Jacob, “Quick! Let me have some of that red stew! I’m very hungry!”...

Jacob replied, “First sell me the rights that belong to you as the oldest son in the family.”

“Look, I’m dying of hunger,” Esau said. “What good are those rights to me?”

But Jacob said, “First promise me with an oath that you are selling me your rights.” So Esau promised to do it. He sold Jacob all of the rights that belonged to him as the oldest son. - Genesis 25:29-33

Esau was so foolish! For one bowl of stew he gave up his rights to two-thirds of Isaac’s fortune. We know that Isaac was incredibly wealthy. He was so wealthy that the entire Philistine nation was jealous of him, and God continued to bless him even beyond that. The Bible says that, “Esau despised his birthright.” That means he acted as though it was worthless. It was like a big joke to him. He was not actually starving to death. He simply did not want to wait to prepare his own meal. Jacob did not trick his brother. It was a fair deal, and Jacob definitely got the better end of it.

When Esau was forty years old, he married two women. Both women were Hittites. Again, Esau acted foolishly. He did not marry a woman from Abraham’s family line, as his father did. The Bible says, “Esau’s wives made life miserable for Isaac and Rebekah.” (Genesis 26:34 NLT)

Application: Esau did not think about what was really important. He wanted what seemed good to him at the moment. He chose to fill his belly for a couple hours rather than prepare for his entire future. Esau did not value what was really important. He was foolish and impatient. In our lives, it is wise for us to rely on God to show us what is truly important, and to give us patience and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). God knows what every minute of our future holds. We must rely on God’s Holy Spirit to guide us through every decision we make. Galatians 5:16 says, “So I say, live by the Holy Spirit’s power. Then you will not do what your sinful nature wants you to do.”

Stolen Blessing (Genesis 27)

Say: When Isaac grew old, his eyes became too weak to see. Now, when a person has lost their sight, they have to rely on their other senses. Ask: Who can tell me what the other four senses are? Hearing, taste, smell, touch Call for a volunteer. (A girl may react better.) Place the blindfold on her (or him). Say: We’re going to see if our volunteer can use her (or his) other senses to tell us what these things are. Hold up the orange and tell her to use her sense of smell to identify the object. Next, have her use her sense of taste to identify the chocolate. Then have her use touch to identify the fake snake or worms. (She may or may not be fooled.) Allow her to remove the blindfold. Say: Because you couldn’t see, you used your other senses. But without the ability to see, I was able (or almost able) to trick you. Thank your volunteer.

Say: One day, Isaac called for Esau. Isaac believed he would not live much longer, so he thought it was time to give his blessing to his firstborn son. The blessing was different from the birthright. The birthright was the greater portion of money and property, but the blessing was a gift of things that money can’t buy. A father would bless his son by announcing good things for his future, such as greatness and many children. Isaac told Esau to take his bow and arrows and go hunting. Isaac told him to prepare a meal for him from whatever he caught, and then Isaac would give Esau his blessing.

Rebekah was listening to Isaac’s conversation. As soon as Esau went out to hunt, she hurried to get Jacob.

Rebekah continued, “My son, listen carefully. Do what I tell you. Go out to the flock. Bring me two of the finest young goats. I will prepare tasty food for your father. I’ll make it just the way he likes it. I want you to take it to your father to eat. Then he’ll give you his blessing before he dies.” - Genesis 27:8-10

Rebekah wanted to trick Isaac by making him think that Jacob was really Esau. Jacob was afraid that Isaac would find out, but Rebekah insisted. Jacob was at least forty years old (Genesis 26:34). He was certainly old enough to stand up to his mother, but instead, he went along. So Jacob brought her two fine goats. Rebekah prepared a tasty meal for Isaac. She had Jacob dress in Esau’s clothes, and even put goat skins on Jacob’s arms and neck so Jacob would feel like Esau in case Isaac touched him!

Jacob took the food to his father’s room. Because Isaac was blind, he asked who was at his door. Jacob lied and said he was Esau. Isaac was suspicious because the voice he heard sounded like Jacob. However, when Jacob came closer, Isaac smelled his clothes and felt his hairy skin. Isaac became convinced that Esau was with him. After Isaac ate the meal, he gave his blessing to his son, Jacob.

May God give you dew from heaven. May He give you the richness of the earth. May He give you plenty of grain and fresh wine. May nations serve you. May they bow down to you. Rule over your brothers. May the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who call down curses on you be cursed. And may those who bless you be blessed.” - Genesis 27:28-29

When Isaac finished blessing him, Jacob left. Ask: Who do you think came in next? Esau! Say: Right after Jacob left, the real Esau came in from hunting. He had prepared a meal for his father. When Isaac heard Esau’s voice and realized what had happened, his whole body shook. Esau cried out loudly. He begged his father to bless him too. But Isaac told Esau that Jacob had received the oldest son’s blessing. Isaac said he had made Jacob the ruler over Esau. Esau begged for some sort of blessing from his father.

His father Isaac answered him, “You will live far away from the richness of the earth. You will live far away from the dew of heaven above. You will live by the sword. And you will serve your brother. But you will grow restless. Then you will throw off the heavy load he put on your shoulders.” - Genesis 27:39-40

This was not much of a blessing. Esau became so enraged at his brother that he threatened to kill him. Next week, we will see what happened to Jacob, and we will see the consequences he and Rebekah faced because they chose to lie.

Ask: Whose idea was it to trick Isaac? It was Rebekah’s idea. Say: Let’s look at why Rebekah wanted Jacob to get Isaac’s blessing. The Bible does say that Jacob was Rebekah’s favorite son. The Bible also tells us that even before the twins were born, God told Rebekah that the younger twin would be greater than the older twin. God said the older boy would serve the younger boy. This might explain why Rebekah favored Jacob, and why Rebekah wanted to be sure that Jacob received his father’s blessing. Also, Rebekah certainly knew her sons very well. She knew that Esau acted foolishly and did not take his future seriously. The Bible even calls Esau’s behavior, “godless” (Hebrews 12:16). The blessing, which included ruling over others, becoming a great nation, and being a blessing for all generations to come, was a huge responsibility. Rebekah knew it was God’s plan for Jacob to be the blessed one. So, when we look at it in this light, it seems very good that Rebekah wanted Jacob to receive Isaac’s blessing. However, the way in which Rebekah went about getting the blessing for Jacob was sin.

Rebekah’s sin was very much like the sin of Sarah, when Sarah told Abraham to marry Hagar in order to have a child. It would seem that both Sarah and Rebekah believed God’s promises. Sarah believed that Abraham was going to have children that would grow into a great nation, and Rebekah believed that Jacob would be greater than Esau. But both women doubted that God had the power and control to make His promises come to pass. Both women stepped in to “help God along.” Ask: Did God need either woman’s help? No! Say: Of course not! God is all-powerful. He does not need anyone’s help. And He would NEVER want someone to sin in order to obey Him. Perhaps the worst part of both Sarah and Rebekah’s actions is that they both convinced someone else to sin. Sarah convinced Abraham to marry Hagar, and Rebekah convinced Jacob to deceive his father. The Bible says we will be punished severely if we lead others into sin (Matthew 18:6).

Ask: Who can tell me what Rebekah should have done about her sons and their blessing? Pray to God, talk honestly with Isaac Say: Rebekah should have taken her concerns to the Lord, as she had done at other times in her life. Then God would have shown her the right way to handle things. Most likely, He would have assured her that He was in control and that she did not have to do anything at all.

Also, we must wonder why Isaac insisted on giving the blessing to Esau when God had revealed to Rebekah that it should go to Jacob. Scripture does not tell us that Isaac heard this from the Lord, but it would certainly seem that if Isaac had been abiding with God, he, too, would have known of Jacob’s fate. Then the deception would have never taken place.

Application: Sometimes, we are like Rebekah. Sometimes we think we have to help God handle certain situations. Ask: Does God ever need our help? No. Say: No, God doesn’t need anyone’s help. Often, God allows us to be a part of His plan, but it is for our good, not because He can’t handle things on His own. No matter how BIG of a problem or concern you have, go to God FIRST. Lean on Him - He can handle it.

PPT MAIN POINT

Main Point: Abiding in God is the key to peace and wisdom.

Unless otherwise noted the Scriptures taken from: Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version, (NIrV®)

Special thanks to John R. Cross, The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus, GoodSeed International.

13. Jacob Flees (Genesis 27:41-30:24)

Related Media

Lesson

MAIN POINT

Main Point: God is faithful to keep His promises, even when people fail.

PPT VERSE

Key Verse:

Lord, You are my God. I will honor You. I will praise Your name. You have been perfectly faithful. You have done wonderful things. You had planned them long ago. - Isaiah 25:1

Props: bandana, candy bar, broccoli

Review

Say: Last week, we learned about Isaac and Rebekah’s twin sons, Jacob and Esau. Esau was born just moments before Jacob. The boys were very different from each other. Esau was a hunter who did not care about the things that should have been most important to him. Jacob was very concerned with his heritage and the blessing of his father. Rebekah came up with a plan to ensure that Jacob received the blessing from the aged Isaac. Jacob went along with his mother’s deceptive plan. Together, they tricked Isaac, and Jacob received the promise that had been handed down from his grandfather, Abraham. Jacob’s twin brother, Esau, felt that he should have the blessing. He was furious with Jacob and vowed to kill him.

Jacob Flees (Genesis 27:41 - 28:9)

Say: Esau said that as soon as his father died, he would kill Jacob. Rebekah feared for Jacob, so she told him to leave home at once. She told him to go stay with her brother Laban for a little while, until Esau was no longer angry. Rebekah did not tell Isaac that Esau threatened Isaac. Instead she told him, “I’m sick and tired of these local Hittite women! I would rather die than see Jacob marry one of them.” (Genesis 27:46) So Isaac called for Jacob and told him not to marry a Canaanite woman. He told him to go to Rebekah’s family to find a wife. Then Isaac gave Jacob the blessing that God had intended for him to have (Genesis 25:23).

“May the Mighty God bless you. May He give you children. May He increase your numbers until you become a community of nations. May He give you and your children after you the blessing he gave to Abraham. Then you can take over the land where you now live as an outsider. It’s the land God gave to Abraham.” - Genesis 28:3-4

When Esau heard that Isaac sent Jacob so far away to find a wife, he realized how much his parents disliked the women of Canaan. So Esau went to Isaac’s half-brother, Ishmael, and married one of Ishmael’s daughters. Again, Esau made a foolish decision by going to Ishmael to find a wife. Ishmael was not in the family line of God’s promise and blessing.

Application: Here we see that God is in control of all things. God wanted the promise He had made to Abraham to pass down to Jacob and it did. We also see that God uses imperfect people to bring His plans to pass. If God did not use imperfect people, who would He use? However, do not miss the fact that sin always has consequences. Rebekah and Jacob had sinned by tricking Isaac. Rebekah paid for her deception by losing her beloved son Jacob when he had to run very far away to escape the wrath of Esau. Likewise, Jacob paid for his deception by having to leave his home. Remember, he was a “homebody” who always stayed near to his mother. The Bible does not tell us if Rebekah and Jacob ever saw each other again.

Jacob’s Journey (Genesis 28:10 22)

So Jacob set out to go to the home of Rebekah’s brother. Let’s look at our map again. Remember, Rebekah’s family lived in Paddan Aram. It was about 500 miles from where they were living in Beersheba. Show the route from Beersheba, north to Paddan Aram. As the sun was setting, Jacob stopped for the night. Point to Bethel. He laid his head down on a long stone and fell asleep. God came to him in a dream and spoke to him.

The Lord stood above the stairway. He said, “I am the Lord. I am the God of your grandfather Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your children after you the land on which you are lying. They will be like the dust of the earth that can’t be counted. They will spread out to the west and to the east. They will spread out to the north and to the south. All nations on earth will be blessed because of you and your children after you. I am with you. I will watch over you everywhere you go. And I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you. - Genesis 28:13-15

When Jacob woke up, he was amazed at the things God had said. He turned the stone that was under his head up on its side to be a pillar. He named the place Bethel, which means “house of God.” Then Jacob made a vow to the Lord. He promised to give back to God one tenth of everything God gave to him.

Application: Here we see another characteristic of God. He is the great Pursuer. To pursue is to go after something, to follow closely. We have seen this over and over in Genesis. God searched for Adam and Eve after they sinned. God went after Cain. God chose Abraham, and God found Hagar in the desert. So, too, He appeared to Jacob. God never changes. He is still the great Pursuer. God is the One who pursues us (1 John 4:19). The Bible says that no one looks to find God on his own (Romans 3:10-11). No one comes to God unless God draws him or her to Himself (John 6:44). While we were still sinners, God sent His Son to die for us, to make the way for us to be right with Him (Romans 5:8).

Also, it is important that God met with Jacob personally. It was not enough that Jacob’s father and grandfather knew the Lord. Jacob had to know and trust God for himself. Just the same, it is not enough for our parents, grandparents, brothers, or sisters know the Lord. We each must have our own relationship with God. You are only made right with God when you, personally, place your trust in Jesus and believe that He has taken away all of your sin.

Jacob’s Wives (Genesis 29:1-30)

Say: Jacob continued on his journey. Finally he arrived in the area of Paddan Aram. He came to a well near Haran. Show Haran on the map.

Note to Teacher: This might have been the very well at which Abraham’s servant met Rebekah (Genesis 24:11).

Several shepherds were at the well, waiting to water their sheep. Soon a young woman named Rachel came to the well with her father’s sheep. Jacob helped Rachel water her sheep. Rachel was the daughter of Laban, Rebekah’s brother. Jacob was overjoyed to meet his cousin. He told her who he was, and Rachel ran home to tell her family about him. Laban ran out to greet his nephew. Laban brought Jacob home to stay with him. Jacob told his relatives all about himself. Laban was very glad to have his nephew with him. Laban had two daughters, Leah and Rachel. Leah was older, and she had weak eyes. Rachel was the younger daughter, and she was beautiful.

Optional illustration (if time allows): This “trick” might take a little practice. You may want to practice in front of a mirror. Before class starts, secretly hide a big piece of broccoli under your bandana. Hold up a candy bar in one hand. Tell the group that you will give the candy bar to the first person who can look up a specific Bible verse. Say: When I tell you which verse, you look it up. As soon as you find the verse, stand up. The first person who stands gets to read the verse and wins the candy bar. Hold the candy so everyone can see it well. Take the bandana (hiding the broccoli) in your other hand, and place it over the candy bar. Secretly grasp both the candy and the broccoli under the bandana. Say: Okay, look up Psalm 33:4 (For the word of the Lord is right and true; He is faithful in all He does. NIV) As soon as the first child stands, have him read the verse. Then invite him to come get the candy. Use your free hand to pull away the bandana (AND pull away the candy hidden by the bandana). Offer the broccoli to the winner. He may say, “That’s not fair!” or you can ask the group, “Is that fair?” Say: I promised him the candy if he found the verse first. Then he did not get what I promised. Instead he got something he really did not want. Ask: What if I said he could have the candy only if he looks up another verse? Would that be fair? No! Say: No, it wouldn’t. I went back on my word. This is just like what was about to happen to Jacob. Thank your winner - and give him the candy bar.

Jacob had stayed and worked for Laban for a month. Laban asked Jacob what amount he wanted to be paid for his work. Jacob was in love with Rachel, so he told Laban he would work for seven years in exchange for Rachel’s hand in marriage. Laban said it would be very good for Rachel to marry Jacob.

So Jacob worked for seven years to get Rachel. But they seemed like only a few days to him because he loved her so much. - Genesis 29:20

After the seven years, it was time for Jacob to marry Rachel. Laban held a big feast in honor of his daughter’s wedding. But when it came time to get married, Laban did a terrible thing! Laban secretly gave Leah to Jacob instead. (She must have been wearing a veil.) Jacob did not realize what Laban did until after he was married to Leah.

So he said to Laban, “What have you done to me? I worked for you to get Rachel, didn’t I? Why did you trick me?” - Genesis 29:25b

Jacob did not like being tricked like that! Does this sound familiar to anyone? One person pretending to be another - it sounds a lot like what Jacob did to Esau, doesn’t it? After all, Jacob had switched himself (the younger brother) for the older brother, and Laban had switched the older sister for the younger sister. Still, Laban should not have deceived Jacob. He explained his behavior by saying that older daughters always got married before the younger daughter did. Even if this was true, he should have explained that to Jacob beforehand, and let Jacob make up his own mind about who to marry. It seems that even after seeing the amazing way in which God provided a godly husband for his sister Rebekah, and now for his daughter, Rachel, Laban did not trust that God would provide the right husband for Leah, or provide for her needs if she remained unmarried. Laban’s lack of trust caused him to take matters into his own hands, and trick Jacob.

Laban told Jacob that he could also marry Rachel. Jacob was allowed to marry Rachel one week later, but Jacob had to stay with Laban and work another seven years for her. So Jacob married Rachel, and he loved her more than Leah.

Ask: How do you think Laban’s plot made his younger daughter, Rachel, feel? Cheated, angry. How do you think the plot made his older daughter, Leah, feel? Sad that her father had to trick someone into marrying her, sad that she was married to a man who didn’t love her. Say: Laban’s sin hurt Jacob, Rachel, and Leah. We will see that in the years that followed, the two sisters suffered greatly because of Laban’s deceptive plot.

Application: We must remember that sin always hurts people. Not only does our sin break our relationship with our heavenly Father, but it also hurts innocent people around us.

Jacob’s Children (Genesis 29:31 - 30:45)

Say: Laban gave each of his daughters one of his servant girls when they got married.

The Lord saw that Jacob didn’t love Leah as much as he loved Rachel. So He let Leah have children. But Rachel wasn’t able to have children. - Genesis 29:31

God saw the broken heart of Leah. In His kindness, He gave her four sons. The oldest was Reuben, then there was Simeon. Next, Leah had Levi, and then she had Judah. Then she stopped having children.

Rachel saw that she couldn’t have any children by Jacob. So she became jealous of her sister. She said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!”

Jacob became angry with her. He said, “Do you think I’m God? He’s the One who has kept you from having children.” - Genesis 30:1-2

Rachel insisted that Jacob marry her servant girl so she could have children through her. Ask: Who else did we learn about who did this same thing? Sarah and Abraham. Say: When Sarah grew impatient waiting for God to give her children, she also told her husband to marry her servant girl.

Jacob was wise to recognize that God was in control of whether or not Rachel had children. But, then he agreed to marry Rachel’s servant girl. Just like his grandfather had, he took matters into his own hands. Rachel’s servant had a son and Rachel named him Dan. Then the servant had a second son named Naphtali.

Sadly, Rachel and Leah felt they had to compete for the love of Jacob. Because Leah had stopped having children, she also gave her servant girl for Jacob to marry. That servant had two sons, Gad and Asher. Then Leah was able to have two more sons named Issachar and Zebulun. Leah also had a daughter who she named Dinah.

By this time, Jacob had ten sons and one daughter. But Rachel had never had a child of her own.

Then God listened to Rachel. He showed concern for her. He made it possible for her to have children. She became pregnant. She had a son. She said, “God has taken my shame away.” - Genesis 30:22-23

God hears the cries of His people (Exodus 3:7). In His kindness, He gave a son to Rachel. She named her son Joseph.

Application: Throughout Jacob’s life story, we see people who do right and then do wrong. We see people when they rely on God, and then rely on themselves. From all of their triumphs and failures, we can learn that when we abide with God, we will have peace and things will go well for us, but when we take matters into our own hands, it is sin and there will be consequences. But above all else, we learn that God is great, loving, and kind. He is faithful to keep His promises, even when people fail.

PPT MAIN POINT

Main Point: God is faithful to keep His promises, even when people fail.

Unless otherwise noted the Scriptures taken from: Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version, (NIrV®)

Special thanks to John R. Cross, The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus, GoodSeed International.

14. Jacob Returns Home (Genesis 30:25-35:29)

Related Media

Lesson

PPT TITLE

Main Point: God’s blessings are greater than anything else we could want.

PPT VERSE

Key Verse: Jacob replied, “I won’t let You go unless you bless me.” - Genesis 32:26b

Props: 2 big bowls, bag of popcorn, bag of M&Ms

Review

Ask: Who can tell me how Esau felt about his brother, Jacob, stealing his father’s blessing? Esau was furious. What did Esau say he would do to Jacob? He threatened to kill Jacob. So what did Jacob do? He ran to live with his Uncle Laban. Say: So, remember that Jacob fell in love with Laban’s youngest daughter, Rachael. But Laban tricked Jacob into marrying his oldest daughter, Leah, before Laban let Jacob marry Rachael. Even though there was a whole lot of tricking going on, God still kept His promises. He still showed that He was good and kind and faithful. Jacob was the father of 11 sons and one daughter.

Jacob Returns Home (Genesis 31:1 - 32:21)

Say: Jacob stayed and worked for Laban for several more years. Laban was not fair to Jacob. He cheated him out of his pay many times. But God blessed the work of Jacob’s hands, so Jacob became a rich man (Genesis 31:7-9,12). Laban’s sons became very jealous of Jacob. All together, Jacob worked for Laban for 20 years.

PPT CUE

Then one day God spoke to Jacob and told him to leave Paddan Aram and return to the land of his father. Using the map, point to Paddan Aram, and show the general direction (southwest) toward Canaan. God promised Jacob, “I will be with you.” (Genesis 31:3) Ask: Can anyone guess why God promised Jacob that He would be with him? Can anyone remember why Jacob left the land of his father? Esau wanted to kill him. Say: Surely, God wanted Jacob to know that He would be with him so that he would not be afraid to return home and face Esau.

Jacob packed up his wives, his children, and all their belongings, and headed south toward his homeland. Jacob sent messengers to Esau who lived in the land of Seir to tell him he was coming. Refer to map. When the messengers came back, they told Jacob that Esau was coming to meet Jacob, and that Esau had 400 men with him.

Jacob was very afraid! He thought Esau was bringing an army to fight him. He was so afraid, that he split up his family and servants into two groups. Sort of like this. Let’s say each M&M is one of Jacob’s wives or kids or servants. Dump M&Ms into the big bowl. He had a bunch. Then, each piece of popcorn is one of Jacob’s animals. He had tons of cows, camels, donkeys, sheep and goats. Dump popcorn into the same bowl. So they were all traveling together. But then when Jacob heard about Esau coming with his 400 men, Jacob thought, “We better split up.” Pour half of the contents into second bowl, show the two bowls splitting up and “traveling” separately. “That way, if Esau comes and attacks one group, at least half of my family and cattle will escape.”

Then Jacob prayed, “You are the God of my grandfather Abraham. You are the God of my father Isaac.

“Lord, you are the one who said to me, ‘Go back to your country and your relatives. Then I will give you success.’ You have been very kind and faithful to me. But I’m not worthy of any of this. When I crossed this Jordan River, all I had was my walking stick. But now I’ve become two groups.

“Please save me from the hand of my brother Esau. I’m afraid he’ll come and attack me and the mothers with their children. But You have said, ‘I will certainly give you success. I will make your children as many as the grains of sand on the seashore. People will not be able to count them.’ “- Genesis 32:9-12

Jacob picked out some fine animals and had some of his servants take them ahead to give as gifts to Esau. Wouldn’t you love for someone to send you 30 camels as an apology gift?

Jacob Wrestles With God (Genesis 32:22 - 32:32)

Say: That night, after Jacob had sent everyone on ahead, he was all alone. Or was he? Who told Jacob that He would be with him? God!

This brings us to a very interesting story. Bible scholars have “wrestled” with the meaning of this story for years and years. Let’s begin reading in Genesis 32:24.

This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break. When the man saw that he would not win the match, he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket. Then the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!”

But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

“What is your name?” the man asked.

He replied, “Jacob.”

“Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.”

“Please tell me your name,” Jacob said.

“Why do you want to know my name?” the man replied. Then he blessed Jacob there.

Jacob named the place Peniel (which means “face of God”), for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.” The sun was rising as Jacob left Peniel, and he was limping because of the injury to his hip. - Genesis 32:24-31

Somehow God appeared to Jacob in a form that looked like a man. (For older kids: How do we know it was God? Jacob says so in verse 30. God merely touched Jacob’s hip and it was out of it’s socket, and God is the one who renames His children.)

The two began to wrestle. This was NOT a wrestling match to see who was the strongest! This wrestling was allowed by God, probably so He could see how persistent Jacob would be. It was allowed for Jacob’s sake.

“Why does God say ‘let me go’ in vs 26? Because daybreak would have revealed His face to Jacob and Jacob would have died. But Jacob wouldn’t let go. He says, “I won’t let you go unless you bless me.” Jacob has finally come to the point where he would rather die than live without God’s blessing.” (Hampton Keathly IV, Bible.org, Jacob)

Hearing Jacob’s desperate plea to be blessed, God gave His blessing to Jacob. God also changed Jacob’s name. Does anyone remember what Jacob means? “Heel-holder,” or “one who takes the place of another.” His new name would be Israel, which means, “God prevails.” In other words, God always is, and God always wins. This was a great reminder that God’s purpose and promises would be fulfilled through Jacob.

Facing Esau (Genesis 33)

The next day, Jacob saw Esau coming toward him. Jacob bowed down to his brother. But Esau ran to meet Jacob with a big hug! Jacob introduced Esau to all of his wives and children. The two men were so nice to each other, they seemed much more like best friends than angry enemies. God certainly hears the pleas of His people! God answered Jacob’s prayer and kept His promise to be with him!

Application: God always hears our prayers and always keeps His promises!

Moving On (Genesis 35)

Then Jacob settled in the city of Shechem, but God did not allow him to stay there (Genesis 34). God told Jacob to go to Bethel, the place where God first appeared to him more than 20 years before. God told Jacob to build an altar there. God appeared to him again. Again, God blessed him.

God said to him, “I am the Mighty God. Have children and increase your numbers. A nation and a community of nations will come from you. Kings will come from your body. I am giving you the land I gave to Abraham and Isaac. I will also give it to your children after you. - Genesis 35:11-12

Jacob continued to travel toward his father’s home in Hebron. Along the way, Rachael had another son and Jacob named Benjamin. Sadly, Rachael died just after she gave birth, and Jacob buried her. Jacob finally arrived at his father’s home. Isaac lived to be 180 years old. Then Jacob and Esau buried him.

PPT CUE

So Jacob had 12 sons which became the 12 tribes of Israel. Through these tribes, the nation of Israel was formed. The nation of Israel was key in God’s rescue mission for mankind. It was to the nation of Israel that God gave the Law, to show us that we do not meet up to God’s perfect standard. The Law shows us that we need a Savior. And it was to the nation of Israel (into Jacob’s direct family line) that the Messiah, the Savior, Jesus Christ, would be born. By sending the Savior through the line of Jacob, God would keep His long-standing promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: “Through you all nations will be blessed.” (Galatians 3:8)

Application: When we look back at the saga of Jacob’s life, we see lots of messy situations. Lots of people do the wrong things; lots of people make bad decisions. Still, God is faithful to keep His promises. His blessings (especially the blessing of Jesus) are greater than anything else we could ever hope to have.

PPT MAIN POINT

Main Point: God’s blessings are greater than anything else we could want.

Unless otherwise noted the Scriptures taken from: Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version, (NIrV®)

Special thanks to John R. Cross, The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus, GoodSeed International.

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3. Cain and Abel (Genesis 4)

Lesson

Review

Cain And Abel (Genesis 4:1 - 4:7)

Cain Murders Abel (Genesis 4:8-26)

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4. Noah Listens to God (Genesis 6:9-8:22)

Lesson

Background

Noah

Jesus: Our Rescue Plan

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5. The Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9)

Lesson

Backgroundview

Noah’s Descendants

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6. Abram Listens to God (Genesis 12; 13; 15)

Lesson

Introduction

Abram’s Faith (Genesis 12:1-9)

Abram Falters (Genesis 12:10-20; Genesis 13)

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8. Lot Does Not Listen to God (Genesis 18-19)

Lesson

Background/Review

Lot

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9. Abraham Tested with Isaac (Genesis 21-22)

Lesson

Review

New Names, Renewed Promise (Genesis 17)

Isaac (Genesis 21:1-7)

Hagar & Ishmael Sent Away (Genesis 21:8-20)

Abraham Tested (Genesis 22)

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10. Isaac and Rebekah (Genesis 24)

Lesson

Review

Search For A Wife (Genesis 24:1-27)

Rebekah’s Family (Genesis 24:28-67)

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11. Jacob and Esau (Genesis 25:19-34; 27:1-40)

Lesson

Review

Twins! (Genesis 25:19-34)

Birthright For Sale (Genesis 25:29-34)

Stolen Blessing (Genesis 27)

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13. Jacob Flees (Genesis 27:41-30:24)

Lesson

Review

Jacob Flees (Genesis 27:41 - 28:9)

Jacob’s Journey (Genesis 28:10 22)

Jacob’s Wives (Genesis 29:1-30)

Jacob’s Children (Genesis 29:31 - 30:45)

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14. Jacob Returns Home (Genesis 30:25-35:29)

Lesson

Review

Jacob Returns Home (Genesis 31:1 - 32:21)

Jacob Wrestles With God (Genesis 32:22 - 32:32)

Facing Esau (Genesis 33)

Moving On (Genesis 35)

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