Unit 3: Isaac and Jacob OT3.4 Jacob Tricks Isaac Lesson

Transcription

1 1 Unit 3: Isaac and Jacob OT3.4 Jacob Tricks Isaac Lesson Scripture: Genesis 27 Lesson Goal: Many years had passed and Isaac was now a very old man. It was time for him to give the "birthright blessing." In this lesson we will see how Jacob tricks his father Isaac and his brother Esau to get that blessing. Jacob wanted a good thing but he got it in the wrong way. We will learn that it is never right to do wrong, even for a good cause! Introduction: This is the fourth lesson in Unit 3: Isaac and Jacob In this lesson we will see how Jacob tricks his father Isaac and his brother Esau to get that blessing. The lesson is found in the first book of the Bible called Genesis. Genesis is the first book of Law. The books of the Law are the first five books in the Old Testament. Let's say the books of Law together. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Attention Getter: Trick or Treat Have you ever gone trick or treating? At Halloween we might dress up as our favorite character and go house to house. We get lots of candy and treats! We say "trick or treat" but we would not really play a trick on people if they did not give us candy--right? We just have fun going to our family and friends' homes. In this lesson we are going to find out how Jacob played a trick on his father Isaac. But it did not turn out to be much of a treat! He had to learn that you can't do wrong even if what you want is a good thing! Opening Prayer: Let's pray: Dear Father in heaven, Help us to always be truthful. Don't let us follow the example of Jacob who was a deceiver. Father, we are so glad You are loving and forgiving. Thank You for sending Jesus who has taken the punishment for our sins when He died on the cross. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen. Memory Verse: Our memory verses are Zechariah 8:16-17 "These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other and render true and sound judgments in your courts. do not plot evil against your neighbor and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this, "declares the Lord." Lesson Video: Isaac was the special son of Abraham and Sarah that was promised by God. When he was 40 years old Isaac married his beautiful wife Rebekah. Twenty years passed by and they remained childless, So Isaac prayed to the Lord and ask Him for a child. The Lord answered Isaac's prayer and Rebekah became pregnant with not just one baby but two-- twin boys! What a wonderful surprise! The Lord told Rebekah that she was having two nations of people. One people would be stronger than the other and the first born son would serve the younger. This was a very special promise and one that Rebekah and Isaac knew was what God had planned. When the time came for Rebekah to give birth she had the twin boys! The first baby was red and hairy so they named him Esau. The second baby was a brother and just like God had said, he came out grasping onto his brother Esau's heel. They named him Jacob which means "grabber." Ordinarily Esau, the first born son would get the birthright that God had promised to his grandfather Abraham. But God had clearly told Isaac and Rebekah that it was to go to Jacob! As the boys grew up they were very different. Esau became a skillful hunter who loved to be in the open country while Jacob was content to stay at home among the tents.

2 2 Isaac and Rebekah taught their sons to worship and love the One true God. They told them about God's promises to their grandfather Abraham about the coming of Jesus our Savior into their family. Jacob learned to love God but Esau was not interested! Jacob's heart was like his father Isaac and his grandfather Abraham. But this family had a big problem. The parents played favorites! Esau was his father Isaac's favorite son. Isaac loved him best because he liked the venison, or deer meat, that his son brought back from his hunting trips and cooked for him. Rebekah loved Jacob best because he was home more and helped her in the tents. Loving one son better than another is NOT good for a family! Their parents playing favorites between the twin boys caused Jacob and Esau to become rivals. The twins were constantly fighting each other. One day, Esau went out on a long hunting trip. Jacob stayed at home and made a big pot of lentil stew. When Esau arrived back from his trip he was very hungry and exhausted. Esau said to Jacob, "Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I'm famished!" Jacob thought to himself, "Now is my chance to get the birthright. Maybe I can make a trade." So Jacob answered him, "First sell me your birthright." Giving up the birthright had already been promised to Jacob but he was trying to trick Esau instead of waiting on God's plan. Esau said, "It's a deal. What good is an old birthright when I am dying of hunger!" Right then all Esau cared about was how hungry he was! Jacob said, "Swear to me first that you will sell me your birthright." So Esau vowed, and sold all his oldest-son rights to his younger brother for a pot of stew! Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank and got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright. He did not care about God's promise to make a great nation from his descendants, one of whom would be the Savior of the world. Someday he would be very sorry he didn't stop and think about what he was doing. Many years had gone by since Jacob bought his brother's birthright for a bowl of stew. Jacob and Esau had grown into men. God blessed Isaac very much. His wealth and riches increased, and he was a great man. He dug many wells and lived in peace with his neighbors. But not all was well within his family. Esau had married two girls from the tribes of Canaanites. His marriages caused a great deal of grief for Isaac and Rebekah. Isaac and Rebekah were much older too. Isaac was so old that his eyes were so weak he could no longer see. Isaac called Esau into his tent. "I'm getting old and may not live much longer," Isaac said. "I want to give you my blessing." The blessing was the promise that Esau would be the leader of the family after Isaac died. Now Isaac knew this was NOT God's plan but he wanted to give the birthright to HIS favorite son, anyway. Then Isaac said, "But first go hunting and bring back some meat. Cook it the way I like it. After we eat, I will give you my blessing." Rebekah heard Isaac and Esau talking. She didn't want Esau to be the leader of the family. She wanted Her favorite son Jacob to receive the birthright blessing. So Rebekah made a plan--a very sneaky plan. After Esau left for the open country to hunt some wild game, Rebekah called, "Jacob! Jacob! Come here!" "Here I am, Mother," said Jacob. "what is it?" "Your father is about to give Esau the blessing. Now I have a plan so that you can get your father's blessing instead of Esau." The plan was for Jacob to take some goat stew to his blind father and pretend to be Esau to get his father's blessing. "You'll have to hurry!" said Rebekah, "Go get two young goats." Jacob did as his mother asked. Rebekah made a delicious goat stew cooked the way Isaac like it. "But my brother Esau is a hairy man while I have smooth skin," Jacob protested. "What if my father touches me and finds out I am tricking him? I would bring down a curse on myself rather than a blessing." "Just do as I say," Rebekah replied. She then brought out some of Esau's clothes and helped Jacob put them on. Rebekah tied some goatskins on the smooth skin of Jacob's hands and arms and neck.

3 3 She told Jacob to take the food to Isaac and pretend to be Esau. Jacob took the food to his father. "Who's there?" asked Isaac. "It's me, Esau, your firstborn." Jacob lied. "I've made your food just the way you like it. Sit up and eat and then you can give me your blessing." But Isaac suspected something was wrong. He asked, "How did you get back so quickly?" "God helped me," Jacob lied again. "Come closer so I can touch you, and know that you are my son Esau," Isaac commanded. Jacob did so. Isaac said, "The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau." When Jacob came closer Isaac touched the goat skin on Jacob's hand. It felt like Esau's hand. Isaac could smell Esau's clothes. They smelled like the outdoors, like Esau. So Isaac believed Jacob's lie. Isaac ate the food Jacob brought. Jacob kissed his father and when Isaac caught the smell of his clothes he blessed him. He made him lord over all his brother and over all his relatives. Nations would bow down to him. Those who cursed him would be cursed and those who blessed him would be blessed. As soon as Isaac blessed him, Jacob left the tent. Right after Jacob left Isaac's tent, Esau came back from hunting. He cooked Isaac's favorite meal and then hurried to take it to Isaac. But when he got to the tent, he found that Isaac had already eaten. "Who are you?" Isaac demanded. "I am your son, Esau! I brought the food you asked me for. I'm here for the special blessing your promised to give me." Isaac began to tremble violently and said. "Who was it that fixed the meal I just ate? I gave him my special blessings and I can't take back the blessing!" "Bless me too, my father!" Esau begged. "Your brother deceitfully took your blessing," cried Isaac. "This is the second time he has taken advantage of me," Esau complained. "He took my birthright and now he has taken my blessing too!" "I have made Jacob lord over you, " Isaac explained. "And I have made all his relatives his servants. I have sustained him with grain and new wine. So what can I possibly do for you, my son?" "Do you have only one blessing?" Esau wept. "Bless me too, my father!" Isaac answered, "You will live by the sword and serve your brother. But when you grow restless, you will throw his yoke from off your neck." Because Esau was so angry at Jacob for his deception, he held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing. He even began to plan to kill Jacob in revenge as soon as his father Isaac died. Rebekah told Jacob, "Your brother Esau is planning to kill you. Flee at once to my brother Laban in Haran. Stay with him until your brother's fury subsides." But what should they say to his father Isaac? If Jacob just left, Isaac would send some servants after him. So Rebekah went to Isaac and said, "I am disgusted living with these Hittite women that Esau married. You must send Jacob off at once to my father's family where he can find a wife for himself there. " So once again Isaac blessed Jacob and sent him to live with Rebekah's brother Laban in Haran. He commanded Jacob not to marry one of the Canaanite women. Jacob set off at once in fear of his life. Jacob's lies caused so much trouble that he had to stay away from his family for many years. He never got to see his mother again. His dishonest actions caused a lot of problems for him and his family but God still loved him and protected him. God wants us to tell the truth to each other. Everyone is this family did something wrong. Isaac did not have the right give Esau the blessing of the birthright since God had told him that Jacob should receive it. But Isaac was determined to give

4 4 Esau the blessing just as though it belonged to him. Rebekah too was selfishly acting in behalf of her favorite son Jacob. Tricking others to get your own way is not right. God does not need our wrong actions to accomplish His will. By her actions, Rebekah showed that she did not have faith in the Lord's promise; for if she had been willing to wait, God would have given the birthright blessing in His own time and in His own way. Jacob too should have waited on God's timing. He could have chosen to trust God but he didn't. He would pay many more consequences for this action. We need to remember that it is never right to do wrong, even for a good cause! Jesus says that when we do wrong we can confess our sin and ask him to forgive us and He will. Remember, don't play tricks on others! Be truthful and honest and let God lead you in the right way! Review Questions: Nerf Dodge Ball Procedure: Have the children stand in a circle. Throw the Nerf ball at a child. If he gets hit, he must answer the review question for a piece of candy. then that child gets to throw the ball at another child. And so forth until all the children have had a chance to win a piece of candy for answering a review question. 1. Why did Isaac think that it was time for him to give the blessing? He was old and nearly blind. 2. What did Isaac tell Esau to do before he gave him the blessing? Go hunting and fix him some stew. 3. Who overheard Isaac tell Esau to go hunting so he could give him the blessing? Rebekah his mother 4. What plan did Rebekah have for Jacob? to pretend to be Esau and give his father Isaac some stew so he could get the blessing 5. Why was Isaac surprised to see someone coming so quickly with the stew? He thought it would take longer to hunt the animal. 6. What did Isaac do to try to see if really was Esau? He felt his arms to see if they were hairy. 7. What did Jacob and his mother Rebekah do to make his arms hairy like Esau's? Rebekah tied goat's skin to Jacob's arms. 8. When Isaac came close to Jacob what did he smell? He smelled the clothes that belonged to Esau and thought they smelled like the outdoors. 9. What did Isaac say to Jacob when he gave him the blessing? You will be the one to inherit all the family possessions and be the leader. Your family will be the one in whom God will send the Savior of the world--jesus. 10. Who came into Isaac's tent right after he had blessed Jacob? Esau came home from the hunt and fixed the soup and was bringing it to Isaac. 11. How did Isaac and Esau feel when they found out about Jacob's trick? They were both angry. Esau wanted to kill his brother. 12. When Esau asked Isaac for another blessing what did he say? He could not take it back and that Esau would serve his brother! 13. Because Esau was so angry, what was Rebekah's idea? To tell Jacob that he must leave his family and go to live with his Uncle Laban in Haran and find a wife there. 14. What lesson can we learn from the story of Jacob's trick? We should not lie or trick others. 15. When might be a hard time to tell the truth to your mom? It would be hard to tell the truth when you have done something wrong; not obeyed her. 16. Why do you think telling the truth even about things that you've done wrong, is a good thing? Sooner or later people will find out the truth and then things will be worse than ever 17. What should you do when you do when you are afraid to tell the truth? Ask God to help you and give you courage to tell the truth.

5 5 18. What if you do lie and not tell the truth? Ask God to forgive you and determine not to do it again! Bible Memory Verse Activity: Voice Disguise Say: "Our memory verses are Zechariah 8:16-17 "These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other and render true and sound judgments in your courts. do not plot evil against your neighbor and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this, "declares the Lord." Have students look up the verses in scripture and read orally together. Say: "These verses teach us that God wants us to tell the truth all the time. We are not to deceive one another." Play a game called "Disguise your voice." Divide the class into two teams. Everyone closes their eyes. One child tries to disguise their voice by whispering, talking in a high or low voice, or speaking with an accent by saying the memory verse out loud. The other children try to guess who it is! The team who guess the identity first gets to answer a question about the story and get a point if they get it correct. Group Learning Activity: Eternal Value (Grades 3-5) Preparation: Make out slips of paper with the following items listed: money; Bible study; entertainment; church; fame; college education; patience; careers; purity; family; house; honesty; power; wisdom; appearance; faith; heaven; love; video games; clothes; food; shoes; hair; athlete; star player; popularity; kindness; marriage; soul; heart; health; food; cell phone; party; Bible. (Make as many sets as needed for the size class). Procedure: Pass out the slips to the students. Put slips in a soup bowl and have students draw out 3 or 4. Have them go around and try to trade with each other. Tell them to try to give away what is only temporarily valuable and try to get what is eternally valuable. Keep some of the eternally valuable ones with you so if their fellow students won't trade, they can get them from you. Say: "In our lesson Esau chose lentil soup over the eternal value of having the birthright. He despised his blessing as the first born son. We too often choose things that do not have a lasting value. Which items did you trade for that have eternal value?" Discuss what made some of the items valuable and some not. Group Learning Activity: Truth or Lie? (Grades K-5) Purpose: Children will play a game to help them discern between truth and a lie. Procedure: Tape a piece of white paper with the word "truth" on it on a classroom wall. On the opposite wall tape a piece of black paper with the word "lie" written in white crayon. Children are to run to the side of the room that stands for whatever you tell them. If you say, "It's rainy outside" and it is, then they should race to stand along the white TRUTH wall. If you state, "Dogs wear rain hats," they are to race to the black LIE wall. Use both fun and serious statements including some basic ones about God and the Bible. Say: "Who can tell me the difference between a lie and the truth? Truth is something that is fully honest. A lie is something that is even a little bit not true. Let's say a lie is a dark mark on this whiteboard. Ask a volunteer to tell you something that is a huge lie. Ask the child to then draw a thick, long line one the whiteboard to stand for the lie. Ask another child to tell you something that's a lie but not as big. Let that child erase part of the line. Continue doing this until you have a small section of the line left. Say: "Many people think a white lie is just a tiny bit of untruth, but that it's not wrong as long as it doesn't hurt anyone. This line up here is white lie, like telling your dad that you've brushed your teeth when you're really just planning to brush your teeth but haven't gotten to it yet. It seems like your words aren't really bad, but are they true? No! the mark is still on the board because a white lie is a lie

6 6 just like any other untrue words. God wants his children to be completely truthful, not just mostly truthful. In our lesson Jacob was not truthful with his father Isaac. He tricked him into believing that he was Esau in order to get the birthright blessing." Go through the lesson and point out the lies and dishonest. Rebekah's plan to cheat Esau, Jacob agreeing to cheat Esau. Jacob saying he was Esau two times, Jacob saying he had hunted wild meat that was actually goat meat. "God hates lies and untruthful actions. Even if someone else suggests that you lie or take a wrong action, if we do it, like Jacob did, we're guilty ourselves." Group Learning Game Activity: Yarn Web of Lies (Grades K-5) Purpose: To help students learn how we can get caught in even the smallest lie and that speaking or acting untruthfully has consequences. Materials: ball of yarn or string Procedure: Have children stand in a loose cluster. If you have a large class, divide the group into two or more smaller groups. Hand the ball of yarn to one child who will give an example of a lie or untruth act. Then the child tosses the yarn to a child across the group who adds another example. As the children toss the yarn around, the group will be tangled in a web. After each child has given at least one example of a lie or untruthful action, ask for their observations about the web of yarn. Lead students to conclude that lying and acting untruthfully creates consequences and traps you and others in sin. Group Learning Activity: Drama (Grades K-5) Materials: Bibles; index cards, markers, tape Preparation: Print names of people from the Bible story (Jacob, Esau, Isaac, Rebekah) on separate index cards, making at least one card for each child and repeating names as needed. Procedure: Lead children in reviewing the story action, asking the following questions: What did Isaac want to do? What did he tell Esau to do first? What did Rebekah do when she heard what Isaac told Esau? What did Jacob do when Rebekah talked to him? How did Jacob trick his father? What did Isaac do to find out who he was talking to? What happened when Esau came back with food for Isaac? Then what did Jacob do?" Divide the class into groups of four. Children in each group decide who will play each of the four story characters. Children are to tape the appropriate name onto their clothing. Groups will take turns acting out the story as you or a child retells the story. After the groups have finished acting out the story, ask the following questions: "What do you think Jacob learned about the results of lying? Why do you think God wants us to tell the truth and not tell lies. Optional: Use your cell phone or video camera to record the children's plays. Children love to see themselves and their friends on video. Provide Bible times costumes and props such as cooking pot, spoon, small tent, fur, etc. for children to use as they act out the story.

7 7 Group Learning Game Activity: "Steal the Sock" (Grades 3-5) Materials: Bibles, sock Procedure: Play a game similar to "Steal the Bacon." Divide the class into two equal teams. Each team stands in a straight line facing the other team, leaving about 10 feet between the teams. One team numbers off from end of the line, while the other team numbers off from the other end. Place a sock or other object in the playing area. Call a number. Students on both teams with that number run to grab the sock. Students who do not get the sock are to name a location such as the park, school, the library, a friend's house, etc. The student who gets the sock must tell a situation that could happen in that location in which it would be difficult to treat others fairly. (Example: "not letting a friend have a turn using the computer at the library," or "being dishonest while playing a game at school") Say: "Why is it important to treat others fairly? How do you feel when you are not treated fairly. Our memory verse teaches us that God wants us to not deceive or plot evil against our neighbors. In our lesson Jacob deceived his father Isaac and his brother Esau. Just like Esau was angry at Jacob, others will be angry at us if we practice deception or play unfairly." Craft Learning Activity: Plumb Line (Grades K-4) Materials: heavy duty nylon thread; weighty object like a metal washer, tape, index cards, markers or pencils Procedure: Make a plumb line by attaching a metal washer to a length of nylon thread. Demonstrate how a plumb line is used to show if something is straight and true, like a window or door frame. Say: Builders use plumb lines to make sure what they build is straight so it's more solid and even. Today we are going to make a plumb line to remind us that God wants us to be truthful." Have students tie a metal washer to a 12" length of nylon thread. Write the memory verses Zechariah 8:16-17 "These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other and render true and sound judgments in your courts. do not plot evil against your neighbor and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this, "declares the Lord." on the index card. Tape the free end of the thread to the back of the card. Challenge the students to think about their words and actions this week and use the plumb line as a reminder to be truthful. Craft Learning Activity: "Tell the Truth" Poster (Grades 3-5) Materials: Bibles; colored construction paper in a variety of colors (bright colors, black, and white); glue sticks, markers, pencils, scissors and tape. Preparation: Give each student a large sheet of black construction paper (12" X 18"). Using a pencil or white crayon, have students draw an outline of the words "Tell the Truth" using bold letters onto the black paper. Have students read the memory verses Zechariah 8:16-17 "These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other and render true and sound judgments in your courts. do not plot evil against your neighbor and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this, "declares the Lord." Ask the following questions to lead students in discussing this verse:

8 8 Say: "What good thing does this verse tell about? (We are to speak the truth and use sound judgments in our courts.) What things does verse warn us about doing? (Plotting to do evil and swearing falsely or telling lies.) How does God feel when we lie or deceive one another? What are some sentences that will remind you to obey this verse? (Have students use markers or pencils to write sentences on the colored construction paper. Examples of sentences: Tell the truth. Be honest.) After writing the sentences or words on the colored construction paper have them tear the paper apart and glue the pieces onto the sheet of black paper covering the bold letters of "Tell the Truth." Have students display their posters in the classroom before taking them home. Optional: Use a variety of materials to cover the letters such as foil, fabric, wrapping paper, greeting cards or tissue paper. Life Application Challenge: PRAYER Say: When we pray we are to engage in four activities: P--Praise; A---Ask; C--Confess; and T--Thank. Let's think about our lesson and how we can apply the parts of prayer. Praise: No matter how we might get into trouble by not being truthful, God never lies to us. He is totally the Truth. Have students praise God as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Ask: God will always help us become more truthful. All we need to do is ask him and do our best to choose the truth. Have students ask God for the courage to always tell the truth. Confess: Even when we don't choose to be truthful, we can ask God for forgiveness and start over. Give students the opportunity to confess any untruthful experiences. Thank: Don't you feel relieved and free when God has forgiven you? He's so ready to clean us up after our sin. Let's give God thanks for being so willing to take away our sinfulness. Lead students in sentence prayers of thanksgiving. Remember that no child should be forced to pray but do encourage and invite each one to join you.

9 9 Jacob Tricks Isaac Zechariah 8:16-17 "These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other and render true and sound judgments in your courts. do not plot evil against your neighbor and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this, "declares the Lord."

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