unit 3: isaac and jacob ot3.9 life of jacob review lesson · 2017-05-16 · in this lesson we will...

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OT3.8 Life of Jacob Review Lesson ©Beverly Wilson 2017

Unit 3: Isaac and Jacob OT3.9 Life of Jacob Review Lesson

Scripture: Genesis 28-33

Lesson Goal: Jacob was the grandson of Abraham and the son of Isaac. God had promised that

Jacob's family would be the one in whom Jesus the Savior of the world would be born. Jacob went through many troubles during his life. In this lesson we will study the character of Jacob and how God kept His promise to bless him.

Introduction: This is the ninth lesson in Unit 3: Isaac and Jacob. Jacob was the grandson of Abraham and the son of Isaac. God had promised that Jacob's family would be the one in whom Jesus the Savior of the world would be born. Jacob went through many troubles during his life . In this lesson we will study the character of Jacob and how God kept His promise to bless him. 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: "Promises" This lesson is about learning to trust God and his wisdom. What does it mean to trust? It means that we believe something or somebody so much that we are willing to follow them. It is like holding on to your parents' hand and knowing they will take care of you! When you were little, did your father ever throw you up in the air and catch you? You trusted him to catch you so you were not afraid. You were sure that he would not let anything hurt you! That is faith! Trust is our being so sure something is going to happen that we are happy about it! Did you know that is what God wants us to do? We can trust Him because He loves us and promises to care for us. In this lesson we will study the character of Jacob and how God kept His promise to bless him.

Opening Prayer: Let's pray "Father, help us to learn from the life of Jacob. Help us to trust in you and your promises to us. Thank you for promising to forgive our sins and to take us to heaven. You have said that if we will believe in you that you will never leave us or forsake us. You bless us even when we do not deserve your love. Thank you for keeping your promises to us. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen."

Memory Verse: The memory verse is Hebrews 6:13-14 "When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself,

14 saying, “I will surely bless you and give

you many descendants..”

Lesson Video: https://youtu.be/AKPsyV_tgkc

The story of Jacob begins when his father Isaac was forty years old. Isaac and Rebekah had been married for nearly twenty years and they kept hoping that God would give them a child. They knew that someday they would have a family, because God had promised that through Isaac's descendents He would send the Savior. But why was God making them wait? So, Isaac begged the Lord for a child.

The Lord answered his prayer, and Rebekah became pregnant. In fact, Rebekah was going to have not just one baby, but two! She was going to have twins! She felt a lot of movement in her womb and asked God, ‘Why is this happening to me?’

https://youtu.be/AKPsyV_tgkc

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The Lord replied, ‘Two separate nations are in your womb; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older son will serve the younger son.’ What God meant by this was that the youngest son would someday be the leader of the family. He would receive the birthright and the promise that someday a Savior would be born to his children.

When the time came for her to give birth, Rebekah had twin boys. The first to come out was red, and his whole body was hairy, so they named him Esau which means "Red."

After this, his brother came out, with his hand grasping Esau’s heel. He was named Jacob or "Grabber." Right after Jacob was born, he reached out his little hand and took hold of Esau's little red heel. This showed that what God has said was already coming true. He would take Esau's place of being the family's leader.

As the boys got older they were very different. Esau liked to play rough games. Jacob was quiet and liked to be peaceful Esau became a skillful hunter who loved to be in the open country, while Jacob was content to stay at home among the tents. Esau was not interested in God and His promises but Jacob loved God and wanted to possess all that the Lord had promised.

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. Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob best. It was not good that these parents played favorites.

One day Esau set out on a long hunting trip. He looked and looked for game but he did not have any luck.

Jacob though remained at home and cooked a pot of lentil stew.

When Esau arrived home hungry and exhausted from his hunting trip he said, ‘Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!’ he asked Jacob.

Jacob thought to himself, Now is my chance to get the birthright. Maybe I can make a trade. Jacob answered him, "All right," Jacob answered, "I'll trade with you. Give me your birthright." Now what this meant was that Jacob would get the right to become the family leader and get the promise of being one in whom God's promise would come.

‘Look, I am about to die,’ Esau said. ‘What good is the birthright to me?’ Jacob said, ‘Swear to me first that you will sell me your birthright.’

So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob. This meant that all the family inheritance would go to Jacob. Esau was not pleasing to God because he was giving up everything important because he wanted something to eat “right now."

Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then 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.

Many years passed and Isaac was very old. His eyes were so weak he could no longer see. He thought that very soon he would die. Before he died, he wanted to give Esau, his oldest and favorite son, the "birthright blessing." But this was not what God wanted, for before the twins had been born God had told Isaac and Rebekah about His will to give the birthright and blessing to Jacob and not Esau.

Isaac called Esau, the older of his twin sons, and said, ‘I am now an old man and close to death. Get your quiver and bow and hunt some wild game for me. Prepare a meal just as I like it, so that I may give you my blessing before I die.’

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Now Rebekah was listening as Isaac spoke to Esau. When Esau had gone, she told Jacob to get two choice young goats, so that she could prepare some tasty food for Isaac. You see, Rebekah wanted her favorite son Jacob to have the blessing that carried the promise of the Savior and the inheritance of Isaac's great wealth and riches. The plan was for Jacob to take it to his blind father and pretend to be Esau to get his father’s blessing.

‘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 covered his hands and the smooth part of his neck with the goatskins.

Jacob went to see Isaac with the tasty meal Rebekah had made. ‘Who is it?’ asked Isaac. ‘I am Esau your firstborn,’ Jacob lied. Isaac was astonished that his son had found the deer and returned so soon from his hunting trip; so he asked, "How were you able to find the deer so quickly?" Jacob lied again: "Because the Lord your God put it right in my path!" This was a lie too!

‘Come near so I can touch you, and know 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.’ Still uncertain, Isaac waited a moment and then said, "Are you really my son Esau?" Once more Jacob lied, "I am!" Isaac was puzzled but he said, . "All right, bring me the venison, and I will eat it and bless you." Isaac ate the meal and said, "Come here, my son, and kiss me."

Jacob kissed his father and when Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he blessed him (v27- 29). He made him lord over his brother and all his relatives. Nations and people would bow down to him. Those who cursed him would be cursed and those who blessed him would be blessed. he said it all to Jacob, thinking he was saying it to Esau.

Jacob had scarcely left his father’s presence, when his brother Esau came in from hunting and prepared a meal. ‘Who are you?’ asked Jacob. ‘I am your firstborn, Esau,’ was the reply. Isaac trembled violently and said, ‘Who was it, then, that hunted game and brought it to me? I ate it just before you came and I blessed him – and indeed he will be blessed!’

Esau was so upset about losing the great riches of his father that he began to cry and say, ‘Bless me too, my father!’ Esau begged. ‘Your brother deceitfully took your blessing,’ Isaac cried. ‘This is the second time he has taken advantage of me,’ Esau complained. ‘He took my birthright, and now he’s taken my blessing!’

‘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.’

Esau was furious, and his heart was filled with hatred toward Jacob. "That cheater!" he cried. "He has stolen my blessing!" As he stomped out in a rage, he muttered, "Just wait. I'll kill him if it's the last thing I do! Esau held a deep grudge against Jacob because of his deception. He planned to kill Jacob.

‘Your brother Esau is planning to kill you,’ Rebekah warned Jacob. ‘You must run away at once to my brother Laban in Harran. Stay with him until your brother’s fury subsides.’

Rebekah then went to her husband Isaac and said, "I'm disgusted with living with these Hittite women here in Canaan. If Jacob marries one of these women, then our lives will be miserable." So Isaac called for Jacob and sent him to Rebekah's brother Laban's home in Harran. Isaac blessed Jacob and told him to find a wife in his uncle's household. Jacob set off at once in fear of his life.

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When Esau learned that Jacob had left with his father's blessing, he was even more angry. He decided to marry one of Ishmael's daughters in addition to the Canaanite wives he already had.

So Jacob set off on the long journey north to Harran where Laban and his family lived. Jacob had wanted a good thing but he had not waited on God to give him the birthright. Instead, he had deceived his father and brother and now his brother was out to kill him! What a sad terrible mess this family had made.

Jacob walked along all day, alone and afraid. By the time night came, he was at Bethel, "the House of God," where his grandfather Abraham had lived many years before.

Jacob was so tired that he just laid down on the ground, found a rock for a pillow, and hoped that he would sleep and forget. Jacob knew that tricking his brother Esau was wrong and he wondered whether getting the right to become the leader of the family was really worth all this!

As Jacob fell into sleep, he had a dream. In his dream he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were climbing up and down it. There above it stood the Lord.

The Lord said, ‘I am the Lord, the God of Abraham and Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out in every direction. Everyone on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised.’

When Jacob woke he thought, ‘The Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.’ He was afraid because he knew that this was the house of God and the gate of heaven. God had shown Jacob in his dream that He would give him a way to heaven even though he had done things that were wrong. The ladder would be Jesus who would come someday and save people from their sins!

When Jacob arose early the next morning, he had a great feeling of respect and love for God. He had personally met the Lord, and this had become the turning point in his life. He thanked God for giving him the promise of the coming blessing Jesus. Jacob decided he wanted a way to remember this special place. So he took the rock he had used for a pillow, set it upright, and poured oil on it to dedicate this place to the Lord.

He called that place Bethel which means ‘House of God.’ Bethel would someday become the city of Jerusalem where Jesus would die on the cross!

Jacob made a vow, saying, ‘If God will be with me, protect me and provide food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s household, then the Lord will be my God.’

Jacob declared, ‘This stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.’ We can be like Jacob who trusted God to send His Son to be his Savior.

Jacob then set off again on his journey to Harran to stay with his mother’s brother, Laban. He would always remember that God had promised him that through him and his descendants all the world would be blessed. Jacob was hoping that in Haran he would find a wife.

As Jacob came close to Harran he saw a well covered by a large stone and three flocks of sheep grazing nearby. Some shepherds were waiting by the well with their sheep.

Jacob asked the shepherds, ‘Where are you from?’ ‘We’re from Harran,’ they replied. ‘Do you know Laban?’ Jacob enquired. ‘Yes and he is well,’ they answered. ‘Here comes his daughter Rachel with his sheep.’

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When Jacob saw Rachel, daughter of his uncle Laban, he rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle’s sheep. Then Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's relative and that he was Rebekah's son. So she ran and told her father.

Laban came hurrying out to welcome Jacob and take him home. A month later Laban said, ‘Just because you are a relative of mine, you should not work for me without pay. Tell me what your wages should be.’

Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the oldest was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah had very poor eyesight, but Rachel was beautiful. Because Jacob had fallen in love with Rachel and Jacob asked her father Laban if he could marry her.

Jacob was so love with Rachel that he said, ‘I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.’ In those days and in that culture a man had to give a gift to the family of his future wife. Since Jacob had no money he offered to work for Laban for seven years without pay.

So Jacob worked seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.

At the end of the seven years Laban held a great wedding feast. The feast lasted seven days and there was much merry making. But Laban was playing a trick on Jacob!

He had Leah his oldest daughter be the bride! She wore a veil that covered her face so it was not until morning that Jacob found out that he had married Leah instead of Rachel!

When Jacob found out he was furious! He said to Laban. ‘What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?’ Laban replied, "In our country the youngest daughter cannot be married before the oldest daughter. That is why I had Leah be the bride!" Now Jacob knew what it felt like to be cheated. He had tricked his brother Esau and now he had been tricked by Laban.

Finally Laban told Jacob he could also have Rachel if he worked yet another seven years. So Jacob agreed to work another seven years.

Jacob became married to both sisters, but he always loved Rachel more. These two sisters became very jealous of one another and had many arguments. They caused Jacob many problems.

Although Jacob was married to Leah, he did not love her so God blessed her by giving her many sons! The names of her sons were Rueben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. Later she would have a daughter named Dinah. She also had two other sons by her maid servant who were named Gad and Asher.

All these children of Leah made Rachel very jealous. She had her maid servant give Jacob two sons named Dan and Naphtali.

Finally Rachel had a son named Joseph. Jacob loved all of his children but he was especially fond of his baby son Joseph because his mother was Rachel whom he loved so much.

It had been 14 years since Jacob arrived in Haran. By now Jacob had 11 sons and 1 daughter. Because Jacob had two wives and their two maid servants, he was disobeying God. This sin would cause many problems and arguments among his sons and their families.

Jacob decided that he was ready to move back to his homeland. So Jacob said to Laban, “Let me go back to my own place and to my country. Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you and let me go; for you know my service which I have done for you.”

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But Laban didn't want to lose his free laborer. So he begged Jacob to stay and told him that he would pay him anything he wanted. Jacob said, “You shall not give me anything. I will continue to tend and feed your flocks and herds for no pay if you will give me the spotted and brown sheep. All the pure white ones will be yours. "

Jacob said this so there would be no way that Laban could trick him again! The sheep would be color coded! It would be easy to spot any white goats or white sheep that belonged to Laban. Jacob could easily tell his black and spotted sheep and goats. Laban would know if Jacob was being honest!

Jacob and his family moved a three days' journey from Laban so they could have more land for their herds. Laban separated the flocks and took all the spotted goats and brown sheep and gave them to his sons. He was trying to cheat Jacob right from the start! Jacob only got to keep Laban’s pure white flocks.

But God blessed Jacob with lots of young sheep and goats! Jacob peeled bark branch and placed it by the place where the sheep and goats came to drink. When the animals came to drink they mated there. The white sheep and goats had spotted lambs and kids! Jacob separated the white ones from the spotted ones. Even the black and spotted sheep and goats were having many lambs--all spotted and black.

Jacob began to be very rich and prosperous. Even his camels and donkeys multiplied. He even began to hire many servants! God was blessing Jacob for all his honest hard work with Laban. God was taking care of Jacob just like He had promised to take care of Abraham and his father Isaac.

Soon Laban’s sons became to be jealous of Jacob’s prosperity and began to grumble and complain to their father. They said, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s, and from what was our father’s he has acquired all this wealth.”. Jacob’s brothers-in-law were greedy. They wanted Jacob's spotted and black sheep to be theirs. But Jacob and Laban had made an agreement. Those sheep were Jacob’s pay for all those years of free labor

God however was using Laban’s son’s anger against Jacob to make him decide it was time to move away from Laban and go back to the land of his own father.

Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and I will be with you.”

Jacob talked to his wives Leah and Rachel and they decided to go back to the land that Jacob had come from.

Rachel however went into her father's house and stole her father's idols and packed them in her saddlebag. She was stealing from her own father! Jacob had no idea that she was doing this.

So one day while Laban was busy shearing sheep, Jacob and his wives and sons and camels left without telling Laban. Three days past before Laban knew they were gone.

But Laban chased after Jacob like a criminal and finally caught up with him. Laban said to Jacob: “Why did you sneak away like that? I did not even get a chance to say good-by to my grandchildren or kiss my daughters good-by. I would have thrown you a big going away party."

But Jacob answered him, "We sneaked away because I was afraid you would be angry and take my wives back. You have cheated me many times before." Laban then answered him, "I could kill all of you but God warned me not to. I just have one question for you "Why did you steal the family idols?"

Jacob answered, "I know nothing about your idols. We would not take idols. We don't even worship idols, we worship God." Remember Jacob had no idea that Rachel had taken the idols so he was not lying.

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So Jacob got even madder and said, "It makes me angry that you would blame us for something like that. Whoever stole the idols, I want them to die." Jacob was foolish to make such a statement because Rachel was hiding the idols in the bags under her while she sat on the camel.

Jacob told Laban to search the camp. Laban searched and found nothing because Rachel was sitting on her saddlebags and they were not checked!

Jacob finally told Laban, "I only took the ugly animals that were speckled, streaked and spotted. I left all the solid-colored animals for you. If something bad happened to one of your animals, I replaced it for you. It is God that has blessed me. If God hadn't blessed me, you wouldn't have anything, and I would be leaving you with nothing to call my own."

Laban wouldn't agree with what Jacob was saying, but he knew Jacob was right. "Everything you have here belongs to me," Laban argued. "These are my daughters, and these are my grandchildren. All the flocks and herds you have came from my flocks and herds. But because God spoke to me, I will make a promise to you that I won't follow you any further and I won't cause you any harm."

So Jacob took a large stone and set it up as a pillar. Jacob told Laban's men to gather stones to add to the one he had set up. "This heap of rocks will remind us of our agreement," Laban said. Jacob named the rocks Galeed and Laban named them Mizpah, which means "May the Lord watch over me and you when we are separate from each other." Then they made another promise to each other that neither one would journey past the rocks, into the other person's territory.

After all the promises had been made, Jacob offered a sacrifice to God, and all the people from both groups ate together and spent the night together.

Early the next morning, Laban got up and hugged and kissed his daughters and his grandchildren. Then both groups went their separate ways. Laban and his men went back to their home in Padan-aram, and Jacob and his family continued their journey to Canaan.

For twenty years, Jacob had been in Haran working for his Uncle Laban. Now, at long last, he was coming home, a rich man with a big family. Jacob learned a valuable lesson in life. He had come to realize that deception is wrong.

But the closer Jacob got to home, the more his heart was filled with fear. What were things like at home? Was his father Isaac still alive? What about his mother Rebekah? Was she still alive?

But most of all, he thought about his brother Esau. Was Esau still angry for the terrible, deceitful way Jacob had treated him? Did Esau still want to kill him? Had he forgiven him?

Jacob decided that he would send some messengers back to his brother again and tell him that he was coming home. In the message to Esau, Jacob told him how he had been living with Laban and how God had prospered him.

But when the messengers returned a few days later, they brought bad news—Esau was on the way to meet Jacob with an army of four hundred men! Jacob was frantic with fear. "Four hundred men!" he cried. "What can I do? He will kill me, my wives, and my children!"

Jacob decided to send Esau a present. So he divided his flocks and sent all kinds of animals ahead as a valuable gift for Esau." He hoped this would cause Esau to be friendly.

But Jacob was still very afraid! So he decided to pray, In the middle of the night, Jacob sent his people and all his possessions across the river, but he stayed behind. He was alone—the night was dark and everything was quiet. His heart was filled with fear.

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Suddenly, in the dark, a hand seized Jacob. Jacob started struggling with an a wrestler who was the Lord God Himself! It was God, Who appeared to Jacob as an Angel. God wanted Jacob to let Him be Lord of his life. God wanted Jacob to quit cheating and swindling, and trying to get what he wanted by being clever. God wanted Jacob to surrender or "give up" to Him once and for all.

All night long Jacob wrestled with the Lord. God kept asked Jacob over and over again, "Give up?" And Jacob kept answering "No!" Jacob was stubborn. They battled until dawn, when the Lord finally knocked Jacob's hip out of joint at the socket. Jacob was helpless. He clung to the Angel of the Lord and cried, "I give up—have Your own way from now on!" Jacob limped for the rest of his life as a reminder of that night, and that the Lord was first in his life.

From that time on Jacob wanted to please the Lord and live for Him. Then the Lord said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for as a prince you have power with God and with men. Israel means 'God Rules' or 'God Commands.' "

Jacob called this wrestling place Peniel or "Face of God," for he said, "I have seen God face to face." In the early dawn of a new day, a new Jacob limped away from the wrestling place. At last he had yielded himself to God. Jacob was a new man; he had a new name, Israel and now he was ready to meet Esau.

Jacob called the whole caravan together and divided the family up in hopes that if there was an attack, not everyone would be wiped out all at once. He hoped that the gifts he had sent ahead to Esau would at least make him feel less angry.

Finally Jacob could see Esau and he did have 400 men with him. Quickly he told the women and children to get behind him. He walked out front in hopes that if Esau did attack he would spare their lives.

Jacob walked slowly closer to Esau and then he bowed down lowly to the ground. He did this to be humble and show that he did not want to be the boss over Esau. Soon Jacob was getting close enough to see his brother's face.

Suddenly Esau began to run. Esau grabbed Jacob and threw his arms around Jacob and kissed him. And do you know what? They cried! They cried and cried and cried. All those awful years of lying and hating and running disappeared in their tears. Here were two big, strong grown men crying to say how sorry they both were!

Esau asked Jacob to introduce him to his family. All of them came forward and bowed low to Esau. First the maidservants and their children came and bowed down. They were followed by Leah and her children. Last of all came Rachel and her son Joseph.

Esau then asked Jacob what all the herds of sheep, goats, and cattle were for. Jacob told him that they were gifts for him. Esau said he did not want to keep his animals because he had plenty but Jacob said, "No, please! accept this gift from me. Seeing your face is like seeing the face of God. Because Jacob insisted, Esau accepted the gift.

And so Jacob and Esau were reunited and reconciled! Esau and Jacob lived in peace the rest of their lives. God wants us to have forgiving and loving hearts like Jacob and Esau.

After Jacob was reunited with Esau he moved his family to a camp near Succoth. Later he moved to Shechem and then on to Bethel. Esau returned to the land of Edom.

God then told Jacob to go to Bethel the place where God had promised to look after him. Jacob obeyed and built an altar to God. He then told his family to hand over all their foreign gods and the rings in their ears. Jacob buried them under the oak at Shechem. Once again God told Jacob his

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new name would be Israel and he would give this land to him and his descendants who would become a nation.

While they were living in Bethel, Jacob's wife Rachel became pregnant with her son Benjamin. When she was about to give birth she died and Jacob buried her near Bethlehem. The baby survived and Jacob named him Benjamin.

Jacob now had twelve sons. Jacob loved all his sons but his favorites were the two sons of Rachel--Joseph and Benjamin. From all of Isaac's sons would come the twelve tribes of Israel.

One day many years later from the tribe of Judah God would keep his promise and send His Son Jesus to be our Savior.

Jacob’s life teaches us many important lessons about living for God. His story is an example of a person that changed from being selfish and greedy to one who had become a true servant of God. Jacob the deceiver became Israel the one whom God rules.

Review Questions: Bible Jeopardy Since this is the last lesson in the unit, it is a good time for review of the Bible stories in the Unit. Bible Jeopardy is a great way to review. Choose questions from the stories in this unit and write them on a 3"x5" cards and place in the Bible Jeopardy game pockets. To make the Bible Jeopardy wall hanging, use an old sheet or quilt. Cut out the letters for Bible Jeopardy and zigzag stitch them to the top of the wall hanging. Sew different colored pockets in rows to the quilt to make the Jeopardy game board. The top pocket of the row is for the category (name of the story.) The 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 pockets are for the questions. A simple form of this game is to use sticky notes attached to a dry marker board. Just use a marker board, small and medium sized sticky notes. Write questions on the smaller sticky notes and place under the larger sticky notes with the value of the question. Use larger sticky notes for the category. Try to choose questions based on difficulty in answering for the different valued pockets. The game board can be used with any unit as a review!

Ask the following questions.

1. What was the name of Abraham and Sarah's son? (Isaac was the son of Abraham and Sarah

was miraculously born when they were past the age of bearing children.) 2. What promises did God make to Abraham when he called him from the land of Ur? (If Abraham

would come and follow God, He would give him a land, and so many descendants they could not be counted like the stars in the sky and the sand in the sea. His descendants would also be the one through whom the whole world would be blessed by the birth of a Savior.)

3. What did God promise to Isaac about his children? (God renewed the promise that He had made to his father Abraham that God would bless him, give him a land, and many children like the stars of the sky.)

4. What happened when Rebekah became pregnant? (She was pregnant with two sons who were twins. They fought each other in the womb.)

5. What promise did God make to Rebekah about her twin sons? (They would become enemy nations and the younger one would rule over the older.)

6. Which one of the twins was hairy? What did he like to do? (Esau grew to be a big, muscular man with coarse and rough skin and lots of red hair. Esau loved the outdoors and hunted wild game with his bow and arrows.)

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.momready.com/Boredom_Busters/jeopardy300.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.momready.com/articles/printpage.asp?ID=544&docid=uHt7e5TFEXhHvM&tbnid=34s70zhmoUV8eM&w=300&h=233&ei=MDeMVaehI4SdyQSCz7nADw&ved=0CAQQxiAwAg&iact=c

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7. Why did Isaac favor Esau? (Because he liked to go hunting and would bring home good meat for him to eat.)

8. Which one of the twins had smooth skin? What did he like to do? (Jacob who was the younger, was just the opposite. He was smaller and his skin was smooth and fair. Jacob was quiet and liked to be peaceful. He liked to stay near his home inside the tents. He grew vegetables in his garden and enjoyed cooking over a fire. He like being alone, too, while he tended the flocks and herds.)

9. Why did Rebekah favor Jacob? (Because he like to help her around the house.) 10. How did Jacob trick his older brother? (Esau came in from a hunting trip and was really hungry.

So Jacob said he'd give him something to eat if Esau would sell him his birthright.) 11. What is a birthright? (A special honor given to the firstborn son which entitled him to twice as

much inheritance as his siblings. For Isaac it also included the promise to be the leader of the family in whom the promised one Jesus would be born.)

12. What was Esau's sin? (He sold something of great lasting value for food to satisfy for only a few hours. He despised his birthright and didn't appreciate the privilege he had of being the firstborn son.)

13. What can we learn from Esau's sin? (Don't be impulsive. Think before you act. Don't neglect the birthright we have of going to heaven by trading its value for less permanent things.)

14. What was Jacob's sin? (He tricked his brother into selling the birthright to him. He didn't need to be crafty to help God fulfill His promises. It's not good to take matters into our own hands.)

15. Why did Isaac think that it was time for him to give the blessing? He was old and nearly blind. 16. What did Isaac tell Esau to do before he gave him the blessing? Go hunting and fix him some

stew. 17. Who overheard Isaac tell Esau to go hunting so he could give him the blessing? Rebekah his

mother 18. 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 19. Why was Isaac surprised to see someone coming so quickly with the stew? He thought it would

take longer to hunt the animal. 20. What did Isaac do to try to see if really was Esau? He felt his arms to see if they were hairy. 21. 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. 22. 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. 23. 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.

24. 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.

25. How did Isaac and Esau feel when they found out about Jacob's trick? They were both angry. Esau wanted to kill his brother.

26. When Esau asked Isaac for another blessing what did he say? He could not take it back and that Esau would serve his brother!

27. 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.

28. Why was Jacob living in the land of Harran with his Uncle Laban? (Jacob had tricked his brother Esau into selling the birthright for a bowl of soup. Jacob had deceived his father into believing that he was Esau so he could receive the inheritance blessing. All these things caused his brother Esau to hate him so much that he wanted to kill him. Jacob's parents had sent him to Harran to live to escape his brother and to find a wife.)

29. How had his Uncle Laban treated Jacob? (After working for seven years Laban tricked Jacob by trading a sister for Rachel and so Jacob married Leah. He had to work another seven years for Leah. Laban tried to take advantage of Jacob by changing the wages of the speckled and spotted sheep and goats ten times.)

30. What family problems did Jacob face while living in Harran? (His two wives Rachel and Leah were extremely jealous of one another constantly vying for attention and for Jacob's love. Laban was constantly trying to take advantage of him and get him to work for no wages or fewer wages.

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Laban's sons were constantly complaining against him and saying he was taking their father's wealth. The children born to Leah and Rachel were constantly bickering and fighting.)

31. How did God use the uncomfortable situation of Laban’s son’s anger against Jacob? (That’s what made Jacob decide it was time to move away from Laban and go back to the land of his own father.)

32. Why did Jacob decide to return to the Promised Land where his father Isaac lived? (He missed his family. He wanted reconciliation with his brother. God had told him to return and that He would be with him and protect him if he returned.)

33. What did God do to encourage Jacob as he traveled toward his homeland? (God sent a band of angels to encourage Jacob.)

34. What did Jacob call the place where the angels appeared to him and what meaning did it have? (Jacob was in the hill country of Gilead and he named that place Mahanaim which means "the camp of God.")

35. What did Jacob tell his servant messengers to do because he was so afraid of meeting Esau? (Jacob sent his servants ahead with a gift of cattle, sheep, goats, and camels as a gift. He was hoping to appease Jacob's anger.)

36. What message did the servants bring back in return to Jacob? (Esau was coming to meet him with four hundred men.)

37. What did Jacob do when he heard the message from the returning servants? (He was frantic with fear and he divided his children and wives and other herds into two groups so if Esau attacked one then the other group would have a chance to escape.)

38. After dividing his family and herds, where did Jacob to and who appeared to him? (Jacob went to the ford of the River Jabbok to be alone and pray. God appeared to him in the form of a man who wrestled with Jacob all night.)

39. After struggling all night what did the Lord do to Jacob? (Finally the Lord struck the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was knocked out of joint.)

40. While Jacob kept holding on to God until dawn, what did Jacob ask the man? (Jacob pleaded with Him to bless Him and then ask his name.)

41. How did God bless Jacob? (He changed his name from Jacob which means "deceitful" to Israel which means "one in whom God rules." This name change portrayed an inner spiritual change that had taken place in Jacob’s heart. Working through tough situations in life gives us stronger character.)

42. What did Jacob name the place where he struggled with God? (Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, "I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.")

43. What happened the next day when Jacob met his brother Esau? (Esau greeted him with hugs and kisses. They both cried. Esau had forgiven Jacob.)

44. Who was introduced to Esau after Jacob and Esau were reunited? (Jacob introduced Rachel and Leah, his two maid servants, his eleven sons and one daughter. They all bowed down to Esau in respect and love.)

45. When Esau saw the herds of cattle, sheep, goats, and camels what did he say? (Esau ask Jacob why he sent them to him. Esau did not want them as a gift but Jacob insisted that he take them.)

46. What happened after the reunion? (Esau returned to the land of Edom and Jacob and his family slowly moved toward Hebron stopping in Succoth, Shechem, Bethlehem, Bethel, and finally Hebron.)

47. What happened at Bethel and what promise did God repeat to Jacob? (Jacob built an altar to worship God and had his family bury all their false gods. God told Jacob his new name would be Israel and he would give this land to him and his descendants who would become a nation.

48. What happened to Rachel while Jacob was living in Bethel and Bethlehem? (Rachel became pregnant with a son whom they named Benjamin. She died while in childbirth and Jacob buried her marking her grave with a pillar.)

49. How many sons did Jacob have and what significance would these sons have? (Jacob had twelve sons out of whom would come the twelve tribes of Israel. They were the promised blessing of God to Abraham and Isaac and to Jacob.)

50. Where did Jacob live after Rachel died? (He moved his family to Hebron to be with his father Isaac until he died at the age of 180 years old.)

51. What did Jacob and Esau do with their father Isaac after he died? (They buried him in the cave of Machpelah, where Abra¬ham and Sarah were buried.

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52. What lesson can we learn about how God changed Jacob from being selfish and greedy to one who had become a true servant of God? (God sometimes uses trouble and trials to teach us important lessons and to develop in us a godly character.)

53. What lesson did you learn when Jacob and Laban made peace before they parted? (God wants us to be quick to forgive so that anger does not fester'

54. What example can we see in Esau's forgiveness to Jacob? (Esau forgave Jacob even though he did not deserve it. Jesus forgives our sin even though we do not deserve it. His death on the cross paid the penalty for our sin. We are to forgive others as He forgave us.)

Bible Memory Verse Activity: "Stir the Pot" (Grades K-5) The memory verse is Hebrews 6:13-14 "When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself,

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you many descendants.” Have students find the verse in scripture and read it orally several times together. Materials: Bring a large cooking pot and a large cooking spoon and place in front of the class. Write the words of the memory verse on separate index cards and place the cards in the cooking pot. Draw lines on a chalkboard or dry eraser board to show the number of words in the verse. Say: In our lesson we learned about a twin brother who stirred a big pot of stew and caused a lot of trouble for his twin brother. Today we are going to "stir a pot of words from our memory verse." Procedure: Let the students take turns using the cooking spoon to stir the cards. After a few stirs the child chooses a card and reads the word aloud. The other class members are to try to fit the missing word into the memory verse. Give each child in your class a turn at stirring the pot and reading the words to the class. (Teacher may have to help read the words for younger students.)

Group Learning Activity: "Forgive When?" (Grades 3-5) Preparation: Blindfold to play game Say: "In this lesson Esau forgave Jacob even though he did not deserve it. Jesus has forgiven us of our sins even though we did not deserve it. Sometimes when we are angry we feel like getting revenge instead of forgiving. In this game we are thinking of choices that will lead to forgiveness and friendship instead of revenge." Procedure: Play a game similar to the familiar children's game Marco Polo. Blindfold a volunteer. Blindfolded student counts to 10 while other students move quietly around an open area of the classroom (or play this game outdoors if possible.) When the blindfolded student calls, "Forgive," the other students freeze in place and answer, "When?" Students stay frozen while blindfolded student continues to call and others answer. As blindfolded student hears the responses, he or she locates and tags a student who is frozen. The tagged student tells a situation when kids need to ask forgiveness of each other. Then the tagged student becomes the caller and the game continues.

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

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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.

Group Learning Activity: "A Forgiving Heart" Object Lesson Preparation: tootsie roll pop candy or individually wrapped sandwich cookies; print the following instructions onto slips of paper and then attach to the tootsie roll pop or sandwich cookie: Steps for enjoying your Tootsie Roll Pop® or sandwich cookie. 1. Before taking off wrapper, read Jeremiah 23:24 2. Take off wrapper, then read Romans 3:23 3. Lick away the candy, but before eating the center read 1 John 1:9 4. Finish the chewy center, then, read Galatians 2:20 Procedure: The children will take home their candy or sandwich cookie and follow the instructions on the paper slip. Say: In our lesson today we saw where Jacob wrestled with God and finally surrendered. His life changed from being a cheater to becoming a godly man. We are going to think about an example of how Jesus can change our heart just like He did for Jacob. What I have here is a yummy Tootsie Roll Pop! Everyone loves Tootsie Roll Pops! There is delicious candy on the outside, and even more delicious chewy Tootsie Roll in the center. You know this candy reminds me about how a person can have a relationship with Jesus. First, the center of this candy is soft, like a person’s heart. The Bible talks about having a hard heart. How does a heart become hard? Well, it is sin. The Bible says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The hard candy reminds me of sin that covers the heart. Each time someone sins, another layer of hard stuff surrounds the heart. Then, to make it worse, people refuse to admit they are sinners. Instead, they cover their sin with pride, denial, even doing things that make them look good. That is like the wrapper covering this candy. When a person removes the wrapper of denial and pride (remove wrapper), the Holy Spirit can complete His work. He can lick past all the hard stuff covering your heart (take a few licks) and give you the gift of life that comes from knowing Jesus as Savior. Your heart then belongs to Jesus, and that is a wonderful ending. When Jesus forgives us of our sin, He changes our heart to be more like Him. We should forgive others in the same way that He has forgiven us. Pass out one candy with instruction slip attached to each child. Have students follow the directions.

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Group Learning Activity: "Life of Jacob" Finger Play (Grades K-1) Purpose: This pantomime version of the Bible Story helps children remember the story details. Procedure: With each phrase, the teacher says the phrase and acts it out with hand motions, then repeats the same phrase and motions with the children.

• Jacob tricked his father Isaac. (Wag index finger no.) • This made his brother Esau mad. (Fold arms angrily.) • So Jacob ran away from Esau (Run in place.) • To live in a far away land. (Walk in place.) • Then Jacob sent a message to Esau. (Cup hands at mouth, as if calling.) • Esau showed that he forgave. (Pretend to clean hands.) • He ran to give Jacob a kiss and a hug; (Hug self.) • They became friends that day. (Hands on heart.) • When Jacob saw Esau’s face (Point to eyes.) • And how he was forgiven, (Pretend to clean hands.) • He said it was like seeing the face (Point to eyes.)

• Of the Lord God in heaven. (Point to heaven.)

Craft Learning Activity: "Stone Painting" (Grades K-5) Supplies: One large smooth stone for each child (Craft supply stores have decorative stones which work well for this activity); acrylic paints; brushes; large shirts or paint aprons Procedure: Have children choose a stone of their choice. The collected or purchased stones should be washed clean and dried them before painting. Have students put on a large shirt or paint apron to protect clothing. Provide students with a variety of colored acrylic paints to paint the rock. Encourage students to paint their stone to represent words or ideas from the story. Examples: "Jesus" ; "ladder"; "heaven"; etc. Say: "In our lesson Jacob used a stone as a pillow. We are going to decorate stones to remind us of how God gave Jacob reassurance of His presence and protection by showing him a dream of a ladder that reached heaven."

Craft Learning Activity: "Jacob--A Changed Man" (Grades K-3) Preparation: empty toilet paper rolls Procedure: The idea is to make a toilet paper roll of a person (Esau or Jacob, although we allowed the kids to choose whatever person or theme they wanted) with an expression that changes, just as God changed Esau's heart. The children used acrylic craft paints to decorate the outside of the toilet paper roll, cutting out the space for the face (we chose to do this part ourselves with a razor blade, although scissors will work as well.) We gave each child a piece of card stock paper cut to the depth of the toilet paper roll, then they rolled that into a tube and taped it so it could fit inside the toilet paper roll. We also chose to tape a popsicle stick to the inside of the card stock tube so the entire tube could be easily turned inside the toilet paper roll. The kids then drew different expressions on the part of the card stock that showed through the hole in the toilet paper roll, turning the card stock to make a new expression, etc. The picture below is courtesy of the original website.

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Life Application Challenge: "Joy of Knowing God's Promises" Help the children in your class explore the joy of knowing God ALWAYS keeps His promises. Give your children some blank paper and ask them to draw a picture of a time that God has kept His promise to them. (Helping them to get well after being sick; giving them safe travel to school and home; giving them food and clothing and a safe home; giving them parents to care for them; helping them to not be afraid at night; etc.) Ask your child to write a list of five reasons that they are thankful for God's faithfulness in keeping His promises. (We can always count of Him to help us; we do not have to be afraid; we can know that we are going to heaven; we can trust Him to help us with big problems; He is always with us; etc.) You can use a blank journal to begin your thankfulness journal. If your younger children are not yet writing, you can write their answers down for them and then let them color or decorate their page.

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Hebrews 6:13-14 "When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, 14 saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants..”

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unit 3: isaac and jacob ot3.9 life of jacob review lesson · 2017-05-16 · in this lesson we will...

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