The Gospel Project - God's Promise to Isaac

The Gospel Project

God’s Promise to Isaac Genesis 25–26

PreK-5th Grade Lesson

God’s Promise to Isaac Genesis 25–26

Story Point: God’s covenant with Abraham continued with Isaac’s family.

Big Picture Question: Why can we trust God? We can trust God because He is faithful and does everything for His glory and our good.

Christ Connection: God’s covenant with Abraham continued to the next generation.

Esau sold his birthright, giving Jacob the right to the wonderful blessings God promised to Abraham. Through Jacob’s family, God would send the promised Savior to bring blessing and salvation to the world.

Key Passage: Galatians 3:29

Babies and Toddlers Lesson

God’s Promise to Isaac Genesis 25–26

Key Passage: Galatians 3:29 Babies & Toddlers Christ Connection: God kept His promise to send Jesus to bless us.

Preschool Christ Connection: God’s promise for Abraham was for Isaac too. When Esau gave up his birthright, that meant Jacob would get the blessings God promised. One day, God would send Jesus to earth through Jacob’s family. He would bring bring blessing and salvation to the world.

Big Picture Question & Answer: Why can we trust God? We can trust God because He is faithful.

Story Point for Babies & Toddlers: God made a promise.

Story Point for Preschoolers: God reminded Isaac about His promises.

Gospel Gems: • God kept His promise by giving Isaac and Rebekah sons.

• God promised to send Jesus into Isaac’s family.

• God always keeps His promises.

Parents: 3 Easy Steps

Unit 2, Lesson 1: God’s Covenant with Abraham

1) Watch: Eric Applegate teach “God’s Promise to Isaac” in the Sunday liturgy for 9/6

2) (Optional) Re-Read: This week’s Bible Story as a family or life group and ask the Big Picture Question to each other. (Notice there are two versions of the story based on age.)

3) Do: Easy optional activities the whole family or life group can enjoy together.

Bible Stories By Age PreK-5th Grade

Abraham’s son Isaac was married to a woman named Rebekah. After many years, they still did not have any children. Isaac prayed and asked God for a child. God blessed Isaac and answered his prayer.

Rebekah became pregnant with twins, but the two babies fought inside of her, and Rebekah was worried.

“Why is this happening?” Rebekah asked the Lord.

The Lord told Rebekah part of His plan. God said, “Two people will come from you. They will grow up and have families who will be two separate nations. One nation will be stronger than the other, and the older child will serve the younger.”

When Rebekah’s babies were born, the first brother was red-looking and hairy. They named him Esau (EE saw).

The younger brother was born holding onto Esau’s heel, and they named him Jacob.

When the boys grew up, Esau was a hunter and Jacob stayed at home. One day, Jacob was cooking a stew when Esau came in from the field. He was exhausted. “Let me eat some of that,” he said.

Jacob said, “First sell me your birthright.” Esau did not care about his birthright, so he agreed to give it to Jacob for some bread and stew.

Some time later, there was a famine in the land. Isaac went to Gerar (geh RAHR). The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Live in the land I will tell you about. I will be with you and bless you. I will give all these lands to you and your descendants. I will keep the promise I made to your father Abraham.”

God said He would give Isaac a large family—as numerous as the stars—and land for his family. “All the nations of the earth will be blessed because of your family,” God said. “I will do this because Abraham listened to Me and kept My commands.” So Isaac settled in Gerar.

Christ Connection: God’s covenant with Abraham continued to the next generation. Esau sold his birthright, giving Jacob the right to the wonderful blessings God promised to Abraham. Through Jacob’s family, God would send the promised Savior to bring blessing and salvation to the world.

3-5th Grade Discussion & Bible skills Distribute Bibles and guide kids to find Genesis 25–26. Challenge kids to summarize the events from previous stories in Genesis 12; 22; 24. (God made a covenant with Abraham, God tested Abraham, and God provided a wife for Isaac.)

Say • God’s covenant with Abraham continued to the next generation. Esau sold his birthright, giving Jacob the right to the wonderful blessings God promised to his father Isaac. Through Jacob’s family, God would send the promised Savior to bring blessing and salvation to the world.

Ask the following questions. Lead the group to discuss: What might cause someone to doubt God’s promises? Guide kids to consider God’s unlimited knowledge and our limited knowledge. We might doubt when we don’t understand God or His plan.

(Option: Choose a volunteer to read Prov. 3:5.)

What happens when we fail to obey God? Does our disobedience ruin God’s plan? Lead kids to recognize that God’s plan does not depend on people. Even if we disobey or turn away from God, He will still accomplish His plan and keep His promises.

(Option: Choose a volunteer to read 2 Tim. 2:13.)

How do you feel knowing that God uses imperfect and undeserving people to accomplish His plan? Invite kids to share their thoughts. Point out God’s grace in calling people to share in His mission and empowering them to obey Him. (Option: Choose a volunteer to read Acts 1:8.)

Babies and Toddlers Paste Story Here: Bible Passage: Genesis 25–26 Isaac and Rebekah were married, but they did not have any children. Isaac prayed that God would help Rebekah have a baby. God heard Isaac’s prayer, and He gave Rebekah two babies! God told Rebekah, “The two babies in your belly will grow up to be two nations. The older will serve the younger.” Their names were Esau and Jacob. Many years later, there was a famine, when no food

would grow. Isaac thought about going to Egypt, where there was food. God spoke to Isaac, “Stay in the land I have given you. I will bless you and be with you. The promise I gave to your father Abraham, I will give to you and your children.” Isaac obeyed God and stayed in the land God had promised.

Gospel Gems God kept His promise by giving Isaac and Rebekah children.

God promised to send Jesus into Isaac’s family.

God always keeps His promises.

Quick and Easy Activities

PreK-5th Grade

Activity One Option 1: Silly promises Pair up and take turns making silly promises. The goal is for each kid to say “I believe you” or “I don’t believe you” without laughing or smiling. Then discuss what makes a promise easy or hard to keep.

Suggested promises: I promise to always clean my belly button lint; I promise to eat only bananas; I promise to do a dance each time I blink.

Say • Those were some silly promises, and some of them would be impossible to keep. Today we will hear about the ways God reminded Isaac of the promises He made. God always keeps His promises.

Activity Two Starry sky art Provide each kid with a sheet of black paper and a toothpick. Show them how to use the toothpick to poke small holes in the paper. Encourage them to be creative in the designs they make in their paper. You may want to let the kids put their paper against carpet squares to help them poke holes through the paper more easily.

Then, let the kids take turns shining light through their artwork so the holes look like stars in the night sky.

Say • God’s covenant with Abraham continued with Isaac’s family. Part of that promise included a big family. God promised descendants as numerous as the stars! The Bible teaches that all believers are members of Abraham and Isaac’s family. God has kept His promise to Isaac, just as He keeps all His promises. Why can we trust God? We can trust God because He is faithful and does everything for His glory and our good.

Activity Three Special privileges (More than 1 person or kid needed for game. Jump in LG members or parents to play) Position a laundry basket at one side of the room. Call for kids to form a single-file line about six feet away.

Ask kids who are the firstborn to raise their hands (this includes only-children). Give each firstborn kid a sticker.

Explain that on each turn, a player may toss the ball once. If the ball lands in the basket, the player earns one point. Then explain that anyone with a sticker may toss the ball twice on his turn. After a player takes a turn, he should give the ball to the next player and move to the back of the line. Play several minutes. Then determine the winner.

Say • The firstborn players had twice as many chances to earn points. Does that seem fair? In Isaac’s time and culture, every firstborn son had a special honor called a birthright.

A birthright was a privilege giving the firstborn the right to a double portion of the inheritance from his father. In today’s Bible story, Isaac’s firstborn son did something surprising with his birthright.

1-4 Year Olds

Activity One Sing a Bible story song Sing to the tune of “Mary Had a Little Lamb”: “God made a promise to *Abraham, Abraham, Abraham!

God made a promise to *Abraham. God would **bless the world!” *Substitute Isaac and **substitute send Jesus in subsequent rounds.

Say: God made a promise to Abraham and Isaac. God kept His promise to send Jesus to bless us. God always keeps His promises.Activity Two Paste here Say • Paste here Activity Two Mirror actions

Stand at the front of the room and invite your kids to mimic everything you do. Make simple motions like raising an arm or leg or leaning over.

Say • You all did a great job following my example. Abraham followed what God asked him to do, and God was pleased with Abraham. The promises that God made to Abraham were passed down to Isaac because God is faithful to keep His promises. Why can we trust God? We can trust God because He is faithful.

Activity Three Care for babies

Set out baby dolls and baby doll accessories such as doll beds, blankets, toy bottles, and so forth. Encourage preschoolers to care for two babies at a time as if the babies were twins.

Say • Isaac prayed and asked God to give him and Rebekah a baby. God answered Isaac’s prayer and gave them two babies—twins! God reminded Isaac about His promises. God’s promise for Abraham was for Isaac too. One day, God would send Jesus to earth through the family of Isaac’s son, Jacob. Jesus would bring blessing and salvation to the world.

STORY POINT: GOD’S COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM CONTINUED WITH ISAAC’S FAMILY.

Coloring Page

God’s Promise to Isaac Genesis 25–26

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INSTRUCTIONS:

Use the key to find and circle items that do not belong in the stew.

Hidden Items

Preschool Activity Page

3:29

LIFEWAY KIDS APP

DOWNLOAD the

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• Look online for a recipe for red lentil stew. Make the stew together as a family. Review the Bible story.

• Offer to babysit for a family friend’s baby. Give each family member a specific task to care for the baby.

Talk about what it would be like to care for two babies at once.

FAMILY ACTIVITY:

• Why was it strange that God said the older son would serve the younger?

• Talk about what makes each family member unique and different.

• How does God bless us through Isaac’s family?

FAMILY DISCUSSION STARTERS:

• Why can we trust God? We can trust God because He is faithful.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION:

KEY PASSAGE: Galatians

• God told Rebekah her sons would grow into two nations and the older son would serve the younger.

• Esau gave Jacob his birthright for some bread and stew.

• God reminded Isaac about His promises.

BIBLE STORY SUMMARY:

God’s Promise to Isaac

Unit 2 • Session 4

Preschool Activity Pages

INSTRUCTIONS:

Draw pictures or write notes to remember some of the promises God has made.

Friendly Reminders

3:29

LIFEWAY KIDS APP

DOWNLOAD the

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• Contact a family in your church or community who has a newborn baby. Schedule a time for your family to meet the baby. Discuss how God’s family grows as people trust Jesus and are “born again.”

FAMILY ACTIVITY:

• What is a birthright, and why was it important?

• What was unusual about Esau serving Jacob?

• What do people who believe in Jesus inherit as a “birthright”?

FAMILY DISCUSSION STARTERS:

• Why can we trust God? We can trust God because He is faithful and does everything for His glory and our good.

BIG PICTURE QUESTION:

KEY PASSAGE: Galatians

• Isaac and Rebekah had twin sons, Jacob and Esau.

• God told Rebekah before they were born that Esau would serve Jacob.

• Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew.

• God’s covenant with Abraham continued with Isaac’s family.

BIBLE STORY SUMMARY:

God’s Promise to Isaac

Unit 2 • Session 4

Younger Kids Activity Pages

Younger Elementary Activity Page

Count the number of stars in each row. Then use the key to fill in the letters and discover the name of someone in today’s Bible story.

• All the nations of the earth will be blessed by your family.

• I will bring the Messiah in the next year.

• I will make your family as numerous as the stars of the sky.

• I will give you an easy life with no suffering.

• I will take away your home and give you an island.

• I will give all these lands to you and your family.

Circle the promises God gave to Isaac. Cross out the promises God did not give to Isaac.

Read Genesis 26:1-5 to check your answers.

Promises, Promises

Starry Sky |

Older Elementary Activity Page

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