Year A. 1st Term. Lesson 6 Jacob and sons

Scripture: for teacher background:  Genesis 27-32

Making contact:

Ask the children if they know what their names mean and also the names of places. In today’s story we learn that Jacob’s name means “Cheat”, but God changed it to “Israel” which means “he struggled with God.”

Exploration:

Tell the story –. Jacob ran away from home. Remember how Adam and Eve had hid away from God? Well now Jacob runs away. People’s mistakes bring so much unhappiness on a family! Jacob’s parents had played favourites and that was wrong to do and Esau had sold his precious birthright for food and Jacob had pretended to be Esau to get the blessing that fathers always prayed for the eldest son in those days. Everything was a big mess, so he ran away. Had God turned His back on this miserable situation? Was there no hope? Yes. That night, Jacob had a beautiful dream and saw a stairway from the ground all the way to heaven. There were angels going up and down. Angels are real, God also made them, but we don’t usually see them and we mustn’t worship them or talk to them.

Jacob heard God speak and gave him the same promise He had given Abraham and Isaac, that he would become a great nation and God would give him the land and God would protect him. Jacob poured oil over a rock in that place and named it “Bethel” (The House of God”) He went on his way and went to live with Laban, a relative. He worked 7 years for him in order to marry his daughter, but now a trick was played on him and the other daughter was given to him. He worked another 7 years for the Rachel whom he loved. He was really blessed and had lots of children 10 sons and a daughter. There were problems between him and Laban and their flocks and the time had come for him to go back home, but he was very worried about Esau and what would happen if they met. On the way back he had a dream again where he found he was wrestling with an angel. His hip was put out and his named changed to Israel – the name the country is still today! He was no longer afraid and God helped him to have a friendly reunion with his brother.

Application:

We learn from our Bible buddies Jacob and sons that although people kept making mistakes, no mistakes are too big that can’t be forgiven and no mistakes can break God’s promises. Remember we too have guardian angels looking after us and there is like an invisible ladder between heaven and us – Jesus is the gate!

 Consolidation

 There is a picture to colour in with a song to learn. (From “ Jacob and his Technicolor dream coat”.) 

A stepladder could be used to learn the Memory verse:

“God will put His angels in charge of you to protect you wherever you go.”

 Psalm 91:11

Either flashcards could be made and attached to different rungs of the ladder, or a child could sit on each step and say a few words of the memory verse. Please be careful with the ladder.