Joseph Interprets the Dreams of the Cupbearer, the Baker and the Pharaoh

Hi kids! Do you still remember what happened to Joseph? In the last lesson about Joseph, Potiphar and his Wife, Joseph ended up in prison because Potiphar's wife lied that Joseph did something wrong.

So poor Joseph was placed in the prison but God continued to be with him. The prison warden soon put Joseph in charge of all those held in prison.

One day, the Pharaoh became angry with his chief cupbearer and chief baker and put them in prison where Joseph was in charge. Then, one night, each of the two officials had a dream.

The following morning, Joseph asked the two what's wrong because they looked sad. They told Joseph that both of them had a dream but they did not know what they mean. Joseph said that God knows what dreams mean and they told Joseph their dreams.

The chief cupbearer said that in his dream I saw a vine with three branches. The vine blossomed and brought forth ripe grapes. Then he saw the Pharaoh's cup in his hand. He squeezed the grapes and gave the juice in the cup to Pharaoh.

Distant Shores Media/Sweet Publishing [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)]

Jacob's Dream of the Ladder

Has any one of you ever had a dream? What did you dream about? Was it scary? Was it adventurous? Was it a beautiful dream? (Let the kids tell some of their dreams.)

Our story for today is also about a person who had a dream. Do you remember Jacob? In our last lesson, we learned that after Jacob Got Isaac's Blessings, his brother, Esau, was so angry and wanted to kill him. So Jacob, as advised by his mother, Rebecca, decided to go away from their home in Beersheba to Haran.

When he reached a certain place, he was so tired. He just took a stone as his pillow and fell asleep. Then, he had a dream. He dreamed that there was a ladder from the ground that reaches to heaven. Then he saw angels going up and down the stairs.  Above it, he saw the Lord who said "I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and Isaac. I will give and your offspring this land. Your offspring will be like the dust of the earth and all peoples of the earth will be blessed through you and your people. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised."

Jacob woke up and said "Surely the Lord is in this place. How awesome is this place!" Early in the morning, Jacob took his stone pillow and set it up as a pillar. Then he called the place Bethel which means house of God.

This story is found in Genesis 28:10-22

KIDS DISCUSSION:
1. Who is Jacob? What happened to him on his to Haran?
2. What was his dream about? What did God tell him in his dream?
3. Is God also with you and watches over you just like He did to Jacob?
4. If He is watching over us, how should we feel? (safe, protected, not afraid).
5. What are God's promises to Jacob? What is God's promises to you?
6. Do you think God can help you fulfill your dream? Pray to Him about it.

MEMORY VERSE: Genesis 28:15
I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go.

KIDS ACTIVITIES
1. Coloring pages: Jacob's ladder

2. Role playing: Pretend that you and the kids are like Jacob on a journey. Then, you get a small piece of crumpled paper (the children would love to crumple the paper by themselves and use scratch paper) and use it as your pillow.  Then, let someone pretend as angels and the Lord who spoke that "I am the Lord of Abraham and Isaac. I will increase your descendant. I will be with you and watch over you wherever you go." After hearing this, let all the children wake up and say together "Surely, the Lord is in this place."

3. Kids Draw. Let the children draw about their dream or what is their dream in life like having a beautiful house, or becoming a doctor or a teacher. Then, let the children write on their drawing, God can help me fulfill my dream.

God's Clock - Tells of His Faithfulness

Do you own a watch? Not yet?  Well, some day you will. I have a friend who has a watch.  His father promised to give him one when he said, "When you graduate from High School, I will give you a watch."

Is there a "town clock" where you live? Is it dependable? Do men set their watches by it? Do people, passing it, glance up to see if they are late?  In the village where I began my ministry, the Baptist tower held the town clock. I lived but a few doors away.  I went to bed by it.  I studied by it.  I was wakened by it.  Even now, and many years have passed since then, I can still hear its clear bell strike the hours.

The strangest clock I ever saw was in China. I went up the West River to the city of Canton. I was carried through the narrow, smelly, crowded streets to the top of a little hill at the city's edge. There, on the very tip-top,  I saw the "Water Clock."  There's an inscription which read, "This water clock is a most ancient, authentic, celebrated and sacred relic of Kwong Tung Province, over 1,300 years old.  It was erected on the top story of the north Worshiping Tower which was built by Chin To, King of the South of China."

It was a strange, old clock, run by water.  I stood and looked at it and thought, "This clock was running when George Washington was president; it was running when Christopher Columbus sailed on his great voyage of discovery; long years, long centuries before that it was built."

But there is a clock surpassing all others. I call it God's clock. It is the Sun.  Since time began God's clock has kept time.  It is the central clock of our universe.  It regulates all others.  It does not have to be wound.  God has seen to that.  How can we not worship the God who has made such a clock!

MEMORY VERSE:  Psalm 74: 16

The day is yours, and yours also the night; you established the sun and moon.

KIDS CRAFT:  Paper Clock Craft or Happy Sun Face.

Make a simple Paper Clock  You can follow the instructions from these 2 links:  Paper Clock Craft 1 and Paper Clock Craft 2.  Choose which one you would like to make for your class.  Then, you can practice telling the time with the kids.  You can also display it in your classroom and put:  Sunday school starts at _____.

Make a Happy Sun Face.




Photo credit:  Janne1