Jacob Gets Isaac's Blessings

Have you ever played tricks or jokes on your brother or sister or any of your family members? How did that make them feel? This time, we will study the story of Jacob and Esau when their father, Isaac was already old and his eyes were already so weak.

One day, Isaac called his favorite son, Esau, and told him that he is already old and do not know when he will die. So, he told Esau to go out and hunt some wild game. Afterward, he will cook it into a tasty dish and give it to Isaac. Then he will bestow his blessings on him.  Esau quickly went out to do what is asked of him.

Now, Rebekah, Isaac's wife heard what he told Esau. She immediately told her son, Jacob, about the conversation and instructed him to bring two young goats so she can prepare the tasty dish which he will bring to Isaac, that he may receive the blessing.

But Jacob told his mother that his brother Esau is hairy and he is not. His mother told him that she will take care of that. After preparing the dish, Rebekah took Esau's clothes and put them on Jacob. She also put goatskins on his hands and the smooth part of his neck. Then, off he went to Isaac's tent.

This is how the conversation between Isaac and Jacob went. (This can be done by two people who will role play as Jacob and Isaac).
Jacob: My father.
Isaac: Yes, my son. Who is it?
Jacob: I am Esau. I have done as you told me. Please sit up, eat some of this tasty dish so that you may give me your blessing.
Isaac: How did you find it so quickly, my son?
Jacob: The Lord your God gave me success.
Isaac: Come near so I can touch you, my son, to know whether you really are my son Esau or not.
(Jacob went close to Isaac who touched him)
Isaac: The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau. Are you really my son Esau?
Jacob: I am.
Isaac: My son, bring me some of your game to eat, so that I may give you my blessing.
(Jacob brought it to Isaac and he ate. He also gave some wine and he drank.)
Isaac: Come here, my son and kiss me.
(Jacob went and kissed him. Then Isaac blessed him.)

After Jacob received the blessing and left Isaac's tent, Esau arrived. When Esau went into his father's tent and learned that Jacob has acted deceitfully, he cried bitterly.  He held a grudge against Jacob and said to himself that he will kill his brother Jacob after his father dies.

This Bible story can be found in Genesis 27:1-42.


KIDS DISCUSSION
1. What did old Isaac tell his son Esau?
2. What did Rebekah tell his son Jacob?
3. How did Jacob disguise himself to get the blessing from Isaac?
4. How did Esau feel when he learned that Jacob got the blessing?
5. What can we learn from this story? (We should not tell lies. Lies and trickery can hurt other people)


MEMORY VERSE: Colossians 3:9
Do not lie to each other.

KIDS ACTIVITY:
1. Coloring pages: Jacob Gets Isaac's Blessings; Memory Verse
2. Review the story by letting the kids answer this Crossword puzzle.
3. Role playing.  Let the children do the role playing of the conversation between Isaac and Jacob.
4. Playing Disguise. Make an easy paper plate mask. This can be done at the beginning and the children can play "guess who" before telling the story of Jacob Gets Isaac's Blessings.

The Honest Bird

Once upon a time, there was a little bird in a wicker cage. In sad tones he sings: "In vain I stretch my wings; round and round this cage I fly. Oh freedom, how sweet are you! I would give anything thing for you." He sang so sweet.

Then a little mouse, running about the house, came near his cage and heard sad song. She said: "Suppose I could plan to set you free;
Would you give me those pretty wings?"

The cage was near the window. The bird looked, the sky was blue, the air was sweet. With eagerness he replied: "O, yes! Not only my wings. I would also give you these seeds and apples, sugar, too. I will give you all, pretty mouse, if you will only set me free."

The mouse soon gnawed a hole. The bird, in great joy, forgot his word. As fast as an arrow, see, he flies far and high up towards the skies. But see, he stopped. Now he comes down towards the cage.

He said: "Kind mouse, look at me now. I returned to keep my foolish vow. I only wished-for freedom then, never thought I want my wings again. Better to part with life itself than to live with an unfaithful heart. Do with me, therefore, as you will. An honest bird I will be still." Then, he lolled his wings and hung his head.

The mouse, though very pert and smart, had yet a very tender heart. She said: "I don't care much about your wings,— apples and cakes are better things. You love the clouds, I choose the house. Wings would look funny on a mouse. My nice long tail is far better. So keep your wings just where they are."

She munched some apple, gave a smack, and ran into her little crack. The bird spread out his wings and flew, and disappeared in the sky's deep blue. Far up his joyful song he streamed, and sang of freedom as he soared.

REFLECTION:
1. If you were the bird, would you come back to the mouse after being set free?
2. Why do you think the bird came back?
3. Why is it important to keep your word?

MEMORY VERSE: Matthew 5:37
Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

KIDS ACTIVITY: Paper Plate Bird Craft
If you would like to try this craft Click Here.

Lesson on Truthfulness

Truthfulness is a mark of Christianity. However, some Christian parents are very careless in this matter.

There was a lady in a street car trying to keep her little boy awake told him that, if he went to sleep, that man who had all those teeth in his window (referring to a dentist's office they had passed) would come into the car and pull every tooth out of his mouth. The little fellow looked up dreadfully scared, and did his best to keep awake. When that boy finds out what a wrong story his mother has told, he will not believe her even when she tells the truth.

Again there was a little fellow whose mother told him that if he vent to play in a bank from which the men had been drawing sand for a building, a bear would come out and eat him up.

One day another boy tried to coax him to go there and play, but he said, no, he was afraid of the bears. The other boy said there were no bears. "But there are bears cause my mother said there are bears."

While they were disputing, the minister happened to come along, and they asked him if there were bears in the sand-bank. He told them there were none. "But," said the first little boy, "My mother said there are bears there." "I am sorry she said so," said the minister, "but the truth is, there are none."

The child began to cry, and started for home as fast as he could go. "O Mama!" he said, "Did you tell me a wrong story? Did you tell me there be bears down at the sand-bank when there aren't any?" She saw what a dreadful sin she had committed, and
she told him that she was sorry; but she was afraid that if he played there, he would get buried in the sand, and she told him that to keep him away.

"But, Mama, it is such an awful thing to tell a wrong story." "I know it Tommy, I know it," she said, tears coming into her eyes; "and we will ask Jesus to forgive me and I will never do it again." They knelt down, and she was just about to pray when he said, "Wait, Mama, let me ask Him; maybe you won't tell Him truly." That pierced her heart like a dagger. She saw that her little boy had lost confidence in her truthfulness even when she prayed.

Image via Wikipedia

MEMORY VERSE: Proverbs 12:22
"The LORD hates lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful."

KID'S CRAFT: Paint a kiss mark by putting lipstick on the kids and letting them kiss on the center of a clean white paper. Then let them write "I will always tell the truth." under the kiss mark.