Jacob

Day 1-Jacob’s Dream

  • Pray.
  • Review the memory verse.
  • Have everyone tell about a dream they have had that they remember well.
  • Explain that, sometimes, God uses dreams to communicate something important. Ask if they can think of some people in the Bible to whom God used a dream to tell an important message.
  • Ask, “At the end of the story yesterday, how was Jacob feeling? Why?”
  • Read Genesis 28:1-5 and Genesis 28:10-22.
  • Discussion Time-
    • We can tell Isaac had forgiven Jacob for tricking him because these verses show that He wants the best for Jacob, God’s best for him (verses 1-4). Point out that Jacob obeyed his parents by leaving to go to his uncle’s house (Esau noticed Jacob’s obedience-verses 6-7).
    • Where was Jacob going?
    • Describe Jacob’s dream.
    • In the dream, God showed the angels going up and down the ladder (or stairway) that reached to heaven in order to help Jacob know that God was actively involved in what goes on in all of the world, in heaven and on earth. He knew Jacob’s situation, just like He knows ours, and He is faithful to carry out His plan.
    • What does the Lord tell Jacob? Do these words sound familiar? (It was the covenant that God made with Abraham, that He confirmed with Isaac, and now He was confirming with Jacob.)
    • How do you think this encouraged Jacob?
      • Remember what had recently taken place at home.
      • Remember that Jacob was traveling all alone to a new place.
      • Read verse 15 again.
    • What did Jacob do when he woke up?
    • What vow did Jacob make to God? (verses 20-22)
    • What does God want you to remember after reading this story?
  • Activity-
    • Play “Chutes and Ladders”

Day 2-Love, Marriage, and Deceit

  • Pray.
  • Review the Bible verse.
  • Play the game “2 Truths and a Lie” with your kids. Explain to them that you are going to tell them three sentences. Two will be true, but one of the sentences will be false. Have them guess which one is the lie. Have your kids come up with their own two truths and one lie.
  • Remind them about Jacob’s trickery in the past. (Genesis 25:29-34 and Genesis 27:1-29). Tell them that in the story we will read today, he will be the one who is tricked.
  • Read Genesis 29:1-20.
  • Check for understanding by asking:
    • Who is in the story?
    • What is going on?
    • When is this taking place (After Jacob left his family. How long has he been/will he be staying with Laban?)
    • Where is this taking place?
    • Why did Jacob agree to serve Laban for 7 years?
  • Read Genesis 29:21-35. You may want to tell Genesis 29:21-30 in your own words, especially if you have younger children.
  • Ask, “How was Jacob tricked? How do you think he felt after being deceived? Do you think this reminded him of anything he had done in the past?”
  • Ask, “What do we learn about God after reading this story?”

Day 3-Jacob Decides to Go Home

  • Pray.
  • Review the memory verse.
  • Jacob’s family continued to grow. At this point, he had 11 sons and at least one daughter (probably more). He decided it was time to leave Laban and go back home. He gathered all that belonged to him: wives, children, servants, animals, etc., and they set out on their journey. (Genesis 30-31)
  • Read Genesis 32.
  • Ask, “Why is Jacob afraid of Esau coming to meet him? To Whom does Jacob go when he is afraid (verses 9-12)? What does he tell God? “
  • Older kids:
    • Have them add up the animals that Jacob sends to Esau (verses 14-15).
    • What is the purpose of sending all those animals to him (verse 20)?
    • Discuss with your kids how we can be so similar to Jacob sometimes. We become afraid or worried about something, so we pray to God, recognizing His love, faithfulness, and power over the situation. But then we try to take matters in our own hands and do what we think is necessary to calm the situation. When really all we need is to simply trust God and wait for Him to tell us what to do or watch Him change the situation Himself.
  • Ask, “What happens on the night that Jacob is all alone? With whom was Jacob wrestling? What was Jacob’s new name?”
  • Israel means “God’s fighter” or “he struggles with God”.
  • Ask, “How is this name appropriate for Jacob? What are some struggles he faced in his life?”
  • Ask, “What physical reminder of that night did Jacob have (verses 25 and 31)?”
  • Talk with your children about how our struggles can serve as reminders to us of God’s faithfulness to us in them. We need to remember what He has done for us and how He has helped us through our hard times. When we remember His love and presence with us in the past, we are more confident and will rely more on Him with our present and our future.

Day 4-Jacob Meets Esau

  • Pray.
  • Review the memory verse.
  • Ask, “How do you predict Esau will react when he sees his brother, Jacob, coming back home?”
  • Read Genesis 33.
  • Ask, “How did Jacob approach Esau? How did Esau approach Jacob? What does this tell about both of their attitudes toward each other? Had things changed between the two of them from how they treated each other in the past?”
  • Ask, “What do you think Jacob meant when he said, ‘for I see your face as one sees the face of God (verse 10)?'”
    • I like how the commentary in my Bible (NASB MaCarther Study Bible) puts it: “Jacob acknowledged how God so obviously changed Esau, as indicated by his facial expression which was not one of sullen hate but of brotherly love divinely wrought and restored.”
  • Have your children consider the following:
    • What are some things Jacob did throughout his life that serve as good examples for us to follow?
    • What are some things we’ve learned from Jacob of what not to do?
    • What can we learn Esau?
    • How do we see God at work in Jacob’s family?