VERSES: Genesis 25:19-34
MEMORY VERSE: Gen. 25:31
BOOK TO REMEMBER: 1 Kings
SPECIAL SONG: The Family In God's Plan (see March - Songs We Sing In Bible Class #4 on this blog))
VISUAL AID: Chalkboard or Whiteboard Drawing.
- Draw a line down the middle of the board. At the top of one side, write the word "Esau" and on the other side write the word "Jacob. Draw Esau as a hunter and Jacob cooking in the tent as in the picture above.
- Do you remember our lesson about Isaac and Rebekah from last week? Isaac loved Rebekah and they both wanted a family with children very badly, but Rebekah couldn't have any babies, so Isaac prayed to God. That's what we should do when we have troubles! We need to pray to God and He will listen! Sometimes He says, "Yes!' and, sometimes, He says, "No!" God always does what is best for His children.
- When Isaac married Rebekah, he was forty years old (Gen. 25:20). When the twins were born, Isaac was 60 years old (Gen. 25:26). That means that Isaac and Rebekah were married for almost twenty years before they had any children. God sometimes takes His time answering our prayers. We must be patient!
- God said,"Yes!" to Isaac's prayer. Rebekah had TWO babies! She had twin boys! Esau was the oldest son by just a little bit of time, but he was still the oldest. He had red hair and lots of it! The Bible says he had hair all over like a hairy piece of clothing! As he grew up, Esau was very smart hunter and a man of the field. Jacob was the second baby and as he grew up, he was a plain man or one who was not hairy, but smooth, and he liked to live in tents.
- The Bible says that "Isaac loved Esau...but Rebekah loved Jacob." (Gen. 25:28) There was a problem: The mother and father did not love their children with the same amount of love. Isaac loved Esau because Esau could make him delicious meat. Whenever things are not equal, there are always problems. God loves us all the same and that is how we should love our children.
- One day Jacob made some food called pottage. Esau came in from the field and he was very hungry and faint. He said to Jacob, "Jacob, let me have some of that food because I feel faint." Jacob said to Esau, "I will give you food if you sell me your birthright." What Jacob wanted from Esau was from then onto be called the oldest son. Let's read what Esau said. Turn your Bibles to Genesis 25:32, 33 and let's see what Esau's answer was. (Read verses.) Let's put our bookmarks right there. How about that! Esau sold his birthright and all that went with it for a bowl of something to eat! He didn't think much of his birthright, did he? Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and pottage and he ate and drank something and went outside. The Bible says that from then on, Esau hated his birthright.
- In Old Testament times, being the oldest son was very important because the oldest received a "double portion" (Dt. 21:16, 17) of the inheritance or twice the amount of money and land that all the other sons received. Esau didn't seem to treasure his birthright like he should have because he sold it for a simple bowl of food. We need to treasure those things that God gives us and realize the importance of His gifts.
- When Rebekah asked God why the children struggled so much inside her, He said that they were going to be two nations. Each boy would become two nations. One nation would be stronger than the other and the oldest would serve the younger one. God was telling Rebekah the future! He said two important things: That each baby would grow up to become a great nation and that the older son would serve the younger. God knows the future and He is in control!
- Reinforce the thought that God loves us all the same whether we are man or woman or child, or if we are rich or poor, or old or young, or black or white or brown or red or yellow! Read John 3:16. Isaac and Rebekah should have loved both of their sons equally and life would have been better for the whole family.
Materials needed: 9" x 12" construction paper, 6" x 8" construction paper (for bowl), 2" x 6" white construction paper (for pottage), 3" x 6" construction paper (for spoon), 3" x 8" construction paper (for title), 1" x 4" construction paper (for verses), scissors, glue, crayons.
- Pass out the 9" x 12" paper to each student. This is the background.
- Taking the 6" x 8" paper, round the corners to make a bowl.
- Glue ONLY the rounded edge of the bowl to the background. If the entire bowl in glued, the pottage and spoon won't fit!
- Color the pottage red (Gen. 25:30).
- Round the corners of the spoon and tuck in the bowl.
- Glue spoon to background.
- Tuck pottage in between the bowl and the spoon.
- Glue pottage.
- Write the title, "Esau Sells His Birthright" on 3" x 8" paper.
- Glue title to foundation paper.
- Write "Genesis 25:19-34" to 1" x 4" paper.
- Glue somewhere on foundation paper.
