unit 3: isaac and jacob ot3.8 jacob and esau are reunited€¦ · that night as jacob went on his...

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OT3.8 Jacob and Esau are Reunited ©Beverly Wilson 2017

Unit 3: Isaac and Jacob OT3.8 Jacob and Esau are Reunited

Scripture: Genesis 32-33

Lesson Goal: Jacob was the grandson of Abraham and the son of Isaac. God had promised that

Jacob's family would be the one in whom Jesus the Savior of the world would be born. Jacob went through many troubles during his life. In this lesson we will see how Jacob changed from being a selfish greedy person to becoming a true servant of God.

Introduction: This is the eighth lesson in Unit 3: Isaac and Jacob. Jacob was the grandson of Abraham and the son of Isaac. God had promised that Jacob's family would be the one in whom Jesus the Savior of the world would be born. Jacob went through many troubles during his life. In this lesson we will see how Jacob changed from being a selfish greedy person to becoming a true servant of God. The lesson is found in the first book of the Bible called Genesis. Genesis is the first book of Law. The books of the Law are the first five books in the Old Testament. Let's say the books of Law together. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

Attention Getter: "Troubles" Have you ever had any troubles in your life? Perhaps you have had parents that argued or maybe even gotten a divorce. That can make you scared or frightened about what will happen to you.

Perhaps you have gotten in trouble for something that you did not do. Getting blamed for something that is not our fault can be very upsetting.

Maybe you have had a pet that got lost. You loved them very much and now they are gone. That can make you sad and lonely.

Sometimes God lets us go through these kinds of troubles in order to help us learn to lean on Him. These troubles can actually make us better people. We need to remember that whatever happens to us that God loves us very much and He does not do things that will hurt us.

Jacob went through many troubles during his life. In this lesson we will see how God used them to change Jacob from being a selfish greedy person to becoming a true servant of God.

Opening Prayer: Let's pray "Father, help us to learn from the life of Jacob. Help us to keep our relationships with our family members healthy and full of love. Keep us honest, Lord. We want to always be loving and forgiving. And, Lord, when things do go wrong in our relationships, help us to be the first ones to be peacemakers. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen."

Memory Verse: The memory verse is Ephesians 4:32 “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ also forgave you.”

Lesson Video: https://youtu.be/8-le2pi0FJI For twenty years, Jacob had been living in Haran working for his Uncle Laban. Jacob had learned how it felt to be cheated because Laban had made him work seven years for a wife. Then on the wedding night Laban tricked Jacob into marrying his other daughter Leah. Jacob had to work seven more years for the wife he really loved--Rachel.

Now, at long last, he was coming home, a rich man with a big family. He had two wives, two maid servants, eleven sons and one daughter. God had blessed him with many herds of spotted sheep

https://youtu.be/8-le2pi0FJI

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and black goats. But the closer Jacob got to home, the more his heart was filled with dread. What were things like at home? Was his father Isaac still alive? What about his mother Rebekah? Was she still alive?

But most of all, he thought about his twin brother Esau. Was Esau still angry for the terrible, deceitful way Jacob had treated him? Did Esau still want to kill him for stealing the birthright and his blessing? Had he forgiven him? Jacob was no doubt filled with fear.

That night as Jacob went on his way, God sent a band of angels to meet him. This encouraged him, because he was reminded of the angels he had seen on the ladder reaching from earth to heaven. Jacob knew that this was a sign that God was with him. Because Jacob was in the hill country of Gilead he named that place Mahanaim which means "the camp of God." It was here that the angels of God had met him. Jacob learned that his twin brother Esau was living in the land of Edom in the Seir mountains.

Because Jacob was so worried that Esau would be still be angry about his cheating him, Jacob decided to send messengers to Esau to ask him to be friendly. He told the servants to say, "Your servant Jacob has been staying with Laban. He has cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats, and servants. He begs to find favor in your eyes."

But when the messengers returned a few days later, they brought bad news. "Esau is coming to meet you and four hundred men are with him."

Jacob was frantic with fear. "Four hundred men!" he cried. "What can I do? He will kill me, my wives, and my children!"

In great fear and distress Jacob divided the people who were with him into two groups and the flocks and herds and camels as well. He thought, "If Esau comes and attacks one group, the other group that is left may escape."

Then Jacob began to pray, "Lord you told me to go back to my country and my relatives and You would make me prosper. I am unworthy of Your kindness and faithfulness. Please save me from Esau for I am afraid he will come and attack us. You have promised to make my descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted. Please help us!"

The next day Jacob sent all kinds of animals ahead as a valuable gift for Esau. He selected his best animals to give as a present--two hundred female goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams, thirty female camels with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. He put each herd in charge of a servant and set them off at intervals.

When the servants met Esau they were to tell him who they were and who had sent them. "These are a gift sent to my Lord Esau from Jacob who is following behind us."

That night Jacob sent his family and possession over the ford of the River Jabbok. He remained alone. His heart was troubled and filled with fear. He needed to be alone by himself and think. Surely there was some way out of his problem!

Suddenly in the dark a hand grabbed Jacob. Jacob began to wrestle with an opponent who had the muscles and power of a wrestler. This wrestler was not just any man--He was the Lord God Himself. God wanted Jacob to quit having his own cheating scheming way and give up. The two men wrestled until dawn.

Jacob kept resisting and refused to give up. Finally the Lord struck the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was knocked out of joint. Jacob then clung to God and would not let go. Finally the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak."

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Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."

Then the wrestler asked Jacob, "What is your name?"

"Jacob" was the reply. Jacob means "cheater or swindler."

The stranger replied, "Your name will no longer be Jacob but Israel which means "God rules." Your name is changed because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome."

Jacob said, "Please tell me your name."

The man replied, "Why do you ask my name?" Then he blessed Jacob.

So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, "I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared." For the rest of his life Jacob limped because of his hip but he was a new man. He had a new name Israel because he had finally surrendered his life to God. He would now obey the commands of God. He then saw Esau and his 400 men coming towards him.

So Jacob put the female servants and their children in front. Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph in the rear. Then he went on ahead and bowed down to the ground seven times as he approached his brother. Jacob was now a very humble man.

Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept.

Then Esau looked up and saw the women and children. "Who are these with you?" he asked.

"These are the children God has graciously given your servant," Jacob told his brother.

Then each of the maid servants and their children and Leah and her children were introduced. Last of all came Rachel and her Joseph. They all bowed down to Esau.

"What's the meaning of all these flocks and herds I met? asked Esau.

"To find favor in your eyes, my lord," Jacob replied. At first Esau told Jacob to keep his animals because he had plenty but Jacob said, "No, please! If I have found favor in your eyes, accept this gift from me." And because Jacob insisted, Esau accepted it.

So Esau and Jacob were reunited and lived in peace the rest of their lives. God wants us to have forgiving and loving hearts like Jacob and Esau. After Jacob was reunited with Esau he moved his family to a camp near Succoth and Esau returned to Seir.

In Succoth Jacob built a place for himself and made shelters for his livestock. From there he moved on to Shechem where he set up an altar to God.

God then told Jacob to go to Bethel the place where God had promised to look after him. Jacob obeyed and built an altar to God. He then told his family to hand over all their foreign gods and the rings in their ears. Jacob buried them under the oak at Shechem. Once again God told Jacob his new name would be Israel and he would give this land to him and his descendants who would become a nation.

While they were living in Bethel, Jacob's wife Rachel became pregnant with her son Benjamin. When she was about to give birth she died and Jacob buried her near Bethlehem. The baby survived and Jacob named him Benjamin. Jacob now had twelve sons. Jacob loved all his sons but his favorites were the two sons of Rachel--Joseph and Benjamin. From these sons would come the twelve tribes of Israel.

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After Rachel's death, Jacob moved on to Mamre or Hebron where his father Isaac was living. Here Jacob lived with his father until Isaac died. Isaac was 180 years old when he died and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him in the cave of Machpelah, where Abra¬ham and Sarah were buried.

In his old age Jacob was a changed man! He was no longer the sneaky trickster but a man who loved God and obeyed Him. He never forgot that wrestling match with the Lord at the river Jabbok, because it was there that he gave up his own ways and let God rule his life.

We have learned a lot about life through studying Jacob’s life. His story is an example of a person that changed from being selfish and greedy to one who had become a true servant of God. Jacob the deceiver became Israel the one whom God rules.

Working through tough situations in life gives us stronger character. That’s why the Bible tells us to count all of our trials as joy. God allows us to go through hard times because He knows it will make us more loving and forgiving, kind and understanding towards other people.

We also learned that forgiveness is much better than revenge. Esau's forgiveness of Jacob ended years of separation between the two brothers. Esau had a good reason to be angry with Jacob but instead he chose to forgive him.

We don't deserve God's love and forgiveness because of our sin--the things we do wrong. But when we confess our sins and accept God's love, we are forgiven. His forgiveness means that the penalty of our sin was laid on Him at the cross. Then we can pass that forgiveness on to others even when they don't deserve it. We should be ready to forgive others like Christ has forgiven us.

Our memory verse is Ephesians 4:32 “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ also forgave you.” Forgiveness means that we no longer hold a grudge against a person. We act in a kind and loving way toward them. Let's say our verse again together: Ephesians 4:32 “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ also forgave you.”

Let's pray "Father, help us to learn from the life of Jacob. Help us to keep our relationships with our family members healthy and full of love. Keep us honest, Lord. We want to always be loving and forgiving. And, Lord, when things do go wrong in our relationships, help us to be the first ones to be peacemakers. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen."

Remember let's forgive others as Christ has forgiven us!

Review Questions: "Celebration Balloons" Materials: balloons, permanent markers, tape, construction paper, crepe paper, scissors, party decorations; large safety pin Procedure: Blow up balloons (at least one for each of the questions below.) Tape the balloons to the wall. Use construction paper and crepe paper to decorate the classroom. Say: "In our lesson Jacob and Esau were reunited after twenty years of separation. They rejoiced and hugged one another at their reunion. For this lesson we are going to have celebration balloons to decorate class room. As you answer the questions correctly each person will get to pop a party balloon. I will give you a safety pin to pop the balloon." Ask the following questions. Be sure to give each child an opportunity to pop at least one balloon.

1. Why was Jacob living in the land of Harran with his Uncle Laban? (Jacob had tricked his brother

Esau into selling the birthright for a bowl of soup. Jacob had deceived his father into believing that he was Esau so he could receive the inheritance blessing. All these things caused his brother Esau to hate him so much that he wanted to kill him. Jacob's parents had sent him to Harran to live to escape his brother and to find a wife.)

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2. How had his Uncle Laban treated Jacob? (After working for seven years Laban tricked Jacob by trading a sister for Rachel and so Jacob married Leah. He had to work another seven years for Leah. Laban tried to take advantage of Jacob by changing the wages of the speckled and spotted sheep and goats ten times.)

3. What family problems did Jacob face while living in Harran? (His two wives Rachel and Leah were extremely jealous of one another constantly vying for attention and for Jacob's love. Laban was constantly trying to take advantage of him and get him to work for no wages or fewer wages. Laban's sons were constantly complaining against him and saying he was taking their father's wealth. The children born to Leah and Rachel were constantly bickering and fighting.)

4. How did God use the uncomfortable situation of Laban’s son’s anger against Jacob? (That’s what made Jacob decide it was time to move away from Laban and go back to the land of his own father.)

5. Why did Jacob decide to return to the Promised Land where his father Isaac lived? (He missed his family. He wanted reconciliation with his brother. God had told him to return and that He would be with him and protect him if he returned.)

6. What did God do to encourage Jacob as he traveled toward his homeland? (God sent a band of angels to encourage Jacob.)

7. What did Jacob call the place where the angels appeared to him and what meaning did it have? (Jacob was in the hill country of Gilead and he named that place Mahanaim which means "the camp of God.")

8. What did Jacob tell his servant messengers to do because he was so afraid of meeting Esau? (Jacob sent his servants ahead with a gift of cattle, sheep, goats, and camels as a gift. He was hoping to appease Jacob's anger.)

9. What message did the servants bring back in return to Jacob? (Esau was coming to meet him with four hundred men.)

10. What did Jacob do when he heard the message from the returning servants? (He was frantic with fear and he divided his children and wives and other herds into two groups so if Esau attacked one then the other group would have a chance to escape.)

11. After dividing his family and herds, where did Jacob to and who appeared to him? (Jacob went to the ford of the River Jabbok to be alone and pray. God appeared to him in the form of a man who wrestled with Jacob all night.)

12. After struggling all night what did the Lord do to Jacob? (Finally the Lord struck the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was knocked out of joint.)

13. While Jacob kept holding on to God until dawn, what did Jacob ask the man? (Jacob pleaded with Him to bless Him and then ask his name.)

14. How did God bless Jacob? (He changed his name from Jacob which means "deceitful" to Israel which means "one in whom God rules." This name change portrayed an inner spiritual change that had taken place in Jacob’s heart. Working through tough situations in life gives us stronger character.)

15. What did Jacob name the place where he struggled with God? (Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, "I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.")

16. What happened the next day when Jacob met his brother Esau? (Esau greeted him with hugs and kisses. They both cried. Esau had forgiven Jacob.)

17. Who was introduced to Esau after Jacob and Esau were reunited? (Jacob introduced Rachel and Leah, his two maid servants, his eleven sons and one daughter. They all bowed down to Esau in respect and love.)

18. When Esau saw the herds of cattle, sheep, goats, and camels what did he say? (Esau ask Jacob why he sent them to him. Esau did not want them as a gift but Jacob insisted that he take them.)

19. What happened after the reunion? (Esau returned to the land of Edom and Jacob and his family slowly moved toward Hebron stopping in Succoth, Shechem, Bethlehem, Bethel, and finally Hebron.)

20. What happened at Bethel and what promise did God repeat to Jacob? (Jacob built an altar to worship God and had his family bury all their false gods. God told Jacob his new name would be Israel and he would give this land to him and his descendants who would become a nation.

21. What happened to Rachel while Jacob was living in Bethel and Bethlehem? (Rachel became pregnant with a son whom they named Benjamin. She died while in childbirth and Jacob buried her marking her grave with a pillar.)

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22. How many sons did Jacob have and what significance would these sons have? (Jacob had twelve sons out of whom would come the twelve tribes of Israel. They were the promised blessing of God to Abraham and Isaac and to Jacob.)

23. Where did Jacob live after Rachel died? (He moved his family to Hebron to be with his father Isaac until he died at the age of 180 years old.)

24. What did Jacob and Esau do with their father Isaac after he died? (They buried him in the cave of Machpelah, where Abra¬ham and Sarah were buried.

25. What lesson can we learn about how God changed Jacob from being selfish and greedy to one who had become a true servant of God? (God sometimes uses trouble and trials to teach us important lessons and to develop in us a godly character.)

26. What lesson did you learn when Jacob and Laban made peace before they parted? (God wants us to be quick to forgive so that anger does not fester'

27. What example can we see in Esau's forgiveness to Jacob? (Esau forgave Jacob even though he did not deserve it. Jesus forgives our sin even though we do not deserve it. His death on the cross paid the penalty for our sin. We are to forgive others as He forgave us.)

28. What is the meaning of our memory verse Ephesians 4:32? Forgiveness means that we no longer hold a grudge against a person. We act in a kind and loving way toward them.)

Bible Memory Verse Activity: "Rolling Words" (Grades K-5) Say: "Our memory verse is Ephesians 4:32 “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ also forgave you.” (Have students locate the verse in scripture and read orally together.) "Forgiveness means that we no longer hold a grudge against a person. We act in a kind and loving way toward them. Let's say our verse again together: Ephesians 4:32 “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ also forgave you.”

Materials: Bibles, marker, roll of light colored crepe paper or used adding machine tape or roll of drawing paper cut in long strip, tape

Preparation: Unroll paper several feet. In mixed up order, print the words of Ephesians 4:32 on roll of crepe paper or roll of paper, unrolling the paper so that words are spaced approximately 12 inches apart. Roll up the paper again.

Procedure: Students sit in a circle (or around a table). Give paper roll to a student who unrolls it until a work is visible. Student tears the paper just past the word and hands the roll to another student, keeping the section with the word written on it. Continue process until all words have been torn off the roll. Students tape words in order, reading Ephesians 4:32 in the Bibles to check their work.

Group Learning Activity: "Forgive When?" (Grades 3-5) Preparation: Blindfold to play game Say: "In this lesson Esau forgave Jacob even though he did not deserve it. Jesus has forgiven us of our sins even though we did not deserve it. Sometimes when we are angry we feel like getting revenge instead of forgiving. In this game we are thinking of choices that will lead to forgiveness and friendship instead of revenge." Procedure: Play a game similar to the familiar children's game Marco Polo. Blindfold a volunteer. Blindfolded student counts to 10 while other students move quietly around an open area of the classroom (or play this game outdoors if possible.) When the blindfolded student calls, "Forgive," the other students freeze in place and answer, "When?" Students stay frozen while blindfolded student continues to call and others answer. As blindfolded student hears the responses, he or she locates and tags a student who is frozen. The tagged student tells a situation when kids need to ask forgiveness of each other. Then the tagged student becomes the caller and the game continues.

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Group Learning Activity: "Sliding Relay" (Grades K-5) Materials: Bibles, large paper plates, masking tape Preparation: Use masking tape to make two lines approximately 10 feet apart. Procedure: Divide class into two equal teams" "Jacob" and "Esau." Each team lines up behind one of the lines. Give each team two paper plates. At your signal first player on each team stands on the paper plates and moves toward the other groups' line by sliding feet on the paper plate. After reaching the line, the player picks up the paper plates and runs back to the team and hands the paper plates to the next player in line. When both teams have completed the relay, a volunteer from each team stands together between the two lines. Volunteer from the first team to finish the relay tells a situation in which forgiveness needs to be shown (someone lied, broke someone's headset lost a friend's soccer ball, etc.) Volunteer from the other team tells a way to ask for and give forgiveness in the situation (off to pay for something which was broken, smile and talk to some to show kindness, say "I'm sorry," promise to tell the truth.) Discuss situations and responses. Refer to Ephesians 4:32 in your discussion. Continue the relay activity as time permits. Vary the relay by challenging situations to move sideways or backwards as they slide on the paper plates. Optional: If students are seated around a table or you don't have space in your classroom to do a relay modify the activity: Blindfold a student while a volunteer moves around the table sliding his or her feet on paper plates. When the blindfolded students calls out "stop", volunteer freezes behind the chair of a student who then tells a situation in which forgiveness needs to be shown. Other students tell ways to ask for and give forgiveness in the situation.

Group Learning Activity: "A Forgiving Heart" Object Lesson Preparation: tootsie roll pop candy or individually wrapped sandwich cookies; print the following instructions onto slips of paper and then attach to the tootsie roll pop or sandwich cookie: Steps for enjoying your Tootsie Roll Pop® or sandwich cookie. 1. Before taking off wrapper, read Jeremiah 23:24 2. Take off wrapper, then read Romans 3:23 3. Lick away the candy, but before eating the center read 1 John 1:9 4. Finish the chewy center, then, read Galatians 2:20 Procedure: The children will take home their candy or sandwich cookie and follow the instructions on the paper slip. Say: In our lesson today we saw where Jacob wrestled with God and finally surrendered. His life changed from being a cheater to becoming a godly man. We are going to think about an example of how Jesus can change our heart just like He did for Jacob. What I have here is a yummy Tootsie Roll Pop! Everyone loves Tootsie Roll Pops! There is delicious candy on the outside, and even more delicious chewy Tootsie Roll in the center. You know this candy reminds me about how a person can have a relationship with Jesus. First, the center of this candy is soft, like a person’s heart. The Bible talks about having a hard heart. How does a heart become hard? Well, it is sin. The Bible says, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The hard candy reminds me of sin that covers the heart. Each time someone sins, another layer of hard stuff surrounds the heart. Then, to make it worse, people refuse to admit they are sinners. Instead, they cover their sin with pride, denial, even doing things that make them look good. That is like the wrapper covering this candy.

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When a person removes the wrapper of denial and pride (remove wrapper), the Holy Spirit can complete His work. He can lick past all the hard stuff covering your heart (take a few licks) and give you the gift of life that comes from knowing Jesus as Savior. Your heart then belongs to Jesus, and that is a wonderful ending. When Jesus forgives us of our sin, He changes our heart to be more like Him. We should forgive others in the same way that He has forgiven us. Pass out one candy with instruction slip attached to each child. Have students follow the directions.

Group Learning Activity: "Who Gets the Marbles?" (Grades K-5) Preparation: small bags of marbles enough so that everyone in your class will get a bag Procedure: Form pairs in your class. Have the two children sit facing each other. Give each group a prize. The prize should be a small bag of marbles. Tell everyone that one person from each team of two will be a winner. Make sure to tell the children to wait so everyone may start at the same time. They also are not to play with the marbles until after every pair has heard how they worked out their problem. Next, let each pair decide how they will determine who gets the marbles. Say: "What are some ways that you could decide who gets the bag of marbles?" (They may want to thumb wrestle, or flip a coin, or play a game of tic-tac-toe and see who wins.) After everyone is finished, have the pairs share how they solved the dilemma. Have the winners raise their hands. Ask if anyone just divided up the marbles and shared...wow, what a concept! Say: "Sometimes when we want to work things out peaceably, we might have to make some sacrifices." (only getting a few marbles instead of a whole bag). Give bags of marbles to the kids who didn’t get any. God wants us to get along with others.

Group Learning Activity: "Forgive and Forget" Game (Grades K-5) Preparation: Print out 14 circles of the Forgive and Forget Circles or cut 14 large circles from 8 X10 construction paper. Print one Start sign and one Finish sign. Print one set of situation cards on cardstock. Laminate all the printouts if you are planning to reuse the game. Layout the game board on the floor. Have the "start" at one end of the room and the "finish" at the other, with the circles in between. Have one person be the moderator (this person won't play.). Have the moderator let the youngest person pick a card. Let them read it. If it is says "forgive and forget" on it. The person needs to share how they would forgive and forget in that situation. If they do, they can move according to the cards. If it isn't a "forgive and forget" card, they just follow the instructions. The moderator walks to the players to give them cards (youngest to oldest) so they don't have to move off of their spots. The first one to the finish wins. Additional rules: If someone lands on a spot that another player is on, then they both keep one foot on the spot. If someone gets the "change players with the person of your choice" card and they are in front, they don't have to change places with anyone.

Group Learning Activity: "Life of Jacob" Finger Play (Grades K-1) Purpose: This pantomime version of the Bible Story helps children remember the story details. Procedure: With each phrase, the teacher says the phrase and acts it out with hand motions, then repeats the same phrase and motions with the children.

• Jacob tricked his father Isaac. (Wag index finger no.) • This made his brother Esau mad. (Fold arms angrily.) • So Jacob ran away from Esau (Run in place.)

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• To live in a far away land. (Walk in place.) • Then Jacob sent a message to Esau. (Cup hands at mouth, as if calling.) • Esau showed that he forgave. (Pretend to clean hands.) • He ran to give Jacob a kiss and a hug; (Hug self.) • They became friends that day. (Hands on heart.) • When Jacob saw Esau’s face (Point to eyes.) • And how he was forgiven, (Pretend to clean hands.) • He said it was like seeing the face (Point to eyes.)

• Of the Lord God in heaven. (Point to heaven.)

Craft Learning Activity: "Ball Slams" (Grades K-5) Preparation: Draw a smiley face on a tennis ball or Ping-Pong ball. Procedure: Tell the children that each time someone treats us with meanness, we should bounce back with kindness. Form a line of children and let them take turns throwing the ball against the wall. While you give them an example of meanness, they must try to think up the response that would be pleasing to God. Examples: Someone takes the seat you saved for your friend. You see someone taking cuts in line in front of you. Your brother gets to watch his favorite show and you don’t. Someone breaks your new toy. Your sister destroys your favorite Lego creation. Say: God wants us to get along with others. According to our memory verse Ephesians 4:32 we are to treat each other with kindness and forgiveness. We are to love one another just as Christ has loved us.

Craft Learning Activity: "Esau Finger Puppet" (Grades K-2) Purpose: To remember the big hug Esau gave to Jacob when he forgave him. Materials Needed: Flesh-colored and various colors of sturdy paper, label, glue or glue stick, crayons or markers Preparation: : Cut a 2-inch x 6-inch rectangle shape for Esau’s robe from any color sturdy paper. Cut two finger holes at the bottom of the robe. From the flesh-colored paper, cut a 2-inch circle for Esau’s head, two 1-inch x 8-inch strips of paper for Esau’s long arms, and two paper hands. For arms, fold the two long strips of paper accordion style. On a label, print: Esau forgives Jacob. Genesis 27:30-35; 32:5; 33:4-11 Directions:

1. Draw Esau’s happy face on the circle. 2. Glue the circle shape onto the top of the rectangle (robe). 3. Attach the label to Esau’s robe. 4. For Esau’s arms, glue a folded paper strip to either side of the rectangle. 5. Glue hands on the ends of the paper strip arms. 6. Optional: Color the arms to make Esau’s arms hairy. 7. Show children how to put their fingers in the holes to make Esau walk.

Say: "How do you think Jacob felt when he saw Esau had forgiven him? (Children respond.) With your Esau puppet, can you show me how Esau would have run to see his brother, Jacob? (Children respond.) Now, show me how he gave Jacob a big hug.

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Craft Learning Activity: "Jacob--A Changed Man" (Grades K-3) Preparation: empty toilet paper rolls Procedure: The idea is to make a toilet paper roll of a person (Esau or Jacob, although we allowed the kids to choose whatever person or theme they wanted) with an expression that changes, just as God changed Esau's heart. The children used acrylic craft paints to decorate the outside of the toilet paper roll, cutting out the space for the face (we chose to do this part ourselves with a razor blade, although scissors will work as well.) We gave each child a piece of card stock paper cut to the depth of the toilet paper roll, then they rolled that into a tube and taped it so it could fit inside the toilet paper roll. We also chose to tape a popsicle stick to the inside of the card stock tube so the entire tube could be easily turned inside the toilet paper roll. The kids then drew different expressions on the part of the card stock that showed through the hole in the toilet paper roll, turning the card stock to make a new expression, etc. The picture below is courtesy of the original website.

Life Application Challenge: "Peace Pack" Preparation: Provide a lunch size paper bag for each child, also an assortment of tiny gifts (gum machine size, like little toys, stickers, erasers, etc.), packets of apple cider or hot chocolate, or whatever other small things you may think of. Say: In our lesson God forgave Jacob and changed his life from being selfish and greedy to one who had become a true servant of God. Jacob the deceiver became Israel the one whom God rules. Esau demonstrated that he was willing to forgive Jacob also by receiving him with love. Christ has forgiven us and we are to show the same kind of forgiveness to others.

Procedure: Tell the children to think of someone they have trouble getting along with (if there is anyone) and make them a Peace-pack. Give them markers, glue and colored paper to decorate the bag. Let them choose from the gifts and put them in the bag. They may want their bags stapled closed. Be sure to tell them to give the bag freely to the person they thought of, not expecting anything in return.

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Jacob and Esau are Reunited

Ephesians 4:32

“And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ also forgave you.”

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Jacob Returns Home Genesis 32,33

Jacob's stay in Haran lasted 14 years. During this time he married Leah and Rachel and had 11

children. The LORD had blessed him during this time and he had flocks of sheep, goats and

cattle. It was now time to go back home. Jacob was was afraid that Esau would still be angry

and he sent the others ahead of him with gifts for Esau. Lead Jacob through the maze below to his brother Esau.

This is what happened when Esau met Jacob:

"Esau ran to meet _ _ _ _ _ and _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ him and threw his

arms around his neck and _ _ _ _ _ _ him.

(see Genesis 33:4 NIV to fill in the blanks)

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Print 14 copies of these circles.

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unit 3: isaac and jacob ot3.8 jacob and esau are reunited€¦ · that night as jacob went on his...

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