Session 7 Session 7: God Blessed Isaac FOR THE God Blessed Isaac LEADER Genesis 26:1-6,12-33 Now grown, the son of promise, Isaac, was on his own living in the land of Canaan. In a vision, as had happened with his father, Abraham, God told Isaac to stay in Gerar even though a famine gripped the land. God promised to provide for Isaac and his family and to bless them where they lived. God also reiterated the promise He had given to Abraham, promising to make Isaac’s offspring as numerous as the stars and to give the land he lived in as a possession to his descendants forever. Isaac did as God instructed and remained in the land of Gerar. Over time, Isaac’s wealth in livestock and grain began to strain his relationship with the residents of Gerar. God had blessed Isaac with an abundant return of crops on what Isaac had planted. Even during a famine, God caused Isaac’s crops to produce a hundredfold what he had sown. Isaac’s neighbors began to get annoyed that Isaac’s crops were growing so well and his livestock continued to thrive and increase. When Isaac went to draw water from a well his father, Abraham, had dug, he discovered that the Philistines had filled the well in with dirt to prevent him from using it. The Philistines were making it clear that they did not want Isaac living in “their” land anymore. Instead of quarreling with the Philistines, Isaac moved to an area where Abraham had previously dug many wells. The Philistines had already covered those with dirt, so Isaac and his helpers dug out those wells and began to water their livestock. Before long, the people of the nearby town claimed those wells as their own and Isaac once again moved to another area and opened the wells Abraham had dug. Another argument ensued, Isaac moved again, dug a new well, and finally found peace in the land. Isaac trusted God to care for him. Isaac showed God’s kindness and sought peace with those around him, and God blessed Isaac and his family with rest. Session 7: God Blessed Isaac © 2018 LifeWay 53 OVERVIEW SESSION FOCUS BIBLE PASSAGE: Genesis 26:1-6,12-33 MEMORY VERSE: Genesis 26:24b TEXT TRUTH: Isaac trusted God and chose to seek peace. CHRIST IN CONTEXT: The Book of Genesis is a book of beginnings. In the beginning, God created a perfect world. Sin separated mankind from God and showed that people need a Savior. God called Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob with a promise that one of their descendants would be the Messiah. Jesus is the Messiah, the One who came to rescue people from their sin. GET STARTED TOOLS BIBLE STUDY TOOLS SMALL GROUP TOOLS (10 MINUTES) (35 MINUTES) (30 MINUTES) ¨ Bible Skills: “Who’s ¨ Jump In: “Well Pictures” ¨ Explorer Guides: Bibles, in Genesis? Cards” (Poster Pack), “Well Explorer Guides, pens (enhanced CD), Bibles Mosaic” (DVD-ROM), ¨ Move: 4 buckets (2 filled a cup of water, a cup of with water), 2 plastic mud, plastic spoons, bowl cups, plastic sheeting or ¨ Examine the Text: towels Bibles, “Text Truth ¨ Make: Bible, modeling Strips” (Poster Pack) clay ¨ Play the Video: Explore ¨ Explore: “Choosing Peace the Bible on Location Cards” (enhanced CD) Videos ¨ Memory Verse: “Genesis 26:24b” (Poster Pack), construction paper, marker ¨ Prayer: bowl, index cards, pencils, Family Cards NOTE: Downloadable versions of DVD items are available in the Digital Video Bundle. Downloadable versions of enhanced CD items are available in the Music and Print Extras Bundle. For free online training on how to lead a group, visit ministrygrid.com/web/explorethebible. Explore the Bible: Older Kids 54 © 2018 LifeWay BIBLE STORY GOD BLESSED ISAAC TEXT CONNECTION Genesis 26:1-6,12-33 • Isaac, the son God had promised to Abraham, God made a covenant with Abraham. He told Abraham that the covenant had grown up in Canaan, the land where Abraham would also be for Abraham’s descendants. One day God spoke to Abraham’s lived. Isaac had become son, Isaac. A famine had come to the land but God said, “Stay in this very wealthy and had many land. I will be with you and bless you. I will give this land to you and crops and animals. The your descendants. All the nations of the earth will be blessed by your people who lived in the land descendants because Abraham listened and obeyed My instructions.” became jealous of Isaac’s wealth and told him to leave. Isaac planted seed and grew over 100 times what he planted. God was • Trusting God, Isaac chose to blessing Isaac. Isaac became very wealthy, but the Philistines were envious have peace with the people. of Isaac. The Philistines filled up all the wells that Abraham’s servants had Instead of starting a fight, dug. Now instead of water, the wells were full of dirt. The leader of the Isaac moved to another area Philistines, Abimelech, told Isaac to leave. and opened up the wells of his father, Abraham. (The Isaac left and settled in a new spot, the Valley of Gerar. He reopened some Philistines had earlier filled other wells that his father had dug long ago. Next Isaac’s servants dug and in all the wells Abraham used to keep Isaac from found a well of spring water. But the herdsmen of Gerar argued with Isaac’s having continued success.) herdsmen over the spring water. Another well was dug, but they argued over that well too. • Three times Isaac moved and worked to dig wells that So Isaac moved and dug a new well. Isaac knew that God was with him had already been filled in. and would take care of him. Isaac and his family moved to Beer-sheba. That Finally, Isaac found peace in the land. Isaac chose to night God appeared to Isaac. “Do not be afraid. I am with you. I will bless seek peace and trusted God you and your descendants.” Isaac built an altar to praise God. Then Isaac to care for him. God blessed pitched his tent and his servants dug a new well. Isaac and his family with rest. Later Abimelech came to visit Isaac. Isaac asked him, “Why have you come? You told me to leave.” • God blessed Isaac for his peacefulness. Paul wrote to Abimelech told Isaac, “We have seen that God has been with you. We want the Galatian churches that to make a covenant with you.” Isaac agreed to have peace. After the men mature believers seek to restore broken relationships left, Isaac’s servants came to tell him that they had dug a new well and through peace, and to found water. God was with Isaac and taking care of him. be good stewards of the resources God has given. KEY POINTS EXPLORE THE • Choose peace. BIBLE AT HOME • Trust God to provide. See the enhanced CD for • Isaac trusted God to provide for him. additional family resources. Session 7: God Blessed Isaac © 2018 LifeWay 55 GET STARTED GET STARTED (10 MINUTES) TOOLS: BIBLE SKILLS • Bible Skills: “Who’s in • Welcome kids to your group and direct them to the “Who’s in Genesis? Genesis? Cards” (enhanced Cards” you’ve mixed up and put facedown on the floor. CD), Bibles • Give each kid a turn choosing a person whose story they think is in Genesis. • As they find ones that are featured in Genesis, make a separate stack of ANSWERS: those cards. • Adam (Genesis) • When you have found all the cards from Genesis, say: “Look at the • Noah (Genesis) • Abraham (Genesis) important people in history whose stories we can read in Genesis. From • Isaac (Genesis) Genesis to Revelation, the message of the Bible and each of these people’s • Jacob (Genesis) lives is that God rescues us and brings us closer to Him.” • Joseph (Genesis) • Guide kids to find the Book of Genesis in their Bibles. Explain that • Moses (Exodus) today’s Bible story will be about Isaac, Abraham’s son. • David (1 Samuel– • Dismiss to Bible Study. 2 Chronicles) • Ruth (Ruth) • Daniel (Daniel) • Samson (Judges) • Joshua (Joshua) BIBLE SKILLS SPOTLIGHT • Identifies prominent Bible people by the books in which their stories are recorded. • Learns the Bible is God’s message about Himself and how He rescues and transforms us. Explore the Bible: Older Kids 56 © 2018 LifeWay BIBLE STUDY BIBLE STUDY (35 MINUTES) JUMP IN TOOLS: • Display the “Well Pictures” poster. Invite kids to look at the different • Jump In: “Well Pictures” types of wells. (Poster Pack), “Well Mosaic” • Most kids will not have used a well to get water before, but ask if anyone (DVD-ROM), a cup of has or has seen one. water, a cup of mud, plastic • Show the “Well Mosaic” visual and explain that in Bible times wells were spoons, bowl very important because they were often the only source of water for a • Examine the Text: Bibles, “Text Truth Strips” (Poster town. In many places in the world without running water, wells are still Pack) very important. • Play the Video: Explore the • Show the cup of water and invite the kids to take turns spooning the Bible on Location Videos water into a bowl. Count the number of spoonfuls of water in the cup. • Memory Verse: • Now bring out the cup filled with mud. Ask the kids to do the same “Genesis 26:24b” (Poster thing, trying to get out spoonfuls of water. Pack), construction paper, • Ask the kids why they can’t get any more water out.