YEA Lesson Library

Objectives

At the end of this lesson, the students will be able to:

1. Explain what Jacob saw in his dream.

2. Tell what Jacob did to help him remember God's promise.

3. Give examples of how God blessed Jacob.

4. Tell how Laban tricked Jacob.

Topics & Themes

Blessings
Dream
God’s Promises
God’s Voice
Jacob
Laban
Leah
Obedience
Rachel
Tithes

Materials Needed

Bible, YEA students and teacher's books, attendance and memory verse chart, stars, songbook, music player and music tapes or CD, grocery bag, old newspapers, tape or stapler, costumes: 2 children's robes, white T-shirts, 2 pieces fabric or sheets

Preparation

God designed us and understands the development of young children. He knows that a child learns best by doing. Parents were instructed in Deuteronomy 6:4-7 to teach God's laws with everyday experiences. They were to teach them on the road, at home, going to bed and getting up. He used everyday items and the physical senses as tools for learning. A pile of rocks could mark the place where God fulfilled a promise. Take advantage of these everyday items to create visual reminders of great events.

One of the fears of both children and adults today is the fear of abandonment. The dissolution of the family and tragic events (like death) are suffered by too many in our society. Physical hardship, mental stress, and a lack of a support network often leaves a parent unable to provide a healthy emotional environment for the child. It is comforting to know there is One who will never leave us (Hebrews 13:4).

Fill a grocery bag with crumbled up newspaper and staple or tape the top closed. This can be used to represent the rock that Jacob used for his pillow. You will need some simple costumes and props - a child's robe for Jacob and Laban, large white T-shirts for the angels, fabric or sheet draped around Rachel and Leah, cloth for veil.

How to Teach This Lesson

Begin by asking the children to tell about a dream they recently had - this can be a good or a bad dream. Explain that dreams are not reality. When you wake from abad dream it makes you feel good when your mother or dad turns on the light and you can see that everything is okay. You are safe in your bed, everything is in its place - there are no monsters in the room!

Allow the children to act out this lesson. Try to involve everyone. For small classes you can have each child play several parts, taking time to change costumes between scenes.

The Journey - Jacob left his home and family because his own brother wanted to kill him! (Have Jacob pick up his bundle and begin walking around the room.) He was going to his uncle Laban's house for a while.

The Dream - One night Jacob lay down on the ground to sleep. (Jacob lays with head on the “rock".) He, no doubt, was feeling alone and forsaken. Jacob used a large rock for his pillow. He was experiencing, first-hand, that when you do bad things like lying or cheating you get hurt.

As he slept Jacob had a dream. This was not a dream like you usually have. It wasn’t a nightmare. This was a message from God Himself! In the dream Jacob saw a ladder or stairway reaching from heaven to earth. There were angels walking up and down on the stairway. (Have the angels pretend to walk up stairs, away from Jacob, and down, back to Jacob.) They were God's messengers who would go from Jacob to God and from God to Jacob. Jacob was not alone!

Then Jacob heard a voice - it was the voice of God! (Teacher: "Jacob, this is God. Remember the promise I made to Abraham and to your father? Well, I am making this same promise to you. I will give you this land and bless you with many children. And, I want you to know that I will never leave you. I will never desert you.")

When Jacob awoke, he remembered his dream. He took the rock he had used for a pillow and stood it up for a reminder of God's promise. (Jacob stands the "rock" up on end and kneels and prays.)

TheTrick - When Jacob got to Laban’s house, he saw his beautiful cousin, Rachel. Jacob walks up to Laban, Leah and Rachel.) He was in love! Jacob told Laban he would work for him for seven years if he could marry Rachel. But, on their wedding night Laban played a trick on Jacob. He switched girls. (Jacob lying on the floor under a table. Laban places veil over Leah's head and takes her to Jacob.) It was dark, so Jacob couldn't see very well. But, the next morning he was surprised. He had the wrong girl! Jacob had to work for seven more years to get the beautiful Rachel.

God's Blessings -While Jacob was working for Laban, everything he did went right. His garden grew lots of vegetables and grain. His flock of sheep grew and grew. His cows had many calves. And now his family was growing, too.

Even though Jacob was sent away from his home and family, God didn't forget him. He was keeping His promise to Jacob. God was blessing Jacob.

Review Questions

Begin the review by tossing your "rock" to one of the children and ask them a review question. After the child answers, have him toss the"rock" to another child and ask another question, etc.

1. Why did Jacob leave his home and family?

2. How do you think Jacob felt?

3. Where did Jacob sleep while he was traveling?

4. What did he use for a pillow?

5. In Jacob's dream, what reached from the heavens to the earth?

6. What was going up and down the stairs?

7. Whose voice did Jacob hear?

8. What did God tell Jacob?

9. What kind of mean trick did Laban play on Jacob?

Teacher-Directed Activity

Give each child a sheet of construction paper and ask them to draw a picture of some places they might go. Remind them that God is with them where ever they go. He will never leave them.

REACH Activity

1. Sweet Dreams: (For younger students, this could be an anticipatory set.) Let kids draw a picture of a happy dream. Share and discuss pictures. Then begin the lesson.

Note: Anticipatory Set: An activity which helps the child anticipate/look forward/ better understand what the lesson is all about.

2. Write: Have children try to describe a dream they remember.

3. Order! Have kids list in order the events of the lesson as a reminder of why Jacob left his family.

4. Hard Rock: On a clear, starry night, tell kids to try laying on a blanket with a rock under their head. They should be careful! Ask: How do you think Jacob felt trying to sleep that night?

5. A Tenth or Tithe: Bring out several items in sets of ten. Demonstrate a “tenth” by taking one away. For older children, or higher levels, make it an uneven number from which to calculate the tenth or tithe. Explain the biblical concept of tithing, that God gives us everything we have and He only asks that we give Him one tenth back.

6. Stone Promise: On a large stone or a facsimile, children can write a promise God gave to Jacob, then use it as a paperweight. God’s promises to us are heavy stuff!

7. Remember: It’s hard to remember dreams. It’s also easy to forget something God has done for us. Joshua built an Ebenezer. Ebenezer means “Stone of remembrance.” Give children a 
small pile of stones to glue together to make a paperweight. Every time they see it, they will think of what God has done for them.

8. What is the story behind the song “Count Your Blessings”? Find the words to the song, then have kids read and sing them. Between the verses, let them tell a blessing God has given them.

9. Sins are Forgiven: Tell the children to pray for God to forgive them of sins they have committed so their sins do not catch up with them. God will forgive them their sins. Have kids write a thank you prayer and put it in their Bible.

10. Act of Kindness: Say: Someone would like to have a kind word from you today ,so make a card for that person and write a kind note inside. Send it soon! This note can be given to a family member, or get the address of a friend and have an adult help you mail it to them.

11. Sing: “Jacob’s Ladder” on page 58 of Kids Classic Collection.

12. Kids can draw a picture of what they think Jacob’s ladder might have looked like.

13. Role play: 1) Jacob’s dream; 2) Laban’s trick on Jacob.

14. Let kids list God’s promises to Jacob.

15. Boomerang: Have children tell about a time when they did something wrong to someone and later someone did something like that to them. Then have them write how it made them feel.

16. Let kids build a ladder out of popsicle sticks and glue. Then, let them use a permanent marker to write this week’s memory verse on the ladder. 


Other Ideas:
The biography cards can be used in so many ways. They can eventually be kept in a file of Who’s Who in the Bible. Store in a plastic card file box. The cards can be separated by men and women of the Bible; people of the Old and New Testament; prophets; kings, etc. Cards can be used to record information on Bible foods, animals, and places. Cards come in different sizes and colors!

The biography cards can also be used as “note cards” for a future book about that person. Books come in all shapes and sizes, and are a very creative way for a young person to express themselves. Be sure to make an author’s page.

Cartography (making and drawing maps) is very interesting and fun for young children. Paper towel rolls will help keep the storage issue under control for small paper maps. For the study of one specific area, a floor map would be fun. Use a shower curtain instead of paper. Fold and store in a plastic zipper bag.

Dramatic play is an area children usually love. Save old shirts and belts, hats and scarves, and let them play dress up. Acting out a story makes it easier to remember as well as making a lesson more relevant to them.

Song

"Every Promise in The Book is Mine" is on page 15 of Kids Classics Collection.

Closing Prayer

Ask if one of the children would like to lead in prayer, thanking God for His blessings and for always being there for them.