Lesson 12 – Jacob’s Family
Through Jacob’s family, God brought forth the Savior, Jesus Christ, who endured lies, deception, and the schemes of sinful mankind to work our salvation on the cross.
Opening
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
This lesson will use the Bible and the Lesson 12 Leaflet from the Student Pack. The front cover shows how the artist sees Jacob meeting one of his relatives. Also paper and colored pencils or crayons will be needed.
Prayer: We thank You, Father, that You have brought us together today to hear Your Word and learn about Jacob and his family and how, in spite of human sin, You have blessed us with a Savior, Your Son, Jesus. In His name we pray. Amen.
God Speaks
On page 4 of the leaflet, read the definitions of the Faith Words kinsman and blessing.
We are blessed with families. Each family is unique and has its own special characteristics. Each family has at least one important fact in common - each is a gift from God. This lesson is about how God blessed Jacob with a family in spite of human sinfulness. We will also learn how and why Jacob's family is still important to us today.
In a previous lesson Jacob left home after obtaining the birthright from his brother, Esau, through trickery. Jacob was fleeing his brother's fury and had been sent to his mother's brother (Laban) in Haran to find a suitable wife. On this journey that Jacob had his dream of the stairway to heaven at Bethel (Genesis 28:10-22).
At this time, God had promised to be with him and to give him many offspring. This promise was an extension of the promise God made to Jacob's grandfather Abraham.
Follow the directions on page 2 of the leaflet, Jacob’s family – Part A.
Read Genesis 29:1 through 30:24
Then complete the chart.
Leah's Sons
1. Reuben (ROO ben)
2. Simeon
3. Levi
4. Judah
9. Issachar (HZ ah car)
10. Zebulun (ZEBB you lun)
Rachel's Sons
11. Joseph
12. Benjamin
Zilpah's Sons
7. Gad
8. Asher was born later
Bilhah's Sons
5. Dan
6. Naphtali (NAF tuh lee)
After completing Part A, complete the matching in Jacob’s Family – Part B.
Dinah is Leah's daughter (c); Rebekah is Jacob's mother (a); Isaac is Jacob's father (d); and Laban is Jacob's uncle (b).
What arrangement did Jacob make with Laban? Jacob became a herdsman for his uncle. Laban allowed Jacob to name his wages, perhaps knowing already how much Jacob loved Rachel. The two men agreed that Jacob would work for seven years in order to have Rachel for his wife.
How did Laban trick Jacob? How did they agree to correct the situation? After seven years, Laban agreed to give Rachel as Jacob's wife. However, Laban switched his daughters so that Jacob actually married Leah, Rachel's older sister. Laban would also give Rachel to Jacob, but Jacob would have to work another seven years.
This trick by Laban was a sin. He did not keep his word to Jacob. He was being selfish, knowing that Jacob would continue to work for him for no other pay than having Rachel for his wife. In spite of human sinfulness and deceit, God still blessed Jacob, Leah, and all humankind.
How? Leah would bear Jacob the son through whose line the Savior would be born. Jacob and Leah's fourth son, Judah, would be an ancestor of King David and Jesus.
Through Jacob's family, God brings forth the Savior, Jesus Christ, who endured lies, deception, and the schemes of sinful humankind to work our salvation on the cross.
Was Laban more deceitful than some people today? Why do you think so? Was the way Laban tricked Jacob any different from how people treat one another today? We sometimes find ourselves in situations where there is deception. We sin when we lie and deceive or trick others. In spite of our sin, God blesses us with all that we need, including our families. Because of sin, we suffer from the lies and deceitful actions of our families, friends, and others.
How did Jacob feel about his wives? Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah. This led to competition between the sisters, and it ultimately led to their sinful actions of giving their servant girls to Jacob in order to have more children.
The names the mothers chose for their sons reflect their thoughts and attitudes at the time of the birth. Judah, Leah's fourth son, is the first name given that praises God. Interestingly, it is through Judah's line that the Messiah will come.
In spite of human sinfulness, God blessed Jacob with many children, just as He promised. God would send His Son, the Messiah, through this family. God's Son, the Savior, took all of the sins of Jacob and his family to the cross and graciously forgave them.
What is sin? Acts against God's Commandments; every thought, desire, word, or deed that is contrary to God's Law.
How do we know what sin is? God gives His Commandments to show us our sin, to help us to know what is right, and to help us live as Christians. They also show us our need for a Savior.
Even though God did not give the Ten Commandments until later in the history of His people, we can still use them to identify the sins of Jacob, Laban, and other figures in Bible stories.
Read the First Commandment and explanation from page 2 of the leaflet.
On page 4 of the leaflet, read the definitions of the Faith Words god and fear.
What kinds of things can become our gods? Money, video games, material possessions, or work. When we seek other gods, we demonstrate a lack of trust in God's promises to love and care for us by attempting to provide for ourselves.
What kinds of things could have become Jacob's gods? His children; his wives, especially Rachel, toward whom he showed much favoritism; his work.
Jacob demonstrated a lack of trust in God when he agreed to take his wives' servant girls in order to have more children.
The First Commandment demands that we keep our focus on God Himself. He has promised to bless us and care for us. We sin when we do not trust God and His good plans for us. Through His Son, God accomplishes His gracious and loving plans for our lives. We can trust His Word, because His Word is truth. But even when we sin, we can know God forgives us for His Son's sake, and God continues to love and care for us.
Complete God's Gifts of Love activity on page 3 of the leaflet.
No matter how much we have or lack or how difficult it is to find joy in our daily lives, God loves all people and wants them to know Him and trust in Him. God doesn't promise that our lives will be easy; He promises that He will be with us and care for us throughout our lives. He has sent His Son, Jesus Christ, as the Savior of all people. Because He loves all people, He also provides all material blessings and needs for this life on earth.
Unbelievers may feel that they have earned these blessings by their own merit, but God's children recognize all things as gifts from God, their heavenly Father. In joy and thankfulness, we can share gifts of love with others.
On page 4 of the leaflet, read the Bible Words (Jeremiah 29:11).
We Live
Look at the table of contents in your Bible.
The Bible is made up of many books. The lessons have been focusing on the very first book, Genesis which covers a lot of history; from the beginning of time, through Jacob and his family.
The Bible is the inspired Word of God. That means that God the Holy Spirit specifically told the authors what to write so His Word would be preserved for people for as long as they live on earth. When we study the Book of Genesis, we know that we are learning about the very first generations of people and God's story of salvation throughout all time.
At the end of this lesson is Reproducible Page 12, Genesis: In the Beginning. Print out this chart and complete it by looking up the Bible verses. The last account will be covered in the next lesson.
Closing
Read the various parts listed on page 4 of the leaflet.
Prayer: Dear God, You have blessed us with families and all that we have. You have given us Your Word and promised to be with us. For this we thank and praise You. Forgive us when we don't trust in You. Forgive us for the times when we have hurt family members by our words or actions. Continue to be with us this day and forevermore. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
