Lesson Objective:
The children will learn that tricking people is not kind.
Scripture:
Genesis 28-35
Arrival:
As the children arrive, ask them if they have ever had to wait for something. If you get some good responses, take a survey to see what the longest anyone had ever had to wait for something would be. Ask them how they would feel if after all of that waiting, someone tricked them out of the thing they were waiting for. Sing with the children.
Prayer:
Ask the Lord to help you clearly present the lesson.
Lesson:
Remember how Jacob tricked Isaac into giving him the blessing meant for Esau? Esau was so angry that he said he was going to kill Jacob, and he meant it. Rebekah had Jacob flee in order to save his life.
Jacob traveled many months until he reached Haran where his uncle Laban lived. He found some shepherds there, and he asked them if they knew his uncle. They said yes, and then pointed to a lovely young woman who was walking towards them “There is his daughter Rachel coming with the sheep.” Jacob felt love at first sight! Rachel was very beautiful, and she was in his family!
Laban was very happy to see is sister’s son, and he invited Jacob to live with him for a while. He worked hard for Laban, and after a month his uncle asked him what he wanted to be paid for the work he was doing. Jacob was so madly in love with Rachel, that he said, “I will work for you for seven years, if I can marry Rachel, your youngest daughter.”
Laban agreed. Jacob worked and worked, but with his eyes on the goal of marrying the woman he loved, the Bible says that the seven years seemed like just a few days to him! Finally, it was time to marry his girl!
As was the tradition, Laban had a huge feast. People came from all around to celebrate. The tradition dictated that the bride stayed covered with a veil during the big party. When evening fell, she was given to her husband.
When Jacob took his new bride home and lifted her veil, he was shocked to see that it wasn’t Rachel. It was Rachel’s older sister, Leah! Laban had tricked Jacob.
Jacob demanded to know why Laban had tricked him. Laban said that it was the custom in their country for the older daughter to be married first. He said that Jacob could marry Rachel a week later if he would take Leah as his wife, but he would also have to work seven more years.
What do you think Jacob said? He loved Rachel so much, that he said yes. His goal was to marry Rachel, and he pushed onward in spite of the problems. He had to work hard, and he was tricked, but in the end he got the bride he loved.
His favoritism for Rachel, however, was going to cause problems for the family later.
Jacob tricked Esau by stealing his birthright. Later, he was tricked by his father-in-law, Laban. Have you ever been tricked like Laban tricked Jacob? How did it feel? (Take some time to discuss these answers with the children)
Memory Verse:
Philippians 3:14 – Put the words to the verse on large slips of paper with magnets behind them. Give each child a slip or two, and then have the class race to put them in order. Quote the verse, each time removing a slip, until they can say it from memory.
Craft/Game:
Have the children color two parts of this story:
Jacob Meets Rachel http://www.calvary-kids-pages.com/5a198.html
Jacob’s Wife (this one shows the veiling very well for children who do not understand the tradition)
Dismissal:
Remind children that it never feels good to be tricked.