Teaching

We saw in our video today how many events in the life of Isaac are signposts pointing to events in Jesus’ life. Let’s look a little deeper. For each set of signs, choose one child to turn over the sign for Isaac, read it aloud, then tape it to the wall with text showing. Have a different child turn over the sign for Jesus, read it aloud, then tape it to the wall with text showing.

1. Isaac—Miracle birth; Jesus—Virgin birth. Isaac’s birth was a miracle. God did the impossible and blessed Abraham and Sarah in their old age with their promised son, Isaac. Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 90 years old when Isaac was born. This was not a normal birth! The birth of Isaac points to the birth of Jesus to a virgin named Mary. This was truly an amazing miracle!

Additional Discussion for Grades 4–6:

God appeared to Abraham and promised He would have a son by Sarah. Read Hebrews 11:11:

It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep His promise.

God sent an angel to tell Mary that she would give birth to a son by the Holy Spirit. She was willing to serve the Lord and believed He would keep His Word. Read Luke 1:38:

Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

2. Isaac—Only son of Abraham and Sarah; Jesus—Only Son of God. Isaac was the only son of Abraham and Sarah. They had not been able to have children until God did the impossible! This was a signpost to Jesus, God’s only begotten Son being sent to Earth to save us.

Additional Discussion for Grades 4–6:

Read John 1:14:

So the Word became human and made His home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

How hard do you think it would be to give up something important that you only had one of, let alone your son?

3. Isaac—Obedient to his father, Abraham; Jesus—Obedient to His Father, God. Isaac obeyed his father, Abraham, as he allowed himself to be put on the altar, looking up at his father in submission. This was a signpost to Jesus. Jesus willingly came down from heaven and laid His own will down to obey the will of His Father. Isaac carried the wood for the offering during his journey to the altar. This pointed to Jesus, who carried His own wooden cross to the hill where He was crucified.

Additional Discussion for Grades 4–6:

Read Philippians2:8 (nkjv):

And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Jesus gave up all He had in heaven to obey His Father’s plan of salvation for us! Read John 19:17:

Carrying the cross by Himself, He went to the place called Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, Golgotha).

4. Isaac—Journeyed three days to Mount Moriah; Jesus—Dead three days in Jerusalem. Isaac and Abraham traveled three days to Mount Moriah, where God had instructed the offering to be made. Isaac journeyed in loving obedience to Abraham unaware of the “death sentence” over him. The city of Jerusalem was later built on that same mountain—the place where Jesus died. This is a signpost to Jesus being laid in the tomb for 3 days following His crucifixion. Isaac rose up from the altar and was set free because God provided a substitute for him. Jesus died but rose again from the dead!

Additional Discussion for Grades 4–6:

Read Jesus’ words in Matthew 12:40:

“For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.”

Jesus fulfilled His own prophecy.

5. Isaac—A sacrifice; Jesus—The Perfect and Last Sacrifice. Jesus is our atonement. That means that He reconciled us, or brought us back, into a right relationship with God. He made right what was wrong. In our story, Isaac was troubled; he knew they needed a lamb for the sacrifice, yet he did not see one. Abraham replied that God Himself would provide a lamb! By saying this, Abraham was pointing to Jesus coming as the Lamb of God! It was necessary for Jesus to be sacrificed to fulfill God’s will. Jesus was the only sacrifice that could take away our sins once and for all—there is no substitute for Jesus!

Additional Discussion for Grades 4–6:

Read Genesis 22:5:

“Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told the servants. “The boy and I will travel a little farther. We will worship there, and then we will come right back."

Abraham was confident that God would keep Isaac alive or raise him from the dead. Read John 1:29: 

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

Read 1 John 2:2:

He Himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.

Jesus is our provider. He provided for Abraham and He provides for our needs today through the Holy Spirit!

Discipleship Challenge/Practical Application

Explain that this is the last lesson for this Discipleship Challenge to memorize all the books of the Old Testament. Distribute the Small Superbook Device Crafts that the children have already begun, and give patterns from Lessons 1 and 2 to children who were absent. Give each child scissors and a copy of the Minor Prophets Pattern, which includes a Gizmo section.

Fold your patterns in half vertically, then horizontally. Cut very carefully along all solid lines, including the rectangular slot. Gently “pinch-fold” the pieces to attach them to your Superbook device, with the Gizmo section at the very bottom. 

This last group of books is called the Minor Prophets—not because they are less important, but because they are shorter than the books of the Major Prophets. Let’s say the names of these 12 books together. Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi.

How many books are there altogether in the Old Testament? 39.

Take your crafts home as a reminder to keep on memorizing the books of the Old Testament. This will help you find your way around the Bible for the rest of your life!

Optional: As they work, you may sing “The Old Testament Books” to the tune of “Jesus Loves Me.” For the sheet music, see “Get Ready.”