Rotation.org Writing Team
Abraham & Isaac: God Will Provide
Video / Audio Visual
Summary of Lesson Activity
Children will watch the DVD “The Test” from the NEW Superbook Series. They will learn the events of the bible story and discuss how the modern day storyline presented in the video is affected by what the children learn and take away from the biblical story of Abraham & Isaac's near sacrifice.
Scripture
Passage: Genesis 22:1-18
Key/Memory Verse: Abraham said, "God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." Genesis 22:8a (NRSV)
Objectives for the Rotation
See Bible Background.
Preparation
- Read Bible Background and scripture.
- Preview the video.
Note that “The Test” DVD does not have a chapter menu, but by using the DVD remote forward or backward buttons you can access hidden chapters. At the end of the lesson I have included a Chapter Menu breakdown for your reference. Also, in the movie they use the King James Version which starts with “My son, God will provide .…”. Please make note that most Bible translations place “my son” at the end of the sentence which is the version we will be using. - Make a paper banner to hang where all can see. Although it will have three lines of text, write the first two lines now, you'll add the last one during class:
Line 1 - “God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering my son.”
Line 2 - (for younger children) write the word GOD and then draw a lamb, then a stone altar with sticks on top, and then a stick boy to represent Isaac.
Line 3 - You will need room for a third line to add the New Testament connection later in the lesson.
Materials List
- Adhesive, Fun Tak™ mounting putty
- Bible(s)
- DVD - “The Test” (The NEW Superbook Series)
- DVD Player/TV
- Markers, permanent and washable
- Paper, large blank
- Stars, Glow in the Dark - large enough for children to write first name on
Lesson Plan
Open
What was the last test you had to take at school? (Let the students tell you.)
Why did the teacher give you the test? (To see how well you knew the material, to grade you.)
Today’s movie is about Abraham and it is also called “The Test.” The test that God gave to Abraham was harder than any test you will ever have to take at school. God tested Abraham’s “obedience” and his “faith” in God.
Abraham loved God with his whole heart. Abraham’s love for God was so strong that when God spoke, Abraham obeyed! When God said to pack up and move, Abraham didn’t question God, he just did it! When God promised that Abraham’s descendants would outnumber the grains of sand in the desert and the stars in the night sky, Abraham had faith that God would fulfill that promise. Abraham had learned that God kept his promises!
Now, it is years later and God has fulfilled Abraham and his wife Sarah’s promise of a descendant by giving them a child in their old age, a boy named Isaac. But, then it appears God is about to break the promise of Abraham’s descendants outnumbering the stars in the sky when God decides to “test” Abraham’s faith by asking the unthinkable, to sacrifice his young son, Isaac, to God.
God asks Abraham to go to the Moriah Mountain, a three-day journey, and there build an altar where he is to place his son Isaac upon it as an offering to God.
Now, we know something that Abraham didn’t know. Isaac would not die that day – God was testing Abraham’s obedience and his faith. God never intended any harm to come to Isaac. God wanted to see if Abraham would take a “Leap of Faith!” God wanted to see if Abraham would put his full trust in God even when it made no sense to him that a kind loving God would ask the unthinkable.
Now the Bible does not say if Abraham told Sarah what God had asked. We do not know what Abraham was thinking the three days it took him to reach his destination. The Bible also does not say how Isaac felt when he discovered that he was the intended sacrifice. We, like the movie producers, can only guess what they thought.
We do know that Abraham did obey God and headed out for the three-day journey to the Moriah Mountain. That certainly took a “leap of faith.” On the third day when Isaac asks, “Where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham says: [Point to Banner.]
“God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.”
To help us understand this story the creators of “The Test” created futuristic, fantasy characters, named Chris, Joy, a robot called Gizmo, and the Superbook – an imaginary book that can transport people into a Bible story. We see the story unfold through their eyes.
Dig
PLAY – Prologue [0 – Chapter]
PAUSE – Right after Abraham says, “I give you this burnt offering, my Lord, my God.”
Q. God made a Covenant with Abraham that involved two promises. The first involved counting the stars. What was it? (His descendants would be as numerous as the stars)
Q. Why was Abraham surprised to hear he would be a father (He was a hundred years old)
Q. The second promise involved Sarah, Abraham’s wife, what was it? (Sarah would give birth to a son)
Q. What did God say to name the baby? (Isaac)
Q. Who does God say he will confirm his Covenant with to make it an everlasting covenant? (Isaac and Isaac’s descendants)
Explain the meaning of the following:
Burnt offering - Something offered in worship (Genesis 31:53; Mark 12:33). In the Old Testament sacrifices expressed repentance from sin and obedience.
Altar - Place of worship
Blood Sacrifice – (Old Testament - Exodus 29:38) After the death and resurrection of Jesus, animal sacrifices were no longer needed. God welcomes a different type of offering at the altar; praise, confession, and good actions.
PLAY – Continue
PAUSE – After Abraham says, “You want me to sacrifice my son, Isaac?”
Q. Was God’s promise for Abraham and Sarah to have a son fulfilled? (Yes)
Q. How could you tell that Abraham loved his son, Isaac, very much? (The way he talked to him, praised him, laughed with him)
Say: The reason for our imaginary characters, Chris and Joy, who go back and forward through time, is they help us understand the story and how it affects our lives today.
SKIP – Theme Song [1 – Chapter – 1:53]
It will immediately PLAY – Chris playing “Hollow Nine” Game [2 - Chapter – 3:12]
PAUSE – After Joy says, “It’s a Hollow Helmet”
Q. Have you ever wanted something so bad, that you begged and pleaded with your parents to get it?
PLAY – “The Surprise” – Chris gets a Hollow Nine Game [3 – Chapter – 4:23]
PAUSE – After Gizmo says, “Oh, those.”
Q. How excited is Chris to get the new game? (He’s so excited he can’t say thanks enough)
Q. Have your parents ever surprised you with something you really wanted and never thought you’d get?
Q. Did you thank them with as much enthusiasm as Chris did?
PLAY – Continue
PAUSE – When Joy says, “Superbook!”
Q. What does the nurse want and why? (She is hoping Chris’ dad can help her get a “Hollow Nine” game for a very sick boy to help him feel better.)
Q. Why do you think Chris now feels differently about the game? Do you think you should feel bad about getting something when someone else doesn’t?
PLAY – “Superbook Trip” – Abraham [4 - Chapter – 6:10]
PAUSE – After Gizmo says, “I wonder if there’s a doctor nearby?”
[When we are being tested is when we learn the most about our relationship with God.] We’ll be discussing this later.
SAY: Hebron – pronounced in Hebrew (Hee bruhn) is a city nineteen miles southwest of Jerusalem.
Q. Why is Abraham upset? (God has asked him to sacrifice Isaac)
Q. Now if God had asked me the same question, I couldn’t imagine not being upset. Does the Bible actually tell us how Abraham felt? (No, it doesn’t tell us how he felt.)
PLAY – “Round-Up” – 1 Day earlier – Isaac [5 - Chapter – 7:51]
PAUSE – After Abraham pats Isaac on the head
Q. Where did the Superbook send the kids to this time? (To the day before they saw Abraham crying)
Q. Who is the boy that rescues them from the wild donkey? (Isaac)
Q. What similarities do you see between Isaac and Chris? (They both are just boys who like to play games and to be heroes)
Q. What does Abraham call Isaac that tells you how much he loves Isaac? (“My beloved son")
PLAY – “Making Bread for 3 Visitors” [6 - Chapter – 10:37]
PAUSE – After Joy says, “We don’t know what it is?”
Q. What’s an Abacus used for? (counting sheep, the first calculator)
Q. What is Isaac trying to count with the Abacus? (Stars)
Q. Why is he trying to count the stars? (Because his father, Abraham, told him that God promised Abraham’s descendants would outnumber the stars in the sky)
Q. Who comes to visit Abraham? (3 visitors)
Q. Who do you think the visitor is that talks to Abraham? (God)
Q. Why does Sarah laugh? (The visitor says she will have a baby and she is too old to have one)
Q. Is anything impossible for God? (No)
Q. What does Isaac’s name mean? (Laughter)
SAY: Sarah wasn’t the only one that laughed: Did you know that Abraham also laughed? Earlier God told Abraham the same news. In Genesis 17:17 it says, “Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, ‘Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?’” It’s no wonder they both laughed at such surprising news. It also makes you see that God’s has a sense of humor – when he said call him Isaac – which means “laughter.”
PLAY – “Skipping Stones” – The Test [7 - Chapter – 12:53]
PAUSE – After Chris says, “We’ve got to help Isaac!”
Q. What does God ask Abraham to do? (To offer Isaac as a burnt offering)
Q. What mountain does God want Abraham to go to offer the sacrifice? (Mount Moriah)
SAY: In the movie it says that Abraham and Isaac went alone. But, in the Bible it says that two servants went with them. It also says that it was a three-day trip from their camp to Mount Moriah. Think how much time that gave Abraham to change his mind about obeying God.
SAY: Mount Moriah (pronounced in Hebrew as moe-ree-yaw) is in Jerusalem, now known as the Temple Mount. Here it is believed that Solomon built the original Temple of God. During Jesus’ ministry major events happened near Mount Moriah, like his arrest on The Mount of Olives just to the east, and His Crucifixion at Calvary just to the north.
Q. Joy asks “Why would God ask that?” Why do you think God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac? (Children will hopefully remember your opening that it was a TEST of his obedience and faith, that he would be willing to give his most precious thing.)
PLAY – “Lost” [8 - Chapter – 16:19]
PAUSE – Right after God says, “because you have obeyed me.”
Q. Isaac asks, “Father we have the fire and the wood, but where is the sheep for the burnt offering? What does Abraham say? (Point to banner.) “God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.”
Q. After Abraham prays for strength to do God’s will, why do you think he looks to the stars? (He’s remembering the promise God made to him – that his descendants would out-number the stars.)
Q. Did God allow Abraham to hurt Isaac? (No. He told him to do no harm to Isaac.)
Q. Why did God stop Abraham? (Because he had been obedient and took a “leap of faith” – “all will be blessed because he obeyed.")
Q. What did God give Abraham to sacrifice instead? (A ram)
SAY: The angel sent by God said, “For now I know you truly fear God, you have not withheld from me your son, your only son. So through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed because you have obeyed me.
Now here is something really important – listen again – God said, “Through your descendants ALL the NATIONS of the earth (does that include everyone in the world?- YES) will be blessed because you have obeyed me.
Through your descendants – can anyone tell me who was the most important descendent of Abraham? (Jesus)
So do you see similarities in the two stories – Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son for God, just because God asked it of him. And God was willing to sacrifice his son, Jesus, the Lamb of God, as a free gift to us. Jesus took our sins upon himself, so that we would no longer be separated from God. Through Jesus we have a direct road to an eternal life with God.
Add to your wall “Banner” under the last line “God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.”:
"God will provide himself, the lamb (Jesus), for a burnt offering, his (God’s) son."
SAY: Isn’t this an interesting thought! Do you think this is just a coincidence?
So just think how upset you were at the thought that God would ask Abraham to sacrifice his son for God, yet here God did that very thing for EACH OF YOU! He loved you SO MUCH he freely sacrificed his only son for you and all he asks is you accept his free gift and simply “love your God with all your heart, mind, and soul, and your neighbor as yourself.”
PLAY – “Back Home” [9 - Chapter –22:03]
PAUSE – After Gizmo says, “Guitar star.”
Q. What did Chris realize God was doing to Abraham? (Testing Abraham)
Q. What was Abraham’s test? (To see if he would give what he loved most to God)
Q. What small test is God asking of Chris? (To give the game he coveted to a sick boy who needed it more than he did)
Q. Have you ever been tested? Was it easy or hard to do what God wanted you to do?
Q. Why do you think Chris and his family are watching the sick boy from the doorway? (Chris gave the game anonymously – he did not expect anything in return – he gave it freely not expecting any reward – he just did it for God – “treat your neighbor like yourself").
Q. How does it make Chris feel to give his new game to the sick boy? (Really happy)
Q. Was Chris expecting to be rewarded for giving up his new game? (No)
Q. What reward did he get? (He’s given a Raffle Wristband that might win a free Hollow game)
Q. How is Chris blessed by making the sacrifice of giving up something he really loved? (The joy it gave him to help someone else for God)
SAY: Listen to this poem, written by Matt and Sherry McPhearson.
READ: “The Salvation Poem.” It is on the back of the guide inside the DVD.
SAY: Now while we watch the music video I want you to listen to the lyrics and connect the importance of the words to the actions happening on the screen.
PLAY – “The Salvation Poem Music Video” [10 - Chapter – 23:23-26:27]
STOP – When music video is done
Reflect
God said that through Isaac his descendants would become a great nation, so when God asked for Abraham’s most precious thing, Abraham was obedient. He took a leap of faith and trusted in God and God blessed him and his descendants which includes you and me.
Sometimes we forget that the most important thing is God and our relationship with him. Sometimes we forget that if we put him first in our lives he will provide what we need – not what we think we need.
In the movie it said, “When we are being tested is when we learn the most about our relationship with God.” Your number one in God’s life, the big question is, is God number one in your life . When God next tests you – will you obey and willingly make the sacrifice he asks of you? Will you be obedient? Will you take a leap of faith?
The movie began with God asking Abraham to count the stars – and then later after God provides a ram on the mountain for the sacrifice God reminds Abraham of his everlasting covenant that all nations will be blessed and will outnumber the stars.
Hand out glow in the dark stars.
So now everyone is going to receive a glow in the dark star. [Pass out the stars and the permanent markers & have each child take a piece of mounting putty.]
Please pass around the permanent markers and write your name on the front of your star.
Take it home and place it on a wall in your bedroom. It will remind you each night before you sleep that through Abraham you were blessed by the gift of Jesus, and to remember “God will provide.”
Additional Suggestions
Adaptations - Younger Children
PLAY – “Lost” [8 - Chapter – 16:19]
PAUSE – when the children are yelling across the canyon for Abraham to stop
– take time to remind young children that no harm comes to Isaac because of Abraham’s great faith and God’s great love for children.
Adaptations - Older Children
Teen Suggestion: Watch the three videos at “The Salvation Poem Foundation” website. Great discussion could be had especially with the last video where the security guard sacrifices his only son to save lives at the mall where he works as a janitor. Extremely moving; took my breath away!
Adaptations - Intergenerational
Arrange groups of children, youth, and adults to sit together during the movie and to discuss the questions together as a team.
Sources
DVD - “The Test” - The Story of Abraham & Isaac (The NEW Superbook Series), 9781943541010. Note: This series has been totally updated with all new state of the art animation (2012). Animated, approximately 26 minutes in length. Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfjCYnhLEUI
Abacus
http://www.ee.ryerson.ca/~elf/abacus/history.html
Mount Moriah
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moriah
The Salvation Poem Foundation short videos
http://thesalvationpoem.com/
The Student Bible Dictionary. Dockrey, Karen, Johnnie Godwin, and Phyllis Godwin. Barbour Publishing, 2000.
Written by: Luanne Payne
Copyright © 2014 by Rotation.org
Printed from https://www.rotation.org
REFERENCE
Chapters – “The Test”
Use the SKIP FORWARD / BACKWARD BUTTONs on your DVD
0. (0:03) Prologue - God’s Covenant to Abraham
1. (1:53) Superbook Theme Song
2. (3:12) Virtual Hollow Bender Game
3. (4:23) The Surprise
4. (6:10) Superbook Trip - Abraham
5. (7:51) “Round-Up” – 1 Day earlier (Isaac)
6. (10:37) Making Bread for 3 Visitors
7. (12:53) Skipping Stones – The Test
8. (16:19) Lost
9. (22:03) Back Home
10. (23:23) Salvation Poem Music Video
11. (25:59) Credits
12. (26:07) Back to Main
Note: you can access the "Salvation Poem" video from the main menu.
