Rotation.org Writing Team

Jacob and Esau

Video Workshop

Summary of Lesson Activities

The video in this lesson covers the entire Jacob and Esau narrative, but the lesson focuses on Jacob's wrestling match with God in Genesis 32.

Students will participate in a number of preparatory and follow-up activities surrounding the viewing of the video "Jacob and Esau: The Stolen Birthright" (22 minutes, from the new Superbook series). They will focus on how to understand and apply the metaphorical meanings embedded in the story ("wrestling with God at night," etc). Their lesson will conclude with two reflection activities.

Note the younger children adaptations at the end of this lesson plan.

Scripture

Passage: Genesis 32:22-32

The video in this lesson covers the entire Jacob and Esau story.

The lesson focuses on the wrestling story in Genesis 32.

Key Verse:  "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have wrestled with God and with men and have overcome." Genesis 32:28

Objectives for the Rotation and this lesson

For the rotation objectives, see the Bible Background.

Objectives for this Workshop 

For this lesson's objectives, see the Summary above.

Preparation

• Read the Bible story and Background.
• Preview the Video.
• Write out the Synonyms for "wrestle" on index cards.
• Write out the questions on index cards that you'll be giving to students prior to the video.

Supplies

• Video - Jacob & Esau (New Super Book Series)
• DVD Player / TV
• Whiteboard, marker
• Index cards
• "My name is" nametags, blank nametags, markers.

Note to the Teacher:

In this lesson you will be introducing your students to some of the life-applying "metaphors" found in this story, the meaning of which will not be immediately obvious to most of your students, but hopefully this lesson plan will change that!

The ability to see, understand, and apply metaphorical meanings found in Bible stories are important spiritual and life application skills.  Developmentally speaking, however, the ability to think metaphorically only begins to develop around the age of 7 or 8. It is also an ability that can be nourished (or malnourished) by parents, educators, and culture. Thus, some of your students will find it easier to see the deeper meanings in this story, while others may struggle. This lesson is designed to help all "wrestle" with this story's meaning for the student's life, --and make that skill part of their spiritual and Bible study toolkit. 

There are several metaphors in the story to unpack:

Lesson Plan

Open

An Exercise in Understanding Metaphors

1. Write out synonyms for the word "wrestle" on index cards (see list below).
Pass them out to your students. (How many cards/synonyms is up to you.)  Explain synonyms are words that have the same meaning, like "wrestle" and "struggle."   

Why use index cards in this lesson? Because it gives them time to think, hands them something to focus on and anticipate, and signals to each that they will be expected to participate.

2. Ask each student to use their synonym for "wrestle" in a sentence, and have them share it with the class.

At first, they will likely use their synonym for "wrestle" in a sentence about wrestling with a person. Such as, "I fight with my brother."  

3. Now write out or post these starter sentences on the board. Whoever has the word "argue" or "battle" (and so on) must complete the sentence you've written.

I argue on Sunday with the part of me that doesn't want to...

I battle with my desire to...

I have a hard time grasping why God won't/doesn't...

I fight my feelings of  __________ when I go to church.

I question why I have to _____________.

I struggle to forgive people who ____________.

Here are the Synonyms for "wrestle" to be written on the cards:

argue

battle

trying to understand, to grasp

fight

question

struggle

Preparing to View the Video

Prior to showing the video, pass out two copies of each of the following questions on index cards. Tell them to be prepared to answer their question at the end of the video. If you have a student who can't read, read the question to them as you give it to them.

Questions for Cards: 

• When Jacob realized that the "man" he was wrestling was actually God, what do you think went through his mind?
• What did Jacob think he would gain by winning his wrestling match with God?
• What do you think God wanted from Jacob?  (Hint: It's the same thing God wants from you. Trying to get your attention, let you know he's part of your life.)
• How do you think God felt about having to wrestle Jacob?  Wrestling with you?
• Who really "won" the wrestling match?
• What do you think Jacob learned from his wrestling match with God?
• How do you think the wrestling match prepared Jacob to reconcile with his brother Esau?

Dig  -  Show the Video

Jacob & Esau: The Stolen Birthright 
(22 minutes from the New Superbook Series)
Ages 6-11.

You can see various previews of this episode at

http://us-en.superbook.cbn.com/episode/jacob-and-esau

http://us-en.superbook.cbn.com...o/jacob-wrestles-god

http://www.cbn.com/tv/2043869752001

CBN is the distributor of this famous series.**  
See synopsis below.

The video covers the entire Jacob and Esau narrative, which is important to understanding some important things about Jacob's encounter with God. Namely, it was unearned and unexpected. But that is who our God is.

Post-Video Follow-up: 

Have the class read Genesis 32:22-32, the Bible's story of Jacob and God's wrestling match. This will refocus them on that particular story which they just saw in the video. Prior to reading, alert them that you will be asking them to answer the questions you gave them on the index cards following the reading (i.e. "so pay attention!")

After the reading, ask them to answer the questions you gave them on the cards, then continue with the following questions:

Some thoughts to share:

 

Sometimes when we are wrestling with an issue, we don't realize that it is God who is making us wrestle with it. Important choices are not always easy to make. We often resist God's opinion, and want our own way.  

 

Jacob probably thought God's blessing would make his life easier, but it did not (his son Joseph would be sold into slavery, remember?)

 

God was probably not surprised he would have to grapple with Jacob. God knows us well! You could say that God EXPECTS us to struggle, and thus, struggling can bring us closer to God, and teach us important lessons.

 

God's love is not offended by our questions and doubts (our struggles).  God invented us this way. When we realize we are not perfect, it makes us grateful for God's love and forgiveness. This story assures us.

 

The metaphor of wrestling at night can have several meanings. When it's dark, we can't see well, our fears can get the best of us, and we don't always understand what's going on around us. It can be a time to wait before it's light. The dawn is a metaphor for a time when it is time to get up, stop struggling, see more clearly, and go about our day's work. There are other places in the Bible where this contrast between dark and light is used. Isaiah 9: "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light." 

 

The wrestling match happened BEFORE Jacob and Esau were reconciled. God doesn't wait for us to do everything right. God is always our God, before, during, after, forever.

 

When you realize God is in your life, and has blessed you, you want to make peace with others.  

Ask:  What are some words that mean the opposite of "wrestle" or "struggle"?
Peace, surrender, let go, accept, relax. 

 

We don't always want to be in a struggle, it will wear you out. (If you have time, demonstrate this by seeing how long students can keep their hands pushed together.)   Struggle should lead to peace. Conflict to reconciliation.

Reflect  - Nametags

Pass out a sticky nametag that says, "Hello, my name is" on it.  Have each student write the name: "Israel, because I too wrestle with God" -and put it on. 

Now take a second blank nametag and have students write this fill-in sentence on it, filling in the blanks. Have students complete, and wear and share their two nametags.

Fill-in-the-blank phrase:

"I'm like Jacob in the Bible, I sometimes struggle to _____________, and I question _______________________. But God still __________me."

Conclude with the Fist and Hand Prayer

Students hold their hands in front of them, clenching them and releasing to match the prayer:

Lord, 

(clench) When I think you are not real or are not with me, (open) open my eyes to see your presence.

(clench) When I think I know everything, (open) open my mind to your wisdom and help.

(clench) When times feel dark and scary, (open) relax my fears with your present spirit.

(clench) When I have questions and doubts, (open) open my heart to receive your word.

(clench) When I think I don't need forgiveness or don't want to forgive, (open) open my hands to those to friendship and peace.

Lord, you have blessed us with important lessons to wrestle with, and with a peace that passes all understanding. Hold on to us both night and day, we pray.

Amen

Additional Suggestions

Adaptations - Younger Children

• For non-readers, reduce the lesson objective's metaphor down to one: wrestling with God.
• Simplify the synonym cards to three words:  wrestling/understanding/questioning. ("Fighting/battling/grasping" with God is too high concept.)
• Spend less time on the follow-up questions and more time helping them think about their new nametags. Simplify the second nametag sentences to: 

I am like Jacob. I struggle, I make peace.

(Even though some can't spell or read, they can draw the letters if you write them BIG, and remember what they mean, or have an adult read it to them.)

• While the young ones will enjoy the Superbook video, a good alternate and shorter video is the Read and Share Bible DVD, (Tommy Nelson), the episode on Jacob and Esau is found on Volume 1.

Written by Neil MacQueen for the Rotation.org Writing Team