Joseph has been exalted to the second place in the entire land of Egypt. Now all that needs to take place in order for the dreams of his youth to be fulfilled is for his brothers to come and bow down to him. God is working this out through the famine that is in the land. He is also preparing for the preservation of the children of Israel through the next 400 years. God’s providence is seen as strongly here as it is in the book of Esther. He is bringing all things together for His good.<br />
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
Jacob reaches great heights of spiritual maturity in this lesson. He wrestles with the angel of God and prevails. His name is changed form one that means supplanter to one that means prince of God. He faces his greatest fear (Esau) and comes out victorious. He is touched by God and is never the same again.<br />
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
Jacob has had it easy up to now. He has lived as a plain man in the tents (Genesis 25:27). He has been his mother’s favorite (Genesis 25:28). He has purchased his brother’s birthright and tricked him out of his blessing (Genesis 27:35-36). But now, his life of trickery begins to catch up with him. He must flee the country for his life’s sake and go 500 miles from home. Before God is through with Jacob, a “few days” (Genesis 27:44) will become 20 years and his beloved mother will die before he ever gets to see her again. Yet, God is working. In this lesson, Jacob takes a major step toward spiritual maturity. He will have far to go but he will be a better man for the experience in this chapter.<br />
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
Several approaches are possible with this lesson. You may want to emphasize the doctrinal approach in which the offering of Isaac is a wonderful type of the sacrifice of God’s only Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross. Or, you might approach the lesson from the standpoint of Abraham and his faith in the Lord. You might even go back over his life and review the growth of his faith through the years. A third approach, especially good for teaching children, would be to consider the viewpoint of Isaac. He obviously submitted to his father and trusted him. Isaac is certainly an example of an obedient child. Yet, all of these approaches emphasize surrender and sacrifice. You might do well to consider what it means to be truly surrendered to the Lord.<br />
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
Though Lot is a righteous man in his personal life (2 Peter 2:7-8), he runs with the wrong crowd (Genesis 13:12-13). Abram rescues his nephew but he keeps a good distance from the king and goods of Sodom. We should do the same.<br />
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
Even in the midst of destruction, God provides a way for the salvation of those who will trust in Him. The emphasis of this lesson is not one of judgment but of God’s mercy for His own. Notice also that God delivers His people out of the way of His wrath. He does not make them go through it. In like manner, God’s people in the age of grace will be raptured from the earth before the falling of God’s wrath upon it (Romans 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10; 1 Thessalonians 5:9).<br />
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
The days of Noah are especially important to us because Christ told us that the day of His coming would be like them (Matthew 24:37-39). This story warns us against falling into the corruption of the world in which we live. Every student should make it their goal to be like Noah and live holy, separated lives before our God.<br />
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
INTRODUCTION: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” is the basis of all we are and all we believe. Since we came from God, He is the only source for the truth about ourselves and about the purpose of life. We came from God. In order to have eternal life and a reason for living, we must return to God.<br />
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
Israel has grievously sinned against God. The people have made a golden calf and worshipped it. The tabernacle, as God’s presence, is removed from their midst. Moses now goes to work as the primary Old Testament mediator to bring God and His people back into a right relationship with one another.<br />
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
Moses had been in the mount for nearly forty days and nights, and the people began to get anxious. They had refused a one-on-one fellowship with the Lord, but are now longing for a god to worship. Aaron, Moses’ brother and right hand man, is recruited to aid in the construction and worship of a golden calf. The end result significantly matches the worship of modern churches, and attention should be given to the righteous Moses, the man of God, and the Lord Himself.<br />
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
<h4>Numbered List</h4>
