Thursday, December 30, 2021

Isaac is born to Abraham and Sarah

Isaac is born to Abraham and Sarah.
Image Credit:  FreeBibleImages.org

Isaac is Born to Abraham and Sarah

God keeps His promises and in Genesis 21, He keeps His promises to Abraham and Sarah as Isaac is finally born to them. Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born.

"God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me.  Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children?  Yet I have given birth to a son in his old age." - Sarah

Isaac means "laughter."

Isaac grew and was weaned (v.8).  Abraham throws a big party to celebrate Isaac's weaning.  According to the Believer's Bible Commentary, Isaac would have been between 2 and 5 years old by the time he was weaned.  Ishmael who had been born to Abraham by Hagar would be between 13 and 17 years old.

At the party, Sarah notices Ishmael mocking Isaac (Brothers will be brothers, right?).  Ishmael's mocking upset Sarah so she had Abraham send Hagar and Ishmael away.

Sarah's order upsets Abraham because Ishmael is also his son, but God comforts Abraham by telling him that he will make a nation out of Ishmael also because he is Abraham's son but it is through Isaac, God's promised son to Abraham that His covenant will be carried out.

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The next morning, Abraham gathered bread and water and sent Hagar and Ishmael away.  When the water was all gone, Hagar left her son under a bush because she couldn't watch him die.  But God heard their cry and an angel said to Hagar:

"What is the matter with you, Hagar?  Do not fear, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is.  Get up, lift up the boy, and hold him by the hand, for I will make a great nation of him."

Then, God provided water for Hagar and Ishmael.  God was with Ishmael as he grew up in the wilderness.  Eventually Hagar brought him a wife from Egypt.

Teach the Kids

Sarah's Special Baby by Sabbath School Crafts

Abraham and Sarah Have a Baby Craft from 10 Minutes of Quality Time

Abraham and Sarah Coloring Page from Bible Printables

Abraham and Sarah - Play Through the Bible from Steadfast Family


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Isaac is born to Abraham and Sarah.
Isaac is born to Abraham and Sarah


Abraham Lies to Abimelek: What lessons can we learn from this story?

Abraham Lies to Abimelek
Image Credit:  FreeBibleImages.org

Abraham Lies to Abimelek

Abraham is one of my favorite people from the Bible, but he wasn't perfect.  In Genesis 20, we open up with Abraham telling a lie, the same one he told in Genesis 12, that Sarah is his sister rather than his wife. Since Abraham passes Sarah off as his sister, Abimelek takes her.  However, God speaks to Abimelek in a dream telling him that he "is as good as dead" because he has taken a married woman.  Abimelek makes a plea to God explaining that he had not yet touched Sarah and the only reason he took her in the first place is because Abraham told him that Sarah was his sister, not his wife.  God tells Abimelek to return Sarah to Abraham and Abraham will pray for Abimelek, but if Abimelek fails to return Sarah, he and all that belongs to him will die.

The next morning, Abimelek calls his officials and explains what has happened.  Abimelek calls Abraham in and says, "What have you done to us? How have I wronged you that you have brought such great guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should never be done . . . What was your reason for doing this?"

Abraham Lies to Abimelek
Image Credit:  Wenceslaus Hollar - Public Domain Image via Wikimedia Commons

Abraham explains that Sarah is actually his half sister.  They have the same father but not the same mother.  Sarah eventually became his wife.  The problem here is that Abraham told the half truth in order to deceive.  A half truth is still an untruth.  

Abraham's actions could have brought destruction upon Abimelek.

Abimelek returns Sarah to Abraham.  He also brings out sheep, cattle, and male and female slaves to give to Abraham.  This action is a public testament that the wrong here has been righted.  

Abraham prays to God on behalf of Abimelek (intercessory prayer again).  God heals Abimelek and his household so that the females in Abimelek's household are no longer barren as God has kept the women from conceiving because of the situation with Sarah.

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Lessons from Genesis 20

1.  Even when we mess up, God can intervene and use our mistakes for His good.

2.  A half truth is not truth.  It's still a lie.

3. One wrong action on our part can negatively impact the lives of others.

Here is an article by Elizabeth Mitchell from Answers in Genesis that explains more about this story.

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Abraham Lies to Abimelek
Abraham Lies to Abimelek


Snowflake Activities for Kids

Snowflake Activities for Kids
Snowflake Activities for Kids - Image Credit:  JillWellington - CCO Public Domain Image via Pixabay

Winter is here!  I'm a summer person but if we are going to have to live through winter, we might as well make it fun, especially for kids.  Here is a list of snowflake activities for kids.  The list includes some unique ideas so pick a few (or pick them all) and have a little snowflake fun with the kiddos.

Snowflake Activities for Kids

Snowflake Balance by Happy Toddler Playtime

Beaded Snowflake Craft:  Math and Find Motor Activity by Early Learning Ideas

Snowflake Balance Game from And Next Comes L

How to Cut Paper Snowflakes with Kids from Home Happens Here

Snowflake Activities for Kids

Torn Paper Snowflakes by Toddler at Play

DIY Crystal Snowflakes by Adventures of a DIY Mom

Q Tip Snowflakes by Playdough to Plato

Beautiful and Super Simple Snowflake Painting for Kids by Crafting a Fun Life

Snowflake Activities for Kids
This snowflake coloring book for kids is available here.

How to Make Coffee Filter Snowflakes by The Printables Fairy

Winter STEM with Snowflakes by STEM Activities for Kids

Indoor Activity for Toddlers - Fizzy Snowflakes by I Can Teach My Child

Geoboard Snowflakes STEM Activity for Kids by Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls

Snowflake Activities for Kids
This beaded snowflake ornaments craft kit is available here.

Snowflake Stitching Fine Motor Craft for Kids by Hands On Learning with Life Over Cs

Build a Snowflake:  Symmetry Math Activity and Free Printable by A Little Pinch of Perfect

Marshmallow and Toothpick Snowflake STEM Activity by Preschool Inspirations

Letter Identification and Snowflake Ball Toss by East TN Family Fun

Snowflake Activities for Kids
This set of foam snowflake shapes is available here.

Magic Salt and Watercolor Snowflake Art Project for Kids by One Little Project at a Time

Paper Plate Snowflake Yarn Art by I Heart Crafty Things

How do Snowflakes Form?  Hands on Science For Kids by Kitchen Counter Chronicles

Free Snowflake Printable for Math and Language Activities by Nurture Store


You might also like this post:  Penguin Activities for Kids

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Snowflake Activities for Kids
Snowflake Activities for Kids


Abraham Pleads For Even 10 Righteous People in Sodom and Gomorrah

Abraham Pleads for Even 10 Righteous People in Sodom and Gomorrah
Image Credit:  Free Bible Images - Creative Commons License

Abraham Pleads for Even 10 Righteous People in Sodom and Gomorrah

This passage in Genesis 18 is a beautiful example of intercessory prayer.  When the Lord reveals that He is going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham pleads for anyone righteous who might live there.  Remember the three visitors from my previous post about God promising Abraham and Sarah a son?  As the three visitors get up to leave, they began walking toward Sodom and Gomorrah.  Abraham walks with them.  As the 2 angles begin walking toward the two cities, Abraham stands before the Lord and says,"Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? What if there are 50 righteous people in the city?  Will you really destroy it and not spare it for the sake of the 50 righteous ones?"  

In fact, Abraham gets a bit bold while pleading for the sake of any righteous ones in Sodom and Gomorrah.

Far be it from You to do such a thing - to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike.  Far be it from You!  Will not the judge of all the earth do right? (Genesis 18:25)

The Lord tells Abraham that He won't destroy the city if He finds that there are 50 righteous people there.  Then Abraham pleads for 45, then 40, then 30, then 20, then Abraham pleads for even 10 righteous people in Sodom and Gomorrah.  

The Lord tells Abraham that He will not destroy Sodom and Gomorrah if there are only 10 righteous people living there.  At that point, Abraham returns to his home.

Lot prepares a meal.
Image Credit:  FreeBibleImages.org - Creative Commons License

As we enter Genesis 19, the angels and the Lord approach Sodom and Gomorrah.  They find Lot sitting at the gate.  Lot invites the men to his house.  At first they decline, but then when Lot insists, they agree to go to Lot's house. Lot prepares a meal for them, but before they go to bed, all the men in the city surround Lot's house.  The men called for Lot to send the visitors (angels) out so the they could have sex with them.  

Bad men threaten to overtake Lot.
Image Credit:  FreeBibleImages.org - Creative Commons License

That's how ugly and evil the city had become.

Lot begs them to not do such a wicked thing but then Lot offers his daughters instead.

The men remain persistant and move to break down Lot's door.  The men (angels) inside Lot's house pull Lot back inside.  They shut Lot's door and then they strike the men outside with blindness so that they can no longer find the door.

The angels tell Lot to get everyone who belongs to him out of the city because they are about to destroy it. 

Lot pleads with his sons-in-law who are pledged to marry his daughters to get out, but his sons-in-law think he is joking.  The angles tell lot to take his wife and daughters and leave quickly.  Lot hesitates so the angels grab the hands of Lot's wife and daughters to lead them safely out of the city.

Angels lead Lot's wife and daughters to safety.
Image Credit:  FreeBibleImages.org - Creative Commons License

As soon as they were safely out of the city, one of the angels tells them to flee for their lives to the mountains.  He tells them to not stop in the plain and don't look back or they will be swept away.

Lot tells the angels that he will not be able to make it across the plain to the mountains.  He begs to be allowed to go to a small town instead, one that he will be able to reach in time.  His request is granted so Lot heads for the small town of Zoar.

By the time Lot reaches Zoar, the sun is coming up.  This is when the Lord destroys Sodom and Gomorrah and the entire plain.  Lot's wife looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt.

Lot's wife looked back and turned to salt.
Image Credit:  FreeBibleImages.org - Creative Commons License

Abraham gets up and heads to the place where he had previously spoken with the Lord, the place where he had plead for any of the righteous people in Sodom and Gomorrah.  Abraham sees the dense smoke from the destruction.  But the Lord remembered Abraham's plea.

So when God destroyed the cities of the plain, he remembered Abraham, and He brought Lot out of the catastrophe that overthrew the cities where Lot had lived. - Genesis 19:29

Lot and his two daughters left Zoar and settled in the mountains.  They lived in a cave.  

Now this next part is hard to read but it happened according to Genesis 19:30-38.

Lot's older daughter speaks to her younger sister.  She tells her younger sister that their father is old and there are no other men around to give them children.  In summary, each of the two daughters get Lot drunk and they each sleep with him while he is drunk.  Lot was too intoxicated to know what had happened both times.  Each daughter conceives a son by her own father.  The older daughter became the mother of Moab (the future father of the Moabites).  The younger daughter became the mother of Ben-Ammi (future father of the Ammonites).

Whew!  What a story in Genesis 18-19!

Teach the Kids

The story of Sodom and Gomorrah and Lot and his daughters don't seem very child friendly, but we can teach our children valuable lessons from this passage.

1.  God is a just God, but He is also merciful.

Sodom and Gomorrah fell under God's justice, but God was merciful toward Lot and his family.

2.  Intercessory prayer is important.  

When we pray for other people, God listens just as He listened to Abraham when Abraham pleaded for the lives of anyone righteous in Sodom and Gomorrah.

3.  We must obey God.  We must do what he says.

Here is a list of lessons to help teach children about the Bible history of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Sodom and Gomorrah - Free Bible Lesson for Under 5s by TrueWay Kids

Sodom and Gomorrah - Bible Time Fun Through the Bible by BibleTime Interactive Family Devotional

Sodom and Gomorrah Bible Crafts by Danielle's Place

Sodom and Gomorrah by Sunday School Resources

Sodom and Gomorrah Coded Words by Sunday School Zone

Sodom and Gomorrah by Mission Bible Class

Sodom and Gomorrah Crossword Puzzle by Sunday school Zone

This post is part of my coloring through Genesis series.  I love my Beautiful Work coloring Bible.  If you would like to color through your own Bible, you'll find it here.

The Beautiful Word Coloring Bible

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Abraham pleads for even 10 righteous people in Sodom and Gomorrah.
Abraham pleads for even 10 righteous people in Sodom and Gomorrah.


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