Lesson 11: Abraham and Isaac

Primary 6: Old Testament, (1996), 43–46

https://www.lds.org/search?lang=eng&query=abraham+three+holy+men

Purpose

To help the children understand that we should trust Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ completely.

Preparation

1.
Prayerfully study:
- • Genesis 18:1–16—Abraham entertains three holy men, who promise that Sarah will have a son.
- • Genesis 21:1–8—Isaac is born to Sarah and Abraham.
- • Genesis 22:1–14—Abraham is commanded to sacrifice Isaac, but Isaac’s life is spared.
- • Genesis 22:15–19—Abraham is promised great blessings.
2. Additional reading: Jacob 4:5—Abraham’s offering of Isaac was in similitude of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

5 Behold, they believed in Christ and ^aworshiped the Father in his name, and also we worship the Father in his ^bname. And for this intent we ^ckeep the ^dlaw of Moses, it ^epointing our souls to him; and for this cause it is sanctified unto us for righteousness, even as it was accounted unto Abraham in the wilderness to be obedient unto the commands of God in offering up his son Isaac, which is a ^fsimilitude of God and his^gOnly Begotten Son.

3. Study the lesson and decide how you want to teach the children the scripture account (see “Preparing Your Lessons,”p. vi, and “Teaching from the Scriptures,” p. vii). Select the discussion questions and enrichment activities that will best help the children achieve the purpose of the lesson.
4. Materials needed:
1. a. A Bible for each child.
2. b. A Book of Mormon and a Pearl of Great Price.
3. c. Pictures 6-11, Abraham Taking Isaac to Be Sacrificed (Gospel Art Picture Kit 105; 62054); 6-12, The Crossing of the Red Sea (62100); 6-13, Daniel in the Lions’ Den (Gospel Art Picture Kit 117; 62096); and 6-14, Three Men in the Fiery Furnace (Gospel Art Picture Kit 116; 62093).

Suggested Lesson Development

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Write on the chalkboard:

Is anything too hard for the Lord?

Invite the children to discuss this question.

•How hard do you think it would have been for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ to create our beautiful world and everything in it?
•Do you think they could move a mountain or change the direction of a river if they wanted to?

Show the pictures The Crossing of the Red Sea, Daniel in the Lions’ Den, and Three Men in the Fiery Furnace. Briefly explain that the Lord parted the waters of the Red Sea to let Moses and the Israelites escape from the Egyptian army, he protected Daniel from a den of lions, and he kept three young men from being burned when they were cast into a fiery furnace. (Note: Do not teach these stories in detail. Tell the children that they will learn more about these stories later in the year.) Point out that these people trusted in the Lord and had faith that his will would be done. Their faith was rewarded with miracles.

Refer again to the question on the chalkboard, and tell the children they are going to learn about a time when Abraham and Sarah were asked this question.

Scripture Account

Teach the children the account of the birth of Isaac to Abraham and Sarah from Genesis 18:1–16

1 And the Lord ^aappeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;

2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three ^amen stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,

3 And said, My ^aLord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:

4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and ^awash your feet, and^brest yourselves under the tree:

5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and ^acomfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye ^bcome to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.

6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.

7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.

8 And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.

9 ¶And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.

10 And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, ^aSarah thy wife shall have a ^bson. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.

11 Now Abraham and Sarah were ^aold and well stricken in age; and it^bceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.

12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being ^aold also?

13 And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah ^alaugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am ^bold?

14 Is any thing too ^ahard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the ^btime of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.

16 ¶And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.

and Genesis 21:1–8.

1 And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken.

2 For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.

3 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.

4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.

5 And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.

6 ¶And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.

7 And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.

8 And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.

Help the children understand that Isaac’s birth was a miracle because Sarah was too old to have a baby. (For suggested ways to teach the scripture account, see “Teaching from the Scriptures,” p. vii.)

Discussion and Application Questions

Study the following questions and the scripture references as you prepare your lesson. Use the questions you feel will best help the children understand the scriptures and apply the principles in their lives. Reading and discussing the scriptures with the children in class will help them gain personal insights.

•How did Abraham treat the three holy men who visited him? (Genesis 18:3–8.) What did these men tell Abraham? (Genesis 18:10.) Why did Sarah laugh when she heard what they said? (Genesis 18:11–12; laugh in these verses probably means to rejoice.)
• What important lesson did the Lord teach Abraham? (Genesis 18:14.) What can we learn from this? (Anything is possible if it is the Lord’s will.)
• What did Abraham and Sarah name their son? (Genesis 21:3.) How old were Abraham and Sarah when Isaac was born? (Genesis 17:17.) How do you think Abraham and Sarah felt when they finally had a baby after so many years? (Genesis 21:6; see the footnote to Genesis 21:6 in the LDS edition of the Bible.)
• How did Abraham and Sarah learn to have greater trust in the Lord through this experience? How can we develop more trust in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ? How can we show our trust in them? (See enrichment activities 3 and 4.)

Scripture Account

Teach the children the account of God commanding Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac from Genesis 22:1–14. Display the picture Abraham Taking Isaac to Be Sacrificed at an appropriate time.

1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did ^atempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.

HEB test, or prove.

2 And he said, ^aTake now thy son, thine ^bonly son Isaac, whom thou^clovest, and get thee into the land of ^dMoriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

3 ¶And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the ^awood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.

4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.

5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and ^aworship, and come again to you.

6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and ^alaid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.

7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, ^aHere am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a ^alamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and ^alaid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the ^baltar upon the wood.

10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

11 And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

12 And he said, ^aLay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou ^bfearest God, seeing thou hast not ^cwithheld thy son, thine only son from me.

13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind hima ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

14 And Abraham called the name of that place ^aJehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, ^bIn the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.

Discussion and Application Questions

• What did God command Abraham to do? (Genesis 22:2.) Why did God ask Abraham to do such a difficult thing? (Genesis 22:1; see the footnote to Genesis 22:1 in the LDS edition of the Bible. Tempt in this case means to test or prove.)
• What did Abraham do when God told him to take his son to Moriah to sacrifice him? (Genesis 22:3.) Why would it have been difficult for Abraham to sacrifice Isaac? (Genesis 17:19.) Remind the children that Abraham was nearly sacrificed himself, and he knew human sacrifice was wrong (see lesson 9and Abraham 1:7–8, 15). Why do you think Abraham quickly obeyed? How does this show that Abraham trusted Heavenly Father?
• How do you think Abraham felt when Isaac asked him where the lamb was for the sacrifice? (Genesis 22:7–8.)
• Why did the Lord send an angel to stop Abraham from killing his son? (Genesis 22:12.) How do you think Abraham felt then?
• What blessings did the Lord promise Abraham because of his faithfulness? (Genesis 22:16–18.) Explain that seed refers to descendants or children. All those who have been baptized become the “seed” of Abraham.

16 And said, By myself have I ^asworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:

17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy ^aseed as the stars of the heaven, and as the ^bsand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the ^cgate of his enemies;

18 And in thy ^aseed shall all the nations of the earth be ^bblessed; because thou hast ^cobeyed my voice.

• Can you think of another Father who had to sacrifice his Son? Emphasize that one reason Abraham was asked to sacrifice his son was to teach about the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ (see Jacob 4:5). Why was it necessary that Heavenly Father’s Son not be saved from his sacrifice? Point out the parallels between Heavenly Father sending Jesus Christ to earth to be sacrificed and the near-sacrifice of Isaac by Abraham (see enrichment activity 1).
• How does Abraham’s near-sacrifice of Isaac help you better understand Heavenly Father’s love for you in sacrificing his Son? What does the sacrifice that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ made mean to you? How does this help you have greater trust in what Heavenly Father and Jesus ask us to do?

Enrichment Activities

You may use one or more of the following activities any time during the lesson or as a review, summary, or challenge.

1. Discuss the following parallels between Heavenly Father sending Jesus Christ to earth to be sacrificed and the near-sacrifice of Isaac by Abraham:
1. a. Isaac was the only son of Abraham and Sarah.
  Jesus Christ is Heavenly Father’s Only Begotten Son in the flesh (Heavenly Father is the father of Jesus’ spirit and body).
2. b. Abraham loved Isaac.
  Heavenly Father loves Jesus.
3. c. Abraham was obedient to Heavenly Father.
  Isaac was obedient to his father.
4. Jesus was obedient to his Father.
5. d. The Lord provided a ram for Abraham’s sacrifice.
  Heavenly Father provided Jesus, the Lamb of God, for a sacrifice for us.
2. Read and discuss Proverbs 3:5–6. Help the children memorize all or part of this scripture. Encourage the children to recite this scripture for their families and discuss its meaning with them.

Proverbs 3:5–6
5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

3. Suggest the following or similar situations when the children need to trust Heavenly Father. Help them decide how to show this trust.
- When we pray. (Ask that Heavenly Father’s will be done.)
- When we come to Primary. (Listen and learn.)
- When we are tempted to do something wrong. (Remember what Jesus taught, and refuse to do the wrong thing.)
- When someone hurts our feelings. (Be forgiving and show love instead of anger.)
- When we think we need our tithing money for something else. (Pay tithing.)
- When our friends want us to play soccer or go to a movie on the Sabbath. (Keep the Sabbath day holy.)
- When it’s time to get up for family scripture reading and we are still sleepy. (Get up and read.)
4. Write on slips of paper blessings we might receive from trusting in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and doing what they ask. Use the following or similar blessings:
- Happiness
- Health
- Love for others
- A peaceful home
- A testimony of the gospel
- Stronger faith in Jesus Christ
- Enjoyment when we attend church
- The Holy Ghost as a companion
- • Place the slips of paper in a bag and ask, “How many of you like to receive good things?”
Remind the children that we have already received the great blessing of having the gospel of Jesus Christ. Tell them that Heavenly Father and Jesus have promised us many more blessings if we trust in them and live the gospel. Have the children take turns reading a blessing from the bag and discussing how they might gain that blessing. Be sure that ideas such as the following are covered:
- Participate willingly in family home evening and family prayer
- Attend church
- Help family members
- Obey parents
- Keep the Word of Wisdom
- Read the scriptures
Help the children realize that blessings do not always come immediately. Some blessings may come years later and some may not come while we are on the earth. Have the children each decide on something they can do during the coming week to show their trust in Heavenly Father and Jesus.
5. Sing or read the words to “He Sent His Son” (Children’s Songbook, p. 34).

Conclusion

Testimony

Express your gratitude for the sacrifices Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ made for you. Bear testimony that when we trust in them and obey their commandments, we will be blessed.

Suggested Family Sharing

Encourage the children to share with their families a specific part of the lesson, such as a story, question, or activity, or to read with their families the “Suggested Home Reading.”