ABRAHAM & SARAH HAVE A SON, ISAAC
Genesis CHAPTER 18 Abraham entertains three holy men—They promise that Sarah will have a son—Abraham will command his children to be just—The Lord appears to him—They discuss the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Genesis CHAPTER 21 Sarah bears Isaac—He is circumcised—Hagar and her son are cast out of Abraham’s household—The Lord saves Hagar and Ishmael—Abraham and Abimelech deal honorably with each other.
I can trust God to keep His promises.
Genesis 17:15–21; 18:14; 21:1–7
Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026 & Come, Follow Me—For Primary: Old Testament 2022 “Genesis 18–23”
Even though God had promised that Sarah and Abraham were going to have a son, as they got older it seemed impossible—Abraham was 100 years old, and Sarah was 90 (see Genesis 17:17).
Write on the chalkboard: Is anything too hard for the Lord? Invite the children to discuss this question. Or write each word from the first sentence of Genesis 18:14 on a separate piece of paper, and give one to each child. Then ask the class to put the words in the correct order.
You and your children could then read Genesis 17:15–21; 21:1–7 to find an example of something the Lord did that seemed impossible. Share with your children your faith that the Lord will fulfill His promises, even if they seem impossible or take a long time.
Abraham and Sarah had a baby boy, just as the Lord promised. They named him Isaac. Genesis 17:9; 21:1–3
- To learn about Abraham and Sarah’s trust in God’s promises, you and your children could talk about a time when they had to wait for something they really wanted. You could then look at the picture of Sarah and Isaac and talk about the promise God made to her and Abraham. Help your children think of things that God has promised us if we are faithful. Encourage them to be patient and trust that God will keep His promises.
The below handout is from Rachel’s Booknook
- With the children, sing a song that testifies of God’s promises, such as “Keep the Commandments” (Children’s Songbook, 146–47). Help the children identify things that God has promised us if we are faithful.
Additional Teaching Ideas:
“Lesson 11: Abraham and Isaac,” Primary 6: Old Testament (Pages 35-38) 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.
Friend February 2022 “Abraham and Sarah”
LOT AND SODOM AND GOMORRAH
Genesis CHAPTER 19 Lot entertains holy men—The men of Sodom seek to abuse Lot’s guests and are smitten with blindness—Lot is sent out of Sodom—The Lord rains brimstone and fire upon Sodom and Gomorrah—Lot’s daughters preserve his seed in the land.
I Can Flee Wickedness.
Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026
- Ask your children about situations in which someone might invite them to do something they know isn’t right. How would we “flee” these situations?
Friend November 2017 “Peer Pressure Problems” Ideas on how to deal with peer pressure to avoid making wrong choices
- Summarize Genesis 19:15–26 by explaining that Lot’s family lived in a very wicked city and angels warned them to leave. As you and your children read together verses 15–17, 26, ask them what it might mean for us today to “escape” evil and “look not behind” (verse 17).
- Display a picture of the Savior, and ask the children to take a step toward it as they share one thing they can do to flee wickedness and come closer to Christ.
Additional Resources
“Lesson 28: Genesis 18,” Old Testament Seminary Student Material (2018)
According to Joseph Smith Translation, Genesis 18:3 (in Genesis 18:3, footnote a), the three messengers who visited Abraham were referred to as “My brethren” instead of “My Lord,” indicating that the Lord was not one of the three men. Joseph Smith Translation, Genesis 18:23 (in Genesis 18:22, footnote a) clarifies that these three messengers were “holy men … sent forth after the order of God.” In the King James Version of the Bible, the word angels, which was used in reference to these men (see Genesis 19:1), was translated from the Hebrew word malakhim, which can also mean “messengers.”
Although we do not know the identity of the three messengers, Abraham treated them as if they were presiding authorities of the Lord’s kingdom then on the earth, and their messages were directly from the Lord (see Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary[1973], 3:235; Sidney B. Sperry, “Abraham’s Three Visitors,” Improvement Era, Aug. 1931, 583, 585).
ABRAHAM AND ISAAC, SACRIFICE
Genesis CHAPTER 22 Abraham is commanded to sacrifice Isaac, his son—Both father and son yield to the will of God—Abraham’s seed will be as the stars and the sand in number—In his seed, all nations will be blessed—Rebekah is born to Bethuel.
Old Testament Stories “Abraham and Isaac” Illustrations
Abraham Obeyed the Lord.
Come, Follow Me—For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026
- Using pictures of Abraham and Isaac and of the Crucifixion (see Gospel Art Book, nos. 9, 57) can help your children compare the story in Genesis 22 with the Savior’s sacrifice. How does the story of Abraham and Isaac remind us of the sacrifice Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ made for us.
| Isaac | Jesus Christ |
|---|---|
| Isaac was Abraham and Sarah’s only son (see Genesis 22:2). | Jesus was the Only Begotten Son of the Father (see John 3:16). |
| Isaac was to be offered on a mountain in the land of Moriah, which tradition holds was the temple mount in Jerusalem (see Genesis 22:2; 2 Chronicles 3:1). | Jesus was crucified on a hill outside of Jerusalem (see Mark 15:22). |
| Isaac was to be a burnt offering (see Genesis 22:2). | All sacrifices are to be done in similitude of Jesus Christ (see Moses 5:5–7). |
| Isaac carried the wood for the sacrifice (see Genesis 22:6). | Jesus carried His cross (see John 19:17). |
| Abraham said God would provide a lamb (see Genesis 22:8). | Jesus was the Lamb offered up for us (see 1 Peter 1:19). |
| Isaac was bound and laid upon the altar (see Genesis 22:9). | Jesus was nailed to the cross (see Luke 23:33). |
| Isaac submitted to the will of his father (see Genesis 22:9). | Jesus submitted to the will of His Father (see Luke 22:42). |
| Abraham did not withhold his son (see Genesis 22:11). | God so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son (see John 3:16). |
Can you think of a simple game to play with your children that requires them to follow directions? Maybe the directions could lead to a hidden picture of the Savior. The game could prompt a conversation about things Heavenly Father has commanded us to do so we can live with Him and Jesus Christ again. Consider singing a song such as “Keep the Commandments” (Children’s Songbook, 146–47). This week’s activity page could help as well.
Additional Resources
- Show the video “For God So Loved the World” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org), or sing together a song about the Savior’s sacrifice, such as “He Sent His Son” (Children’s Songbook,34–35). Invite the children to talk about how Jesus’s sacrifice shows Heavenly Father’s love for us.
What have we been asked to sacrifice as a family? How have these sacrifices brought us closer to God?
Additional Resources
Additional Chapters
Genesis CHAPTER 20 Abimelech desires Sarah, who is preserved by the Lord—Abraham prays for Abimelech, and the Lord blesses him and his household.
Genesis CHAPTER 23 Sarah dies and is buried in the cave of Machpelah, which Abraham buys from Ephron the Hittite.
See Old Testament Stories & Lesson Ideas & Old Testament: Activities & Games for additional lesson resources.