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Free Bible lesson for kids · Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

God Will Provide

God tested Abraham, telling him to offer his only son Isaac on a mountain in the land of Moriah. As they went up, Isaac carried the wood and asked, “Where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” and Abraham answered, “God will provide himself a lamb.” At the altar the angel of the LORD called out of heaven to stop him, and God provided a ram caught in a thicket in the stead of his son; long after, God gave His own Son, Jesus, the Lamb of God (John 1:29; Romans 8:32).

Bible passage
Genesis 22:1–19
Big idea
God provides what we need, and He gave Jesus, the Lamb, for us.
Memory verse
And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. Genesis 22:8 (KJV)
Ages
Preschool to preteen (3 to 12), with tips for each age
Time
About 45 minutes
Included, free
Animated story film, coloring page, class sheet, teacher guide, questions and answers, a game

The story

God tested Abraham. He said, “Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest,” and offer him as a burnt offering in the land of Moriah (Genesis 22:1–2). Abraham rose up early and went (Genesis 22:3). Isaac carried the wood, and Abraham carried the fire (Genesis 22:6). Isaac asked, “Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” (Genesis 22:7).

Abraham answered, “My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering” (Genesis 22:8). There Abraham built an altar and laid Isaac on the wood (Genesis 22:9). But the angel of the LORD called out of heaven and told him not to harm the boy (Genesis 22:11–12). Abraham saw a ram caught in a thicket by his horns, and he offered it in the stead of his son (Genesis 22:13).

Read it in the Bible: Genesis 22:1–19 (KJV)

1And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. 2And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. 3And 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 wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. 4Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. 5And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. 6And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. 7And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? 8And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. 9And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. 10And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. 11And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. 12And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. 13And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a 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. 14And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen. 15And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, 16And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: 17That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. 19So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.

Questions to ask

  1. What did Isaac carry up the mountain?

    The wood for the burnt offering (Genesis 22:6).

  2. What did Abraham tell Isaac when he asked about the lamb?

    “My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering” (Genesis 22:8).

  3. What did God provide in the place of Isaac?

    A ram caught in a thicket by his horns (Genesis 22:13).

What this story teaches

  • Real faith trusts God with what we love most (Genesis 22:2, 12).
  • Abraham believed God could even raise Isaac from the dead (Hebrews 11:17–19).
  • God provides what we need at just the right time (Genesis 22:13).
  • God gave His own Son for us all (Romans 8:32).
  • God blesses those who trust and obey Him (Genesis 22:16–18).

Jesus Is God’s Lamb

Abraham said God would provide a lamb. God provided Jesus, “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

John 1:29

A 45-minute lesson plan

5 minWelcome and pray. Greet each child by name and pray: Thank God for providing Jesus, the Lamb of God, for us.
10 minThe story. Play the story film: each verse appears on screen in the King James Version while the scene plays. Pause to ask what happens next.
10 minTalk about it. Ask the three questions below. Then ask: “God provides what we need, and He gave Jesus, the Lamb, for us.” What does that mean for us?
5 minMemory verse. Say Genesis 22:8 together, covering one word at a time until the children can say it alone.
10 minActivity. Younger children color the coloring page while you retell the story; older children do the class sheet (memory-verse fill-in, word search and questions).
5 minPray and send home. Pray together and send the sheet home so families can talk about the first question this week.
  • Preschool: keep it short and physical. Act out the story, use a simple prop, and repeat the big idea in one sentence.
  • Elementary: let children find the passage in their own Bibles. Ask “who, what, where” questions first, then “why.”
  • Preteens: read the verses before and after the passage, and ask how this story fits the whole story of the Bible.

Game time

For kids · game · indoors · about 10 minutes

Find the Ram

You need: A toy sheep or paper ram, a pile of pillows or branches as a thicket

  1. One child leaves the room while the ram is hidden in or near the thicket.
  2. The child comes back and searches while everyone says “warmer” or “colder”.
  3. When they find it, everyone says, “God will provide!”

God provided a ram in place of Isaac. Long after, God gave His own Son, Jesus, the Lamb of God.

For youth group · activity · indoors · about 20 minutes

Jehovah-Jireh Wall

You need: Cards, tape

  1. Each person writes a time God provided for them or their family.
  2. Tape them to a wall under the words “The LORD Will Provide”.
  3. Read some aloud and pray for needs right now.

Abraham called the place Jehovah-jireh: the LORD will provide. He still does.

Pray

Thank God for providing Jesus, the Lamb of God, for us.

Questions people ask

What did Isaac carry up the mountain?

The wood for the burnt offering (Genesis 22:6).

What did Abraham tell Isaac when he asked about the lamb?

“My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering” (Genesis 22:8).

What did God provide in the place of Isaac?

A ram caught in a thicket by his horns (Genesis 22:13).