This lesson teaches children that God keeps every promise He makes, even when the people involved are old, sick, or surprised by what happens. It suits children ages 5 to 11 and takes about 20 to 30 minutes, including the story, the memory verse, and the activity.
Big Idea
God always keeps His promises, and He blesses families across the generations. Even when things don’t go the way we expect, God is faithful to what He has said.
Memory Verse
Genesis 48:21
Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am dying, but God will be with you, and bring you again to the land of your fathers.
(WEB)
Hold both hands out flat in front of you, palms up, like you are offering a gift. Then slowly bring them together and say the first words of the verse as you do it. Repeat the motion three times, and the children will learn it with their hands as well as their voices.
The Story: Genesis 48 for Kids
Joseph was an important man in Egypt, and his father Jacob was getting very old. One day someone came to Joseph and said, “Your father is sick.” Joseph wanted to see him, so he took his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, and went to visit. Jacob was tired and weak, but he was happy to see his son and his grandsons.
Jacob sat up on his bed and told Joseph about a promise God had made to him long ago. God had said that Jacob’s family would grow into many people, and that they would one day have a land of their own. Jacob reminded Joseph that God had always taken care of him, all his life long. Jacob also said that Joseph’s sons would be counted as his own, just like Reuben and Simeon.
Then Jacob looked at the two boys and asked, “Who are these?” Joseph told him that they were his sons, given to him by God. Jacob’s eyes were too dim to see well, so Joseph brought the boys close. Jacob kissed them and hugged them. He said, “I never thought I would see your face again, and now God has let me see your children too!”
Joseph placed Ephraim on his father’s left side and Manasseh on his right side, since Manasseh was the older boy. But Jacob crossed his arms and put his right hand on the younger boy, Ephraim. Joseph was surprised and tried to move his father’s hand. Jacob said, “I know what I am doing, my son. The younger one will be great too.” Then Jacob blessed both boys and asked God to bless them.
Before Jacob died, he told Joseph, “God will be with you, and He will bring you back to the land of your fathers.” Jacob trusted God’s promise, and his family would remember that God keeps His word.
Read It Together
Genesis 48:15-16
15 He blessed Joseph, and said, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has fed me all my life long to this day, 16 the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads, and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac. Let them grow into a multitude upon the earth.”
(WEB)
Point out that Jacob remembers all the ways God took care of him over his whole life. Ask the children to name something God has done for their family this year, and thank Him for it together.
Genesis 48:19
His father refused, and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also will become a people, and he also will be great. However, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his offspring will become a multitude of nations.”
(WEB)
Explain that God does not always choose the way people expect. Jacob picked the younger son for the greater blessing, which shows that God’s plans are wiser than ours, and we can trust Him when we don’t understand.
Genesis 48:4
And said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful, and multiply you, and I will make of you a company of peoples, and will give this land to your offspring after you for an everlasting possession.’
(WEB)
Show the children that God’s promise was not small. He said He would give a whole land and many families to Jacob’s people. Remind them that God’s promises are always bigger than we imagine and always come true.
Talk About It
- What do you think Jacob felt when he saw Joseph’s sons again?
- Why do you think Joseph was surprised when Jacob crossed his hands?
- What is one promise God has made in the Bible that you know about?
- How did God take care of Jacob all his life, even when things were hard?
- When you feel worried, how can remembering God’s promises help you feel brave?
Activity Ideas
Handprint Blessing Craft
You will need construction paper, crayons or markers, scissors, and glue. Have each child trace their hand on paper and cut it out. On each finger, have them write or draw one thing they are thankful for. Talk about how Jacob blessed his grandsons with his hands, and explain that the children’s hands can remind them of God’s blessings every day.
Crossed Hands Movement Game
You will need a open space and a bean bag or soft ball. Have the children stand in a circle and cross their arms over their chests. Pass the bean bag around the circle while they keep their arms crossed, like Jacob did. Each time someone drops it, they say one thing God has promised to do. This helps children see that blessing can take unexpected shapes.
Promise Keeper Card
You will need index cards, a pen, and a small envelope. Write “God keeps His promises” on each card and draw a simple picture of a hand or a family. Ask each child to take one card home and place it in a family Bible or on the kitchen table. Encourage them to read it aloud at dinner this week and talk about one way God has kept His word in their own life.
Teacher Notes
For adults, this chapter shows how God’s covenant promises pass from one generation to the next, and how faith can be expressed in blessing and trust even in old age and weakness. Jacob’s choice to bless the younger son over the firstborn reminds us that God’s sovereign plans often overturn human expectations, and that the blessing rests on God’s faithfulness rather than on human merit.
Avoid suggesting to children that God always blesses the youngest child or that they can earn blessing by doing good things. Keep the focus on God’s faithfulness and His kindness, not on a formula for getting what we want.
A Prayer to Close
Lord, thank You for keeping every promise You make to us. Thank You for taking care of our families, just as You cared for Jacob and Joseph. Help us to trust You even when we don’t understand what is happening, and help us to remember all the good things You have done. Amen.
