🎧 Listen to the teacher guide
Explore the profound covenant in Genesis 17 and learn how to teach kids about the power of an everlasting promise. We discuss the significance of the name changes for Abraham and Sarah and how to help elementary students trust in Almighty God when they are waiting for Him to move in their lives.
God's Everlasting Promise to Abraham
(Genesis 17)
Imagine waiting for something for twenty-four years. That is how long it had been since God first promised Abram that he would have a massive family. By now, Abram was ninety-nine years old. He was an old man, and his wife Sarai was very old, too. Humanly speaking, it was impossible for them to have a baby. But our God is the God of the impossible.
One afternoon, the silence of the desert was broken when God appeared to Abram once again. His first words were powerful: "I am Almighty God; walk before me and be blameless." God wanted Abram to know that He had not forgotten. "I am making a covenant with you," God said. A covenant is a special, serious promise that can never be broken. God promised that Abram would not just have a son, but that he would be the father of many nations and that kings would come from his family.
To show that this was a brand-new start, God changed their names. "You shall no longer be called Abram," God declared, "but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations." He did the same for his wife: "As for Sarai your wife, you shall call her Sarah. I will bless her and give you a son by her!" When Abraham heard this, he was so overwhelmed by God's goodness and power that he fell on his face. He even laughed to himself, wondering how a man his age could become a father. But God was serious. He even told Abraham the baby's name: Isaac.
God also gave Abraham a sign of the covenant, a physical mark to remind every generation that they belonged to the one true God. This promise wasn't just for a few years; God called it an everlasting covenant. Abraham showed his faith through obedience. That very same day, he did exactly what God commanded. He didn't wait or make excuses. He trusted that the Almighty God who promised him a son would be faithful to make it happen, no matter how impossible it seemed.
A Curious Question
In the Bible, a person’s name usually told a story about who they were, so why do you think God gave Abraham and Sarah brand-new names right before He did something impossible for them?
Jesus Connection
In this story, God makes an everlasting covenant with Abraham. That is a big, grown-up way of saying a promise that never, ever ends! God promised to be the God of Abraham’s family forever, but that promise was actually a hint about something even bigger. This story points us straight to Jesus. You see, Jesus is the ultimate way God kept His promise to Abraham. Through Jesus, God opened up His family to everyone in the world, not just one family. When we trust in Jesus, we are joined to that same great family of faith. Just like God was faithful to give Abraham a son and a new name, He is faithful to give us a new life and a home with Him forever. Jesus is the proof that God always keeps His promises.
Discussion Questions
- How do you think Abraham and Sarah felt when they heard God’s amazing news, and why is it sometimes hard to believe God can do the impossible?
- What makes an "everlasting promise" from God different and better than a promise a person might make to you?
- When you have to wait a very long time for something, how does knowing that God is faithful help you stay patient and joyful?
“So What” What Can I do?
- God made a big everlasting promise to Abraham and He has also made one to you. This week when you feel worried or scared you can remind yourself of God’s promise of eternal life through Jesus because that is a promise that will never end.
- Since you are a child of God you can show others you belong to His family by doing one kind thing today. You could share a favorite toy or help clean up a mess without being asked.
- Because God is Almighty He can do things that we cannot do on our own. Think of one thing that feels too hard for you right now and say a short prayer asking the all-powerful God to help you trust His strength.
Memorize God's Word
Genesis 17:1: I am the Almighty God; walk before me and be blameless.
Hand Motions:
- I am the Almighty God: Point both hands up high with palms facing up as if holding up the sky.
- walk before me: Step in place while looking forward.
- and be blameless: Cross your arms over your chest like you are giving yourself a hug to show you are clean and pure before God.
Praying with Kids
Dear Father, thank you for being the Almighty God who is all-powerful and keeps every promise you make. Thank you for your everlasting promise to save us through Jesus. Help us to trust you completely just like Abraham did and help us remember that you are always with us and always working for our good. Amen.
Craft or Activity
"Promise Star" Mobile
This craft helps kids remember that God's promises are bright and never-ending. They can hang this mobile in their room to remind them of the big things God has said to them.
Materials Checklist
Instructions
- Draw one large star and several smaller stars on your paper then cut them out.
- Write the memory verse Genesis 17:1 on the large star.
- On the small stars write different promises from God like I will love you forever or I will always be with you.
- Punch a hole in the top and bottom points of the stars.
- Use string to tie the small stars so they hang down from the large star.
- Hang your mobile in a place where you can see it and remember that God is faithful.
Effective Teaching Techniques
- Role-play: Choose two children to be Abraham and Sarah. Act out the moment God gives them their new names so the class can see how special that promise was.
- Visual Aid: Draw a large star on your whiteboard before class starts. As the children mention different promises of God you can write them inside the star for everyone to see.
- Heart Conversation: When discussing the lesson remind the children that God is Almighty. This means He has all the power needed to keep every promise He has ever made to us.