Free Bible lesson for kids · Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
Jacob’s Ladder
Jacob left home for Haran, and when the sun set he lay down to sleep with stones for his pillow. He dreamed of a ladder reaching to heaven with the angels of God going up and down on it, and the LORD promised, “I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest.” Jesus later said the angels of God would ascend and descend upon the Son of man, for He is the true way between heaven and earth (John 1:51).
- Bible passage
- Genesis 28:10–22
- Big idea
- God is with us wherever we go.
- Memory verse
And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.
Genesis 28:16 (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
Jacob left Beersheba and set out toward Haran (Genesis 28:10). When the sun set, he took stones of that place for his pillows and lay down to sleep (Genesis 28:11). He dreamed of a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. The angels of God were going up and down on it (Genesis 28:12).
The LORD stood above the ladder and promised Jacob the land, and that all the families of the earth would be blessed through his family (Genesis 28:13–14). He said, “I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest” (Genesis 28:15). Jacob woke up and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not” (Genesis 28:16). In the morning he set up his stone as a pillar, poured oil on it, and named the place Bethel (Genesis 28:18–19).
Read it in the Bible: Genesis 28:10–22 (KJV)
10And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. 11And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. 12And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. 13And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; 14And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. 16And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not. 17And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. 18And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. 19And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first. 20And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, 21So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: 22And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.
Questions to ask
What did Jacob use for a pillow?
Stones of that place (Genesis 28:11).
What did Jacob see in his dream?
A ladder set up on the earth reaching to heaven, with the angels of God ascending and descending on it (Genesis 28:12).
What did God promise Jacob?
“I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest” (Genesis 28:15).
What this story teaches
- God is with His people wherever they go (Genesis 28:15).
- God keeps His people and does all He promises (Genesis 28:15).
- The LORD is near even when we do not know it (Genesis 28:16).
- Through Jacob’s family, God would bless all families on earth (Genesis 28:14).
- We thank God by giving back from all He gives us (Genesis 28:22).
Jesus Opens Heaven to Us
Jacob saw angels going up and down a ladder to heaven. Jesus said heaven would open, and angels would ascend and descend upon Him, the Son of man.
John 1:51
A 45-minute lesson plan
| 5 min | Welcome and pray. Greet each child by name and pray: Thank God that He is with us everywhere we go. |
|---|---|
| 10 min | The 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 min | Talk about it. Ask the three questions below. Then ask: “God is with us wherever we go.” What does that mean for us? |
| 5 min | Memory verse. Say Genesis 28:16 together, covering one word at a time until the children can say it alone. |
| 10 min | Activity. 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 min | Pray 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
Ladder Hop
You need: Tape for a long ladder on the floor
- Tape a long ladder on the floor.
- Kids hop up the ladder one rung at a time, like the angels going up, then hop back down.
- Try hopping on one foot, or two rungs at a time.
Jacob dreamed of a ladder to heaven, and God said, “I am with thee.” Jesus is the true way between heaven and earth.
For youth group · activity · indoors · about 20 minutes
Bethel Stones
You need: Smooth stones, permanent markers
- Read Genesis 28:16–22: Jacob set up a stone to remember where God met him.
- Each person writes on a stone a word for a time God met them.
- Stack the stones together as a memorial, or take them home.
Jacob said, “Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.” God is with us more than we know.
Pray
Thank God that He is with us everywhere we go.