Notes for each box:

Wild Places

• Remember that the Story of God and Noah’s Family ends with the Tower of Babel. Abraham came from a place very close to Babel, in the region that would eventually be called Babylonia. Joshua tells how Abraham’s family worshiped gods other than Yahweh.
• Yahweh tells Abram to leave that place and his relatives and go to the land that Yahweh will show him.

Through the Waters

• “The River” refers to the Euphrates River. Abraham was most likely called a Hebrew – which means “one from beyond” – because he came from beyond the River. This was rare because the Euphrates River was very big and difficult to cross. (Even now, parts of it are almost 2 miles across.)
• There was nothing miraculous about this crossing, but it is significant because God asked him to cross it in order to leave one land for another.

Blessing

• This blessing reminds us of God’s original blessing for humanity. The Garden of Eden is what we should picture when we hear the word blessing. Yahweh was telling Abraham that his family would bless all the other families with the life of the Garden.

Covenant

• In making a covenant with Abraham, Yahweh is inviting him to be His partner in blessing the families of earth with the life of the Garden.

Garden

• The land of Canaan is described as “well-watered everywhere… like the garden of Yahweh” (Genesis 13:10, WEB). Because God promised it to Abraham, it is also called “The Promised Land.” This was the future site of where God would bring heaven to earth and live with humanity like He did in the Garden of Eden. This land is extremely important to God’s covenant with Abraham. The Bible even uses language to link the place where Abraham has pitched his tent to both Noah’s story and the Garden of Eden. Abraham’s family lives in “The Promised Land” for several generations, but the only land Abraham comes to own is a burial plot.

Choice

• Genesis 12-50 is full of stories of where Abraham’s family has opportunities to do what is “good in their own eyes” or trust God.

Reveal

• Time and again, Abraham and his family members take matters into their own hands and cause a lot of harm to a lot of people. A lot of these stories replay Cain’s jealousy of his brother. We see this is the story of Abraham’s great-grandsons. They plan to kill their brother Joseph, but sell him into slavery instead.
• Interestingly, Abraham and Sarah’s burial plot can be translated as “the nakedness (or exposure) of the pair.” (Remember that Adam and Eve were also “exposed” as sinful, and Noah also has a story where he is “exposed.”) This becomes the burial plot of Abraham’s family. The entire family is exposed as people who follow their own desires. And yet, God is faithful to them and to the covenant He made with them.

Promise

• At the end of Jacob/Israel’s life, he blesses his sons. His blessing for Judah carries on the promise of a royal ruler who will lead the nations. 

Out of the Garden

• The story of Abraham’s family ends like the other two stories: with them leaving the Garden. However, God made this part of his plan. When He made the covenant with Abraham, God told Abraham that his offspring would end up leaving the Promised Land, but that He would remember them and bring them back to it. It came about as a result of evil, but God worked behind the scenes to bring something good out of it (Genesis 50:19-21)

Note: The boxes for each scene are well-suited for Instagram stories and reels. We’d love to see your students’ illustrations! If you’d like to share them, use the hashtag #onestorybible. You can find us on Instagram at @onestory.bible.