Esau, the twin brother of Jacob and son of Isaac and Rebekah, despised the gift God gave him of being the firstborn son. His birthright gave him a double inheritance and made him the future head of the family of Isaac. Rather than using his gift to glorify God and bless others, he gave it away.
Jacob, on the other hand, did not trust God to bless him sufficiently or providentially. Instead, Jacob bought–and later stole–the gifts God had given to Esau.
Your children can learn about the wisdom of trusting the Lord and his plans for our lives, while creating this simple Jacob and Esau birthright craft that is based on the 1521 work of Everhard Rensig.
Jacob and Esau’s Birthright
Before beginning your craft, read Genesis 25:29-34 with your children.
Talk about:
- What had Esau been doing?
- Is it good to work hard for the Lord? (Read Colossians 3:23-24. Our inheritance for following Jesus is eternity with him!)
- A birthright in the Old Testament was given to the firstborn son. He received a double inheritance, and he would one day be the head of his entire extended family. The birthright was a gift from God.
- Was Jacob’s offer a fair price?
- How did Esau respond to Jacob’s offer?
- Was Jacob thinking about the rest of his life, or was he just concentrating on his comfort in that moment?
- When we make decisions, should we concentrate on using the gifts God gives us to honor Jesus–or should we just worry about how we feel in the moment?
The story of Jacob and Esau is a good reminder to value the gifts God gives us and to use them for his glory.
Ok! Let’s make our craft.
Jacob and Esau Craft
Check out this fun video of the Jacob and Esau craft!
Jacob and Esau Craft Supplies
You’ll need a few supplies to make your Jacob and Esau craft:
- Cardstock
- Paper Plate
- Permanent Markers
- Scissors
- Glue
- Pencil
- Printable Template with Instructions
Cardstock Paper
Fiskars Scissors[300 Pack] Bulk Disposable White Uncoated Paper Plates, 9 Inch LargeSharpie 30078 Permanent Markers, Fine Point, Classic Colors, 8 Count (Assorted)Elmers Washable No-Run School Glue, 4 oz, 1 Bottle (E304) – Pack of 2Elmer’s-E5010 Extra Strength Glue Sticks, 0.28 Ounces, 4 CountPentel Twist-Erase Express Mechanical Pencil, 0.5mm, Assorted Barrel Colors (QE415LZBP4), 4 pack
![[300 Pack] Bulk Disposable White Uncoated Paper Plates, 9 Inch Large](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41qxKF4CHMS._SL500_.jpg)
Creating Your Jacob and Esau Craft Based on Stained Glass by Everhard Rensig
Your Jacob and Esau craft is based on this stained glass panel by Everhard Rensig.
Facts about Everhard Rensig’s stained glass panels:
- Everhard Rensig created a series of Old and New Testament stained glass panels for the Abbey of Mariawald in Germany around 1516-1522.
- The panels were created using clear and colored glass. Rensig then painted details onto the glass, and used silver stain to add color.
- You can take a look at a few of Everhard Rensig’s stained glass panels here. Talk about what similarities you see in his style.
- The stained glass panels are made in the medieval style of the day, with figures represented as though they were 16th century Germans. Note their clothing.
- Discuss the jewel tones and style used by Rensig.
1) Print and cut out the template pieces.
Print the template pages from step-by-step instructions and cut out the pieces.
Trace the pieces onto colored cardstock, as shown, and cut them out. Trace the middle section of a paper plate onto blue cardstock to use for the background of the scene.
2) Assemble Esau and Jacob.
Glue the hands under the sleeves, as shown. Glue Esau’s beard to his face, and hair to Jacob’s head.
Next, glue the hats on top of the heads. Glue Esau’s scarf behind his hat and head.
Glue the boots to the bottom of each cloak. Jacob will be stepping down stairs and Esau will be walking forward. Be sure to model their leg placement after the stained glass panel. Glue the neck piece to the top front of Jacob’s cloak.
Glue the heads to the correct body.
Glue the arms to the bodies, as shown.
3) Assemble the scene.
Glue the top and bottom of each column onto the column base. Then, glue the decorative tips to the top and bottom of each column to create bases and caps.
Glue the stairs to the left side of the circle, about 1/4 of the way up. Then, glue a column onto each side of the blue circle.
4) Add Jacob and Esau to the scene.
Glue the stew into the bowl and then glue the spoon into the stew. Glue the stew bowl into Jacob’s hands, as shown.
Glue Jacob onto the stairs, on the left side of the scene.
Glue Esau on the ground, on the right side of the scene, below Jacob.
Glue the scene to a paper plate. Your child can use permanent markers to add details to the scene, using Everhard Rensig’s stained glass panel as a guide.
Display your Jacob and Esau birthright craft somewhere your child will see it as a reminder to glorify God with the gifts he gives us.
Bible Resources for Your Kids
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Puzzle-Based Independent Bible Study for Kids!
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” – Romans 12:2, ESV
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- Observe: They pay attention to what they’re reading.
- Interpret: They figure out what the Bible means in that section.
- Apply: They decide how the truth of God’s Word impacts their life today.
There are a great many truths in life to be found—some interesting, some boring, and some that really matter. You can be the kind of investigator who spends time puzzling out important truth so that you can know all the knowable knowledge that God has given us. That’s right. God, the Creator of the Universe, gave you a great big letter from him to explore and study so that you can discover the truths that really matter to your life!”
Bible Investigators: Creation, (The Good Book Company, 2024), page 7
The Bible Investigators: Creation Bible study for kids, written by Danika Cooley and published by The Good Book Company, is 272-pages of learning, puzzles, and fun activities designed to help your kids become amazing independent Bible investigators–observing, interpreting, and applying God’s Word as they learn what the Bible teaches on a particular subject.
Bible Puzzles for Kids
Middle grade kids, aged 8-12, love puzzles. After all, their brains are just built for figuring things out and memorizing facts. Puzzles are a wonderful way to help kids develop logic skills and retain important information. And, the book is written in a fun, conversational tone your children are sure to love!
What types of puzzles and activities will you find in Bible Investigators?
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- Word Searches
- Crosswords
- Rebus Puzzles
- Dot-to-Dots
- Logic Puzzles
- Missing Letter Puzzles
- Cryptograms
- Word Sudoku
- Mazes
- How-to-Draw Pages
- Matching Pairs
- Word Scrambles
- Journal Pages
Every child is sure to find activities they’ll love!
Elementary-aged kids need hands-on middle grade resources that engage them and equip them to process important truths.
Bible Investigators is the perfect resource to teach your kids about an important biblical doctrine, while helping them apply God’s Word to their lives today.
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