Genesis Devotional

September 19th, 2014

Week 1

Genesis Devotional Guide Introduction

This first part of what we intend to be weekly Scripture reading/study guides to correspond with our sermon series in Genesis. We encourage you to work your way through the readings and questions prior to each Sunday’s sermon. These first posts are a bit late, so it will be broken into only two parts.

We encourage you to make use of the following devotional passages and questions as the church focuses on the book of Genesis in the coming months. You can work through these through the week, or all at once. You might also consider integrating them into a family devotional time, or for conversation at the dinner table. Our hope is that this will help us all continue to engage with the Scriptures on a regular basis and that it will enrich our hearing of the sermon and our discussion in community groups.

Week 1: Day 1
Genesis 1:1-3

"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light."

What was the earth like when God first created it? How was creation different from its Creator? What did the world need from God from the very beginning?
What did God “use” in the process of creation? How are the Word of God and the Spirit of God linked throughout Scripture? (Compare, for example, John 3:3 and 1 Peter 1:23, as well as Ephesians 5:18ff and Colossians 3:16ff)

Week 1: Day 2
Genesis 1:26-28

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

What did the man and the woman need from God? What was the result of being blessed by God? What do you think life was like for them in the beginning? What was true of their relationship with God, and with one another?
Genesis 3 describes how the man, woman, and earth come to be cursed, rather than blessed. What more do the man, woman, and earth need from God after Genesis 3? What hints of redemption do we see in the Genesis story?

Week 1: Day 3
Genesis 12:1-3

Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

What stands out to you about the calling of Abram? What is the character and basis for Abram’s relationship with God?
Why is the word “blessing” used so frequently here? What is the nature of this blessing? What problems, cosmic and personal, does the calling of Abram begin to answer?

Week 1: Day 4
Genesis 50:18-26

His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. So Joseph remained in Egypt, he and his father’s house. Joseph lived 110 years. And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation. The children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were counted as Joseph’s own. And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” So Joseph died, being 110 years old. They embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.

• In what ways is the promised blessing realized in the story of Genesis? In what ways is it not realized?
• How does the ending of the book make you feel? How does it shape your expectations for what should come next?

Week 2

Day 1
Genesis 1:1-3

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

• Where did the formless and void earth come from? Consulting Hebrews 11:3, why is it important that v.2 is a result of v.1?
By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. (Hebrews 11:3)
• What is the result of God blessing the earth by His Spirit and His Word?

Day 2
Genesis 1:3-31

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. And God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day. And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day. And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. And God made the two great lights–the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night–and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day. And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.” So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day. And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds–livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

• What are the main repetitions in Genesis 1— words, phrases, ideas?
• What happens on each day that sets it apart as a day of creation? What is the significance of God using His words to accomplish these creative acts?

Day 3
Genesis 1:3-31

• What “domains” or areas are dealt with on the first three days (and repeated in the second three days)? What does God do to these domains on the first three days? What does He do to them in the second three days?
• Why does God speak twice on days 3 and 6? Why is it important to see His creative power at work at these particular points?

John 1:1-5

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Colossians 1:15-17

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

• How does John evoke Genesis 1? What do these passages tell us about Christ’s role in creation? What do these passages tell us about the purpose of creation?
• What does it mean that the life of Christ is “the light of men,” and that “in him all things hold together”? What are the consequences for a creature that will not acknowledge that Christ is “before all things”?

Week 3

Genesis 2:2-4

What is special about this seventh day? What does it mean for God to rest, if He never becomes tired?
What kind of work did and does God continue to do? Why is it important that this seventh day has no end in the text – there is no repetition of the phrase “there was evening and morning, the seventh day.”

Genesis 2:5-7

What hindered the flourishing of the earth? What two things needed for the earth to produce abundance? How did God provide these two things so that the earth could flourish?
What makes the creation of the man different from everything else God created? How does our origin in dust show how we are to relate to the rest of creation? How does our origin in the breath of God show how we are to relate to Him?

Genesis 2:8-17

What kind of home did God provide for Adam? What kind of work?
“Eden” means “delight.” How does this description evoke beauty, abundance, and delight? How is the prohibition given to Adam meant for his good?

Genesis 2:18-20

What did Adam lack in the midst of God’s provision thus far? Considering the blessing in Genesis 1:28, why could he not fulfill God’s good purpose alone?
What does Adam’s naming of the animals indicate about his relationship to them?

Genesis 2:21-25

How is the woman like the man? How is she different? How can they together now represent God in the world as His image in a way Adam could not alone?
Adam responds to seeing Eve with poetry, or song; how would you describe the experience of this first human relationship?

Week 4

Genesis 3:8-10

How does God first respond to this transgression? Why does an all-knowing being ask the man where he is?
Was it wrong for the man and woman to be naked? Why, then, were they ashamed?

Genesis 3:11-13

Was it wrong for the man to eat the fruit? Why, then, is he ashamed of being naked, rather than of being a sinner? How accurate is the knowledge he gained from eating?
How do the man and woman answer for their behavior?

Week 5

Genesis 3:14-15

How does God answer the serpent’s sin? How does this give the man and the woman hope?
How do you see hints of the gospel in the conflict between the offspring of the serpent and the offspring of the woman?

Genesis 3:16-18

What similarities do you see between the blessing of Genesis 1:28 and the curse on the man and woman in this text? How has sin distorted their ability to bear God’s image?
What has sin done to the intimacy and harmony the man and the woman enjoyed?

Genesis 3:19-21

What are the consequences of rebelling against God? How does this relate to God’s warning that they would die upon eating the fruit?
Why does Adam respond to the curse of death by naming his wife Eve (“life”)? Where did he find hope in God’s words and actions? How has God provided for them so far?

Galatians 3:11-14

Why don’t laws, even from God, solve the conflict between God and His people?
Why is it necessary for Christ to bear the curse in order for God’s blessing to come to all of humanity?

Genesis 3:22-24

What might be problematic about the man and woman living forever now that they have sinned?
What needs to happen now for human beings to know the presence and blessing of God?

Week 6

Genesis 1:26-31

In what ways is the work given to humanity in this blessing like God’s previous work in creation? How is it different?
What responsibilities come with this blessing? What privileges?

Genesis 2:1-3

Why does Scripture relate God’s work of creation to our own work week?
How is our work like God’s work? How is it different?
How is our rest like God’s rest? How does it differ?

Genesis 2:15-17

Did Adam enjoy his work? What would have been involved in working the garden?
What did it mean to “keep” or “guard” the garden? What was Adam protecting, and what could threaten it?

Genesis 3:16-21

What is now true of work in the world since the curse? What is true of work in the home? Where do you see these consequences in your own work?
What makes our work significant even after the curse? How does the hope of a new world without the curse motivate you now?

Week 7

Genesis 4:1-2

What might Adam and Eve be hoping for after their expulsion from Eden?
Why does Eve credit God for Cain’s birth? What does she hope will happen now that she has a son?

Hebrews 11:4

In what ways do Eve, in childbirth, and Abel, in his offering, exercise faith? What is each of them trusting in God for?
What did it mean that Cain made an offering without faith? Why then did he make the offering?

Genesis 4:3-7

Why do you think God rejected Cain’s offering? How does Cain respond to this?
What does God require of Cain? What would it mean for Cain to master sin?

Genesis 4:8-15

Why did Cain kill Abel? What did he hope to accomplish?
What is Cain afraid of after his murder is found out? What should he be afraid of?
What does God do for Cain? Why does He do it?

Genesis 4:16-26

What positive developments do you see in this history? What is troubling?
How does Lamech respond to God’s mercy towards Cain? How does this compare and contrast with how Adam and Seth’s families respond to God’s mercy?

Week 8

Genesis 5:1-20

What is still true of humankind even after the fall into sin?
What phrases are repeated throughout this text? What do we expect to be true of each person named in the text?

Genesis 5:21-32

What breaks the expected repetition of “and he died”? What do you think is the significance of this?
How does this Lamech differ from the previous Lamech? How does his statement differ?

Genesis 6:1-4

Which group of people in Genesis could be considered the “sons of God”? Which people would be considered just “men” (“daughters of man”)?
Why would intermarriage between these groups of people be problematic? What kind of people were valued on earth at this time?

Genesis 6:5-8

What aspects of human beings and human society have been affected by sin? How does God respond to this reality?
What hope do you see in this text? What causes Noah to be spared?

Week 9

Genesis 6:9-12

What made Noah righteous? Was he exempt from the corruption of sin? How might you know?
What made the corruption of “all flesh” evident? How was this corruption expressed?

Genesis 6:13-17

What does God cite as evidence that humankind deserves judgment?
Why does God command Noah to build an ark? Where else does God give instructions for building with such specificity?

Week 9

Genesis 6:9-12

What made Noah righteous? Was he exempt from the corruption of sin? How might you know?
What made the corruption of “all flesh” evident? How was this corruption expressed?

Genesis 6:13-17

What does God cite as evidence that humankind deserves judgment?
Why does God command Noah to build an ark? Where else does God give instructions for building with such specificity?

Genesis 6:17-22

What is a covenant? How is this relationship different from God’s relationship with the rest of humankind?
How does Noah respond to God’s commands?

Genesis 7:1-5

Why does God involve Noah in this act of salvation? In other words, why did not God create a refuge for Noah’s family and the animals Himself?
What did faith look like for Noah and his family as they prepared for the flood?

Week 10

Genesis 7:6-10

What other sequence of seven days is featured in Genesis?
Why are these two events linked this way?

Genesis 7:11-16

The concept of “40 years” or “40 days,” as in Israel’s wilderness wandering or Jesus’ time of fasting in the wilderness, appears here for the first time. How was this period of time like the other “40 year” or “40 day” experiences?
What did faith and life look like for Noah and his family during the forty days and forty nights?

Genesis 7:17-24

What has happened to the separations between the sky and sea, and the sea and earth, in the flood?
What is the ultimate consequence of the sin and violence that filled the earth before the flood?

Week 11

Genesis 8:1-14

What does it mean that “God remembered Noah…”?
What does Noah do as the waters recede?

Genesis 8:15-22

What parallels do you see to the creation account in Genesis 1 & 2?
What has not changed about humanity? Why won’t God repeat the flood?

Genesis 9:1-17

Why does God show such concern for the shedding of blood?
How would you describe the covenant God makes with Noah?

Genesis 9:18-29

Where do you see evidence of the sin that is still in humanity?
How does Ham aggravate the situation and make it worse?
What parallels do you see to Adam, Eve, Cain, and Abel?

Week 12

1 Peter 3:18-22

Why did Christ preach (in the spirit) to the people during Noah’s time?
In what ways is baptism by water like Noah’s salvation through water?
What judgment followed the preaching of Christ in Noah’s time?
What judgment will follow the preaching of our own time?

2 Peter 2:1-11

What do these episodes teach us about judgment and salvation?
What might godly people be afraid of in the midst of a wicked world? Why can they have confidence and security?
If God was willing to destroy the ancient world, what does this tell us about what God values most?

Genesis 9:18-29

What similarities do you see between Noah and Adam?
How should Ham have acted to show respect for his father?
What do we learn from Noah’s cursing and blessing about the nations we will see later in the book?

Week 13

Genesis 10:1-5

How does God bless the descendants of Japheth?
What significance might there be in Japheth’s descendants being associated with coastlands and distant regions (e.g. Tarshish/Spain, Tiras/Italy, Gog and Magog in Central Asia)? What significance do distant regions and coastlands have in other books of Scripture?
- Psalms 97:1
- Isaiah 49:1-3
- Isaiah 60:9
What might it mean for these people to increase and come to dwell in the tents of Shem’s descendants (Genesis 9:27)?

Genesis 10:6-20

What characteristics seem to be true of Ham’s sons?
What empires came from his descendants?
How do the sons of Ham and the sons of Shem tend to interact in later biblical history?

Genesis 10:21-32

What expectations does Genesis give us for Shem’s descendants?
How might it be significant that Eber (from which “Hebrew” is derived) and Peleg (“divided”) are highlighted in this list?

Genesis 11:1-9

How did the people initially respond to God’s command in 9:1 to “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth”? Why did they respond this way?
In what ways could God’s action in this account be seen as a judgment on the people? In what ways might it be a blessing?

Week 14

Genesis 11:27-32

Where is Terah headed with his family? Why don’t they arrive there?
What does it mean for Sarai to be barren? What might that mean for Abam’s genealogy and legacy?

Genesis 12:1-5

What stands out most about the LORD’s call to Abram?
How does Abram respond? What is exceptional about his response?

Genesis 12:5-9

What does the LORD promise to Abram? What obstacles might prevent this from happening?
What more do we learn about Abram’s relationship to the LORD?

Week 15

Hebrews 11:8-16

Why did Abraham go out when God called him? What was he looking for?
What did faith look like for Sarah, particularly? When did they both received what was promised by God?

Galatians 3:7-11

According to this text, how does a person experience God’s blessing? What does it mean to live by faith?
Did God limit His grace to just one people group? How can people not descended from Abraham experience this blessing?

Luke 19:2-10

In what ways was Zacchaeus like Abraham? Why is he called a son of Abraham?
How was each man “lost”? How did both men respond to God’s call?

Week 16

Genesis 12:5-9

What does Abram own in the land at this point? What kind of security does he have?
How does Abram express his faith?

Genesis 12:10-13

What is Abram afraid of?
Are his actions in line with his faith in God? Why or why not?

Genesis 12:14-20

Who is harmed by Abram’s deception?
What are the consequences for Abram and his family?

Week 17

Genesis 13:1-7

Where did Abram’s riches come from? Who is responsible for him becoming wealthy?
What problems does Abram face in his camp? What problems does he face in the land?

Genesis 13:8-13

Why does Abram let Lot choose where to settle? How does he know that there will be enough for his own household?
Where does Abram end up? What are the people like there?
Where does Lot end up? What are the people like there?

Genesis 13:14-18

How is this promise like the earlier promises in Genesis 12? What more is God saying to Abram now?
How does Abram respond? Why does he build an altar?

Week 18

Genesis 14:1-12

Why did Lot choose to dwell near Sodom?
What has happened to Lot since he left Abram?

Genesis 14:13-20

What did Abram set out to accomplish?
Why did Abram give Melchizedek a tenth of what he had? What does it say about Melchizedek’s status, relative to Abram?

Genesis 14:21-24

What kind of position is the king of Sodom in at this point? Why does he offer all of the goods to Abram?
What is Abram concerned with? What does he want to prevent the king of Sodom from claiming? What does he want instead?

Week 19

Genesis 15:1-6

What is Abram anxious about? How does God answer his concerns?
What did it mean that Abram believed God? How is being “counted righteous” different from “being righteous”?

Genesis 15:7-16

Was it wrong from Abram to ask for assurance of God’s promise? How does God respond to his request?
What does Abram learn about how the land will become his, and how long it will take?

Genesis 15:17-21

In ancient covenants, both parties would pass between the pieces, signifying that the covenant breaker would also be torn apart. Who passes through the pieces in this covenant?
Why does Abram not pass through the pieces?

Week 20

Genesis 16:1-6

What is Sarai’s complaint? What is her solution for her problem? How is this like what Pharaoh did to Abram and Sarai in Genesis 13?
How does Abram respond? What are the consequences for Sarai? For Hagar?

Genesis 16:7-12

Why is Hagar fleeing? Does she call out to the LORD for help?
What does the LORD tell her to do? How does the LORD bless Hagar?

Genesis 16:13-16

What does Hagar learn about the LORD? What did God see?
How does this fulfill God’s promise that Abram would have descendants? How does it fail to fulfill that promise?

Week 21

Genesis 17:1-8

What does God require of Abram?
Why does God change Abram’s name?

Genesis 17:9-14

How is circumcision a sign of covenant relationship with God?
Who is to be circumcised? Why are Abram’s non-relatives included?

Genesis 17:15-22

Why does God change Sarai’s name to Sarah?
How does Abraham respond to God’s promise about Sarai?

Genesis 17:23-27

How long does Abraham take to obey God’s command?
Who is included in the covenant at this point?

Week 22

Genesis 18:1-8

What kind of appearance is God makings to Abraham? Why do you think He appears this way?
What does this imply about God’s relationship to Abraham? How does Abraham welcome the LORD?

Genesis 18:9-15

What do Abraham and Sarah learn? How does Sarah respond?
Why does Sarah doubt the promise? How does God answer her doubt?

Week 23

Genesis 18:16-21

Why does God discuss Sodom and Gomorrah with Abraham? Why is Abraham given input into the situation?
What is God’s concern with Sodom and Gomorrah? How is He responding to the report about them?

Genesis 18:22-26

What is Abraham concerned about? What does he believe could be wrong with destroying the cities entirely?
How does God answer Abraham’s questions? Does God agree with Abraham’s concern?
Where is Lot at this time?

Genesis 18:27-33

What right does Abraham have to debate with God? What do you think motivates his boldness?
What does Abraham learn or confirm about God in this conversation? What is he hoping will happen next?

Week 24

Genesis 20:1-7

Why is Abimelech being judged? How does he defend himself?
What does God say about Abimelech? Does he agree with his defense?

Genesis 20:8-13

How does Abimelech address Abraham? What does he accuse him of doing?
How does Abraham respond? Was his belief about Abimelech’s people correct?

Genesis 20:14-18

What is the outcome of Abraham’s actions? How was the relationship of Abraham and Abimelech different from that of Abraham and Pharaoh?
Why did God close the wombs of the women? Why did God do this before opening Sarah’s womb?

Week 25

Genesis 21:1-7

Why did Abraham name his son “Isaac,” which means laughter?
How do Abraham and Sarah feel about the strangeness of their situation? What kind of laughter is mentioned in this passage?

Genesis 21:8-14

What kind of laughter comes from Ishmael? What does Sarah do as a result?
What does Abraham want for his sons? Why is he displeased?

Genesis 21:15-21

What hope did Hagar have before God spoke to her? How did God address her?
How did God bless Ishmael? How does his future differ from that of Isaac?

Genesis 21:22-34

How does Abimelech regard Abraham?
What kind of conflict develops between Abimelech and Abraham? How is it resolved?

Week 26

Genesis 22:1-8

What does God require of Abraham? How does Abraham respond to this command?
What does Abraham tell the servants and Isaac will happen?

Genesis 22:9-14

How does God intervene? What does He say is now known about Abraham?
What does the LORD provide? Why does this become a saying, rather than a single event?

Genesis 22:15-24

In what sense is Isaac the “only son”? What does the LORD now promise to Abraham?
How certain is this blessing? What evidence do you see of God’s provision and blessing to Abraham and his relatives?

Week 27

Genesis 23:1-9

What kind of burial does Abraham seek for his wife? How does he describe his status to the Hittites?
How do the Hittites describe him? What do they offer him?

Genesis 23:10-16

What does Ephron offer to Abraham? Why does Abraham bow to Ephron in response?
Why does Abraham insist on paying the full price for the field? What does this indicate about his regard for Sarah?

Genesis 23:17-20

How would you describe the relationship between Abraham and the Hittites?
What kind of use does Abraham make of his first permanent property in the land of the promise?

Week 28

Genesis 24:1-14

What does Abraham want to be true of Isaac’s wife? Where does he want Isaac to live?
How does the servant prepare for this task? How does he pray?

Genesis 24:15-33

How did the LORD answer the servant’s prayer? How does the servant respond to this?
How is the servant welcomed? Why does the servant insist on speaking before eating?

Genesis 24:34-49

How is the grace of the LORD evident in the servant’s account?
Why was the servant confident that the LORD was at work?

Genesis 24:50-67

What does Laban recognize? How does it affect his response to the servant?
How do the rest of the family respond to Rebekah’s departure?
How do Rebekah and Isaac meet? What did Isaac think of Rebekah? How did he treat her?

Week 29

Genesis 25:1-18

How many descendants did Abraham have when he died? How did he care for his sons?
How was Abraham buried? What became of Ishmael?

Genesis 25:19-28

What problem did Isaac and Rebekah have before Isaac prayed for Rebekah? What problem did they have afterwards?
How did God answer Rebekah’s prayer? What was the purpose of her suffering?
How did the two brothers differ? How did Isaac and Rebekah treat them?

Genesis 25:29-34

What was Esau’s greatest concern on this occasion? What kind of man is he?
What is Jacob’s greatest concern? What kind of man is he?
What does it mean that Esau despised his birthright?

Week 30

Genesis 26:1-5

What does the LORD say to Isaac?
How does this differ from what was told to Abraham? What is similar?

Genesis 26:6-16

How did Isaac deal with Abimelech and his people? What was the result?
What did the LORD do for Isaac? How did this affect his relationship with the Philistines?

Genesis 26:17-25

Why did Isaac’s servants come into conflict with the Philistines? How far did he have to travel to find a place to settle?
What did the LORD say to Isaac after this series of conflicts? Why did He reiterate this?

Genesis 26:26-35

What does Abimelech make clear about how he is relating to Isaac? About God’s relationship with Isaac?
How does Esau’s choice of wives affect Isaac and Rebekah? What does this indicate about Esau’s character?

Week 31

Genesis 26:34-27:13

What is the significance of the blessing Isaac intends to give? Why did Isaac choose to give this blessing privately?
Who did Isaac favor? Who did Rebekah favor? What did each of them ask their favored child to do?

Genesis 27:14-29

How did Jacob and Rebekah deceive Isaac? Why didn’t Isaac ask for help confirming his son’s identity?

What is the content of the blessing? Why were Isaac, Rebekah, Esau, and Jacob so concerned about it?

Genesis 27:30-40

How did Isaac respond when Esau comes in? Why did he react so strongly?
What kind of blessing did Isaac give to Esau? How did it differ from the one Jacob received?

Genesis 27:41-28:9

How did the deception and subsequent blessing affect the family? What is the immediate result for Jacob?
How did Isaac confirm the blessing to Jacob? How does his instruction to Jacob compare to Abraham’s instructions for finding Isaac’s wife?
How did Esau displease his parents? How does he attempt to placate them?

Week 32

Genesis 28:10-22

What does the LORD promise to Jacob? What has Jacob done so far to be worthy of this promise?
How does Jacob respond to the dream? How much does he understand about the LORD at this point?
What does Jacob promise to the LORD? Why does he begin with “if”?
How does his promise differ from the kind of promise the LORD made?

Week 33

Genesis 29:1-14

When Abraham’s servant came to Nahor’s family, what did he bring with him? What does Jacob bring?
How does Jacob impress his relatives? How do they receive him?

Genesis 29:15-30

Which sister does Jacob prefer? Why is Jacob willing to work such an extravagant term for Laban?
How does Laban fulfill the agreement? How does he justify this?

Genesis 29:31-35

How does God deal with the way Jacob treats Leah? What does she want?
Does Leah get what she wants? What is the outcome of God’s intervention?

Genesis 30:1-24

What does Rachel want? How does she get it?
Why are the sisters in conflict? How do they treat one another, and their servants?
How does each sister invoke God? Why do they do this?

James 3:13-4:3