LESSON 7 (February 15) Genesis 10-11

The Beginning of the Nations

"The LORD God had told Noah and his sons after the flood, ""And you, be fruitful and multiply, increase greatly on the earth and multiply in it"" (Gen 9:7). Genesis 10 documents ""the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, andJapheth"" (10:1)."

"•!• While Genesis 10 may not, on the surface, appear to be as relevant as other chapters in"

"Genesis, take your time with it and read it carefully. What or who can you find that had its beginning in Genesis 10?"

"•!• Why are the details in Genesis 10 valuable, especially as they relate to the descendants of"

"Abraham?"

"Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, ""Com , let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly."" And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, ""Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth."" (Gen 11:1-4)"

"•!• What do we learn about the people being described at the beginning of Genesis 11? What do"

"they want to accomplish and why? Why might the LORD have something to say about their ambitious plans?"

"And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. And the LORD said, ""Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another's speech."" So the LORD dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth. And from there the LORD dispersed them over the face of"

"all the earth. (Gen 11:5-9)"

"•:• What do you make of the LORD's words in Genesis 11:6?"

"•:• What stands out to you about the LORD's statement in Genesis 11:7?"

"•:• Why would the LORD be concerned with dispersing mankind ""over the face of all the earth"

"(11:9)?"

"These are the generations of Shem (Gen 11:10)"

"•:• Noah had three sons-Shem, Ham, andJapheth (10:1). Why focus on the generations of Shem"

"in Genesis 11:i0-32 to the exclusion of Ham andJapheth?"

"•:• Can you draw a basic family tree from Adam to Abram below, based on what we've learned so"

"far?"

LESSON 7 (February 15) Genesis 10-11

The Beginning of the Nations

"The LORD God had told Noah and his sons after the flood, ""And you, be fruitful and multiply, increase greatly on the earth and multiply in it"" (Gen 9:7). Genesis 10 documents ""the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, andJapheth"" (10:1)."

"•!• While Genesis 10 may not, on the surface, appear to be as relevant as other chapters in"

"Genesis, take your time with it and read it carefully. What or who can you find that had its beginning in Genesis 10?"

"•!• Why are the details in Genesis 10 valuable, especially as they relate to the descendants of"

"Abraham?"

"Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, ""Com , let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly."" And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, ""Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth."" (Gen 11:1-4)"

"•!• What do we learn about the people being described at the beginning of Genesis 11? What do"

"they want to accomplish and why? Why might the LORD have something to say about their ambitious plans?"

"And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. And the LORD said, ""Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another's speech."" So the LORD dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth. And from there the LORD dispersed them over the face of"

"all the earth. (Gen 11:5-9)"

"•:• What do you make of the LORD's words in Genesis 11:6?"

"•:• What stands out to you about the LORD's statement in Genesis 11:7?"

"•:• Why would the LORD be concerned with dispersing mankind ""over the face of all the earth"

"(11:9)?"

"These are the generations of Shem (Gen 11:10)"

"•:• Noah had three sons-Shem, Ham, andJapheth (10:1). Why focus on the generations of Shem"

"in Genesis 11:i0-32 to the exclusion of Ham andJapheth?"

"•:• Can you draw a basic family tree from Adam to Abram below, based on what we've learned so"

"far?"

LESSON 24 June 28 Genesis 48-50

The Beginning of the Twelve Tribes of Israel

•!• What is Jacob referencing in Genesis 48:2-4?

•!• Why would Jacob say what he said in Genesis 48:5?

•!• What do we learn about Jacob through his words in Genesis 48:15-16?

•!• What is Jacob doing in Genesis 49?

•!• What stands out to you about his words to his sons?

•!• In what way are his words to Judah in Genesis 49:8-12 of particular importance?

•!• "All these are the twelve tribes of Israel" (Gen 49:28). What does this mean?

•!• What are Joseph's brothers concerned about in Genesis 50: 15-17?

•!• What can we learn from Joseph's response?

•!• What do you make of Joseph's last recorded words?

•!• We have studied this first book of the Bible as a "book of beginnings." Take some time to reflect:what vitally important things had their beginning in Genesis?

• LESSON 23 June 14 • Genesis 45-47

The Beginning of Israel's Time in Egypt

•:• Take a moment to think back: where did we last leave Joseph and his brothers?

•:• It's hard for us to imagine being one of the brothers of Joseph in Genesis 45:3. If you were, in that moment, what would you be thinking?

•:• Genesis 45:5-8 is vitally important to our understanding of Joseph's perspective about his life in Egypt and why he does what he does. What can we learn from his statement?

•:• Without this perspective, how could Joseph have treated his brothers after all these years?

•:• How did Pharaoh react to the news when the report came to him?

•!• Why would Joseph have told his brothers what he did in Genesis 45:24?

•!• What do you make of Jacob's reaction to the incredible news in Genesis 45:25-28?

•:• Genesis 46:1-4 describes a truly incredible scene. What is happening, in your own words?

•:• What is the point of documenting the names of the descendants of Israel who came into Egypt in Genesis 46?

•:• In Genesis 47,Jacob comes to stand before Pharaoh. Reflect for a moment on just how much Jacob has experienced to this point in his life. Is there anything we can learn from that wide range of unexpected experiences?

•:• What do we learn about Joseph in Genesis 47:13-26?

•:• Why would Israel make Joseph promise what he does at the end of Genesis 47?

LESSON 22 June 7 Genesis 42-44

The Beginning of Joseph's Revelation of Himself to His Brothers

•!• Take a moment to think back: where did we last leave Joseph? Where did we last leave Jacob?

•!• Why do ten of Joseph's brothers travel down to Egypt?

•!• What happens when Joseph and his ten brothers first come face-to-face?

•!• What do the ten brothers believe about what is happening in Genesis 42:21? And what about their terrified words in Genesis 42:28?

•!• When Jacob references "Sheol" in Genesis 42:38, what does he mean? What can we learn from such an ancient reference?

•!• In Genesis 43:14,Jacob refers to God as El Shaddai, "God Almighty." What has Jacob come to believe about the God of Abraham and Isaac?

•!• What should we make of the way Joseph treats his brothers in Genesis 43?

•!• What situation does Joseph engineer in Genesis 44? Why?

•!• What should we make of Judah's plea to Joseph in Genesis 44?

•!• Think about these events from a practical point-of-view. Is there anything we should learn,

thousands of years later, as modern disciples of Jesus from these documented events?

LESSON 21 (May 31) • Genesis 40-41

The Beginning of Joseph's Rise to Power

•!• Take a moment to think back: where did we last leave Joseph?

•!• How do the lives of the cup bearer and baker of the king of Egypt come to intersect with the life of Joseph?

•!• What does Joseph mean by his statement in Genesis 40:8? What do we learn about Joseph from this statement?

•!• In your own words, summarize the dream of the chief cup bearer and its interpretation.

•!• In your own words, summarize the dream of the chief baker and its interpretation.

•!• What is Joseph's one request of the chief cup bearer?

•!• In your own words, summarize the dream of Pharaoh in Genesis 41.

•!• Notice again Joseph's answer to Pharaoh in Genesis 41:16. What do we learn about Joseph from this answer?

•!• What does Joseph firmly believe according to Genesis 41:25?

•!• What names does Joseph give his two sons in Genesis 41:50-52. Why?

!• Think about Genesis 40-41 in light of the big picture of God's revelation in Genesis. How does it fit? What is the ultimate point of the events as recorded in these two chapters?

LESSON 20 (May 24) • Genesis 37-39

The Beginning of Joseph's Time in Egypt

•:• In the grand scheme of things, what is the significance of Genesis 37:1?

•:• Is there anything alarming in what we are told in Genesis 37:2-4?

*:* What are the two dreams Joseph had In Genesis 37:5-11, and what reaction did Joseph receive when he told his family about the dreams?

*:• What do we learn about Reuben in Genesis 37? And Judah?

*:* What do you make of Jacob's reaction to the news in Genesis 37:31-35?

*:* Take the time to carefully read Genesis 38. This chapter Is not as well known as the chapters surrounding It. What should we make of it? Is there anything we can learn? From a "big picture" point-of-view, what is the overall purpose of these preserved details?

*:* "The LORD was with Joseph ... " (Gen 39:2). How Is this a key to everything we are being told?

*:* What do we learn about Joseph In Genesis 39:6-10?

*:* What does the statement made in Genesis 39:21 add to this account?

*:* Taking the time to reflect on Genesis 37-39, what should we take away from what we are being told? How does this fit into the rest of Genesis? What are we intended to understand?

LESSON 19 (May 17) • Genesis 34-36

The Beginning of the Edomites

•!• Genesis 34 is a difficult chapter to read for several reasons. What stands out to you as you carefully read what has been recorded?

•!• What do you make of Hamor's proposal in Genesis 34:9-10?

•!• Why would the sons of Jacob have brought up circumcision in Genesis 34:14-17?

•!• Why would Jacob tell his household to put away the foreign gods that were among them after hearing God's call in Genesis 35:1-4?

•!• What should we make of what we are told in Genesis 35:5?

•!• What is God doing in Genesis 35:9-15?

•!• Why are we told what we are told in Genesis 35:22? Genesis 50:3-4 may prove to be helpful.

•!• Why is the information contained in Genesis 36 worthy of note? Where else do we run across these Edomites in Scripture?

LESSON 18 (May 10) Genesis 31-33

!• What small insight might we have about Jacob and the way he perceives his relationship with Yahweh in Genesis 31:5?

•!• How do Rachel and Leah feel about Jacob's plan according to Genesis 31:14-16?

•!• What do we learn about Laban in Genesis 31:19?

!• Notice again how Jacob describes Yahweh in Genesis 31:42. How would you characterize his present frame of mind and faith? See also Genesis 31:53.

•!• Take the time to carefully read Genesis 32. What was Jacob's last interaction with Esau like? How does he feel about Esau now, and what does he do in anticipation of his upcoming face-to-face encounter with Esau?

!• What happens in Genesis 32:22-32 and how does it fundamentally change Jacob?

•!• What happens in Genesis 33 as Jacob and Esau finally come face-to-face after many years of separation?

•!• "There he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel" (Gen 33:20). What does El-Elohe-Israel mean and what does the name of this altar finally reveal about Jacob?

• LESSON 17 (May 3) • Genesis 28-30 •

The Beginning of Descendants From

Jacob

 What is Isaac referencing as he mentions “the blessing of Abraham” to Jacob in Genesis 28:4?

 What do we learn about Esau in Genesis 28:6-9? Take a moment to remind yourself of the choices

Esau had already made in Genesis 26:34-35 and the effects of those choices in Genesis 27:46

 Describe in your own words what Jacob experiences in Genesis 28:10-17.

 Is there anything we can learn about Jacob from his reaction the next morning to what he has

experienced (Gen 28:18-22)?

 After carefully reading Genesis 29, how does Jacob come to be married to Leah rather than

Rachel?

 Is there anything we can learn about Leah from the names she gives to her children in Genesis

29:31-35?

 What can we learn about Rachel from her envy and actions in Genesis 30:1-8?

 What should we take away from what is recorded in Genesis 30:14-18?

 Why does tension seem to develop between Laban and Jacob in Genesis 30:25-43? How do both men handle the tension?