Bereans of Trinity

In this lesson we resume our study of the story of Joseph. Yet this is not so much the story of Joseph as it is the story of the covenant God of Abraham keeping His promises. What is the narrator of these events careful to remind us about as we read of Joseph's "success" in Egypt? What did the presence of God with Joseph look like? What might it look like in our lives? What was Joseph's "success?" What was the effect of Joseph's success on his master? What reasons did Joseph give for refusing the advances of Potiphar's wife? How did Joseph manage to resist her continual temptings? What would Joseph's failure have meant for Potiphar's household? How do Joseph and Judah compare? (66 min.)

A substantial review of the previous study about Judah and Tamar (since we've had a two week break). We discover even more about Judah's spiritual decline. Why did Judah send Hirah to reclaim his pledge? Why was Judah to quick to relinquish his claim on his pledge? What was so significant about Judah's willingness to abandon his staff to a stranger and a prostitute? To whom does God entrust the protection of such an important token? What is the importance of Judah's statement about Tamar that she was "more righteous than I?" What is the great change that overtakes Judah upon the revelation that he is the father of Tamar's twins? How does this passage disclose the marvelous grace of God to both Judah and Tamar? (51 min.)

This is another one of those very difficult passages in Genesis. Why does the author interrupt the story of Joseph to tell us about this seemingly unrelated incident with Judah? How does this passage reveal to us Judah's character. Why is that important? What was this whole thing about Onan fulfilling the "duty of a brother-in-law" by taking Tamar as a wife? What really was Onan's sin? What is this whole thing about levirate marriage all about? What did God think about it? What was Judah doing wrong with Tamar? How does this story fill us in on Israel's experience in Egypt? (53 min.)

The tragic story of the betrayal of Joseph by his own brothers. Two striking things about Joseph: his spirit of obedience and the distress of his soul. Why did Reuben act so heroically here? Consider all the overwhelming evil that occurs in this passage. If you could have prevented it all, would you have? Why didn't God? With all the evil that Joseph encounters, did God really love Joseph? If God is all powerful and all good, how could he allow such evil? Does such a God really exist? What awesome truth about God can we discover from all the evil in this world? (60 min.)

Joseph is a dreamer. He has two dreams which appear to be of great significance. How did Joseph view those dreams? What are two reasons why Joseph was given those dreams? What did the Psalmist mean when he said God's word was "testing" Joseph? Why might this have been Joseph's greatest test? Why did Joseph tell his dreams to his brothers? What was it like growing up in a home where none of your ten older brothers could speak to you on "friendly terms?" How might this have influenced Joseph's actions? (50 min.)

At the end of Esau's brief toledot we find a marked contrast between him and Jacob. Why do the unbelievers prosper while the person who lives by faith seems often to do so in vain? As we begin the toledot of Jacob and the story of Joseph, we find that God communicates differently than he did with the patriarchs. What is that difference? Why did Joseph benefit from the elevation he encountered at the hand of his father? How was Jacob’s favoritism harmful to the son he loved? What was the significance of the "varicolored" tunic he was given? (44 min.)

An entire toledot of Genesis is devoted to the descendants of Esau. In this passage we look at the second part of that toledot. What were the Children of Israel supposed to learn from this genealogy, and how are we to learn from it? What are some of the key names which might have some importance to our understanding of the redemptive history? What is important to see about the structure of this genealogy, and how does the narrator use that structure to communicate something important to us? What great lesson can we learn from the Edomites that has a bearing on our lives and our future? (58 min.)

This lesson includes a review of the toledots of Genesis and how they provide a structure and plan for the book. The toledot of Esau amounts to a short diversion from the chief plan of the book, yet it provides us with important information. What is the importance of this account? Why does the narrator stress that Esau "is Edom?" How does the seed of woman differ from the seed of the serpent? What's wrong with the saying that "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush?" What are the three wrong choices that Esau made? (56 min.)

Jacob continues his journey back home to his father's house. While encamped near Migdal Eder (the Tower of the Flock) Reuben, his first born son, commits an atrocious act. What was the significance of Reuben's deed? Finally reunited with his father, Jacob is there when Isaac dies, and Jacob joins Esau, his once estranged brother, in burying him. On the journey to Migdal Eder, Rachel dies in giving birth to Jacob's twelfth son, Benjamin. What is the profound significance of this story about Rachel's travail and Benjamin's birth. How can we draw encouragement from it? (56 min.)

Why does our narrator bring up the death and burial of Deborah, of whom we know virtually nothing? A striking and important aspect of today's passage is the number of things which occur which have occurred before. What is the significance of all of the repetitions? Among these are Jacob's return to Bethel, even as Abraham returned to Bethel, God's second appearance to Jacob at Bethel, God's renaming of Jacob, God's restating again, for the twelfth time, the covenant promises. What are the lessons we can learn from Bethel that have application in our own experiences? (50 min.)