Bible Stude in Genesis

Genesis is an action-packed book that reads like a soap opera -- filled of real life people in real life situations, struggling with life and faith.  It starts at the creation of the world and then narrows its focus on one family (Abraham and Sarah), chosen by God, to represent Him to the world.  

Readings in Genesis 1-2

Day 1 Read Genesis 1:1-20

Can you imagine the complete darkness and the void before God created the world and how the light broke in?  What do you imagine this felt like for God? For the angels who were watching?

After you have read this, what is your opinion on evolution and how it fits into the story of creation?

What new thing did you learn about God?

Day 2 Read Genesis 1:21-31

In verse 26, God says “Let Us make man in Our image.”  Who is the “Us”? 

The two first of God’s commands to man were given in verse 28.  What were they?

What new thing did you learn about people? About God?

Day 3 Read Genesis 2:1-9

Genesis says God “rested” on the seventh day.  He was “finished.”  What does this say to us about God?  About us taking time to rest?  How do you feel about resting and feeling finished in your life?

This is a visual picture of God creating the first man and woman and a beautiful garden for them.  What does that tell you about God?  About His relationship with us?

Day 4 Read Genesis 2:10-17

Why do you think God names the rivers?  Where do you imagine this is actually located?

Every tree of the garden they were allowed to eat, except the tree of knowledge.  This was first negative command (“do not”) in the story.  Why do you think God put the tree there and then would not allow them to eat from it? 

What does this tell us about God?

Day 5 Read Genesis 2:18-25

God created woman in this section.  What does this tell us about men?  About women?  About the nature of marriage and the purpose for it?

Adam and Eve were naked and not ashamed, Genesis 2:25. What does this tell us about the quality of their relationship with God and with each other?

What does this tell us about God?

What did you learn this week that you can apply in your daily life?  

Readings in Genesis, Chapters 3-5

Day 1 Read Genesis 3:1-13

Compare God’s command in Genesis 2:16-17 and what the serpent and Eve say about it in 3:1-5.  How was what Eve and the serpent said the same as God’s command?  How was it different?  Why do you think they mixed it up?  Why did Eve eat of the tree anyway?

What was the immediate result of their breaking God’s command, in verses 3:7-13?

Day 2 Read Genesis 3:14-24

What was the punishment for the serpent, Adam, and Eve?  Why was the punishment different for each one?  Which was the worst part? 

Do you think God was harsh or merciful?

What do you think is meant by Eve’s offspring in verse 15?

Day 3 Read Genesis 4:1-18

How must Cain felt to have God not accept his offering?

What did God mean when He said in verse 7: “You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”  ??  Did you ever feel that way, like sin was crouching at your door?  What was that like?

What do you think of Cain’s answer to God’s question in verse 9?  What does it tell you about Cain?  Should we be our brother’s keeper?

Day 4 Read Genesis 4:19-26

Cain’s grandson, Lamech, took two wives and killed two men.  What does that tell us about the nature of men?

Verse 26 says, “At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord.” What do think this means?  Reflect on the two paths, the path of Cain and Seth.

Day 5 Read Genesis 5

Why do you think, five chapters in, God repeats the points: (1) we are made in His likeness and (2) He created male and female?

What do you think the significance of listing all the descendants by name?

What do you think the significance is of Enoch (verses 22-24) and Noah (verse 29)? What do you think about living 969 years (verse 27)?

What did you learn this week that you can apply in your daily life?  

Readings in Genesis 6-8

Day 1 Read Genesis Chapter 6

What did God feel in verse 5-6 ?  What does that tell us about God?

In the middle of all this evil, (verses 11-12), Noah was a righteous man (verse 9). What did Noah do in order to be called “righteous” by God (see verses 9, 22)?  How hard must it have been to be “righteous” in that generation?  How can we apply this in our lives today?

Day 2 Read Genesis Chapter 7

If you were one of Noah’s sons, and were watching your dad build the ark, what would you have thought?  What would you have said to him?  What would have had to happen in order for you to be convinced to get on the ark?

What do you think it might have been like to be on the ark during the storm?

Day 3 Read Genesis 8

What do you find most amazing (and difficult to believable) about this story?

What was the first thing Noah did when he got off the ark?  What does this tell us about Noah?

What does the story of Noah tell us about God?

Readings in Genesis Chapters 9-11

Day 1 Read Genesis 9:1-17

After the flood, what were God’s commandments to Noah and his family?

What was God’s promise and the sign of the promise?

What does this tell us about God, man, and the animals?

Day 2 Read Genesis 9:18- 29

After the flood and God’s promise, the very next story is of a family mishap.  What do you think of the actions of Noah?  His son’s?  Noah’s reaction to his son’s actions? 

How is this the same or different from what you have experienced in your own family life?

Day 3 Read Genesis Chapter 10

This chapter tells the generations after the flood.  It is hard to read because the names are foreign to us.  At that time, the nations were named for ancestors.  Do any of these names sound familiar to you? 

Maybe one intent of this chapter was to remind us that wars between nations are really wars between brothers.  What does this tell us about wars and prejudice?

Day 4 Read Genesis Chapter 11:1-9

What was the nation hoping to accomplish by building the tower of Babel?  Why did God not approve of this?

Why do you think God confused their language as opposed to commanding them to stop?

Day 5 Read Genesis 11:10-32

This section tells us some background information about Abram, who will become Abraham, key descendant of the Jewish nation. What son of Noah does he descend from?  Who is Lot? Who is Sarai?

Since Abram is a descendant of Shem, what does that tell us about him?  (see chapter 9)  His family is traveling towards Canaan.  What do you think this means?

As you consider the whole week’s readings, what does this tell us about God?  About man?  What lessons can we draw to direct/guide our lives?

Readings in Genesis Chapters 12-17

Day 1 Read Genesis 12

What was God’s command to Abram?

What was God’s promise?

What did you think of Abram’s obedience?  Put yourself in his place.  How difficult would it have been for you to obey God’s request?

What did you think of Abram’s lie in 12:11-13?  Why do you think God protected Abram and Sarai anyway?

Day 2 Read Genesis 13

What did you think of Abram’s peaceful and generous handling of the situation in Genesis 13:8-9?  What does this tell us about Abram?

What do you think of God’s promise to Abram?  Remember, Sarai was barren (see Genesis 11:3).  What does this tell us about God?  About Abram?

Day 3 Read Genesis 14

Here we see Abram as a military leader who left his personal peaceful place to enter into war to protect his nephew Lot.  We also meet King/Priest Melchizedek who we read about in New Testament book of Hebrews.

In verses 14:17-20, what reminds you of a worship service?  Why do you think this is added here?

Why do you think Abram refuses to take the spoils of war?

What do you think of Abram’s actions in this chapter?

Day 4 Read Genesis 15

Chapter 15 describes God's Covenant with Abram.  What do you think of how He did it?  What do you think this meant?
Since Abram was not always obedient (see Genesis 12:13) what do you think it was in Abram that pleased God?

Day 5 Read Genesis 16

Verse 2 shows another example of a woman leading a man astray, even though her intentions were good.  Reflect on how this turn of events affected Sarai, Abram and Hagar?   How must they each have felt?  As women, is there something important we can learn here?

Why do you this God cared for Hagar?  What does this tell us about God?

Day 6 Read Genesis 17

God gave Abraham a sign of the covenant.  What was it?

What do you think of the honest dialog between Abraham and God in verses 15-21?  What implications does this have for us when we talk to God in prayer?

What do you think of Abraham’s obedience to God in keeping the covenant, not only for himself but also for his whole household?  Can you see why circumcision was so important to the first century Jews?

Extra: What is the application of circumcision to us as followers of Jesus?  See Colossians 2:11-17, Romans 2:28-29 and Galatians 5:6.

How have these chapters spoken to you about current issues in your own life this week?  Did any one verse speak to you directly?

Readings in Genesis Chapters 18-19

Reflection:

When you are having company at your house, what do you do to prepare?  What do you serve them to eat, drink, or to make them comfortable?

Is having company a burden or a joy?

Day 1 Read Genesis 18:1-15

What do you think of the extent of Abraham’s hospitality and the trouble and expense he went through for his guests?

Do you remember a time when the Lord blessed you with something totally unexpectedly?  Or outrageous?  Or something you had given up hope for?  What was that like for you?  What did that do for your faith?

Extra: Are there things you don’t pray about?  Maybe they are too simple or mundane.  Maybe they are too big.  Why do you avoid praying those prayers?  Read Philippines 4:6-7.  What is Paul telling us in these verses?

Day 2 Read Genesis 18:16-33

What do you think of God telling Abraham about His intentions for Sodom and Gomorrah? 

What do you think of Abraham’s courageous debate with God?  Of God’s agreement with Abraham’s suggestion?

What does this tell us about prayer?  About being able to trust God?

Day 3 Read Genesis 19:1-29

What do you think of Lot’s hospitality and to the extent of the trouble he went through to protect these strangers?

What do you think of the extent that God went through to protect Lot and his family?  See specifically verses 10-11 and 16.  Why do you think God did that for Lot?

What do you think of the behavior of the sons-in-law in verse 14?  Why do you think they refused help?  Does this attitude remind you of any people you know?

Day 4 Read Genesis 19:30-38

What do you think of what Lot’s daughters did?  Why do you think they thought this was a good idea?

See Deuteronomy 2:9, 11.  God is still protecting the ancestors of Lot even in the times of Moses and Joshua, several generations later.  What do you think of this, given how what you read in this section of Genesis?

Extra: Bible Trivia

One of the women in the direct lineage of Jesus was a Moabite woman.  What was her name?  (Hint: see Matthew 1)

Readings in Genesis Chapters 20-21

Day 1 Read Genesis 20

Here we find Abraham lying about Sarah being his sister again.  Are there some sins you can’t seem to shake, but keep repeating?  Why do you think that happens?  What do you try to do about that?

Note how God protects Sarah and Abraham anyway (verse 6).  Why do you think God does this?  What does that tell us about God?  How He felt about Abraham?

Day 2 Read Genesis 21:1-21

Before the birth of his son, Abraham was willing to allow Sarah to so whatever she wanted with Hagar. Now that Ishmael was in the picture, not so much.  This time, God instructed Abraham to send Hagar and Ishmael away.  Why did God do that? 

What do you think of God’s sending Hagar away and His later protection of her and her son?  What does that tell us about God and His ways in our lives?

What does the Abraham/Hagar/Sarah relationship tell us about marriage?

Day 3 Read Genesis 21:22-34

Abimelech was the King of Gerar and had an army yet here we see him seeking to make a treaty with and to please Abraham.  Why does Abimelech do this?

Abimelech recognizes that Abraham has the favor of the Lord.  What does this tell us about the favor of the Lord and its influence on the world around us?

Do you realize that you have the favor of the Lord because as one of the redeemed, you too are a daughter of Abraham?  What implications does that have on our lives? 

Readings in Genesis Chapters 22-24

Day 1 Read Genesis 22

What do you think of God’s test of Abraham? 

What do you think of Abraham’s faith?

In chapter 20, we see Abraham’s sin of lying because he was afraid King Abimelech would kill him in order to marry Sarah, but here we see Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his only son.  What causes that kind of growth in faith?

Can you think of some thing(s) in your own life that, at this time, would be a real sacrifice to surrender to God?

Day 2 Read Genesis 23

Abraham had followed God and God had provided for Abraham well but he had never owned any land until Sarah’s death.  Abraham needed a place to bury Sarah and found himself buying more than he wanted (the cave plus the field) plus at a high price. 

How do you react when you know you are being overcharged, cheated, or treated unfairly?  How did Abraham react?  Why do you think he reacted this way?  What do you think of this?

Day 3 Read Genesis 24:1-28

Abraham sent his servant to his old country and family to obtain a wife for his son.  Why (see verses 3-4) and why was this important to Abraham?

What was Abraham’s other stipulation to his servant?  Why? (See verses 6-8)

What did you think of the servant’s prayer in verses 12-14?  Of Rebekah’s actions (verses 16-25)?   Of the servant’s reaction (verses 26-27)?  What virtues does this section celebrate?

Day 4 Read Genesis 24:29-67

Everyone was clear that this was from God.  What do you think of the faith of this family and their willingness to give their daughter in marriage in this way?

What do you think of Rebekah’s willingness to go to a foreign land to an arranged marriage to a man she never met?  How must she have felt?  What would cause her to take such a leap of faith?

When has the Lord asked you to take a leap of faith into the unknown?  It does not have to be this extreme!  How did it feel?  How did it turn out?