http://shepherdoftheridge.org/genesis_the_global_study/event/bible_study/genesis_39_40 Image via Wikipedia Read Genesis 39 (Potiphar and Wife) Joseph, based on his dreams, expected great things in his life. How did this event look in comparison? Have you ever expected great things to happen and see events crumble around you? How did you respond? Why do you think God allowed these trials to happen to Joseph? What methods does Potiphar's wife use to attempt to seduce Joseph? (39:7,10,12) How does he counter each one? Does Potiphar believe his wife? What clues in the text help answer that question? Where do you see Jesus in this narrative? Read Genesis 40 (Dreams: The Cupbearer and the Baker) Why do you think Joseph asked to interpret their dreams? (40:8) How do you understand the cupbearer forgetting Joseph? (40:23) What significance do you give to dreams? Where do you see Jesus in this narrative?

http://shepherdoftheridge.org/genesis_the_global_study/event/bible_study/genesis_32_33 Image via Wikipedia Read Genesis 32-33 (Jacob meets Esau and wrestles with God) Genesis 32:1-21 Have you ever had a meeting you dreaded going to? Has anyone ever tried to buy your forgiveness? How did that go? Why did Esau bring 400 men with him? (32:6) How do you think Jacob felt about this meeting? (32:7-8) What does Jacob's prayer tell you about what's going through Jacob's mind as he prepares? (32:9-12) Genesis 31:22-32 Why does the struggle between God and Jacob occur at this particular point in Jacob's life? (32:22-31) Have you ever wrestled with God? Why does God wrestle all night? Is He that weak? Who wins? How? What does this mean? What does Jacob's new name, "Israel," mean? Genesis 33 Have you had a dreaded meeting go better than expected? How is this story like the reunion of the prodigal in Luke 15? What is Jacob trying to do in 33:8-11? Was it necessary? Why did Jacob decline Esau's offer to travel with him? (33:12-14) Why did Jacob go to Succoth instead of Seir? (33:16-17) How does 33:20 show Jacob's spiritual growth?

http://shepherdoftheridge.org/genesis_the_global_study/event/bible_study/genesis_29_14_30 Image via Wikipedia Read Genesis 29:14-30 (Jacob marries Leah & Rachel) Has anyone ever played a mean trick on you? You on someone else? How did Laban manipulate Jacob's words in 29:21? How could Jacob have not realized with whom he was sleeping? (29:22) (Compare 24:65 and note that this night was preceded by a week-long feast) How is Jacob's being deceived in 29:25 ironic? What would you have been willing to do to marry your spouse? 14 years as an agricultural slave? Would you be willing to work that hard to keep your spouse once you're married? Why did Jacob keep Leah as a wife? How do you think Leah might have felt here? Does God condone polygamy? How did it work out for Jacob? (Remember Sarah and Hagar?) From whom does Jesus descend? (29:35) How do we see the love of Jesus in the actions of Jacob?

Image via Wikipedia Read Genesis 28:10-22 (Jacob's Dream) What was the situation in Jacob's life at this point? Have you ever felt like that? Note: this probably appeared as a stairway or ziggurat, which were common in Mesopotamia, where the top would represent the place of a deity's presence or a worship connection with that deity. What does this "stairway to heaven" represent? (John 1:51) Why does God make this offer to Jacob? What did this dream mean to Jacob? What does this dream mean to you? Why was it significant that God would go with Jacob? (28:15) What is Jacob's reaction? (28:18-22) What does this tell us about Jacob? Jacob had used the stone for his head, then raises and anoints it. What's going on here? What made the place special? What is the significance for Christians? For churches? What is Jacob's motivation for the tithe in 28:22?

http://shepherdoftheridge.org/genesis_the_global_study/event/bible_study/genesis_27_1_40 Image via Wikipedia Read Genesis 27:1-40 (Isaac’s Blessing) Have you ever misrepresented yourself? (pretended to be someone else, a different age, embellishing a resumé, etc.) What was the result to you or anyone else? Why was getting this deathbed blessing so important? What did Jacob hope to get out of this blessing? In 27:20, why does Jacob say, "your God" instead of "our God"? What is Jacob's relationship with the Lord like at this point? Do you think Isaac could take back his blessing? God fulfilled this stolen blessing. What does this tell us about God? Compare 27:27 with Luke 22:48. How does 27:29 fulfill God's promise in Genesis 25:23? Isn't this Rebekah forcing God's promise? Why do you think Isaac fell for this trick? Compare Jacob's and Esau's blessings. If God's plans depended on our virtue and faithfulness, how would that change things? Would God's plan have been fulfilled if Jacob hadn't been so deceptive? If this story took place today, what might Jacob try to steal? How do we see God's plan for salvation in Jesus Christ working through this narrative?  

http://shepherdoftheridge.org/genesis_the_global_study/event/bible_study/genesis_25_19_34 Image via Wikipedia Read Genesis 25:19-34 (Jacob & Esau) Did you ever get the feeling that you or a sibling were a parent's "favorite"? Have you ever made a bad swap with someone? What motivated you? What English idiom do we get from 25:26? Based on this passage, which of these, Jacob or Esau, would you rather have as a brother? Which of these men did God choose? Why? (cf. Romans 9:10-16) What was the "birthright" Esau gave up? (25:31) (cf. Hebrews 12:15-17) What was so important about the birthright? How are these brothers like the first brothers? (Genesis 4) What was the result of this conflict? (Numbers 20:14-21; Obadiah 1:9-10) Which of these brothers do you respect more? Which of these brothers do you think our society would respect more? How is the exchange between Jacob and Esau like our relationship with Jesus? What's the difference?

http://shepherdoftheridge.org/genesis_the_global_study/event/bible_study/genesis_24 Image via Wikipedia Read Genesis 24 (Isaac & Rebekah) Why did Abraham want Isaac not to marry a Canaanite woman? (24:3-4) (1 Corinthians 7:10-18) Why did Abraham not want Isaac to go to Mesopotamia? (24:6) What impresses you the most about the servant? What about Rebekah? Should we ask God for specific signs like the servant did? How has God directed you in life? Specific signs? Something more general? Did God choose your spouse for you? Various parts of the Bible, like 24:34-49, can be repetitive. Why does the text repeat the details? Given that arranged marriages were common at this time, how would you have felt if you were Isaac or Rebekah? How does this story tie in with previous stories, like Sodom & Gomorrah? How does Jesus "water our camels"?

http://shepherdoftheridge.org/genesis_the_global_study/event/bible_study/genesis_21 Image via Wikipedia Read Genesis 21 (The Birth of Isaac) Has God ever given you the sort of blessing that made you want to invite friends to laugh with you? (21:6) Why do they name the son, "Isaac"? Who gets the last laugh in this story? Why is 21:4 important? From Sarah's perspective, why send away Hagar & Ishmael? (21:8-10) Abraham was upset because of both love and law. Why did God tell him to send away Hagar and Ishmael? (21:11-13) What insight does St. Paul give us? (Galatians 4:21-31; Romans 9:6-9) How does God treat Hagar? (21:13-21) What does God's choice of Isaac over Ishmael tell us about God? Why does Abimelech make Abraham swear not to deal falsely with him? (21:23) (Skim Ch. 20 for a hint) Compare 21:22-34 and Genesis 23:3-16. What does this tell us about Abraham's relationship with the Canaanites? What can we learn from this? How does this story relate to Jesus?

http://shepherdoftheridge.org/genesis_the_global_study/event/bible_study/genesis_19 Image via Wikipedia Read Genesis 19 (Sodom & Gomorrah) Even though Lot chose Sodom, He's still called a "righteous man" (2 Peter 2:7). Why do you think that is? Why was Lot sitting in the city gate? (19:1) Why did Lot insist on the angels staying at his house? (19:2-3) Why did Lot offer his daughters to the mob outside? (19:8) Is this justifiable? Why did Lot have so little influence over his sons-in-law? (19:16) Why do you think Lot was hesitant to leave Sodom? (19:16) Why was Lot's wife punished? (19:26) Destroying two entire cities seems harsh. Was it warranted? Why? (Genesis 19:1-11; Ezekiel 16:48-50, Matthew 10:11-16) How does Abraham's and Lot's reactions to the visitors compare with this reasoning? What lesson can your house learn from Sodom and Gomorrah? Your church? If this upset God so much, what does this tell us about the character and priorities of God? How do we see this character in the ministry of Jesus? Given Lot's actions in 19:30ff, how can he still be called "righteous"? What do we know about the Moabites and the Ammonites? (1 Samuel 14:47; 2 Chronicles 20:1) Who else was born as a descendent of this union? (Ruth 1:4; Matthew 1:5)

http://shepherdoftheridge.org/genesis_the_global_study/event/bible_study/genesis_18 Image via Wikipedia Read Genesis 18 (The Three Visitors) Who were these three men (18:2) (See 19:1) According to modern Kosher food laws, beef and dairy cannot be eaten in the same meal. Was Abraham breaking these laws? (18:7-8) Why did Sarah laugh? How does God respond? Is Sarah's laughter (18:12-14) different from Abram's (17:17-22)? Why did God rebuke Sarah but not Abram? In 18:16ff, God convenes an important meeting in Abraham's tent. What do you draw from this? Why does God tell Abraham about Sodom and Gomorrah? (18:20-21) When bargaining with God, why did Abraham stop at 10? Did Abraham influence God's plans? Have you ever tried to strike a bargain with God? What was the result? What can we learn about prayer from Abraham's prayer? How does Abraham act as a type of Christ? Is there anyone in your life that God wants you to intercede for?

http://shepherdoftheridge.org/genesis_the_global_study/event/bible_study/genesis_15_17 Read Genesis 16 (Hagar and Ishmael) Sarai had been barren her whole life, was now 75, and it had been 10 years since God had made His promise. What would you do? What was Sarai's solution to their problem? (16:2) In what ways was this a problem? Do you see this being morally comparable to any modern reproductive technologies? Why/not? What did Sarai mean about the Lord judging in 16:5? What can we tell about the Angel of the Lord in 16:7ff? What does this tell us about God's relationship to gentiles? Have you ever had to wait a long time for God to fulfill a promise or meet a need? Has God shown His presence recently in your life? If so, based on how He did, what might you name that place? Read Genesis 17 (Covenant of Circumcision) What did God mean by "be blameless" in 17:1? What does the change of name for Abram/Abraham and Sarai/Sarah mean? Why circumcision? (17:9-14) Is this works righteousness? (Genesis 15:6; 17:7; Romans 4:9-12) Was Abraham's laughter in 17:17 disbelief?

http://shepherdoftheridge.org/genesis_the_global_study/event/bible_study/genesis_15_17 Image via Wikipedia Read Genesis 15 (Abramic Covenant) Why was Abram concerned? Was Abram's concern faithful or faithless? (15:1-8) Who are the children of Abram? (15:5) What's with the path of roadkill in 15:9-11? What does the burning pot signify? Who made the covenant? Was this one-sided or two-sided? The Abram's descendants were to be in bondage for "four generations" (15:16). What would a generation be to Abram? How long were they? Is there a place in your life where you need God to say the words of 15:1? Given what the animals signified, what happened to the participants in the covenant?

Image via Wikipedia Read Genesis 12 (Abram) Has God ever called you to a foreign place? This could be a job or any other unfamiliar territory. How did you feel? What reassured you? Has God ever called you to make a significant sacrifice? What does God command Abram to do? (12:1) What does God promise for Abram? (12:2-3) Did moving earn God's blessings for Abram? Of the blessings promised to Abram, which ones would mean the most to you? What does 12:3b refer to? Abram was 75 years old when moving. (12:4) Have your plans for your life changed? How? God promised Abram blessings, but when he arrived, he found himself in a famine. (12:10) Has something like that ever happened to you? How would you feel? Sarai was actually Abram's half-sister (Genesis 20:12), so does that justify his half-truth? (12:11-13) Why did Abram lie? How did this show weakness in his faith? Do you ever lie (or feel tempted to) to protect yourself? How did Abram's lies impact those around him? Discuss the concept, "The ends justify the means." How did his actions work out for him? Do you see any other human ideas that contradict God's wisdom but are thought to be beneficial?

Image via Wikipedia Read Genesis 11:1-9 (The Tower of Babel) Why did God have to "go down" to see the tower? Why was God so upset with the people? Does He not like people working together? Why is "nothing would be impossible for them" a bad thing? How is unity in Christ different from Babel unity? Note how this event is undone in Acts 2? Some people see the United Nations and/or the global economy as another Babel. Do you agree or disagree? Why/not? Do you see the ecumenical movement as another kind of Babel? Why/not? Have you ever seen churches act like the people of Shinar? Has God ever knocked down one of your personal towers?

http://bit.ly/gtZE0l Image via Wikipedia Read Genesis 7:11-9:29 (Noah's Ark and the Flood) Do you believe the flood was local or global? Why? How important is the reach of the flood waters? How do you think Noah felt as he and his family boarded the ark? What was the purpose of the flood? Was it right for God to wipe out so many people? How did Noah determine the condition of the earth? Why does a dove and olive branch today represent peace? Why did God promise never to destroy humanity again like this? What obstacles do you face that you, like Noah, might have trouble with? Why did God like the smell of the offering? (8:20-21) What does the new Noahic covenant tell us about God's view of life? (9:1-17) What does Noah's prophetic curse in 9:24-26 mean? Why was Canaan cursed for his father's actions? In 9:1-17, which elements of the covenant are unconditional, and which are conditional? Where do we see Jesus in the flood story?

Image via Wikipedia Adam and Eve's Fall into Sin in the Garden of Eden Read Genesis 2:25-3:24 In Genesis 2:25, they were naked and unashamed. Does this mean the Bible promotes nudism? Has the devil ever asked you, "Did God really say…?" When? Why do you think Eve said in 2:3 that they must not touch the tree of knowledge of good and evil? In 3:4, the devil says they won't die. Was he right? What's wrong with wanting to be like God? (1 John 3:2) What kind of fruit was it? Was the fruit itself evil? If so, why did God create it? If not, how can eating something good produce evil? Compare Jesus' temptation in Luke 4:1-13. In Romans 5 and elsewhere, Adam gets blamed for the original sin. Why? Why did they make fig leaf clothes for themselves? (3:7) Why didn't it help? Do you ever feel "naked" before God? Why did God ask Adam & Eve where they were? Didn't He know? (3:9) What does this sin do to Adam & Eve's relationship? (Compare 2:7-13) What does the curse on the serpent mean? Did snakes have legs before this? (3:14) What does 3:15 refer to? Why did God make clothes for them? What is the significance of the skin clothing? Why did He kick them out of the garden? Will we ever have access to the Tree of Life again? (Revelation 2:7; 22:2,14) What other tree gives life?

Leave a comment Image via Wikipedia Read Genesis 2:4-24 What does the word "Day" refer to in 2:4? Why did God put the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden? Why did God put the Tree of Life in the garden? What is the purpose of the geography lesson in Genesis 2:10-14? The first time God sees something as "not good" is Genesis 2:18. What do you learn about God from this? What does the order of creation tell us about men? About women? About our relationship with each other? How do you understand "helper" in 2:18? Note that 2:19 says, "had formed." As in "previously." This is not a contradiction of Genesis 1. Why did God put Adam through the hassle of naming all the creatures before creating Eve? Why did God create Eve from Adam's rib instead of from dirt like Adam? What does 2:24 tell us about families? Note that the word translated "earth" in most English Bibles is translated "land" in 70% of its other uses. Would translating it as "land" here change the meaning?

Discuss this lesson Image by loswl via Flickr Read Genesis 1:1-2:3 What did God create out of, and what tool did He use? “The heavens and the earth?” What about everything else? Did God create “The heavens and the earth” before or after the first day? Which Person(s) of the Trinity were involved in creation? (cf. John 1:1-2) Notice the Spirit's connection with water. Where else does the Bible show water imagery with the Spirit of God? There are many different views of the timeframes and processes involved here. Which do you hold to, and why? (Young Earth creationism, Old Earth creationism, Gap creationism, Day-Age creationism, Progressive creationism, Intelligent design, Theistic Evolution, Functional Creationism) What is missing from the seventh day that the others had? What is the significance? How do you understand God resting? (cf. Hebrews 4:3-16) What do we learn from the order that God created? 1:26 uses a plural. Why? What is the image of God? Does 1:29-30 imply that everyone and everything was a vegetarian in the beginning? What does it mean to rule over creation? Do we do that today? What can we learn about God in this opening narration? Jesus said all Scriptures speak of Him. (John 5:39) What does this have to do with Jesus?

In the spirit of the global nature of the Genesis study, we will kick off the study with a guest speaker, The Rev. Dr. Joel Heck, who will come to us live from Austin, TX.Dr. Heck will not actually be here in North Ridgeville, but rather streamed live from Concordia University, Austin. Dr. Heck will give a one-hour overview of the book, followed by a question and answer session. The Rev. Dr. Joel D. Heck teaches courses in Old Testament, New Testament, Reformation, and the life and writings of C. S. Lewis at Concordia University Texas. He holds the Doctor of Theology from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. He is the author or editor of ten books, most recently a textbook of introduction to the Old Testament for his classes at Concordia. He and his wife Cheryl have three grown children.