Genesis Study

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Table of Contents Lesson 1 Creation Part 1 ............................................................................................................ 3 Lesson 2 Creation Part 2 ............................................................................................................ 5 Lesson 3 The Fall of Man ........................................................................................................... 8 Lesson 4 Cain, Abel & Enoch .................................................................................................. 11 Overlapping of the Patriarchs' Lives Chart …………………………………………………….. 14 Lesson 5 The Flood Part 1 ....................................................................................................... 15 Lesson 6 The Flood Part 2 ....................................................................................................... 18 Lesson 7 The Tower of Babel ................................................................................................... 21 Lesson 8 Abraham Part 1 ......................................................................................................... 25 Lesson 9 Abraham Part 2 ......................................................................................................... 28 Lesson 10 Isaac ......................................................................................................................... 31 Lesson 11 Jacob ........................................................................................................................ 34 Lesson 12 Joseph Part 1 ........................................................................................................... 37 Lesson 13 Joseph Part 2 ............................................................................................................ 42 Memory Verses ....................................................................................................................... 45 Additional Resources ............................................................................................................... 46

Servant Gal Publishing ©2006

3 Lesson 1 – Creation part 1 Genesis 1 – 2:3 1. How did the earth come into existence?

2. How did God create the earth?

3. How long did it take God to create the earth?

4. In what order did God create everything on the earth? Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 5. Think through what it means that God said he created the sun, moon and stars AFTER the earth, light, dark, water, dry land, and plants. How does this directly contradict the big bang theory of evolution?

6. According to the order of creation, and the time line given in the Bible, did men ever see dinosaurs? (dinosaurs were reptiles and of course would have been created on the same day as all other reptiles)

God's Word in My Life There are many other places in the Bible that speak of God creating the earth. In Job God Himself uses creation to rebuke Job, "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, If you have understanding." (38:4 NJKV) God goes on to describe in vivid pictures the setting of His mighty acts in creation. The power and majesty of God as he created the earth shouts out of His words. The effect of creation seen in this light by Job, a very righteous man, should be the same with us. We must understand how powerful and mighty God is and see ourselves as the sinners we are and humbly repent. "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees you. Therefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes." (Job 42:5 & 6 NKJV) We know that God honors this type of humble repentance, for He said of him

4 to his accusers, "My servant Job shall pray for you. For I will accept him, ...; because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has." (42:8b NKJV), and God blessed Job greatly after this. Many other places in the Bible tell of creation. Some of the most beautiful accounts are in the Psalms. Read through the verses below, paying special attention to the psalmists' response to the fact that God created the earth. Ps. 148:1 & 5 NKJV Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens; Praise Him in the heights! ... Let them praise the name of the LORD, For He commanded and they were created. Ps. 8:1,3,4 NKJV O LORD, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth, Who have set Your glory above the heavens! ... When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? Ps.19:1 NKJV The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Ps. 33:6-9 NKJV By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deep in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast. Ps. 121:2-3 NKJV My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Ps. 136:3-9 Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures forever: To Him who alone does great wonders, For His mercy endures forever; To Him who by wisdom made the heavens, For His mercy endures forever; To Him who laid out the earth above the waters, For His mercy endures forever; To Him who made great lights, For His mercy endures forever; The sun to rule by day, For His mercy endures forever; The moon and stars to rule by night, For His mercy endures forever. 1.

What do we learn about the character or attributes of God as we study creation?

2.

When we understand how God created the earth, what should our response be?

3. What difference does it make in your life today that God created the earth and all that is in it?

5 Lesson 2 – Creation part 2 Genesis 1:26-30 & Genesis 2:4-25 (Genesis 1 tells the whole account of creation as a straight time line. God evidently wanted to tell us more about the creation of man, so in chapter 2 He went back to that event to give more details) 1. How was man created differently than animals?

2. What commands did God give just after creating man?

3. Did God give man work to do before or after sin?

4. How was Eve created?

5. What was the conclusion that God makes in verse 24 of the fact that woman was taken out of man?

6 God's Word in My Life Jesus gives further interpretation of this passage: Matthew 19:1-9 And it came about that when Jesus had finished these words, He departed from Galilee, and came into the region of Judea beyond the Jordan; and great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there. And some Pharisees came to Him, testing Him, and saying, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause at all?" And He answered and said, "Have you not read, that He who created them from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE, and said, 'FOR THIS CAUSE A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER, AND SHALL CLEAVE TO HIS WIFE; AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH'? Consequently they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate." They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND her AWAY?" He said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart, Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way. And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery." Marriage was instituted by God here at the very beginning of Genesis. That means that marriage is not merely a social institution. God created Eve from the rib of Adam. In a very literal way Adam and Eve were one flesh. It was not only these first two people however that are made one flesh in marriage. Jesus was clearly not speaking only of Adam and Eve when he said that they are no longer two, but one flesh. "From the beginning" Jesus said, God planned for a man and a woman to leave family and all the controlling influences of family and become one flesh for life with their spouse. There is no other earthly relationship that compares to that experienced in marriage. The importance of this idea of a husband and wife being one flesh, and its origin in Genesis at the very creation of man is underscored in 1 Corinthians and Ephesians. 1 Cor 6:15-17 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? May it never be! Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a harlot is one body with her? For He says, "THE TWO WILL BECOME ONE FLESH." But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Eph 5:22-31 Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her; that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body. FOR THIS CAUSE A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND

7 MOTHER, AND SHALL CLEAVE TO HIS WIFE; AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH. 1. If you are married, is your marriage a picture to the world around you of the intimate relationship between Christ and the church as described in this Ephesians passage? Write 5 specific steps can you take this week to grow in your marriage so that your marriage and the oneflesh unity in your marriage is a compelling picture of Christ to the unsaved world around you.

2. If you are not married, how does understanding the one flesh principle of marriage help you to effectively serve with and minister to others who are married?

3. Colossians 3:23 tells us, "Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men." Having already seen from Genesis that God gave work as part of a perfect world, how should this affect the way you view your daily work?

4. What are three things you can do today (or tomorrow if you are reading this in the evening) to have a mindset to do your work for the Lord?

8 Lesson 3 – the Fall of Man Genesis 3 1. Which parts of what the Serpent (the devil in disguise) said was true? Which parts of what the Serpent said was a lie? True Lie

2. If some of what he said was true, and some was a lie, what does that say about how seriously God takes half-truths told in order to deceive another?

3. What did Eve do?

Where was Adam when she did this? What did he do?

4. When God asked Adam a straightforward question, what kind of answer did Adam give? And Eve?

5. What judgment did God give the Serpent?

6. What judgment did God give man?

7. What judgment did God give woman?

8. The major judgment on both Adam and Eve, and consequently to all living on the earth for all time, was that because of their sin they would die. Did they die? In what way did they die immediately? In what way did they begin dying, but that would not finish up with actual death for more than 900 years?

11. Why was it that even though it was Eve who first took the fruit, Adam got the blame?

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12. What promise was given immediately after the first sin that told of God’s plan to save mankind from sin?

God's Word in My Life We often have the same temptation presented to Eve. We are tempted to believe that we are smart enough and have the authority to determine truth. Eve was created perfect. She knew what she should and what she shouldn't do. She tells Satan as much. She knew what God expected of her. Yet when Satan proposed a different truth, instead of realizing that anything contrary to God's command was wrong, she believed she was smart enough and had the authority to determine whether God's commands were true or whether Satan's words were true. She chose wrongly. Think about this: our minds themselves are sin cursed as a result of the fall. Over time the effect of the curse on the mind becomes greater as the gene pool continues to lose information, and mankind drifts continually further from the perfect mind and body God created in Adam. When we see ourselves as we should it becomes almost laughable for us to think that on our own we are capable of using logic with a cursed mind to end up with truth. No, the only reliable test of truth is for one that is outside the curse to tell us what is true. That is exactly what God has done with His Word. God, the perfect Creator of this world, has told us the true account of man, sin and how we can once again return to a place of right relationship with God. It is only as we apply this perfect truth as a test to all other claims of truth that we can rightly use the mind we have and determine whether our opinions or actions are right. Our minds are cursed, but praise God! We do not need to stay in a fog where truth is relative and absolutes are obscured. As Christians we must use God's holy Word as a test of every claim. Anything that agrees with a correct interpretation of the Bible can be accepted. Anything that goes against the Bible must be discarded. Many at this point would loudly protest that I'm being narrow-minded. I would submit that I am only as narrow as the Bible itself. My mind is cursed too. If there is a God who created the world (and I believe there is), and that God revealed Himself and the truth about the world (which I believe He did in the Bible), then I can rely on what He said. I'm not talking about being a mindless robot. Paul himself tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:21 to "Test all things; hold fast what is good." We also see the Bereans being commended in Acts 17:10-11 because they "received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so." We are to use the minds God has given us, but we must use that mind in ways consistent with the perfect, absolutely true standard of God's revealed Word. Every other use of the mind falls short and leads only to deception and wrong living. The second part of the curse on Eve also goes back to the sin itself. Eve sinned because she acted independently of her husband, disdaining his leadership, counsel, and protection. The man sinned because he abandoned his leadership and followed the wishes of his wife. In both cases, God's intended roles were reversed.1 Thus the curse for the rest of time is that women will

10 struggle with God's ordained roles of husband and wife. Submission, rather than being a place of protection, comfort and joy, becomes a place of struggle where the wife's pride and selfishness move her to try to control her husband. She resists his leadership, manipulates, connives, talks behind his back, and does whatever seems most effective for her to gain control of the marriage relationship. However, even in the curse God reminds Eve that though her desires will change, God’s intended roles in marriage are the same. The husband is still given by God the authority as head of the house. This is reiterated in Ephesians 5:22-24 "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything." 1. What are some generally accepted beliefs of the world around you that are contrary to what God has revealed in the Bible? (i.e. evolution, man is basically good …) -

evolution man is basically good

2. If you are to live as God's child (if in fact you have accepted Christ's offer of forgiveness, on His terms), then what are things you should do to apply the Bible as a filter to the items you listed in question 1? -

3. If you are married, what is an area for you as a wife to submit today to your husband as unto the Lord? (or for you as a husband to love your wife as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her?)

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Study notes for Genesis 3:17 in the MacArthur Study Bible by John MacArthur, Word Publishing, 1997.

11 Lesson 4 – Cain, Abel & Enoch Genesis 4 1. What did Cain do that did not please God? Why was this important?

2. Did God immediately punish Cain? How did God give Cain a second chance to make it right? Did Cain take this second chance to obey?

3. What was the punishment God gave Cain?

4. How was God merciful to Cain?

5. Where did Cain get his wife? (hint: see Genesis 5:4)

6. What important fact about the family of Seth is given in verse 26?

12 Genesis 5 1. Obviously this genealogy does not give every member of every family (vs. 4). Why would God have singled out a specific line of the family of Seth to trace the genealogy?

2. In the middle of names and ages, God makes reference to Enoch in vs. 22-24 that is unlike any other. In what way (or ways) is his mention different?

3. We read more about Enoch in the New Testament: (Heb 11:5 NASB) By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death; AND HE WAS NOT FOUND BECAUSE GOD TOOK HIM UP; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. (Jude 1:14-15 NASB) And about these also Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, "Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." What do we learn about Enoch from Hebrews and Jude?

God's Word in My Life What a study in contrasts we have here. First we see Cain who murdered his brother, then Lamech who boasted about killing two men. Then we find Enoch, the prophet with such great faith that God took him straight to heaven without him suffering death. I think about God's mercy with Cain and marvel at his patience with the sinfulness of man, even when Cain deliberately rebelled against God's counsel. I am amazed at God's gentleness with Cain as He gives him the truth and how to make right his earlier wrong choices. In 4:7 God tells Cain, "If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it." God is giving one of the first counseling sessions here on earth. Cain is angry and depressed (vs. 6) and God's remedy for his mental condition is simple – DO RIGHT. Then after he has done the right actions God tells him that he will be accepted and he will begin to have good feelings ("countenance be lifted up").

13 What wonderfully simple truth. So many times I am all worked up over some issue and instead of listening to God's advice to Cain, I think that it will be much easier to do the right actions when I feel better, so right now I'll have my own little pity party. When I do that I am wrong, just as Cain was wrong to reject God's solution to his problem. What is the result of wallowing in feelings instead of doing right despite whatever feelings may be going on? God tells Cain, "And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it." Oh if only I would always see the danger of the sin crouching at the door of my life. When we see the reality of the danger and its imminent risk, we take it seriously and take the steps to "master it." We then would do the right actions prescribed by God in order to avoid being overtaken by that great danger. For when we ignore it we risk the same fate as Cain – falling into sin and then into God's righteous judgment. After Cain we see that sin then continue to spiral downward through succeeding generations, from Lamech's proud boast of murder to the evil before the flood that brought on the great wrath of God to destroy the earth and every living creature except Noah and his family. Another interesting character in our passage is Methuselah. I find it intriguing that the oldest man to have ever lived died the same year as the flood. Of course there is no way for us to know, but it is possible that Methuselah perished in the flood along with all the others who would not heed God's warnings through Noah. Whether he perished in the flood or not, we do know that he was a wicked man. Why? Because we read in Genesis 6:5 "Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." In verse 8 only Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. That means that all others living at that time fit into the category of the wickedness that so grieved God. We know Methuselah was alive at the time. Therefore he had to have been a wicked man. So length of life does not mean a better life. Age alone does not bring wisdom. As I ponder the lives of the men in these two chapters I am left with a probing question. Am I living a life of faith with my eyes on eternity like Enoch or a selfish life, looking for what I can get out of it like Cain, Lamech and Methuselah?

1. When are times that you are tempted to live by your feelings instead of obeying God?

2. What are three specific steps you can take this week to move towards being a more faithful servant of God like Enoch?

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The Overlapping of the Patriarch's Lives Taken from Genesis 5, 11:10-26, 21:5, 25:7, 25:26, 35:28, & 47:28

0 300 600 900 1200 1500 1800 2100 2253 Adam 130 930 |(930) Seth (130)| 105 912 | (1042) Enosh (235)| 90 905 | (1145) Cainan (325)|70 910 |(1235) Mahalalel (395)|65 895 |(1290) Jared (460)|162 962 |(1422) Enoch (622)|65 365 |*(987) *did not die, but was translated straight to heaven Methuselah (687)|187 969 |*(1656) Lamech (874)|182 777 |(1651) Noah (1056)|500 * 950 |(2006) Shem (1556)| *100 600 |(2156) Arphaxad (1656)|35 438 |(2094) Salah (1691)|30 433 |(2124) Eeber (1721)|34 464 |(2185) Peleg (1755)|30 239 |(1994) Reu (1785)|32 239 |(2024) Serug (1817)|30 230 |(2047) Nahor (1847)|29 148 |(1995) Terah (1876)|70 205 |(2081) Abram (1946)|100 175|(2121) Isaac (2046)|60 180|(2226) Jacob (2106)| 147 | (2253) * - 1656 year of the flood (year) – year of birth and death dated from creation age – age at which son in genealogy was born age – age at death This chronology is taken from the Genesis texts as translated in the New King James version, taking literally the dates and ages given and assuming no gaps. It should be noted that there is dispute even among young earth creationists in the exact dates for some of the lesser known men in this genealogy (i.e. Cainan, Terah)1. These differences could account for as much as 100 years time. However for our purposes those years would not affect the application or usefulness of the chart above. 1"

Some Remarks Preliminary to a Biblical Chronology," by Pete Williams.

Creation Ex Nihilo Technical Journal 12(1):98–106, 1998

First published in:

15 Lesson 5 – The Flood part 1 Genesis 6-7 1. What had people become like by the time of Noah?

2. What did God decide to do in response?

3. Who was the exception? Why? (vs 9)

4. Had Noah ever seen rain before God told him to build an ark? (2:5-6) Why is that important?

5. How long did it take Noah to finish building and equipping this ark?

6. Think about being told by God to build something to save you from something you have never before seen, and then having to complete the task with no other instruction for 120 years. What would most people do in this situation? How does that set Noah apart? See also 2 Peter 2:5 which talks about Noah being a preacher of righteousness – he PREACHED while he was building that ark.

7. Hebrews 11:7 says, “By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.” How does the story of Noah help us understand how God defines faith?

8. Were dinosaurs on the ark? (vs. 14-15)

16 9. Who completed the last act of sealing up the ark?

10. Did God keep his promise to destroy the entire earth with water?

11. How high did the water get? At this height, could there have been any land anywhere on the earth that was above the water?

God's Word in My Life Growing up in American churches today, we have often seen the cute pictures of Noah's ark. Generally these pictures show Noah smiling as animals stick heads out of portholes and crowd the top decks of a rather small boat. Having those images imprinted in our minds at such an early age, it is easy to understand why so many people have difficulty believing that all the necessary animals could have actually fit on the ark described in the Bible. This in turn gives rise to all sorts of doubts relating to the reliability of the Bible. There is a simple way to answer those doubts -- the truth. Let's take a look at what the Bible actually says about the ark that Noah built. The ark measured 300 x 50 x 30 cubits (Genesis 6:15). That is about 450 x 75 x 45 feet. Ken Ham in his The Revised & Expanded Answers Book makes these comments about the capacity of the ark: "To put this in perspective, this is the equivalent volume of 522 standard railroad stock cars, each of which can hold 240 sheep." The average size of all animals, including dinosaurs is roughly the size of a sheep. He then explains that there would have been about 16,000 animals which would have taken up space equivalent to 14.4 railroad cars. If insects were in cages too they would take another 12 cars. "This would leave room for five trains of 99 cars each for food, Noah's family, "range" for the animals, and air space." When we understand the facts, it is easy to understand how all the animals fit on the ark. This passage is one that gives me cause for sober reflection. I am awestruck at both God's loving patience and God's terrible wrath. We see a society where other than Noah, man's "every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (6:5). That is strong language. God tells us that EVERY intent was ONLY evil CONTINUALLY. We are often cautioned about using 100% words. So I looked up those three words in my concordance.1 Here's what I found. "Every" means the whole, all, each one, completely, continually, entirely ... Basically I did not see one definition to that Hebrew word "kol" that was anything less than every. Now what about "only"? It comes from the Hebrew word "raq" meaning thin, only, altogether, surely, alone... 1

New American Standard Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, 1981, Lockman Foundation.

17 Obviously the "thin" definition doesn't fit here, but the rest clearly show exclusiveness in their meaning. Finally, "continually" is the same word "kol" that is earlier translated as "every." In the Bible we often see that when God wants to make an emphatic point the original text will repeat the important word. So it is actually even stronger language in the original text than that which we see before us today. God wanted us to know how utterly and completely wicked the people of Noah's day had become. Now, thinking through the wickedness of the people, take a moment to look back at the chronology chart. Notice how long Adam lived. He died only 126 years before Noah's birth, and Seth only 14 years before Noah's birth. That means that most of the generation above Noah would have been alive at the same time as Adam, since people in those days lived around 900 years and started having children at roughly 100 years of age. These people could have had opportunity to talk to the only man to have lived in a perfect world with perfect fellowship with God. They could have heard straight from his mouth the consequence of sin. Not only that, but Enoch the great preacher of righteousness was taken to heaven only 69 years before Noah's birth. Again, Noah's parents' generation would have had opportunity to hear Enoch proclaim the judgment of God on sin. Yet those people were part of the group that God said had EVERY intent ONLY on evil CONTINUALLY. Thinking through the wickedness of those people who had such incredible resources available to them makes me look at my own life and that of my children in a new light. Am I living in a way that is humbly obedient to Christ as Noah did, or am I more concerned about my own agendas and doing what is right in my own eyes? How am I training my children? Do I make it easy for them to follow Christ, or do I permissively allow them to do what is right in their own eyes? When I look in my own life I see so many ways that I fall short. If this were the only picture it would be a rather bleak one. But immediately I am comforted by remembering God's amazing patience and mercy. God didn't expect people to be perfect or make all the changes immediately. He gave them 120 years to make their decision, and gave them two great preachers of righteousness to spur them on to choosing God. I have the same choice today. Though I am nowhere near perfect, I have chosen God. I will say with Joshua, as for me and my house we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15). What about you? Will you right now drive a stake in the ground and choose a God and his loving mercy? 1. What are some ways that you have been doing what is right in your own eyes?

2. What do you need to do to put off those ways and obey God?

3. Will you do it?

18 Lesson 6 – The Flood part 2 Genesis 8 – 9:17 1. Where did all the water come from? (vs. 2 and earlier in 7:11) [hint, there was more than one source]

2. Adding up all the time spans given in these chapters, we know that Noah and his family were in the ark 371 days. Did all the animals survive the trip? (vs. 19)

3. Why had God commanded that 7 of some animals be brought on the ark when all the other animals came only in pairs? (vs. 20-21)

4. What promises did God give Noah after the flood?

5. Why is it significant that only after the flood did God give humans permission to eat any animals? If animals were not afraid of people, and people were not afraid of animals before this time, and people had not been given permission to kill animals in order to eat them prior to this time, do you think that any animals (including dinosaurs, lions, etc) ever killed other animals or people before this time? How does that help explain how an ark-ful of animals could make it for 371 days without any of them being killed?

6. God gave a rainbow as a sign of what? Who does God say would always be reminded of the promise every time there is a rainbow?

19 God's Word in My Life We begin chapter 8 with the entire world under water. Every living thing on the earth that was not in the ark or able to swim in the water (and survive the underwater changes) was dead. It's a pretty bleak picture. "But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the cattle that were with him in the ark" (8:1). I am so thankful that when life is at its worst God has not forgotten what He has set out to accomplish in the world and in the lives of His people. Then we watch as God stops the waters and causes them to recede. We might expect that since God "remembered" Noah and the animals on the ark that He would have immediately dried things up and let them get off the ark. That wasn't what God chose to do, although He of course had the power to do so. In fact months went by as the water slowly receded. Noah sent out a bird four different times before the last one found enough dry land and vegetation to stay away from the ark. I don't know about you, but I would have been tempted to despair about the time the second bird came back with no sign of anything that would signal everybody getting out of the ark. I would have pulled out my pencil and paper to start drawing up plans to set up life in a swamp. Yet Noah did not despair. He didn't try to do things on his own time table. Genesis tells us that he removed the covering of the ark and saw that the land was dry. Still he waited. Not until God told him to get out of the ark did he make any attempt to leave the place God had told him to be. What was the very first thing he did after finally getting off the ark? Verse 20 says "Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar." That shows so clearly where Noah's heart was. This was no small token offering. Noah recognized how merciful God had been to him and all those on the ark. He offered EVERY clean animal and bird to God. Noah had trusted God in the building of the boat and preaching to the wicked. He trusted God during the torrents of rain and water from the deep. He trusted God during the time of waiting while the land dried up. He trusted God when the land was dry and was willing to wait for God to tell him to get off the boat. And he trusted God to do what needed to be done to multiply the animals, and sacrificed at least one of each kind of the extra clean animals (remember he took 7 of each of the clean animals and birds on the ark). He may have offered as many as 5 each of the clean animals. We don't know. But we do know that God considered his offerings a "soothing aroma" (vs. 21). One of the other parts that amazes me from this passage is in verses 21-22 "and the LORD said to Himself, "I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man's heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done. While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, And cold and heat, And summer and winter, And day and night Shall not cease." Notice that the Lord said these things to Himself. Here is a newly cleansed world. God has just accepted Noah's sacrifice. Yet He is already making plans for what He will choose to do when men reject Him once again. He knows that man is bent towards sin. So He makes a choice not to destroy every living thing again as He did in the flood. Noah and the succeeding generation really had no part in God's declaration here. It wasn't for Noah's righteousness that God made this commitment. Nor was it for the future generations who would reject God. God made a commitment to Himself, for Himself. And then God put a rainbow in the sky so that HE would be reminded of His commitment. Think about it. Wherever there is

20 rain and sunshine, there is a rainbow. Now, from our perspective we may not always see the rainbow. But God is not just limited to what we see from the earth. He sees what is going on in the middle of the clouds and above the clouds. Because of how light and water work together, with every rain there should be a rainbow somewhere even if we can't see it from our perspective. How many places on the earth do you think would be getting rain in any particular day? Dozens? Hundreds? And with each rainbow God sees, he reminds Himself of the commitment He made to Himself just after the flood. Wow! I tell you what, if you ever want to know how to keep a commitment, here is an incredible example to follow. I can only imagine the impact on marriages if we would each make this type of commitment to ourselves that no matter how good or evil our spouse is we will remember our promise to stay married, and we will even do something to remind ourselves of that promise on a daily basis. Divorce would become a thing of the past if we would make commitments the way God makes a commitment. Will you take a moment right now and pray through the commitments God has called you to make. Then answer the questions to help you remember them. 1. When are times you are tempted to despair, give up, or figure out your own plan to get things done apart from God?

2. What commitments has God called you to make to yourself. (If you are married, your marriage is absolutely one of them.)

3. What is something you can do to remind yourself daily of those commitments? Will you do it?

21 Lesson 7 – The Tower of Babel Genesis 11:1-9 [Genesis 10 is a chapter of genealogy, important in tracing the line of Jesus back to Adam and finding out more about people of the time. Let's skip it for now and then come back to part of it at the end of the lesson.]

1. How many languages and races were on the earth after the flood? (vs. 1)

2. How was the desire NOT to be scattered all over the earth a direct violation of God’s command both to Adam in chapter 2, and to Noah in 9:1 to “be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth?”

3. How did God force the people to obey Him?

4. If a family all of a sudden could no longer communicate with other families, and then left the other families to live only with those they would understand, how could this explain the “races” we see today? If all people came from Adam, and then started over again with Noah’s family, are there really any race distinctions according to family lineage and God’s creation?

God's Word in My Life Man has misused technology from the very beginning. Here with the tower of Babel we see several uses of technology in ways that directly violate God's commands to them to multiply and fill the earth. These people were not like what the secular society would have us believe early man to be. Think about it. Adam and Eve were perfect as God created them. Their minds were perfect. We are told these days that people only use about ten percent of their brains. If Adam and Eve were perfect it is reasonable to assume that they used all one hundred percent of their brains. As we look at length of life and some of the technologies developed in a relatively short amount of time we see that the curse of sin came gradually in the way it affected the human body. Generations closer to Adam and Eve had more perfect use of their bodies and minds than each successive generation. Far from being cavemen grunting "Ugh," I'm sure these early people would put to shame the great minds of our time. Even if these people had the same mental capabilities that we do today (and I would believe they would have far more because they were closer to creation), the mere fact that they lived 700, 800, even 900 years would argue for amazing abilities to create. Just think about what our world was like 900 years ago, and all of

22 the technology we have created in that amount of time. What if each person had that same amount of time to create, and build upon his own learned knowledge. And you multiply that by all the people living on the earth at the time. Even without giving them the advantages of living closer to creation, the simple fact that they lived so long and could continue to learn from their own mistakes would argue for them being able to develop fairly sophisticated tools and methods. It's time now to go back to a couple of the genealogies we skipped earlier to see from the Biblical record some of the technology that had already been created by this time. Let's first go back before the flood. In Genesis 4:20-22 we read about some pretty sophisticated technological advances, certainly nothing like the stereotypical "cave man." "And Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. And his brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. As for Zillah, she also gave birth to Tubal-cain, the forger of all implements of bronze and iron; and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah." In this passage we see advances in three different areas. First in husbandry. Jabal had livestock, which indicates that he knew something about the keeping of and care for animals. Of course that is really no surprise since Abel also was a "keeper of the sheep" and Cain was a "tiller of the ground" (4:2). Then we see Jubal and his instruments. Instrument making and playing is considered today to be a mark of a more sophisticated society. And these weren't just simple beating together of sticks, but a lyre with strings placed in order so as to make different notes and more subtle music, and a pipe. Dr. Donald Chittick gives some more perspective on the archeological findings that might give a picture of what the Bible talks about here. "Although we cannot be certain about exact dates, archaeologists have uncovered musical instruments from very ancient times. Some of these ancient instruments are not crude or "primitive," but are highly crafted. Even with our modern technology we do not know how these ancient instruments might be improved to make better music."1 Finally in Genesis 4:22 we find Tubal-Cain who forged both bronze and iron. Again Dr. Chittick gives some helpful insight, "While metallic copper may sometimes be mined directly as from deposits of native copper, metallic iron must be smelted. For iron the smelting process requires fairly complex chemical knowledge. If these early people could smelt iron from its ore, they most certainly could also smelt copper from its ore because it is easier to smelt copper than iron. The production and forging of iron requires fairly sophisticated technical skills."1 So certainly we see that before the flood the technology developed was fairly advanced. Of course all of the pre-flood technology was wiped out in the flood. So why bring that up in a discussion of the tower of Babel? It is important simply because Noah, his sons and their wives lived before the flood. That means that even if the technology itself was wiped out, the memory of it was not. It is one thing to discover a new technology. It is quite another to re-make what was already discovered and perfected. After the flood they had only to apply the knowledge already gained, not re-invent or re-discover all of the technology. Let’s get back to the tower of Babel. In Genesis 10:8 we read about Nimrod. Look at how the Bible describes this man. He was a mighty one, a mighty hunter who set up a kingdom which began at Babel and Erech and Accad and Calneh. He then went from that land into Assyria and

23 built Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Calah and Resen. Nimrod was therefore the first recorded ruler over other people. He was no slouch either. He set up quite a kingdom. Now put these records into the context of chapter 11. We know that mighty Nimrod set up his kingdom in Babel (and the 1

The Puzzle of Ancient Man, By Dr. Donald Chittick, Creation Compass (1998) other 3 cities). We also know that at some point he left Babel and went into Assyria to set up a new kingdom with new great cities. Why would Nimrod leave a successful kingdom to begin again in a new place? The answer is obvious from the events of chapter 11. Genesis records that the people of Babel said, "Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name; lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth." (verse 4) Nimrod was the ruler of Babel. Therefore if “people” were saying that everyone needed to work together to build the city and tower, it is a reasonable assumption that the ruler of those people is behind it all. And why not? Nimrod stood to gain greatly if these people disobeyed God and stayed in one place. It is always easier for a ruler to control people who are nearby than those who are scattered over the face of the earth. So Nimrod set up an enormous public works project to keep all the people together. There is reasonable evidence from archeology to suggest that not only was the tower an enormous undertaking to keep people together, but that it also represented a way to worship false gods. Dr. John Whitcomb explains: “Were these Mesopotamians who descended from Noah’s family actually attempting to build “a tower whose top [would] reach into heaven” (11:4)? The clear answer is “No!” The NASB puts the words will reach in italics, which means that they are not in the original Hebrew text, but were added in an effort to make sense out of the wording. (The KJV italicizes may reach.) But what happens when the Hebrew wording is translated literally? We then have “a tower whose top [is] into heaven.” (cf. NKJV). And this is exactly what ancient Mesopotamian ziggurat temple-towers were for! The top compartment represented heaven. The inner walls, in all probability, were decorated with blue glazed tile, with the sun, the moon, and the five known planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn) lined up along the plane of the zodiac. In the center of the room would be their “god” seated upon a throne! Nebuchadnezzar later rebuilt such a tower in Babylon, which the Sumerians had called E-TEMEN-AN-KI (“the building of the foundation-platform of heaven and earth”). (See J. D. Douglas, ed., The Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Part 1, Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Pub., 1980, p. 155.) The pyramids of Egypt and, much later, the great Mayan temples of Central America, reflected the design and function of the original Tower of Babel. This was not an innocent, scientifically naive, primitive effort to reach the highest heavens! It was, instead, a brilliant but blasphemous effort to dismiss forever the God who had commanded Noah and his three sons after the Flood to “be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth” (Gen. 9:1). Instead of honoring His name (i.e., His character and attributes), they said, “Let us build for ourselves a city . . . and let us make for ourselves a name; lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth” (v. 4)."2

24 We saw earlier how advanced the technology of the time truly was. These were more than simpletons trying to stack up their building blocks. They clearly had the technology to build bricks and mortar. Nimrod and the people under him were deliberate in their rebellion. They used their intelligence and their technology in ways that God never intended them to be used. Bricks and mortar are good in themselves. But to use them to rebel against God is wrong. Before we look down our noses at these men of Babel, what about our own lives? We have amazing technology available to us. We have computers that can do things that were unthinkable just a generation ago. The internet has literally opened up the entire world at the click of a mouse. Yes, we can go see some amazing sights because of this, but we also have the opportunity to visit pornography, gambling and other awful sites with little to no accountability. The technology is not the problem it is our sinful hearts. 1. What are some ways that people use technology today that directly contradicts God's Word?

2. What are ways that you use technology that tempt you to sin or keep you from growing a closer relationship with God?

3. What do you need to change in your use of technology? 4. Will you change?

2

Dr. John C. Whitcomb, September 2001 in "Faith Pulpit", a publication of Faith Baptist Theological Seminary

25 Lesson 8 – Abraham part 1 Genesis 11:27 – 17 1.

What did God ask Abram to do? (12:1) What did God promise Abram if he obeyed? How would God someday fulfill the last part of the blessing to bless all the families of the earth through Abram?

2.

How did Abram respond to God's command?

3.

Abram and Sarai went to Egypt because of a famine in the land. What did Abram tell Sarai to do? Why? What was the result?

4.

What was significant about Abram and Lot parting ways? What actions indicate to us that Lot was not following God as Abram was?

5.

Melchizedek becomes more significant as we read other passages in the Bible. Please read Hebrews 4:14-5:11 and 6:13-7:28. From both Genesis and Hebrews, why is it important to note that Melchizedek was a priest of the one true God even though he was not from Abraham's line (i.e. a Jew, and specifically a descendent of Aaron)? Why is it important that Jesus is called a "priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek"?

6.

In what way is it significant that Abram gave to Melchizedek a tithe of the spoils of the battle (remember, the Old Testament laws concerning tithing were not given until several generations later)? How does that relate to the way Christians today give to God?

26

7.

In chapter 15 as God is making a covenant with Abram, why does verse 6 say Abram was counted as righteous? How can we today be made righteous (see Romans 3:21-26 and Romans 4:1-5)? Is there anything that either Abram or Christians today can do to gain righteousness?

8.

Abram had earlier tried to manipulate the fulfillment of God's covenant to by trying to appoint his servant Eliezer as his heir (15:2), but God told him that his heir would come from his own body (15:4). In the very next chapter Abraham and Sarai again try to manipulate their situation by resorting to the custom of the day by which a barren wife could get a child through one of her own maidservants. Was this the solution that God had spoken of in his covenant to Abram? The child, Ishmael, became the father of the Arab nations. How do we see God's mercy to Hagar and to Abram in Ishmael? How do we see God's judgment using natural consequences of sin through Ishmael?

9.

What is the meaning behind circumcision?

10.

What was Abraham's (formerly Abram) reaction to God's reiteration of the covenant that a son would come from Abraham and Sarah (formerly Sarai)? How do we again see God's mercy to Abraham in the face of his disbelief?

God's Word in My Life As we read about Abraham we hear a lot about the covenant. But if we look at the Jews they do not occupy all of the land that God promised to Abraham. Did God fail to keep his promise? No! God always keeps his promise. As we look through Scripture we find a staggering amount of promises fulfilled. This one is no exception, and though parts of the promise have been accomplished through the ages, we know that in the time of the millennial kingdom of Christ that the Jews will possess ALL of the land promised to Abraham. We see in 2 Peter 3:9 one of the reasons that God does not immediately fulfill every promise: "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." God's desire is to have a close, intimate relationship with you. He is

27 even willing to delay some of the fulfillment of His promises so that more people will come to repentance. All I can say is, Wow! What an amazing God! I think there is another aspect of Abraham's life that is incredibly encouraging to us in our relationship with God. We generally think of Abraham as the father of the Israelite nation. We look up to him and give him honor. That is right. But we so often forget that he was a sinner like us. Think about it, this man of God followed God's leading away from Ur and into a new land, but at the first really big problem – a nation-wide famine – he takes off for Egypt (12:10). Now, there's nothing wrong with Egypt, but that's not where God had sent him. And to make matters worse, once he gets to Egypt he gets his wife to lie for him to save his own skin (12:13). What problems come from all that! What about Abraham’s reaction to God's promise of a son? He laughs at God (17:17). He tries to manipulate the situation to make it work in a way that he can figure out (17:18). What is so comforting to me about Abraham's life is that God was still able to use him in mighty ways. Here is a man who messed up big time on several occasions. Certainly God cannot ignore sin for He is holy and no sin can be in His presence. That makes it all the more wonderful that God took Abraham where he was, forgave his sins based on his faith in God’s plans for the future Messiah, and used him in great ways. He even called Abraham a man of great faith. I look at my own life and see so many ways where I fall just like Abraham did. I come to a time of trial and try to manipulate the situation in ways I can understand, even though God has clearly directed in his Word that I need to be doing something else (perhaps silently submitting to my husband). I follow God and grow in my relationship with Him, and then just as I'm finally getting to where I need to be a trial comes and I hightail it back into something that looks safe. How wonderful to realize that God is merciful in the midst of my shortcomings and failures. No, I don't want to keep doing those same things. I need to be growing in Christ and putting off those sinful ways. But I will continue to sin until the day I die or Christ comes back to take me home. What a comfort to look into the life of Abraham and see a God who is merciful and gracious; a God who can take my failures and turn them into something useful for Himself. As we think through Abraham's life, let's take a look at our own lives and ask God to show us how we can become more faithful. Then when we fail, let's come back to God, ask His forgiveness and allow Him to rebuild our lives in ways that only He can. 1.

What are areas of your life where you know you need to grow in faithfulness (if you can’t think of any, ask your spouse, family member or a close friend)?

2.

What are two specific steps you can take this week to grow towards being more faithful in one of the areas above?

28 Lesson 9 - Abraham part 2 Genesis 18 – 23 1. What sins of Sodom do we read about in the text? How did God show mercy? How did God judge that sin?

2.

Again, we see God giving us not only the highlights of the history of His people, but also the sin and often that sin's consequences. The sons born to Lot's daughters by incest became the fathers of two great peoples, the Moabites and the Ammonites. We find later in Scripture that these people became long-time enemies of Israel. Abraham also sinned. What was his sin? Why should he have known better? How did God once again show mercy to Abraham in spite of his sin?

3.

Why was the birth of Isaac so amazing? What happened to Ishmael? How does God show mercy once again?

4.

How is Abraham's faith in God confirmed through his actions in chapter 22? See also Hebrews 11:17-19. From that passage in Hebrews, what did Abraham believe would happen if he killed Isaac in order that the covenant of God would be fulfilled?

5.

God did not require that Abraham sacrifice his only son but instead provided a ram as a substitute sacrifice. God Himself did what he did not require of Abraham (John 3:16). In what ways can we see a small foreshadowing picture of what Christ would later do, through this story of Abraham and Isaac in chapter 22?

God's Word in My Heart We started this lesson at Sodom and Gomorrah. I want to take a minute to think a bit more about that. God certainly judged Sodom and Gomorrah for their sins. We must remember that there was another way that God deals with sins, and specifically in this context the sin of homosexuality. It is true that God judges it severely and is very clear in many places in the Bible that He abhors the sin of homosexuality (cf. Lev. 18:22, Rom. 1:26-27, 1 Cor. 6:9, 1 Tim. 1:10) . But the most severe judgment ever given for that sin, and every sin, was placed on Christ as He

29 hung on the cross. God is righteous and holy and no sin can be in His presence. But praise God! He is also loving, gracious and merciful. He took upon Himself the full weight of His wrath so that each person who will call on His name, asking forgiveness and accepting the work Christ did on the cross, can enter into His presence forgiven. As I look at the severity of the judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah and realize the righteousness and justice of God, and then take a look at the cross I can do nothing but cry, Hallelujah! What a savior! As was mentioned earlier in the questions, the story of Abraham offering Isaac as a sacrifice is a small picture of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for our sins. As I look at God’s mercy on Abraham as he stopped his hand and spared Isaac’s life, my mind then goes to the scene on the cross. God did not stay His hand that time. Jesus, in complete agony physically, mentally and emotionally cries out “My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). What God would not do to Abraham’s son He did to His own. He did this to pay for the sin of mankind. God proved that He accepted this payment for sins when Christ was raised from the dead. We saw back in Genesis 3 how Adam and Eve sinned. We learned that the curse of sin was death, both physical death and a spiritual separation from God. We see in Abraham’s life that a sacrifice was required to cover sin. Then it was an imperfect sacrifice of a ram. Other sacrifices would have to be offered throughout a person’s lifetime. Christ’s sacrifice was final. Hebrews 7:26-27 says of Jesus, “For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins, and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.” I must pause here to ask if you have ever personally accepted Christ’s perfect sacrifice as payment for your sins. This is not a simple history lesson. This is truth that demands a response. Adam’s sin has passed down through the generations to you. You were born separated from God, lost in your sin. Romans 5:12 says, “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned.” Romans 6:23 tells, “For the wages of sin is death.” The death here is like the death we studied in Genesis 3. Yes, the body will one day die but that is neither all nor the worst news. Far more terrible than physical death is spiritual death where one spends all of eternity separated from God, living in the very real judgment of a terrible place called hell. Just as sin resulted in Adam’s and Eve’s banishment from the perfect Garden of Eden, so our sin will keep us out of God’s perfect kingdom of heaven. I’m so thankful that the story doesn’t end there. Romans 6:23 continues, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The sacrifice Jesus made on the cross was enough to pay for the sin of every person who will accept this gift and make it his or her own. Romans 5:18-19 tells us, “So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.” Christ paid for your sin. The gift is yours to take. The big question is, have you taken the gift and made it your own, or is God still holding it out to you? God will not force you to accept his sacrifice on your behalf. You have the option to pay for your own sin through all of eternity. There is nothing you can do to make yourself good enough for God. God gives only one way,

30 the way of faith. “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.” (Eph. 2:8-9) How do you accept this gift of salvation? Romans 10:9-13 tells us. “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” 1.

If you have not accepted Christ’s sacrifice as payment for your sins, will you do so today? Then please tell others what you have done. The benefits of the gift do not stop at salvation. God has a wonderful plan for your life. Talk with your pastor or another godly Christian who can help you learn to serve this great and merciful God.

2.

If you have already given your life to Christ, I am so glad! My question for you is what are you doing with the faith God has granted you? Are you telling others of the free gift of salvation? Are you living a life of faith as Abraham did?

31 Lesson 10 – Isaac Genesis 24-26 1.

How did God provide a bride for Isaac when he was living in the middle of people who did not believe in God?

2.

How did the servant display faith in the God of his master, Abraham?

3.

What did God tell Rebekah about her sons?

4.

How are Jacob and Esau described? [Note: A birthright was a double portion of the inheritance and the right to be the family chief and priest. Esau’s relatively quick dismissal of his birthright for a simple pot of stew showed how little he cared for God or the ways of his family. Hebrews 12:16 calls Esau a "profane" person, or an irreligious person.]

5.

Same song, third verse. Isaac followed his father, Abraham's lead in telling Abimelech that Rebekah was his sister. How was God merciful to Isaac even with this lie? What price did Isaac end up paying at the hands of the Philistines?

6.

How do we know that God is continuing His covenant in Isaac, just as He promised Abraham?

32 God's Word in My Life For our application of this lesson I’d like to focus on the prayer and worship of Abraham’s servant in chapter 24. This servant that was sent by Abraham to choose a bride for Isaac was obviously a very trusted servant in the household. Most likely he was Eliezer who had stood to inherit all of Abraham’s wealth if there had been no heir (15:2). Now many decades later he is called upon to find a wife for that heir. This servant is of no great importance in the history of the Bible. He is certainly not listed in any of the many genealogies. We really know very little of his life. Yet I am struck by the way we see him humbly follow Abraham’s directions and trust God to lead him and make his way successful. His faith was not some mindless servitude to his master Abraham though. In 24:5 after Abraham had asked him to make this commitment to find a wife for Isaac from among Abraham’s relatives, Eliezer asks a thoughtful question. What if she will not come back? Should he then take Isaac there? Once Abraham answers his questions, he is free to make his commitment. Once the commitment is made he sets off to do what Abraham had requested. Notice the number of times through chapter 24 that Eliezer either prays to God, worships God, or gives God credit for his success. This is a rather short account but we find three different times where Eliezer stops to pray about the situation. This old servant of Abraham’s knew very well that it was God alone who could provide him with the right wife for Isaac. He humbly acknowledged his dependence on God, and asked for help. First he asked God to help him find the right woman. Then the moment the prayer had begun to be answered he bowed down to worship God in prayer. Finally when he knew that God had fully answered his prayer, he again bowed himself down to worship God. And in between these times of prayer and worship we find him telling his story, being careful to give God full credit for working out the circumstances. As I think through Eliezer’s pattern of prayer and worship in this short passage I must stop to consider my own prayer life. Obviously today we are in a different position than Eliezer. All he could hope for from God was a sign to confirm his prayer. We should not expect to receive signs of that type in our lives. Our confirmation is more sure since we have the complete account of God’s revelation to man in the Bible. However I must ask myself if my attitude of dependence on God for the tasks He has given me is similar to Eliezer’s. Do I go first to God for direction or do I first ask a friend, or read a popular magazine, or go to some other source? Do I humbly place my actions and my future in God’s hands or do I proudly think that I can figure it out better on my own. I wish I could say that I was more like Eliezer. But I can think of too many times when I have come to a decision or a task and have tried to do it without thought of God. Even as I write this lesson I must repeatedly remind myself that my mind too is fallen, and I cannot trust myself apart from God’s Word. The most difficult part of these lessons is not in the writing, but in preparing myself before I even sit down to the computer. My wise father once told me that one of the most important parts of Bible study is spending time in prayer before opening the Bible, asking God for wisdom and discernment in the study of each passage. It is GOD’s Word we hold in our hands. If we ever expect to understand and apply it, we must come to God humbly asking for help, just as Eliezer did so long ago.

33 Eliezer didn’t stop with asking for help. Twice we see him worshiping God for answers to his earlier prayer. Again, what about me? Sometimes I find it can be easy to call on God for help with a problem arises. But then I forget to acknowledge God when He answers my prayer. What did Eliezer do? He worshiped God at the first sign of an answer to prayer. As soon as Rebecca fit his test he gave thanks to God. He then worshiped God through his narration of the accounts to Rebecca’s family. Finally he worshiped God when he saw that God had granted him success. At every step of the process Eliezer worshiped God. If something had gone wrong and Rebecca had not ended up going home with him, he would have already worshiped God twice. Once more I ask, what about my worship? How many times do I praise God as soon as a possible answer to prayer is in view? Do I tell others about all that God has done in the situation, even before I know the final outcome? I wish I could say that I did. But I am proud, and far too often withhold praise and worship from God. It breaks my heart when I see how many times I have had opportunity to draw attention to the Creator of the universe, and have kept silent. Praise God that He is willing to take us where we are today and move us to a better place. Will you, with me, commit to growing in your reliance on God in prayer and worship? 1. Have you spent time today praying? If not, please stop right now and spend some time with God. 2. Take a moment and write down some ways that God has answered prayers recently. Then spend time worshiping and praising God for what He is doing in your life.

34 Lesson 11 – Jacob Genesis 27-36 1.

Briefly give an outline of Jacob's life up to the point he left for Laban's house.

2.

On the way to Laban's house Jacob had an important dream of angels going to and from heaven, and of God speaking to him. Compare what God tells Jacob in this dream as well as later in 35:11-12 with what God had earlier told Abraham and Isaac. Abraham 12:2-3 And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; and I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." 13:14-17 And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, "Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants forever. And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if anyone can number the dust of the earth, then your descendants can also be numbered. Arise, walk about the land through its length and breadth; for I will give it to you." 15:5 And He took him outside and said, "Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be." Isaac 26: 2-5 And the LORD appeared to him and said, "Do not go down to Egypt; stay in the land of which I shall tell you. Sojourn in this land and I will be with you and bless you, for to you and to your descendants I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore to your father Abraham. And I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven, and will give your descendants all these lands; and by your descendants all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; because Abraham obeyed Me and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes and My laws."

3. In our sin-cursed minds, it may not seem fair that God offers this devious trickster the same blessing given to Abraham. Yet, Jacob was part of God's plan of redemption. We continue to see throughout Old Testament history that God chooses imperfect people to use to bring about His plan. In the line of Christ we see several people like Rahab the prostitute, Judah (you'll read about his relations with Tamar next lesson), and David the adulterer and murderer, as well as Jacob the deceiver. What does this teach us about God's grace and mercy? How can this give us hope in our own lives?

4.

Upon reaching Laban's house, Jacob the trickster becomes the one who is tricked. List 2 ways that Jacob is deceived by Laban.

35 God's Word in My Life One of the most evident life principles in Jacob’s life is the law of the harvest. We learn about this law of reaping what you sow in Galatians 6:7-9: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary.” Let’s take a look at Jacob’s life to examine what he sowed and reaped. We saw several instances of deceit and trickery as Jacob took Esau’s birthright and blessing. He sowed deceit. What did he reap? Deceit. He was tricked into marrying the wrong daughter, and then having to work an extra seven years to get the right one. Laban changed his wages 10 times. The world would look at that and say that Jacob got what was coming to him. The Bible would say that Jacob reaped what he sowed. Another area where we see the law of the harvest played out in Jacob’s life is in his passivity. Instead of being the godly leader that he should have been, Jacob often stood back and did nothing when his family was sinning. He allowed his wives to scheme and bicker over whether or not they bore him sons – even to the point of taking two of their servants as his third and fourth wives. He was passive in the rape of Dinah. First he did nothing about the rape, then he did nothing about the murderous revenge taken by his sons (chapter 34). Jacob allowed his wives and family to continue worshiping idols they brought from Laban's house (35:4). He did nothing about Reuben having sex with Jacob's concubine, Bilhah until he was on his deathbed (49:3). He showed great favoritism among first his wives, and then his sons. He did nothing about the hatred and fighting among his sons, just as he had not done earlier among his wives. Jacob was a very passive man in ways that were very wrong. As a consequence of his passivity, Jacob lost the joy that should have come with his blessing. There was fighting and disharmony in his family his entire life. Jacob did not have the peace in his life that God surely would have wanted him to enjoy. In showing favoritism and allowing his sons to fight, Jacob ended up losing Joseph for many years. His oldest son was defiled and Jacob was not able to pass on the blessing to Reuben. Yes, God did bless Jacob. God gave him great wealth and multiplied his family. God graciously extended the Abrahamic covenant to Jacob and his descendents. Yet it is so sad to note that this man who was blessed by God allowed his family to be in such a state of sin that instead of joy and harmony he lived a life full of bickering and disrespect. I want to stop here in our discussion about reaping and sowing to talk briefly about passivity. I think that many in the church wrongly believe that just because they are not involved in any obvious sin, that they are pleasing to God. However we read in James 4:17 “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin.” As I look at Jacob’s life I see several lessons for me about passivity. First of all I see that doing nothing is a choice. That passive choice then keeps me from enjoying the blessings I could have had if I had been actively pursuing God and obedience to His Word. I also see that passivity has consequences. I don't avoid those by not choosing. Those consequences in Jacob’s life affected his children greatly. I am reminded of all the sin, pain and heartache that comes with letting my children get what they

36 want all the time, and of a parent showing favoritism. As I train my children I must be actively engaged in nurturing and admonishing them in the ways of the Lord. Favoritism among my children is wrong, and I must actively guard against it. (For further study on God’s way to train children, see also Deut. 6:4-7, Eph. 6:1-4, Col. 3:21, Prov. 13:24, Prov. 22:15, Prov. 23:13-14, Prov. 29:15, Prov. 29:17, Heb. 12:5-11, 1 Sam 3:1-18). 1.

Take a moment and think through the last few days. What have you been sowing in your life?

2.

Now think through to the end results of that sowing. What will you reap from that way of living?

3.

Are there ways you need to change? Will you do them?

37 Lesson 12 – Joseph part 1 Genesis 37 – 41 [for additional study on the life of Joseph, see Pastor Viars'Joseph series sermon notes on www.fbclafayette.org] 1.

Joseph finds himself in a very dysfunctional family where there are 4 wives, his mother is the favorite and therefore his father, Jacob, shows great favoritism towards Joseph. How do his 10 brothers by the other three wives respond to these circumstances? How did Joseph respond to his circumstances?

2.

Joseph is thrown in a pit, sold to slave traders and then sold in Egypt to be a slave to Potiphar. How does Joseph respond to his difficult circumstances? How are we tempted to sinfully react when we have trials come into our lives?

3.

When people face tough trials many will question "where is God." Joseph did not. How do we see God involved in Joseph's life even in the trials? What does this teach about God's mercy and grace?

4.

God blessed Joseph there in Egypt, and blessed Potiphar's household because of Joseph. We know that Joseph was not grumbling, complaining, being angry or bitter about his situation by both this blessing, and by Potiphar’s promotion of him. What does the passage tell us about Joseph's testimony to Potiphar and his household?

38 5.

When Potiphar's wife tried to seduce him, Joseph resisted the temptation. What reasons did he give her for his refusal?

6.

Genesis 39:10 says that Potiphar's wife tried to seduce Joseph "day by day" and he "did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her." Often the most difficult temptations are the ones that come day after day and gradually wear down our resistance. Finally the day came when she forced the issue, and he literally fled from the house, leaving his coat behind. She then used that coat to lie about him to Potiphar and send Joseph to prison. What does 39:21 tell us about where God was in this hard trial? What was Joseph's attitude in prison?

7.

When Joseph had opportunity to interpret dreams for the butler and baker and later for the Pharaoh, how did he give testimony to God?

8.

How did God bless Joseph after interpreting Pharaoh's dream?

39 9.

Complete the chart below.

Trial Sold into slavery by his own brothers

Tempted day by day to commit adultery with Potiphar's wife

Thrown in prison because of a lie

Forgotten for two years when the butler promised to remember him to Pharaoh

Joseph's response

God's working

Outcome of trial

40 10.

List three ways the story of Joseph teaches us by example how we should handle trials when they enter our lives.

God's Word in My Life In the questions above we have spent time thinking through how Joseph handled trials, and how we can handle trials in our own lives. I want to take a moment now and change the focus to handling temptation. We saw that Joseph was tempted greatly by Potiphar’s wife as she daily tried to seduce him. He gives us a wonderful example of how to handle temptation. First he resisted the temptation. Read again Genesis 39:7-9 “And it came about after these events that his master's wife looked with desire at Joseph, and she said, "Lie with me." But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Behold, with me here, my master does not concern himself with anything in the house, and he has put all that he owns in my charge. There is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great evil, and sin against God?"” I think many miss that Joseph said this at the beginning of the temptations. This was not the time that she grabbed his coat. Joseph at this point refused, and went on with his daily tasks. However this temptation came daily, and grew to the point of her grabbing him when they were alone. His only option at that point to successfully resist the temptation was to run out of there as fast as he could. We also face temptations of various types that we must resist. We may not have someone trying to daily seduce us into adultery, but we certainly all face daily temptations. Read through the following verses that give further instruction on how Christians should handle temptation. Romans 13:14 “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.” James 1:13-18 “Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow. In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we might be, as it were, the first fruits among His creatures.” Matthew 4:1-11 “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. And the tempter came and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." But He answered and said, "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'"

41 Then the devil took Him into the holy city; and he had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God throw Yourself down; for it is written, 'HE WILL GIVE HIS ANGELS CHARGE CONCERNING YOU'; and 'ON their HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP, LEST YOU STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.'" Jesus said to him, "On the other hand, it is written, 'YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.'" Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory; and he said to Him, "All these things will I give You, if You fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Begone, Satan! For it is written, 'YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.'" Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him. 1. According to the passage in James, how are we tempted?

2. What does the Romans passage tell us to do in order to prepare against temptation?

3. What did Jesus do to resist temptation?

4. What temptations are you facing on a regular basis?

5. What can you do today to prepare yourself to successfully resist those temptations?

42 Lesson 13 – Joseph part 2 Genesis 42 – 50 [for additional study on the life of Joseph, see Pastor Viars'Joseph series sermon notes on www.fbclafayette.org]

1.

When Joseph's brothers came to Egypt Joseph did not reveal himself to them right away. We know from his later statement that he was not bitter about what they had done or trying to get some type of revenge. Why then would he not only keep his identity a secret, but also accuse them of being spies, keep one brother in prison, and later put a silver cup in Benjamin's sack?

2.

How do we see God's mercy and grace towards Jacob and his family through Joseph? Why was it important for Joseph to be in Egypt in the position he held at that precise time?

3.

When Jacob and all his family came to Egypt Joseph gave specific instructions of what to say to Pharaoh so that they would be allowed to live in the land of Goshen, away from the main Egyptian population. Why would it be important for Jacob's family to live apart from the Egyptians?

4.

As Jacob is dying he speaks about each of his children. First he gives a double portion to Joseph by claiming Joseph's two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, as his own. Later he speaks of each child. Which son does Jacob place as the next in line for the Abrahamic covenant? (hint: it is the one from whom the scepter shall not depart) Does it surprise you that it is not Joseph?

5.

Once Jacob died Joseph's brothers were once again afraid that Joseph would make them pay for the evil they did to him. What was Joseph's response?

6.

What Joseph taught us about living for God as an imperfect man facing many trials, Jesus taught as a perfect man facing many trials. Look through the chart below taken from

43 John MacArthur's study notes in the MacArthur study Bible. Then think through your own life. Joseph – A Type of Christ Parallels A shepherd of his father's sheep His father loved him dearly Hated by his brothers Sent by father to brothers Others plotted to harm them Robes taken from them Taken to Egypt Sold for the price of a slave Tempted Falsely accused Placed with two other prisoners, one who was saved and the other lost 41:41 Exalted after suffering 41:46 Both 30 years old at the beginning of public recognition 42:24;45:2,14, Both wept 15;46:29 45:1-15 Forgave those who wronged them 45:7 Saved their nation 50:20 What men did to hurt them, God turned to good

Joseph 37:2 37:3 37:4 37:13,14 37:20 37:23 37:26 37:28 39:7 39:16-18 40:2,3

Jesus John 10:11,27-29 Matt. 3:17 John 7:4,5 Hebrews 2:11 John 11:53 John 19:23,24 Matt. 2:14,15 Matt. 26:15 Matt. 4:1 Matt. 26:59,60 Luke 23:32 Phil. 2:9-11 Luke 3:23 John 11:35 Luke 23:34 Matt. 1:21 1 Cor. 2:7,8

God's Word in My Life As we read about Joseph’s life we are struck by how well he handled trials and temptations. It is amazing to me that Joseph’s life shows so many characteristics similar to Christ. We also are supposed to become more and more like Christ. Romans 8:29 tells us, “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” That is a big task, one that requires the rest of our lives. I am thankful that it is God who works in us to make us like Christ. I am painfully aware of how sinful my thinking and responses are so many times. Yet God is still willing to work in me to mold me into the image of His own Son. Oh, what great mercy from our amazing God! 1. Where would people looking at your life see Christ in you?

2. When trials come into your life, what do you need to change so that you reflect Christ and honor God the way Joseph chose to do?

44

We are now at the end of our study of Genesis. As we look back upon the lessons learned we see how truly foundational this book is to understanding all the rest of the Bible. In Genesis we learned how God created the earth and man. We saw where sin and evil came from and its resulting punishment. We came to understand at least in some measure how merciful and loving God is. We learned about sacrifice and the coming sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and why that was the only way to pay for sins completely. We learned about marriage and God’s best plan for that union. We saw God use sinful men who were willing to give their lives to Him. We read about handling trials and temptations in ways that make us more like Christ. Is it any wonder that the world would try to discredit and eliminate the power of this foundational book? As we understand Genesis properly we see our sin, and the response to God we must make. Man in his sin does not want to be faced with that responsibility. So he has come up with his own alternatives of evolution, divorce and self-seeking life styles. Should it come as a surprise that we hear the world debate Genesis so loudly and long? No, it is not surprising. It is however important that we as Christians stand firmly on the foundation God has given us in this book of Genesis. Let’s see sin as the awful thing it really is, so awful that it separated all of mankind from God. We must understand how much God wants that relationship with man to be restored. “For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes on him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). This book demands a response. We dare not read it and continue life as we have always lived it. Please take a moment to end this study by prayerfully considering what response God would have you make as a result of what you have learned in the book of Genesis. 1. Because of what I have learned as I studied Genesis my response must be:

2. These are the steps I need to take to incorporate that response into my daily life:

I pray that the God of mercy who sent His only Son to save sinners like you and me will do His work in your life to mold and make you more into the image of Jesus Christ. Amen.

45 Memory Verses Lesson 1 - (Isa 45:18 NASB) For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (He is the God who formed the earth and made it, He established it and did not create it a waste place, But formed it to be inhabited), "I am the LORD, and there is none else. Lesson 2 - (Rom 5:12 NASB) Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned-Lesson 3 - (Rom 5:15 NASB) But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. Lesson 4 - (1 John 1:8-9 NASB) If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Lessons 5 & 6 - (Mat 24:37-39 NASB) "For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, they were marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so shall the coming of the Son of Man be. Lesson 7 - (Luke 1:51 NASB) "He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. Lesson 8 - (1 John 4:9 NASB) By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. Lesson 9 - (John 1:29 NASB) The next day he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! Lesson 10 - (Eph 2:8-9 NASB) For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast. Lesson 11 - (2 Cor 5:20-21 NASB) Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Lesson 12 - (Gen 50:20 NASB) "And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. Lesson 13 - (Rom 8:28 NASB) And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

46 Additional Resources Much of the material in the study is based on information learned from the following sources. The Answers Book – Revised & Expanded by Ken Ham, Jonathan Sarfati, and Carl Wieland, Ed. Don Batten, Master Books (1990) This updated book addresses the most common questions that Christians and non-Christians alike ask regarding creation/evolution and Genesis. Answers with Ken Ham Seminar Series (video) by Ken Ham, Answers Media (2001) Specially filmed and formatted to run in 30 minute segments, the entire series is ideal for use in classroom or Bible study setting. Science and Creation Seminar Series (tape) by Dr. Donald E. Chittick The Genesis Record by Dr. Henry M. Morris, Baker Book House (2000) A verse-by-verse scientific and devotional commentary on the book of Genesis The Genesis Flood by Dr. Henry Morris & Dr. John Whitcomb, P&R Publishing (1998) This is the classic that started the modern creationist movement over 30 years ago. Contains various scientific and Biblical aspects of the creation/evolution issue, particularly centered around the topic of the worldwide Flood of Noah. Answers many questions about the Flood: Where did the water come from? Where did the water go? How could Noah fit the land animals in the Ark? The Early Earth by Dr. John C. Whitcomb, Baker Book House (1972) The Puzzle of Ancient Man By Dr. Donald Chittick, Creation Compass (1998) A fascinating and intriguing book that shows that man has always been highly intelligent. From ancient maps, ziggurats, and pyramids, to startling inventions, the evidence shows that the Bible explains the true history of man, not evolution. Refuting Evolution by Dr. Jonathan Sarfati, Master Books (2000) Refuting Evolution is a general critique of the most up-to-date arguments for evolution to challenge educators, students, and parents. Darwin's Black Box by Dr. Michael J. Behe, Simon & Schuster (1998)

47 Walk Thru the Pentateuch Video Series Genesis video Produced by Walk Thru the Bible Ministries, Atlanta, GA Character Study on the Life of Joseph Audio Series By Pastor Viars "

Some Remarks Preliminary to a Biblical Chronology," by Pete Williams. First published in: Creation Ex Nihilo Technical Journal 12(1):98–106, 1998

“Babel Part 1” by Dr. John C. Whitcomb September 2001 "Faith Pulpit", a publication of Faith Baptist Theological Seminary