This is our return class for Foundations Bible Study, beginning in Genesis chapter 25. We will do a review of where we have been and how it all connects to the most important foundation of the Bible: Jesus! We will see that Jesus was there in the beginning, and can be found all throughout the Old Testament, fulfilling God’s Covenant Promise and showing us the reason for Gospel Message today!
This study will help us understand the history and importance of not only the faithfulness of God through His Covenant Promise, but the love He has for His people as seen in His sovereignty over all things! We can take comfort in the fact that God never makes a mistake, and all things work together for good, for those who trust in Him! Defending our faith and developing a Biblical worldview based on our understanding of God’s Word takes time and practice, and must be part of a lifetime commitment we make to the LORD. It should form our purpose and identity in everyday life as we grow closer to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, modeling Him to our family, friends and neighbors.
As Christians, it is more important than ever to know what we believe, and why we believe it, and then apply that to who we are on a consistent basis, and this can only be done if we know Jesus and what His Word teaches. All class sessions include a time for prayer and reflection, a presentation, and a Bible study section. You will find the presentation overview and Bible study questions below, with basic answers for your review and, or to use as a leader’s guide.
Watch this week’s presentation:
Presentation
Foundations Bible study
Genesis chapters 12-50
“The patriarchs”
Introduction and Review
Prayer cards: Take a minute and write your name on the index card provided, and add any special prayer request you might have. Exchange cards at the end of the class.
Review:
1. What did we learn about God’s creation, the Fall and the Flood in Genesis chapters 1-11?
GENESIS: Chapter by Chapter Subject Outline
What is the history we’ve covered so far?
Chapter 1: The days of Creation
Chapter 2: The Seventh Day’s rest; In God’s Image – the Creation of Man and Woman
Chapter 3: The Fall of Man; God’s Rescue Plan in the form of a Covenant Promise
Chapter 4: Cain and Abel – the first murder and the escalation of evil
Chapter 5: Descendants of Adam
Chapter 6: The story of Noah and the corruption of Mankind
Chapter 7: The Flood
Chapter 8: The Flood subsides and recedes
Chapter 9: Covenant of the Rainbow and the repopulation of the earth
Chapter 10: Descendants of Noah – Table of Nations
Chapter 11: The Tower of Babel – Dispersion of the people and the lineage to Abram
2. What did we learn about the life of Abraham and Sarah, and the importance of God’s Covenant with him?
Importance of Genesis 12-24
Genesis 12: The call of Abram; the Abrahamic Covenant; Egypt
Genesis 13: Abram and Lot; The LORD affirms the Land Promise
Genesis 14: The war of the Kings; Melchizedek blesses Abram
Genesis 15: The unconditional Covenant reaffirmed
Genesis 16: Hagar and Ismael
Genesis 17: The Covenant of Circumcision; name changes
Genesis 18: The promise of Isaac; Abraham intercedes for Sodom
Genesis 19: Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah; Lot’s fate
Genesis 20: Abraham and Abimelech
Genesis 21: The birth of Issac; God protects Hagar and Ismael; treaty with Abimelech and the Philistines
Genesis 22: The near sacrifice of Isaac foreshadows Jesus
Genesis 23: The death of Sarah; Abraham now owns Land
Genesis 24: Rebekah and Isaac are married and live in the “Land”
THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT
“Now the Lord said to Abram,
“Go forth from your country,
And from your relatives
And from your father’s house,
To the land which I will show you;
2 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;
3 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 will be blessed.” “
Genesis 12:1-3 (NASB)
Three Parts of the Covenant:
- Land
- Nation
- Blessing – (relates to the Seed Promise)
Focus verses
THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT Goes to Isaac
“2 The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live.
3 Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham. 4 I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring[a] all nations on earth will be blessed, 5 because Abraham obeyed me and did everything I required of him, keeping my commands, my decrees and my instructions.” Genesis 26:(2)3-5 (NIV)
IT ALL CONNECTS TO THIS…
Genesis 3:15 – The first Gospel!
(begins the Scarlet Thread)
From Genesis through Revelation, the Bible is all about Jesus!
THE FIRST GOSPEL
“And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her seed;
He shall [d]bruise you on the head,
And you shall bruise him on the heel.”
Genesis 3:15 (NASB)
God’s Covenant Promise of Messiah, fulfilled in Jesus
Following the Seed Promise of Messiah [through the Bible]:
- Genesis 3:15 – The Adamic Covenant (The Seed Promise begins the scarlet thread)
- Genesis 6:18 – Noahic Covenant (the Seed Promise carried through the Great Flood, and also affirmed in the “Rainbow Promise” of Genesis 9:8-17)
- Genesis 12:1-3 – Abrahamic Covenant (Unfolds the Seed Promise with the blessing to come)
- Genesis 26:3-5 – Promise goes through Isaac (the Abrahamic Covenant passed on to this son of promise)
- Genesis 28:13-15 – Promise goes on through Jacob/Israel (Seed promise expanded to a Nation)
- Genesis 49:8-12 – Promise will come through the tribe of Judah (Seed will have the Scepter forever)
- 2 Samuel 7:12-16/1 Chronicles 17:11-14 – Davidic Covenant (The Seed Promise will be a King forever from the line of David)
- Jeremiah 31:31-34 – The Promise of a New Covenant to come (Seed Promise to be fulfilled)
- Luke 22:14-20 – Fulfillment of the New Covenant by Jesus (Seed Promise fulfilled in Jesus)
- 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 – The New Covenant repeated and confirmed by the Apostles and early believers
- Hebrews 9:15 – The reason Jesus is the fulfilment of the New Covenant (Hebrews 8-10 for a deeper study on Jesus’ fulfillment of all that was promised concerning Messiah/Seed Promise)
- Revelation 1:7 – “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.”
The Importance of Bible Study
Practicing Hermeneutics
THE HERMENEUTICAL METHOD FOR BIBLE STUDY
Get the big picture, never take a verse by itself out of context, and use this method in this order to study any book of the Bible
Practicing Hermeneutics (5 steps)
- AUTHOR-AUDIENCE-DATING: Who wrote, to whom and when?
(Include what was going on in the culture of that)
- PURPOSE OF THE WRITING: Why was it written?
(Include genre – it’s usually historical narrative)
- CONTEXT/FLOW OF THOUGHT: What does it say?
(Get the big picture—read a whole book, chapter or passage in one sitting)
- OVERALL INTERPRETATION AND SUMMARY: What does it mean?
(include cross-referencing the Bible for questions)
- PERSONAL AND CULTURAL APPLICATIONS: How do I use what I’ve learned?
(always done last in order to not misinterpret)
It is important to do it in this order and not in reverse!
Hermeneutics for the Book of Genesis:
Step #1: Author and Audience
Who wrote the book, to whom; when and where?
Moses: He is the author of the first five books of the Bible known as the Torah (Hebrew), Pentateuch (Greek); also known as the Books of Moses.
- Most important: Jesus spoke about Moses’ authorship
“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;”
John 3:13
“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life. I do not receive glory from men; but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves. I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God? Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?””
John 5:39-47
- God gave Moses all that is in the Torah at Mt. Sinai (after the exodus from Egypt and crossing of the Red Sea); and he wrote from God to the Nation of Israel during the forty-year period of wandering in the desert after the exodus from Egypt, 1446-1406 BC.
- The Biblical time-period of events begin at creation and end just before the Nation of Israel’s entry into the Promised Land ( 1406 BC)…
Step #2: Purpose
Why was it written?
- The Book of Genesis has sometimes been called the “seed-plot” of the entire Bible. Most of the major doctrines in the Bible are introduced in “seed” form in the Book of Genesis. Along with the fall of man, God’s promise of salvation or redemption is recorded (Genesis 3:15). The doctrines of creation, imputation of sin, justification, atonement, depravity, wrath, grace, sovereignty, responsibility, and many more are all addressed in this book of origins called Genesis.
- Many of the great questions of life are answered in Genesis. (1) Where did I come from? (God created us – Genesis 1:1) (2) Why am I here? (we are here to have a relationship with God – Genesis 15:6) (3) Where am I going? (we have a destination after death – Genesis 25:8). Genesis appeals to the scientist, the historian, the theologian, the housewife, the farmer, the traveler, and the man or woman of God. It is a fitting beginning for God’s story of His plan for mankind, the Bible.
- The book of Genesis, beginning in chapter 12, gives us the history of the Nation of Israel and the patriarchs of the faith, who, without the Law or Scripture to follow, put their trust in the promises of God.
Recommended Video for a complete overview:
Overview of the Book of Genesis: By the Bible Project
HOMEWORK
Read Genesis Chapter 25 (for step 3 context), then answer the questions (for step 4 interpretation):
1. (Genesis 25:1-6) Abraham remarried after the death of Sarah. Who was Abraham’s new wife, what do we know about the children they had, Specifically Midian? why did Abraham differentiate between them and Isaac concerning the inheritance?
2. (Genesis 25:7-18) How old was Abraham when he died; where was he buried and who was present at his burial? How old was Ismael when he died, and how many sons did he have? Going deeper: What are some things we know historically about the descendants of Ishmael and their relationship to Israel?
3. (Genesis 25:19-23) In the second half of this chapter, after 20 years, Isaac and Rebekah finally have children. What happened between the children while they were still in the womb, and what did God tell Rebekah about the children before they were born?
4. (Genesis 25:24-34) Discuss: What were the boys’ names and what do they mean? What happened between the boys when they were older, and what is the significance for the future.
Step 5 Application for chapter 25
– How do I use what I have learned?
Read Genesis Chapter 26 (for step 3 context), then answer the questions (for step 4 interpretation):
1. (Genesis 26:1-17) In this chapter we get a repeat of what Abraham and Sarah had previously done (Note: this is not the same Abimelech as before; it may have been a title/family name). How is Isaac and Rebekah’s story different in this case? Going Deeper: What did God say to Isaac in verses 2-5, and again in verses 23-24, and why is this important?
2. (Genesis 26:18-35) What happened between Isaac’s men and the men of Gerar?
3. Discuss: At the end of the chapter, what did Esau do that made his parents unhappy, and why? How might Esau’s decision-making ability reflect on his character and family future?
Step 5 Application for chapter 26
– How do I use what I have learned?
Please continue to join us each week as we study about, and through, God’s Word!
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Teri Dugan
TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com
1 Peter 3:15