Of Isaac's Beginning, and Abraham's Ending

This is the study page for Thursday, August 2.  We'll be studying Genesis 24 and the beginning of 25 (through verse 11).  This will wrap up Abraham, and then we'll take a break from the Patriarchs, and explore the Acts of the Apostles.

There are lots of strangeness in these verses.  Chapter 25 is so long partly because a major piece of it is a total repeat of itself.  As you read through, you will have questions, so please write them down and bring them Thursday.  You can post them to this blog as a comment, and I'll try to answer them before Thursday.  Consider these questions as you read through the passages:

• What's the name of the "elder servant"? (bonus points if you figure this one out)
• What's with the hand under the thigh?
• The servant is looking for options, what options, and why is he so careful to look for them?
• What is Abraham most adamant about?  Why that more than a wife from his kin?
• In Chapter 11 and 12, what city did Abraham's family settle?  Where is this one?
• What is the servant's tactic to fulfill his quest?  What does he rely on?
• After the young woman fulfills his conditions, what does the servant give her? Look at the word used for 'ring'.  What might it have been? (hold that thought)
• Who is Bethuel again? (look back at chapter 22)
• What do you think Rebekah is thinking by the time the servant spontaneously worships Yahweh right there while talking to her?
• Where does Rebekah run to?
• What does her brother do?  Why does he do it?
• Why is the servant still at the spring?
• Besides the camels, who else is taken care of ?
• After the camels are taken care of but before he eats, what must the servant do?
• From verse 33 to 48 the servant recounts is tremendous detail what happened at the spring.  What does he do with the ring in verse 47?
• Who is he talking to in verse 33?
• Who is present in 50?
• What is the servant's concern now that he has found Rebekah?
• How do Bethuel and Laban respond?
• What does the servant do once he has been given Rebekah?
• The next day, what is the delay in heading back?
• What is Rebekah's family concerned about?
• What does it say about Rebekah that she agrees to go?  How hard was it to convince her?
• What do you think of the blessing of her family?
• So, how does Yahweh factor into this story?
• What understanding do you have now about why he wanted a wife for Isaac from his family?
• What is Beer-lahai-roi named for and who by?
• Look up the word "meditate".  What are the other possibilities?  Why is it so hard to know for sure what it meant?
•  What does Rebekah do when she sees Isaac for the first time?
• Why wasn't the veil up the whole time?  Why now?
• How elaborate is the "marriage"?
• What is the main effect on Isaac?  What does that say about him?
• After Sarah, what does Abraham do ?
• How many kids does he have now?  Why is that really odd?
• What does he do with all these kids?
• What does he do for Isaac?
• How old is he when he dies?
• Where is he buried?

Wow! That's a lot.  I hope we can finish it in one night, but we may spend another one after next week wrapping up.  I think we're all supposed to be there Thursday (I hope), so I look forward to seeing you all at dinner!

Blessings!

Isaac Carries His Own Wood

This is the study page for Genesis 22 for the July 19 small group meeting.  There may be a lot of people out, and they are going to miss one of the most familiar and confusing chapters of Genesis.

There should be plenty of questions.  A lot of our group will be travelling this week, so if you who are can get to the Internet and read this page this week, post questions you may have as comments.  We'll share and discuss in the group, and post answers we come up with (almost like you're there).

As you read through the chapter, consider these questions; and as always, remember to come up with your own as well.

• Why is God so specific with Abraham about Isaac?
• Abraham has had discussions with God on other things he was told (Sodom for instance), but he doesn't push back on sending away Hagar and her son, nor here.  We know that he was bothered about sending his first-born away.  So what would be going on with Abraham here?
• How does Abraham distribute the burdens once he leaves the two servants with the donkey?
• We always use this passage for a name of God, that He is the 'Provider'.  Follow the link to look up the word "ra'ah" (H7200).  How is it most commonly translated?
• What is Isaac thinking here, and as this is happening?
• We always think of the angel "grabbing" Abraham's arm with the knife.  What did the Angel of The Lord actually do?
• What's with Abraham's common response of, "Here I am"?  Has he been using this response all the way through so far?
• What was God doing, or how does He explain His test?
• Where did the "ram" come from?
• What does Abraham name God here?
• We've already looked at the word compounded with God's proper Name to make this.  Now see what the Strong's does with it (H3070).  What other name of God we have run across already does this sound like (hint: it wasn't Abraham that gave it to Him, but one of his household)?
• What do you think of the promise God makes here, not so much the content which is familiar, but the timing and construction?
• What is new in this promise?

That should do for now.  As I said, you will probably have questions of your own (or at least I hope so).  If you can't make it Thursday, post your questions as comments or replies to the email.  We'll share answers after Thursday's meeting.

Blessings upon you all, and safe travels for those not able to be with us!

Sad and Shrewd: The Emotional Swings of Genesis 21

Hey Folks!

Here is the study page for Chapter 21.  I am debating about whether to tackle the entire chapter or just the first 21 verses.  The last part isn't long, but it is odd.  The questions will cover both pieces.

This is for the meeting on July 12.  Pay attention to the character of God shown here.  Also note that something is missing all through the first section.  The absence may not be obvious until you read it through a few times and ask yourself some questions about what's going on (that should annoy a lot of you ;)

As you read, ask a lot of questions, and jot them down.  Here are some to spur on some discussion on Thursday:

• Who is responsible for the birth of Isaac?
• What does Abraham do when his son is born?
• What does Sarah do? (and which do you think Isaac preferred?)
• This is the word used for "laughter" (H6712) in verse 6, it is related to the verb, "laugh" (H6711) used in the last part of the verse.  Look at the letters and the Strong's definitions.  Now look at "Isaac" (H3327) in the Strong's.  The similarity is really obvious when you look at the Hebrew letters, only the first letter is different.
• How does Abraham celebrate Isaac's "weaning"?
• Something turns the "laughter" to "mocking" (H6711) in verse 9.  Look at the various translations of this word.  How often is it translated as "mocking"?  Why is it "mocking" here, but "laughter" just a few verses prior?
• What is Sarah's real concern with keeping "Hagar's son" around?
• What is Abraham's response to Sarah's demand?
• What is the character of God demonstrated in His response to Abraham's dilemma?
• What is the emotions going on in Abraham as he acquiesces to his wife's demand to send Hagar and "her son" away?
• What does Hagar do when the water runs out?  How do you feel at verse 16?
• Who is crying? God responds but who does He hear?
• How does the son of Hagar make his way in the wilderness?  What similarities does he have with Nimrod (Genesis 10:8-9)?

Now, the next section:

• Who's the new guy?  Why do you think Abimelech now brings his "battle chief"?
• So, what does Abimelech propose?  What does Abraham say to the suggestion?
• After the oath (v. 24) what does Abraham want to discuss?  Look at verse 25 is several translations.  Look up this word for "complain" (H3198) in Strong's.  What is the tone of Abraham here with the "king"?
• What is Abimelech's response?  With his "battle chief" sitting there, how does this seem?
• Now there is another covenant, and what's with the seven lambs?
• What does it mean if Abimelech takes the lambs?
• In other places Abraham builds an altar, what does he do here?
• What name does Abraham use for God here?  Why that?  How, from all that transpires in this chapter, does Abraham arrive at that name for God?

That should do it for this week.  Be sure to write down your own questions and bring them Thursday!

Blessings!

Once More Around the Covenant Mulberry Bush

Chapter 18 looks somewhat like 17, only with more people in it.  This is the page for our meeting on June 14.  I said in the last entry that 17 was somewhat like 18 (or vice versa).  So part of what we'll be doing is a good ole "compare and contrast" like from school (a skill you probably never thought you'd use once you graduated).

So, the chapter falls neatly into two pieces, verses 1 through 16 and 17 through 33.  Read through the whole chapter first, then each section once or twice separately.

As you read the first section (v. 1-16) consider the following questions:

• How is verse 1-2 much like Genesis 17:1-3?  How are they different?
• In verses 3-5 Abraham makes a proposition to the "three men", what do you think of his idea?  What other biblical encounters does it remind you of?
• He gets together meat, bread, butter and cheese (verses 6-8).  Why would these foods be expected?  Where did the grain have to come from?
• In verse 9, who is speaking?  Why might this be an odd question for them to ask?
• In verse 10, who is speaking? 
• When does He predict the coming of the child? Read Gen 17:21. What is the same?  What is different?
• Now who laughs?  Yet, what is the child's name as far as this chapter is concerned?
• Who is never mentioned in this chapter, but figures prominently in chapter 17?
• Having finished the meal and conversation, where do they head off to?

As you read the second section (v. 17-33) consider the following questions:

• Now Who is speaking?  Who is He speaking to initially?
• Where are the "two" going?
• Now that it's just Abraham and Yahweh, what does Abraham do with his "private audience"?
• Read verses 23 through 32 with your best New York/German Jewish or Middle Eastern accent.  How does that flavor the dialogue?  What sense of "culture" do you gain?
• Abraham starts out strong, what is the basis of his plea?  Why should Yahweh not destroy Sodom and Gomorrah?
• Abraham starts at 50 as the "saving threshold".  What skill is he using to reduce that number and how successful is he?

As you read over the chapter some more (yes, that's at least once as a whole, twice at least of each piece, and now a few times more as a whole...what's your point?), and as you do consider your relationship with God; use a few of these questions:

• What would it take for you to recognize God if He showed up at your door?
• What would you feed the Maker of all matter for Sunday lunch?  Why that?
• What has God revealed to you that made you laugh?
• When you ask God for something, how willing are you to "negotiate"?
• How willing do you believe God is to negotiate?

That should do for now (hurry, you only have two days!).  See you all on Thursday!