The Beginning—Genesis 1:1–2:3
Topics: Creation, Darkness, Earth, God, Goodness, Image, Life, People, Plans, Purpose, Rest, Satisfaction, Sovereignty, World
Open It
1. What makes beginning a new project, job, school year, or relationship so exciting?
2. What theories about the origins of life are generally accepted by people in our society?
3. *How does it make you feel when you have created something or when you have completed a big project?
Explore It
1. How did the author describe the earth at the beginning of creation? (1:1–2)
2. What important events did the author describe in these verses? (1:1–2:3)
3. What did God do on the first day of creation? (1:3–5)
4. What did God create on the second day of creation? (1:6–8)
5. What did God do on the third day of creation? (1:9–13)
6. What did God create on the fourth day of creation? (1:14–19)
7. What did God do on the fifth day of creation? (1:20–23)
8. *What did God create on the sixth day of creation? (1:24–26)
9. *How did God create man? (1:26–27)
10. *What instructions did God give the man and woman after he created them? (1:28)
11. What did God give to man and woman? (1:29–30)
12. How did God describe what he had created? (1:31)
13. What did God do on the seventh day of creation? (2:1–3)
Get It
1. What does the creation story reveal about God’s character?
2. *What does the creation story tell us about humankind?
3. How does your belief about the origins of life affect the way you live your life on a daily basis?
4. How should the fact that human beings are created by God impact the way we see life?
5. What does the fact that God made us in his image tell us about people?
6. How does the fact that people are made in God’s image affect the way you feel about yourself?
7. How does the fact that people are made in God’s image affect the way you treat other people?
8. What difference does it make that people are created in the image of God?
9. What can we learn from God’s resting on the seventh day of creation?
10. *What have you learned from this passage about your worth?
Apply It
1. What created thing do you enjoy that you want to thank God for today?
2. In what way do you need to change the way you treat other people (since they are made in God’s image)?
3. *What do you want to remember the next time you are feeling worthless or useless?
The Fall—Genesis 2:4–3:24
Topics: Creation, Death, Deceit, Embarrassment, Evil, Fellowship, God, Goodness, Husbands, Life, Loneliness, Marriage, Name, Nature, Needs, Pain, Partnerships, Punishment, Satan, Sex, Shame, Sin, Soul, Temptation, Testing, Wives
Open It
1. *What makes forbidden things so tempting?
2. What are some of the joys and frustrations of marriage?
3. When was the first time you stole a cookie?
Explore It
1. What are the main events described in these verses? (2:4–3:24)
2. When and how did God create man? (2:4–7)
3. What did God put in the middle of the Garden of Eden? (2:9)
4. For what purpose did God put man in the Garden of Eden? (2:8, 15)
5. *What command did God give man? (2:16–17)
6. What did God say was not good? (2:18)
7. How did God create woman, and what was Adam’s response to her? (2:21–23)
8. What would be the result of man becoming united with his wife? (2:24)
9. *What did the serpent ask the woman, and how did she respond? (3:1–3)
10. Why did the serpent say that God did not want the woman to eat the forbidden fruit? (3:4–5)
11. *What happened when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit? (3:6–7)
12. What did Adam and Eve do when they heard God? Why? (3:8–10)
13. How did Adam and Eve respond when God asked them why they disobeyed? (3:11–13)
14. How did God punish the serpent, the man, and the woman? (3:14–19)
15. Why did God drive Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden? (3:22–24)
Get It
1. How is it significant that God created man and “breathed into him the breath of life”?
2. What does the fact that it was not good for man to be alone tell us about the importance of relationships?
3. What is the significance of the fact that Adam felt no shame at being naked?
4. What does it mean to become one flesh?
5. What difference does it make what we think about Satan and his attempts to deceive us?
6. *What’s the problem with having “knowledge of good and evil”?
7. Why are we attracted to do what God has forbidden?
8. How does this original sin affect us on a daily basis?
9. *What do these verses tell us about temptation and how to resist it?
10. What lies do people tend to believe these days?
11. What does the fact that Adam and Eve felt no shame before their sin and that they felt shame after their sin tell us about the effects of sin?
Apply It
1. What is one thing you can do to improve your relationship with your spouse or a good friend?
2. What can you do to help you remember God’s truth this week?
3. *How can you become wiser about the schemes of the devil?
Cain and Abel—Genesis 4:1–5:32
Topics: Acceptance, Anger, Bitterness, Children, Choices, Consequences, Creation, Death, Denial, Ego, Emotions, Envy, God, Guilt, Image, Jealousy, Life, Life-style, Murder, Punishment, Rejection, Sacrifice, Sin, Temptation, Wives
Open It
1. What do you think is the most powerful emotion and why?
2. *How did you and your siblings get along when you were young? (Think of neighborhood kids if you didn’t have any siblings.)
3. What do you think is the worst sin a person can commit?
Explore It
1. What did Eve say when Cain was born? (4:1)
2. What new people are introduced in this passage? (4:1–5:32)
3. *What sins were committed for the first time at this point in history? (4:1–5:32)
4. How did the author describe Cain and Abel? (4:2)
5. What did Cain and Abel offer to the Lord? (4:3–4)
6. How did the Lord react to Cain’s and Abel’s offerings? (4:4–5)
7. What did the Lord tell Cain he needed to do? (4:6–7)
8. *What did Cain do? (4:8)
9. *How did the Lord punish Cain for his sin? (4:10–16)
10. How did the author describe Lamech? (4:23–24)
11. With whom did God replace Abel? (4:25–26)
12. How did the author summarize God’s creation of people? (5:1–2)
13. What unique facts do we know about Enoch? (5:21–24)
14. What did the author say about Noah? (5:28–30)
Get It
1. Why did God accept Abel’s offering but not Cain’s?
2. What would motivate someone like Cain to kill his brother?
3. Why did Cain kill his brother?
4. What makes all of us vulnerable to Cain’s kind of sin?
5. *Why are family relationships more intense than other relationships?
6. What positive or negative effect have your parents’ life-style had on you?
7. How do you usually react when you have been accused of doing something wrong?
8. *What lessons can we learn from Cain’s action and subsequent punishment?
9. How does a person’s sin affect his or her children and grandchildren?
10. What does it mean to walk with God?
11. What fractured relationship do you need to try to heal?
Apply It
1. *What temptation will you ask God to help you resist?
2. What one thing can you do this week to develop your walk with God?
3. What can you do to smooth over a conflict you have been having with someone else?
The Flood—Genesis 6:1–8:22
Topics: Covenant, Creation, Death, Earth, Evil, God, Grace, Judgment, Life, Life-style, Punishment, Rebellion, Sacrifice, Salvation, Sin, Society, World, Worship
Open It
1. What is the most significant natural disaster you have witnessed or experienced?
2. *What do you find most disturbing about society today?
Explore It
1. *Why did God limit life to a hundred and twenty years? (6:1–3)
2. What are the main events in these verses? (6:1–8:22)
3. *Why did God say He would wipe mankind off the face of the earth? (6:5–7)
4. *What kind of man was Noah? (6:8–10)
5. What did God tell Noah to build? Why? (6:11–14)
6. What did God tell Noah He was going to destroy? (6:17)
7. What did God say He would establish with Noah? (6:18)
8. With what did God instruct Noah to fill the ark? (6:19–21)
9. Why did God tell Noah he was allowed to enter the ark? (7:1)
10. What happened to all the living creatures that were not on the ark? (7:21–23)
11. What happened after the Flood ended but before Noah and his family got off the ark? (8:1–14)
12. Why did God tell Noah to bring the animals off the ark? (8:15–17)
13. What did Noah do when he got off the ark? (8:20)
14. How did the Lord respond to Noah’s offering? (8:21–22)
Get It
1. *How does Noah’s world compare to our society?
2. Why was God willing to destroy most every living thing?
3. Who is someone you know whom you would describe as blameless?
4. *How can we maintain a blameless reputation?
5. What is the significance of God’s covenant with Noah?
6. How does God respond to the evil in our society?
7. Why did Noah worship God after getting off the ark?
8. Why do you think God promised never to destroy the earth with a flood again?
9. Among whom do you have a reputation for serving God?
Apply It
1. *What is one thing you can do to cultivate a blameless reputation among your coworkers? Neighbors?
2. What is one act of protection or provision from God for which you want to praise Him?
God’s Covenant with Noah—Genesis 9:1–10:32
Topics: Blessing, Character, Children, Covenant, Death, Drinking, Earth, Family, God, Heritage, Life, Murder, Parents, Promises, Punishment, Respect
Open It
1. Why do you think that it’s OK or not OK to eat meat?
2. *What do you think is appropriate or inappropriate about capital punishment?
Explore It
1. What did God tell Noah and his sons to do? (9:1, 7)
2. What different types of people are described in these verses? (9:1–10:32)
3. *What did God give to Noah and his sons? (9:2–3)
4. *For what did God say He would demand an accounting? (9:4–6)
5. *What was the covenant that God established with Noah? (9:8–17)
6. What sign of His covenant with Noah did God give? (9:8–17)
7. What did Noah do after he got off the ark? (9:18–21)
8. What did Noah’s sons do in response to what Noah did? (9:22–24)
9. How did Noah respond to what his sons did? (9:25–27)
10. What happened to Noah’s son Japheth? (10:2–5)
11. What happened to Noah’s son Ham? (10:6–20)
12. What did the author say about Nimrod? (10:8–9)
13. What happened to Noah’s son Shem? (10:21–31)
Get It
1. *Why do you think God instituted capital punishment?
2. *What is the connection between capital punishment and the image of God?
3. What are the significant elements in the covenant between God and Noah?
4. Why is it significant that the author of Genesis included the account of Noah getting drunk?
5. Why is it easy to fall into sin after a significant spiritual victory?
6. What did the actions of Noah’s sons reveal about their character?
7. What lessons can we learn from Noah’s experience and the actions of his sons?
8. Why do you think the author gave an account of the family history of Noah’s sons?
9. Why is it important to study our family heritage?
10. What sort of things have you learned from studying your family history?
Apply It
1. *What can you do today to acknowledge the fact that all people are created in the image of God?
2. What is something you can do to celebrate, acknowledge, or add to your family heritage?
3. What is one way you can demonstrate respect for your parents this week?
The Tower of Babel—Genesis 11:1–32
Topics: Accomplishments, Achievements, God, Insecurity, Name, Priorities, Punishment, Rebellion, Security, Self-esteem, World
Open It
1. How much do you know about any foreign language?
2. *To what sort of things do people in our society commit themselves in order to find meaning in life?
3. What is the one accomplishment or achievement in your life from which you have received the most personal satisfaction?
Explore It
1. What did the author say that the whole world had? (11:1)
2. What significant events are described in this chapter? (11:1–32)
3. *What did the men in the plain of Shinar set out to do? (11:2–4)
4. What did the men of Shinar hope to accomplish? (11:2–4)
5. *What did the Lord see, and what did He say about it? (11:5–6)
6. *What did the Lord do, and why did He do it? (11:7–9)
7. What happened to Shem? (11:10–26)
8. To what person did the author trace Shem’s descendants? (11:10–26)
9. Where did Abram live? (11:27–28)
10. Whom did Abram marry? (11:29)
11. What did the author say about Abram’s wife? (11:30)
12. Where did Abram’s father take his family? (11:31)
Get It
1. In what activities do people engage in order to make a name for themselves?
2. *In what sort of activities do you engage in order to increase your sense of self-worth?
3. What institutions, activities, or accomplishments compete for our ultimate attention or allegiance?
4. Why do you think God thought it was necessary to confuse the language of the world?
5. What did God set out to prevent by confusing everyone’s language?
6. *With what or whom are you sometimes tempted to replace God in your life?
7. How does a person’s place of origin impact the course of that person’s life?
8. How does a person’s family of origin impact that person’s life?
Apply It
1. *What can you do today to find satisfaction in your relationship with God rather than in other people, things, or accomplishments?
2. How can you modify one activity of yours so that it does not merely make a name for yourself?
The Call of Abram—Genesis 12:1–20
Topics: Blessing, Character, Circumstances, Consequences, Covenant, Deceit, Family, God, Husbands, Lying, Motives, Moving, Promises, Wives, Worship
Open It
1. What is a significant promise that you have made or that someone has made to you?
2. When did you leave home for the first time to stay overnight at a friend’s house?
3. *When you were growing up, what was the biggest lie you got caught telling?
4. Why is moving so hard?
Explore It
1. What did the Lord tell Abram to do? (12:1)
2. What did the Lord promise to do for Abram? (12:2–3)
3. What did Abram do? (12:4–5)
4. Whom did Abram take with him when he left home? (12:4–5)
5. What did the Lord tell Abram He would do, and how did Abram respond? (12:6–7)
6. What did Abram do in Bethel? (12:8–9)
7. *What did Abram tell Sarai to do when they went to Egypt? (12:10–13)
8. Why did Abram tell Sarai to lie? (12:10–13)
9. *What happened to Sarai when she arrived in Egypt? (12:14–15)
10. How did the Egyptians treat Abram? (12:16)
11. What did the Lord do to Pharaoh and his household? (12:17)
12. Why did Pharaoh and his household get sick? (12:17)
13. *What did Pharaoh do when he discovered that Sarai was Abram’s wife? (12:18–20)
Get It
1. Why might it have been hard for Abram to leave his country, his people, and his father’s household?
2. How did you feel when you left home for the first time for an extended period of time?
3. How would you describe the promise the Lord made to Abram?
4. Why do you think Abram built altars after the Lord appeared to him?
5. How do you memorialize your significant experiences with God?
6. *Why do you think Abram thought it was necessary to lie after all that the Lord had promised to do?
7. When do you think it would be OK to do something wrong in order to achieve something good?
8. When has God helped you out of a bad situation for which you were responsible?
9. *In what setting do you need to make a greater effort to be honest?
Apply It
1. *What can you do to be more honest at home? At work? With your neighbors?
2. How can you mark or memorialize one of your significant experiences with God?
Abram and Lot—Genesis 13:1–14:24
Topics: Character, Conflict, Covenant, Depend, Differences, Disagreements, Family, God, Greed, Tithing
Open It
1. What do you think is inevitable and is avoidable about conflict between family members?
2. *How do you generally deal with conflicts?
3. For what sort of things do you find it hard to depend on other people?
Explore It
1. What happened to Abram after he left Egypt? (13:1–2)
2. What were the main events described in these verses? (13:1–14:24)
3. *What problem arose between Abram and Lot? (13:5–7)
4. *What solution did Abram propose? (13:8–9)
5. What land did Lot choose? Why? (13:10–11)
6. Where did Abram and Lot end up living? (13:12)
7. How did the author describe Sodom? (13:13)
8. What did the Lord tell Abram he was going to give him? (13:14–18)
9. What happened to Lot while he was living in Sodom? (14:11–12)
10. *What did Abram do when he found out what had happened to Lot? (14:13–16)
11. Who came out from Sodom to meet Abram? (14:17–18)
12. What did Melchizedek say when he blessed Abram? (14:19–20)
13. What did Abram give to Melchizedek? (14:20)
14. Why did Abram refuse to take anything from the king of Sodom? (14:22–24)
Get It
1. *Why is it sometimes hard to get along with family members and other people you love?
2. *What lessons can be learned from the way Abram resolved his conflict with Lot?
3. How do our choices in life reflect our values and character?
4. What sort of values and considerations should guide our decision-making process?
5. When do you tend to be greedy?
6. What lessons can be learned from Abram’s rescue of Lot?
7. When might you be tempted to rely on ungodly means to achieve a godly goal?
8. When might it be wrong to depend upon other people rather than God to meet our needs?
Apply It
1. What person with whom you do not get along will you make a special effort to get along with this week?
2. *What is something specific that you can change about the way you deal with conflict this week?
3. When can you take time this week to reevaluate motives?
God’s Covenant with Abram—Genesis 15:1–17:27
Topics: Age, Believe, Blessing, Children, Covenant, Culture, Doubt, Fear, God, Name, Parents, Patience, Promises, Relationships, Righteousness, Trust, Waiting
Open It
1. What do you think about the practice of surrogate mothering?
2. *When have you had a scheme that you concocted backfire on you?
Explore It
1. Why did the Lord tell Abram not to be afraid? (15:1)
2. What promises did God make, and to whom did He make them? (15:1–17:27)
3. What did the Lord promise Abram? (15:4–5)
4. How did the Lord show Abram that he would take possession of the Promised Land? (15:7–17)
5. *What did Sarai tell Abram to do in light of their childlessness? (16:1–2)
6. *How did Sarai respond after Hagar became pregnant? (16:4–6)
7. *What happened to Hagar after she fled from Sarai? (16:7–16)
8. Why did the Lord change Abram’s name to Abraham? (17:1–5)
9. What sort of covenant did the Lord establish with Abraham? (17:6–8)
10. How were Abraham and his descendants supposed to keep the covenant that the Lord had established with them? (17:9–14)
11. How did the Lord promise to bless Sarai? (17:15–16)
12. How did Abraham respond to the Lord’s promise? (17:17–18)
13. What promises did the Lord make with respect to Isaac and Ishmael? (17:19–21)
14. What did Abraham do when God had finished speaking to him? (17:23–27)
Get It
1. What is the basis of both Abraham’s and our relationship with God?
2. Why is it sometimes hard to trust God?
3. *When have you been tempted to take ungodly steps to achieve a godly goal?
4. What was wrong with Abram sleeping with Hagar to gain an heir?
5. When are you tempted to take shortcuts?
6. Why do people sometimes blame other people for problems they have created?
7. What lessons can be learned from the advice God gave to Hagar?
8. Why is it hard to forgive people who have hurt or mistreated us?
9. When have you doubted God?
10. *Why is it sometimes difficult to trust God and His timing in our lives?
Apply It
1. *In what area of your life in which you find it difficult to trust God will you ask Him to help you trust Him?
2. To what person who has mistreated you can you go out of your way to be kind?
Sodom and Gomorrah—Genesis 18:1–20:18
Topics: Angels, Backslide, Culture, Deceit, Environment, Evil, Family, God, Hardheartedness, Homosexuality, Hospitality, Immorality, Life-style, Lust, Morality, Punishment, Sex, Sin, Society, Temptation, Trust, World
Open It
1. *What is your favorite city or part of the country, and what do you like about it?
2. When do you think it is important to be hospitable to strangers?
Explore It
1. Who visited Abraham, and how did Abraham respond to their visit? (18:2–8)
2. What did Abraham’s visitors tell him, and how did Sarah respond to their message? (18:9–12)
3. How did Sarah respond when the Lord confronted her? (18:13–15)
4. How did Abraham respond to the Lord’s plan? (18:16–33)
5. Who visited Lot? (19:1–2)
6. How did the men in Sodom and Gomorrah treat Lot’s guests, and how did Lot respond? (19:4–8)
7. What happened to the men surrounding Lot’s house? (19:9–11)
8. When Lot and his family fled the city, what did his visitors tell them to do and not to do? (19:16–25)
9. *Why did Lot leave Sodom at the last minute? (19:12–22)
10. *What did Lot’s wife do, and what happened to her? (19:26)
11. *What did Lot’s daughters do? Why? (19:30–38)
12. What did Abraham say about Sarah, and what happened as a result? (20:1–2)
13. How did God speak to Abimelech, and what did He tell him? (20:3–7)
14. What did Abimelech do in response to what God told him? (20:8–10)
15. What explanation did Abraham give for what he did? (20:11–13)
16. What did Abimelech give Abraham, and what was Abraham’s response? (20:14–18)
Get It
1. *In what ways do we become hardened to the evil around us?
2. How does our society desensitize people to sinful behavior?
3. What is something you have thought was impossible for God to do?
4. What is something for which you have found it hard to trust God? Why?
5. How does Sodom and Gomorrah compare to our society?
6. In what ways do people sometimes make their family suffer in order to uphold someone else’s expectations?
7. Why is it sometimes hard to flee from sin?
8. Why are we tempted to resort to sinful means to achieve our goals rather than to trust God to work things out?
9. Why are some temptations harder to resist than others?
10. *How can we avoid falling into the sinful patterns that others consider good or normal?
Apply It
1. *What can you do to become a better critic of the world’s standards?
2. With what area of your life do you need to trust God more?
3. What specific steps will you take this week to be on guard against temptation?
Isaac—Genesis 21:1–23:20
Topics: Age, Angels, Atonement, Blessing, Character, Children, Death, Faith, Faithfulness, God, God’s Will, Mourning, Parents, Promises, Sacrifice, Testing, Trust
Open It
1. *What do you think most tests people’s faith?
2. In what different ways do people respond to a loved one’s death?
Explore It
1. How was the Lord gracious to Sarah, and how did she respond? (21:1–7)
2. How is Abraham depicted in these verses? (21:1–23:20)
3. Why was Sarah upset with Hagar and her son, and what did she tell Abraham to do? (21:8–10)
4. How did Abraham respond to Sarah’s request? (21:11–13)
5. What happened to Hagar and her son? (21:14–20)
6. What happened between Abraham and Abimelech? (21:22–34)
7. *How did God test Abraham? (22:1–2)
8. What did God tell Abraham to do? (22:1–2)
9. *How did Abraham respond to God’s test? (22:3–10)
10. How did God spare Isaac’s life? (22:10–12)
11. What substitute did God provide? (22:13–14)
12. *What did God tell Abraham He would do because Abraham had not withheld his son? (22:15–18)
13. What did Abraham do when Sarah died? (23:1–20)
Get It
1. How has God been gracious to you?
2. How do you deal with the consequences of bad decisions you have made in the past?
3. *Why did God ask Abraham to sacrifice his son?
4. What circumstances or events have tested your faith?
5. *When and how has God tested your faith?
6. What rituals and traditions accompany someone’s death in our society?
7. What should we do when a loved one dies?
Apply It
1. *In what area of your life will you ask God to give you the strength to be obedient?
2. With what command of God will you ask Him to help you this week?
Isaac and Rebekah—Genesis 24:1–25:18
Topics: Children, Culture, Death, Faith, Family, God, God’s Will, Guidance, Husbands, Love, Marriage, Parents, Plans, Praise, Prayer, Sovereignty, Trust, Wives
Open It
1. *How do people generally choose whom they are going to marry?
2. When was your first date?
Explore It
1. *What did Abraham make his chief servant promise? (24:1–9)
2. What are the main events described in these verses? (24:1–25:18)
3. Where did Abraham’s servant go? (24:10–11)
4. *For what did Abraham’s servant pray? (24:12–14)
5. *How did the Lord answer the servant’s prayer? (24:15–25)
6. What did the servant do after the Lord had answered his prayer? (24:26–27)
7. What did Rebekah do? (24:28)
8. Who went out to meet Abraham’s servant? (24:29–31)
9. What did Abraham’s servant tell Laban? (24:34–49)
10. How did Laban respond to what Abraham’s servant said? (24:50–51)
11. How did Abraham’s servant respond to what Laban said? (24:52–54)
12. What did Rebekah’s brothers say to her when she left with Abraham’s servant? (24:59–60)
13. What did Rebekah do when she saw Isaac? (24:64–65)
14. What did Abraham do after Sarah died? (25:1–4)
15. To whom did Abraham leave everything he owned when he died? (25:5)
16. Where was Abraham buried when he died? (25:10)
17. What happened to Ishmael? (25:12–18)
Get It
1. *Why is it important or unimportant to marry someone from the same religious, social, and cultural background?
2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the way people typically get married?
3. What advantages might there be in having your parents arrange your marriage?
4. When was the last time God specifically answered one of your prayers?
5. *For what major decisions have you asked God to give you guidance?
6. How do you respond when God specifically answers your prayers?
Apply It
1. *For what major decisions will you ask God to give you guidance this week?
2. For what answered prayers do you want to praise God?
Jacob and Esau—Genesis 25:19–34
Topics: Abilities, Character, Children, Choices, Consequences, Decisions, Faults, Favoritism, Impulsiveness, Love, Needs, Parents, Right, Temptation, Weaknesses
Open It
1. *When was the last time an impulsive decision got you into trouble?
2. How do TV commercials and other advertisements encourage us to act impulsively?
Explore It
1. Why did Isaac pray? (25:21)
2. How did the Lord answer Isaac’s prayer? (25:21)
3. What did Rebekah ask the Lord? Why? (25:22)
4. What did the Lord tell Rebekah? (25:23)
5. How did the author describe Esau? (25:25)
6. How did the author describe Jacob? (25:26)
7. How old was Isaac when Rebekah gave birth to Esau and Jacob? (25:26)
8. How did the author describe Esau and Jacob after they had grown up? (25:27)
9. Why did Isaac love Esau? (25:28)
10. Whom did Rebekah love? (25:28)
11. *For what did Esau ask Jacob? Why? (25:29–30)
12. *On what condition did Jacob agree to give Esau some stew? (25:31)
13. *What was Esau’s response to Jacob’s condition? (25:32)
14. What did Jacob make Esau do? (25:33)
15. What was Esau’s attitude? (25:34)
Get It
1. Why might God choose to make us wait before He grants our requests?
2. Why do parents sometimes favor one child over another?
3. What makes children from the same home turn out so differently?
4. *When or under what circumstances do you tend to act on impulse?
5. When and why might we fulfill an urge or desire without thinking through the consequences?
6. What are some of the consequences of making impulsive decisions?
7. *How can we avoid making rash, impulsive decisions in life?
8. When is it proper to exploit a situation or a person’s weakness to get something we want?
9. In what situations do you need more consistently to think before acting?
Apply It
1. What can you do to be more patient about the requests of yours that God has not answered?
2. *What action can you take this week to help yourself avoid making impulsive decisions?
Isaac and Abimelech—Genesis 26:1–35
Topics: Blessing, Character, Children, Covenant, Deceit, Enemies, God, Habits, Husbands, Influence, Lying, Neighbor, Parents, Success, Wealth, Wives, Worship
Open It
1. *What are some of the “polite” reasons people have for lying?
2. What habits or tendencies have you picked up from your parents?
3. What would you tell a boy or girl who kept getting picked on by a bully?
Explore It
1. What did Isaac do when there was a famine in the land? (26:1)
2. What did God tell Isaac to do? (26:2–6)
3. What did God promise Isaac? (26:2–6)
4. *What did Isaac do when he arrived in Gerar? Why? (26:7)
5. *How did Abimelech find out that Isaac was lying, and what did he do when he found out? (26:8–11)
6. What happened to Isaac, and how did the Philistines respond? (26:12–15)
7. What did Abimelech ask Isaac to do? (26:16)
8. *What did Isaac do after his meeting with Abimelech? (26:17–22)
9. What happened to Isaac in Beersheba? (26:23–24)
10. Why did Abimelech visit Isaac? (26:26–29)
11. What did Isaac do in response to Abimelech’s visit? (26:30–32)
12. Whom did Esau marry, and how did this affect Isaac and Rebekah? (26:34–35)
Get It
1. *Generally, what is your first response to problems?
2. *Why do we tend to ask God to help only after exhausting all other alternatives?
3. What’s wrong with lying to protect ourselves?
4. How have your parents shaped and influenced your life?
5. How are you shaping and influencing the lives of your children?
6. How do you generally respond to conflict with people you consider your enemies?
7. When is it best not to retaliate for a hostile act?
8. What lessons can we learn from how Isaac resolved his conflicts with the Philistines and Abimelech?
9. Why might in-laws be a source of conflict?
Apply It
1. How should you respond the next time someone bullies or teases you?
2. *With what problem do you want to ask God to help you?
3. What blessings in your life do you want to thank God for today?
Jacob Gets Isaac’s Blessing—Genesis 27:1–28:9
Topics: Anger, Blessing, Character, Children, Consequences, Deceit, Envy, Family, Goals, God’s Will, Lying, Motives, Parents, Patience, Rationalizing, Relationships
Open It
1. *What was the most outrageous trick you played on your parents when you were growing up?
2. What facts about themselves do people like to hide?
Explore It
1. What did Isaac ask Esau to do? (27:1–4)
2. What are the important events described in these verses? (27:1–28:9)
3. What title would you give to this passage? Why? (27:1–28:9)
4. *What did Rebekah do after she heard Isaac talking to Esau? (27:5–10)
5. *What was Jacob’s initial concern with Rebekah’s plan? (27:11–12)
6. What did Jacob do to make Isaac think he was Esau? (27:14–17)
7. *What lies did Jacob tell to convince Isaac that he was Esau? (27:19–25)
8. What blessing did Isaac give Jacob? (27:27–29)
9. What happened when Esau came back with the food he had prepared for Isaac? (27:30–38)
10. How did Isaac answer Esau’s request for a blessing? (27:39–40)
11. What did Esau plan to do? (27:41)
12. What did Rebekah tell Jacob to do? (27:42–45)
13. What did Rebekah say to Isaac? (27:46)
14. What did Isaac tell Jacob to do, and what blessing did he give him? (28:1–4)
15. What did Esau do when he learned that Isaac had blessed Jacob? (28:6–9)
Get It
1. *Why would a person do something wrong in order to accomplish something right?
2. When might it be OK to use whatever means necessary to achieve a good goal?
3. What tends to cause friction in family relationships?
4. *What excuses do people use to rationalize their sinful behavior?
5. Why is it hard to wait for God to work out his will in our lives?
6. When is it difficult to accept the consequences for our behavior?
7. How should we deal with anger and disappointment?
8. When is it foolish to try to please your parents?
9. *What sinful behavior do you tend to rationalize?
Apply It
1. *Who can you ask to hold you accountable when you’re tempted to rationalize?
2. What is something specific you can do to ease the friction between you and a family member?
3. In what area of your life will you ask God to help you be patient this week?
Jacob’s Dream at Bethel—Genesis 28:10–30:43
Topics: Angels, Bargaining, Blessing, Character, Children, Culture, Deceit, Envy, God, God’s Will, Husbands, Marriage, Patience, Success, Tithing, Traditions, Vows, Wealth, Wives, Work, Worship
Open It
1. Which do you like better, hymns or choruses? Why?
2. *Growing up what was your first big purchase for which you saved your allowance or got a part-time job?
Explore It
1. What happened in Jacob’s dream? (28:10–15)
2. Who are the main people in this story, and what was their importance? (28:10–30:43)
3. What was Jacob’s response to his dream? (28:16–22)
4. What did Jacob ask the shepherds at the well? (29:1–6)
5. Who came to the well, and how did Jacob respond to her? (29:9–12)
6. *For what wage did Jacob agree to work for Laban? (29:15–18)
7. *What happened after Jacob had worked for Laban seven years? (29:20–30)
8. What did the Lord do when He saw that Leah was not loved? (29:31)
9. For what did Leah hope? (29:32–34)
10. What did Rachel do when she realized she would not be able to have children? (30:1–8)
11. What did Leah do when she had seen what Rachel had done? (30:9–12)
12. What exchange did Rachel and Leah make, and what was the result? (30:14–21)
13. *What did God do for Rachel? 30:22–24)
14. What agreement did Jacob and Laban make? (30:25–34)
15. How did Jacob increase the number of his flocks? (30:37–43)
Get It
1. Why did Jacob make a vow to serve God?
2. How should we respond to the blessing of God?
3. What sort of bargains do people try to make with God?
4. What rituals accompany courting and engagement in our society?
5. In what way do our sins catch up with us?
6. What are some socially acceptable customs in our world today that violate God’s law?
7. How does culture influence our practice of faith in Christ?
8. How do parents today sometimes use their children to achieve their own goals?
9. *How do you generally respond to unanswered prayer?
10. *When is it difficult for you to trust God patiently?
11. What about the future is difficult for you to entrust to God?
Apply It
1. For what blessings in your life do you want to praise God?
2. What is one culturally accepted practice that you need to reevaluate this week?
3. *For what unanswered prayer will you ask God to give you the patience to wait for His perfect timing?
Jacob Flees from Laban—Genesis 31:1–36:43
Topics: Achievements, Blessing, Children, Conflict, Covenant, Death, Deceit, Envy, Family, Forgiveness, God, Habits, Idolatry, Jealousy, Parents, Persistence, Pride, Promises, Reconciliation, Relationships, Revenge, Security, Sex, Success, Wealth, Worship
Open It
1. *Which is harder for you: to ask for forgiveness from someone you have wronged or to forgive someone who has wronged you?
2. To whom in your family are you closest and why?
3. What do people try to run away from?
Explore It
1. Why did Jacob flee from Laban and return to his native land? (31:1–13)
2. What significant events in the life of Jacob are described in these verses? (31:1–36:43)
3. How did Rachel and Leah respond to the plan to leave? (31:14–20)
4. What did Rachel take with her? (31:14–20)
5. What was Laban looking for among Jacob’s possessions, and why didn’t he find it? (31:22–35)
6. *How did Jacob prepare for his meeting with Esau? (32:1–21)
7. With whom did Jacob wrestle, and what promise did Jacob elicit from him? (32:22–31)
8. *What happened when Jacob met Esau? (33:1–20)
9. *What happened to Jacob’s daughter Dinah, and what did Jacob’s sons do about it? (34:1–29)
10. What did God tell Jacob to do, and how did Jacob respond? (35:1–7)
11. What did God promise Jacob, and what was Jacob’s response? (35:9–15)
12. How did Rachel die? (35:16–19)
13. Who were Jacob’s sons? (35:22–26)
14. How old was Isaac when he died, and who buried him? (35:27–29)
15. Who were Esau’s descendants? (36:1–40)
Get It
1. On what idols do people in our society depend?
2. Why might someone else’s success or prosperity cause us to become jealous or envious?
3. How can we avoid being jealous about another person’s success?
4. *How should we resolve our problems and conflicts with other people?
5. To what idols do you tend to cling for security?
6. What good habits of Jacob should we imitate?
7. Why is it difficult to reconcile broken relationships?
8. *Why is it difficult to forgive someone who has wronged you in the past?
9. Concerning what does God require our persistence?
10. What’s the best way to satisfy our desire for justice?
11. How should we respond to our encounters with God and His blessing?
Apply It
1. What can you do to guard against jealousy toward people who succeed or prosper more than you?
2. What idol to which you have clung will you remove from your life this week?
3. *What broken or damaged relationship can you work to reconcile this week?
Joseph Is Sold into Slavery—Genesis 37:1–36
Topics: Affections, Anger, Bitterness, Character, Children, Deceit, Emotions, Envy, Family, Favoritism, God’s Will, Jealousy, Lying, Murder, Parents, Relationships, Slavery
Open It
1. *What do you think is the most powerful emotion? Why?
2. What was the greatest gift you ever received from your parents?
Explore It
1. What kind of report did Joseph bring to his father? (37:1–2)
2. How did the author describe Joseph? (37:1–36)
3. How did the author describe Reuben? (37:1–36)
4. How did the author describe Jacob or Israel? (37:1–36)
5. *Why did Israel love Joseph more than his other sons, and how did he show it? (37:3)
6. How did Joseph’s brothers treat him? (37:4)
7. *What kind of dreams did Joseph have, and how did his brothers respond when he told them about them? (37:5–11)
8. What did Israel ask Joseph to do? (37:12–14)
9. What did Joseph’s brothers plot to do? (37:18–20)
10. What did Reuben do, and what did he intend to do? (37:21–22)
11. *What did Joseph’s brothers do to him? (37:23–28)
12. What did Reuben do when he found out what his brothers had done to Joseph? (37:29–30)
13. What did Joseph’s brothers do, and what did they tell their father? (37:31–33)
14. How did Jacob respond to the news about Joseph? (37:34–35)
15. What happened to Joseph? (37:36)
Get It
1. Why might a parent favor one child over another?
2. What causes jealousy between siblings?
3. How can parents avoid fueling jealousy between their children?
4. How does boasting get people into trouble?
5. When have you had to learn a lesson in life the hard way?
6. *What makes jealousy such a powerful emotion?
7. *How should we deal with feelings of jealousy?
8. What lessons can we learn from the actions of Reuben?
Apply It
1. What can you do this week to show all of your close family members that you love them?
2. *How can you change the way you deal with feelings of jealousy?
Judah and Tamar—Genesis 38:1–30
Topics: Accusation, Adultery, Consequences, Death, Deceit, Desires, Emotions, Guilt, Husbands, Immorality, Life-style, Lust, Marriage, Morality, Punishment, Sex, Sin, Society, Temptation, Traditions, Wives
Open It
1. *What makes sex such a powerful advertising theme?
2. What are some of the double standards that exist for men and women in our society?
Explore It
1. What did Judah do? (38:1–5)
2. Who were the main people in this story, and what sort of people were they? (38:1–30)
3. Whom did Er marry, and what happened to him? (38:6–7)
4. What did Judah tell Onan to do, what did he do, and what happened to him? (38:8–10)
5. Why did Onan die? (38:8–10)
6. What did Tamar do? (38:11)
7. Why did Tamar go to live in her father’s house? (38:11)
8. What did Tamar do when she heard that Judah had gone to Timnah? (38:13–14)
9. *What happened to Judah and Tamar in Timnah? (38:15–19)
10. *What did Judah do about his promise? (38:20–23)
11. How did Judah respond to the news about Tamar? (38:24)
12. *How did Judah respond when he found out the truth? (38:25–26)
13. What happened when Tamar gave birth? (38:27–30)
Get It
1. In what ways was Judah inconsistent in his morals?
2. How is a person’s character revealed in his or her behavior?
3. What’s wrong with not fulfilling an obligation?
4. What intense desires often get people into trouble?
5. Why might a person be eager to see someone else punished for his or her sin when he himself has committed the same sin?
6. *What makes sexual sin so tempting?
7. What are some of the consequences of sexual immorality?
8. *How should we deal with the temptation to engage in sexual immorality?
9. How should we deal with our past sexual sins?
10. What temptations to sexual sin are there in today’s society?
11. What is one area of your behavior or life-style in which you need to be more consistent?
Apply It
1. What activity do you want to start or stop because of your Christian identity?
2. *What can you do this week to avoid or guard against sexual temptation?
Joseph Is Thrown in Jail—Genesis 39:1–40:23
Topics: Adultery, Character, Circumstances, Employment, Example, God’s Will, Life-style, Lust, Lying, Purity, Sex, Slavery, Temptation
Open It
1. What do most people find tempting?
2. *What’s your favorite example of “an offer you can’t refuse”?
3. What’s the strangest dream you ever had?
Explore It
1. Who were the main people in these events, and what kind of people were they? (39:1–40:23)
2. What did Potiphar observe about Joseph, and what did he do as a result? (39:2–6)
3. *What did Potiphar’s wife ask Joseph to do, and what was his response? (39:7–12)
4. *How did Potiphar’s wife react when Joseph refused her? (39:13–18)
5. *How did Potiphar respond to his wife’s story? (39:19–20)
6. What happened to Joseph in prison? (39:21–23)
7. What did Joseph ask Pharaoh’s officials, and what was their answer? (40:7–8)
8. What did Joseph say about dreams? (40:8)
9. What did the chief cupbearer dream, and what did Joseph say about it? (40:9–15)
10. What did the chief baker dream, and what did Joseph say about it? (40:16–19)
11. What happened at Pharaoh’s birthday party? (40:20–22)
12. What did the chief cupbearer do? (40:23)
Get It
1. How do you generally respond when bad things happen?
2. Why is it difficult to trust God when bad things happen?
3. How did Joseph make the most of the bad situations in which he found himself?
4. *Why is sexual purity so important?
5. What are the consequences of sexual sin?
6. *How can we resist sexual temptation?
7. How can we honor God in our employment?
8. How do you respond when you are mistreated by another person?
9. How should you respond the next time someone mistreats you?
10. What attitude do we need when our situation seems hopeless?
11. When have you been disappointed with God?
Apply It
1. *What is one step you can take to keep your thoughts and actions pure?
2. In what difficult situation will you ask God to help you each day this week?
3. In what specific way can you honor God in your work this week?
Joseph Is Placed in Charge of Egypt—Genesis 41:1–57
Topics: Abundance, Achievements, Advice, Forget, God, God’s Will, Greatness, Life-style, Opportunities, Preparation, Responsibility, Serving, Success
Open It
1. Why are people so fascinated by dreams and dream interpretation?
2. *How would you describe success?
Explore It
1. What did Pharaoh dream? (41:1–7)
2. What were the significant events in this chapter? (41:1–57)
3. Whom did Pharaoh ask to interpret his dreams, and what was the result? (41:8)
4. What did the chief cupbearer tell Pharaoh? (41:9–13)
5. Why did Pharaoh send for Joseph? (41:14–15)
6. *What did Pharaoh say to Joseph, and how did Joseph respond? (41:15–16)
7. What did Joseph tell Pharaoh about his dreams? (41:25–32)
8. *What did Joseph tell Pharaoh he should do in light of his dreams? (41:33–36)
9. *What did Pharaoh do in response to Joseph’s advice? (41:37–45)
10. What did Joseph do? (41:49)
11. How did Joseph respond to the birth of his sons? (41:50–52)
12. What happened when the years of abundance came to an end? (41:53–57)
Get It
1. *How would you describe Joseph’s eleven-year climb to the top?
2. What can we learn from Joseph’s path of success?
3. How does God speak to people today?
4. How do you feel when people forget about you after you have helped them out?
5. *What should we do to prepare for unexpected opportunities to serve?
6. Why is it important to give God credit for the deeds He accomplishes through us?
7. Who are the “magicians” and “wise men” to whom the leaders in our society turn for answers?
8. What can we learn from Joseph’s plan to guide Egypt through the years of abundance and famine?
9. How should we live our lives so that those around will view us as people in whom the Spirit of God dwells?
10. In what way can you inject God’s wisdom in the advice you give to people?
Apply It
1. What about God’s perspective can you share with a friend, neighbor, or family member this week?
2. For what success or accomplishment do you want to give God credit?
3. *What will you do to prepare yourself for unexpected opportunities to serve God?
Joseph and His Brothers Meet in Egypt—Genesis 42:1–45:28
Topics: Affections, Change, Character, Children, Composure, Emotions, Family, Forgiveness, God’s Will, Guilt, Parents, Power, Reconciliation, Relationships, Responsibility, Sovereignty, Testing
Open It
1. Why do families have family reunions?
2. *What is difficult about asking for forgiveness? forgiving someone?
Explore It
1. Who went to Egypt, and why did they go? (42:1–5)
2. Who were the main people and what were the main events in these chapters? (42:1–45:28)
3. *What did Joseph do when he recognized his brothers? (42:6–26)
4. What happened after Joseph’s brothers left Egypt? (42:27–34)
5. What happened when Joseph’s brothers got home? (42:35–38)
6. Who went with Joseph’s brothers on their second trip to Egypt, why, and under what circumstances? (43:1–14)
7. What happened when Joseph’s brothers arrived in Egypt the second time? (43:15–34)
8. What happened when Joseph’s brothers left Egypt the second time? (44:1–13)
9. What happened when Joseph’s brothers returned to Egypt? (44:14–33)
10. *When and why did Joseph finally make himself known to his brothers? (45:1–2)
11. *What did Joseph tell his brothers when he revealed who he was? (45:3–13)
12. What did Joseph do after he told his brothers who he was? (45:14–15)
13. What did Pharaoh do when he heard about what had happened? (45:16–20)
14. What happened when Joseph’s brothers returned to Canaan? (45:25–28)
Get It
1. *Why did Joseph test his brothers?
2. How does God sometimes help us by allowing us to go through adverse circumstances?
3. Why is it important to be willing to accept responsibility?
4. What are the benefits of being honest?
5. Under what circumstances have you been tempted to be less than totally honest?
6. How does adversity reveal and shape our character?
7. When have you accepted responsibility for another person’s welfare?
8. When has God used the bad intentions or bad actions of others to bring about good in your life?
9. *Why is it hard to forgive someone who has wronged you?
10. Why is it important to forgive others?
Apply It
1. What set of adverse circumstances will you ask God to use to shape your character?
2. *How can you extend forgiveness to someone who has wronged you?
3. In what situation will you ask God to help you to be more honest this week?
4. What is one thing you can do to enjoy your family more?
Jacob’s Family Moves to Egypt—Genesis 46:1–47:27
Topics: Administration, Children, Emotions, Employment, Family, Friendship, God, Parents, Promises, Relationships, Resources, Worship
Open It
1. What, in your opinion, makes family relationships both difficult and rewarding?
2. *Who is someone you have not seen in a long time that you would like to see?
Explore It
1. What did Israel do when he reached Beersheba? (46:1)
2. *What are the significant events described in these verses? (46:1–47:27)
3. *What did God tell Jacob? (46:2–4)
4. What did Jacob do after God spoke to him? (46:5–7)
5. How many children did Jacob have? (46:8–25)
6. Who went to Egypt with Jacob? (46:26–27)
7. *What happened when Jacob arrived in Egypt? (46:28–30)
8. What did Joseph say he would do, and what did he tell his brothers to do? (46:31–34)
9. What did Joseph ask Pharaoh, and what was Pharaoh’s response? (47:1–6)
10. What happened when Joseph presented his father to Pharaoh? (47:7–10)
11. What happened when people in both Egypt and Canaan ran out of money? (47:13–19)
12. Whose land did Joseph buy for Pharaoh? (47:20–22)
13. What law did Joseph establish? (47:23–26)
14. What happened to the Israelites in Egypt? (47:27)
Get It
1. When do you turn to God for reassurance?
2. When is it difficult to remember and rely on the promises of God?
3. *What makes moving away from home so difficult?
4. How would you describe your relationships with your family members?
5. *How do you feel when you see someone whom you have not seen in a long time?
6. What are the rewards of being a diligent and faithful employee?
7. What lessons can we learn from the way Joseph carried out his duties?
8. What difference does it make how we work at our jobs?
Apply It
1. What can you do to celebrate and enjoy your family relationships?
2. What can you do this week to be a more diligent and faithful employee?
3. *What family member or friend whom you have not seen or talked to for a long time will you call or write this week?
Jacob Blesses Manasseh and Ephraim—Genesis 47:28–48:22
Topics: Age, Blessing, Children, Death, Expectations, God, Guidance, Parents, Preparation, Promises, Responsibility, Sickness, Society, Swearing
Open It
1. *What is the most important promise you have made?
2. What promises do people tend not to take seriously?
3. Why do people care where they are buried when they die?
Explore It
1. What significant events took place? (47:28–48:22)
2. *What happened when the time for Jacob to die drew near? (47:28–31)
3. *What did Joseph do when he heard that his father was ill? (48:1–2)
4. What did Jacob tell Joseph? (48:3–7)
5. What did Jacob ask Joseph? (48:8–10)
6. What did Jacob say he never expected? (48:11)
7. Whom did Joseph bring before Jacob, and what did Jacob do? (48:13–14)
8. What did Jacob say when he blessed Joseph? (48:15–16)
9. What concerned Joseph, and what did he ask Jacob to do about it? (48:17–18)
10. How did Jacob respond to Joseph’s request? (48:19–20)
11. *What did Jacob tell Joseph, and what responsibility did he give him? (48:21–22)
Get It
1. What rituals go along with significant promises in our society?
2. *Why is it important to keep one’s promises?
3. *When is it easy to keep promises? break them?
4. Why did Jacob care where he was buried, and why does it matter?
5. What sort of things become important to a person who knows he or she is going to die soon?
6. What do people often do to prepare for death?
7. How is God our shepherd?
8. Why is it sometimes difficult to allow God to guide us in our lives?
9. Why do you think God sometimes chooses to work in unexpected ways?
Apply It
1. *What promise that has become difficult to keep will you publicly commit yourself to keeping?
2. Through what circumstance will you allow God to lead you this week?
Jacob Blesses His Sons—Genesis 49:1–33
Topics: Abilities, Age, Blessing, Character, Children, Confidence, Consequences, Death, Family, God, Life-style, Parents
Open It
1. *Why do children from the same parents, growing up in the same home, often turn out to be very different?
2. When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
3. What is one of your happiest childhood memories involving your father? your mother?
Explore It
1. What did Jacob do before he died? (49:1–2)
2. *What did Jacob say about Reuben? (49:3–4)
3. What did Jacob think of his sons? (49:3–27)
4. How did Jacob bless his sons? (49:3–27)
5. What did Jacob say about his sons Simeon and Levi? (49:5–7)
6. *What did Jacob say concerning Judah? (49:8–12)
7. What was said about Zebulun? (49:13)
8. What did Jacob say about Issachar? (49:14–15)
9. What did Jacob say concerning Dan? (49:16–18)
10. What was said about Gad, Asher, and Naphtali? (49:19–21)
11. *What did Jacob say about Joseph? (49:22–26)
12. What was said about Benjamin? (49:27)
13. What instructions did Jacob give his sons? (49:29–32)
14. What happened after Jacob blessed his sons? (49:33)
Get It
1. What is the relationship between how Jacob’s sons lived their lives and what Jacob said would happen to them?
2. *What do these verses tell us about the consequences that result from the choices we make?
3. *How can we avoid wasting our lives and squandering our potential?
4. What is the consequence of trusting in one’s own abilities rather than in God?
5. When are we tempted to trust in our own abilities rather than in God?
Apply It
1. *What is one plan or change you can make to avoid wasting or squandering your potential?
2. In what area of natural ability or talent will you look to God for wisdom and strength this week?
The Death of Jacob—Genesis 50:1–26
Topics: Age, Blessing, Children, Culture, Death, Family, Follow-through, Forgiveness, God, God’s Will, Mourning, Parents, Promises, Society, Sovereignty
Open It
1. What do you want to happen to your body when you die?
2. If you were going to die today, what would be your last request?
3. *What is the hardest promise you have had to keep?
Explore It
1. What did Joseph do when his father died? (50:1–3)
2. What is the theme of this chapter? of the entire book of Genesis? (50:1–26)
3. *What did Joseph ask Pharaoh? (50:4–5)
4. What was Pharaoh’s response to Joseph’s request? (50:6)
5. Where did Joseph go, and who went with him? (50:7–9)
6. What did Joseph do when he reached Atad? (50:10)
7. What did the Canaanites who saw Joseph think? (50:11)
8. What did Joseph do? (50:12–14)
9. What worried Joseph’s brothers after their father died, and what did they do about it? (50:15–18)
10. *How did Joseph respond to his brothers? (50:19–21)
11. *What did Joseph do when he was about to die? (50:22–25)
12. How old was Joseph when he died, and how was he buried? (50:26)
Get It
1. What makes a loved one’s death so difficult to accept?
2. What are the mourning and burial customs practiced in our society?
3. When is it OK and not OK to participate in another culture’s customs?
4. *Why is it important to keep one’s promises even when it is inconvenient or difficult to do so?
5. How can we earn the trust of the people with whom and for whom we work?
6. *What makes forgiving someone who has wronged us so difficult?
7. Why is it sometimes hard to accept someone’s forgiveness?
8. How can God bring good out of evil?
9. How should we live our lives so that we can face death with confidence?
Apply It
1. *What promise do you want to follow through on this week? How?
2. What set of bad circumstances will you ask God to use for good?
3. Who is someone you will forgive today, even without him or her asking you to do so?
4. What is something you need to say or do before you die, and when can you do it?
Adult Questions for LESSONmaker (2024). Bellingham, WA: Logos, p. Ge 1:1–50:26.