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F-260 Genesis 12 Despite the people’s continued sinfulness, we see God’s covenant love for humanity through the promise He made with Abraham, a promise to bless all the peoples of the earth through Himself. This promise ultimately found its fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who descended from the line of Abraham, and through whom all people have access to the grace and redemption of God. What is a significant promise that you have made or that someone has made to you? When did you leave home for the first time to stay overnight at a friend’s house? When you were growing up, what was the biggest lie you got caught telling? Why is moving so hard? What did the Lord tell Abram to do? (12:1) What did the Lord promise to do for Abram? (12:2-3) What did Abram do? (12:4-5) Whom did Abram take with him when he left home? (12:4-5) What did the Lord tell Abram He would do, and how did Abram respond? (12:6-7) What did Abram do in Bethel? (12:8-9) What did Abram tell Sarai to do when they went to Egypt? (12:10-13) Why did Abram tell Sarai to lie? (12:10-13) What happened to Sarai when she arrived in Egypt? (12:14-15) How did the Egyptians treat Abram? (12:16) What did the Lord do to Pharaoh and his household? (12:17) Why did Pharaoh and his household get sick? (12:17) What did Pharaoh do when he discovered that Sarai was Abram’s wife? (12:18-20) Why might it have been hard for Abram to leave his country, his people, and his father’s household? How did you feel when you left home for the first time for an extended period of time? How would you describe the promise the Lord made to Abram? Why do you think Abram built altars after the Lord appeared to him? How do you memorialize your significant experiences with God? Why do you think Abram thought it was necessary to lie after all that the Lord had promised to do? When do you think it would be OK to do something wrong in order to achieve something good? When has God helped you out of a bad situation for which you were responsible? In what setting do you need to make a greater effort to be honest?

F-260 Genesis 11 Through Noah’s family the earth was repopulated after the flood. This chapter mentions that everyone all had the same language and a common goal, making a name for themselves. As it has happened twice in Genesis 3-10, people created by God to glorify Himself put all their efforts into glorifying themselves. Again, humanity has brought God’s judgment upon themselves. How much do you know about any foreign language? To what sort of things do people in our society commit themselves in order to find meaning in life? What is the one accomplishment or achievement in your life from which you have received the most personal satisfaction? What did the author say that the whole world had? (11:1) What significant events are described in this chapter? (11:1-32) What did the men in the plain of Shinar set out to do? (11:2-4) What did the men of Shinar hope to accomplish? (11:2-4) What did the Lord see, and what did He say about it? (11:5-6) What did the Lord do, and why did He do it? (11:7-9) What happened to Shem? (11:10-26) To what person did the author trace Shem’s descendants? (11:10-26) Where did Abram live? (11:27-28) Whom did Abram marry? (11:29) What did the author say about Abram’s wife? (11:30) Where did Abram’s father take his family? (11:31) In what activities do people engage in order to make a name for themselves? In what sort of activities do you engage in order to increase your sense of self-worth? What institutions, activities, or accomplishments compete for our ultimate attention or allegiance? Why do you think God thought it was necessary to confuse the language of the world? What did God set out to prevent by confusing everyone’s language? With what or whom are you sometimes tempted to replace God in your life? How does a person’s place of origin impact the course of that person’s life? How does a person’s family of origin impact that person’s life?

F-260 Job 42 What event, thing, or person has had the biggest impact on your life? When have you ever had to take back something you said? Why do people often associate material prosperity with God’s blessing? What did Job say about God? (42:1-2) What did Job say about what he had previously said? (42:3) Why did Job say he would repent? (42:4-6) Why was God angry with Job’s three friends but not with Job? (42:7) What did the Lord tell Eliphaz and his two friends to do? (42:8-9) What did the Lord do for Job? (42:10) What did Job’s brothers, sisters, and friends do for Job? (42:11) How did the Lord bless Job’s life? (42:12-15) What was the rest of Job’s life like? (42:16-17) How did God’s reply change Job’s attitude? In what way did Job speak about things that he did not understand? Why was it necessary for Job to repent? How should we repent or turn away from our sins? Why did God have Job pray for his three friends? If you had been Job, how would you have felt about having to pray for friends like the ones Job had? What difference does it make that God made Job prosperous again? What is the relationship between God’s blessing and prosperity?

F-260 Job 40 & 41 After being reminded of the holiness and power of God, Job could do nothing but confess his sins, turn back to God, renew his trust in the Lord. He, “I repent in dust and ashes.” In the face of God’s holiness, we are reminded that apart from Him, we are nothing but dust from the ground, and to the ground we will return (Genesis 2:7). Yet through Job’s experience we are reminded that God gives physical life through His very breath, and He gives spiritual life through the death and resurrection of His son. These are gifts that we do not deserve, and they motivate us to mimic Job’s life of confession and repentance, continually stripping away the things that keep us from trusting God in all things. What did God challenge Job to do? (40:1-2) How did Job respond to God’s challenge? (40:4-5) What did God say Job must do before God would admit that Job could save himself? (40:6-14) What did God say about the behemoth? (40:15-24) Why was Job unable to defend himself? If you were Job, how do you think you would have responded to the opportunity to present your case to God? If you were Job, what questions would you have asked God? Why did God tell Job to look at the behemoth and leviathan?

F-260 Job 38 & 39 The beginning of Job, in chapters 1-2, describes how God allowed suffering in the life of Job, and to endure that brought glory to God. Chapters 3-37 is a series of discussions between Job and his friends over the cause of suffering in the world, specifically in Job’s life. In chapter 38, God finally speaks. His words to Job are a reminder that the person Job questioned was the almighty Creator and Sustainer of the universe. Job’s story reveals that God is in charge, His ways are best, and everything exists to bring glory to His name. When in your life have you been utterly speechless? As a child, what decisions or actions of your parents did you question? If you could ask God any question about life, what would it be? What do the Lord’s questions reveal about Him? (38:1-39:30) What do the Lord’s questions reveal about Job and human nature? (38:1-39:30) For what did the Lord tell Job to brace himself? (38:3) What is the focus of the Lord’s first round of questions to Job? (38:4-41) How would you summarize the Lord’s answer to Job? What point did God want Job to understand through this series of questions? What is one thing you can do today to appreciate the awesomeness of God?

F-260 Job 2 What major events occurred? (2:1-13) From where did Satan come? (2:2) Why did God ask Satan to consider Job again? (2:3) What did God say Job had maintained? (2:3) Why did Satan say that it was no big deal that Job had maintained his integrity? (2:4-5) What authority did God give to Satan? (2:6) What did Satan do to Job? (2:7) What did Job’s wife tell him to do? (2:9) How did Job respond to his wife’s suggestion? (2:10) What did Job not do in the midst of his troubles? (2:10) For what purpose did Job’s friends set out to meet Job? (2:11) What did Job’s friends do when they saw him? (2:12) Why were Job’s friends silent for seven days? (2:13) In what way is it true that a person will give all he or she has for his or her life? How do you maintain your integrity? Why is it hard to maintain one’s integrity when bad things happen? In what way would it have been easier for Job to curse God and die? When have you been tempted to curse God and die? Why is it easy to accept good from God but not trouble? How should we respond when trouble comes? What good things have you received from God? When have you set out to sympathize and comfort a friend in trouble? Why do we want our friends to sympathize with and comfort us when bad things happen? When have you wanted your friends just to sit with you silently? How would sitting in silence with a friend be helpful?

F-260 Job 1 The book of Job addresses the issue of God’s allowance of evil in the lives of His people. Early chapters describe the entrance of sin into the world and bringing corruption. We see that human suffering is an inevitable consequence of sin. Job 1-2 remind us that even the most faithful of God’s people are not exempt from suffering and the consequence of sin. Because God is sovereign, everything has a purpose, even suffering. It is up to us to discover the meaning behind it all, even if we have to look back on the event to get a clearer picture of what we have experienced. Ultimately we are designed to bring God glory in all of life, in the good and even in the bad. The purpose of Job’s suffering was that the world would see the life-transforming power of genuine faith in God. What is surprising about what happened to Job? (1:1-22) How did Job purify his children? Why? (1:4-5) What were the angels doing? (1:6) Where did Satan come from? (1:7) Why did Satan say that Job feared God? (1:9-10) What did Satan say Job would do if God took away everything Job had? (1:11) What authority did God give to Satan? (1:12) How did Job respond to the tragedies that happened to him? (1:20-21) In what way did Job not sin? (1:22) In what way do you fear God and shun evil? Why do you think God gave Satan authority over everything Job had? What kind of people are considered great in our society? How does society view individuals who are blameless and upright? If you had been in Job’s situation, how do you think you would have responded? Why is it easy to praise God when circumstances are going well? How do you usually respond when tragedies happen to you? When do you feel most like praising God? When do you feel most like cursing God? For what type of events do people blame God? For what sort of events do people blame Satan? Why is it so hard to respond like Job when tragedies happen?

F-260 Genesis 9 What did God tell Noah and his sons to do? (9:1, 7) What different types of people are described in these verses? (9:1-10:32) What did God give to Noah and his sons? (9:2-3) For what did God say He would demand an accounting? (9:4-6) What was the covenant that God established with Noah? (9:8-17) What sign of His covenant with Noah did God give? (9:8-17) What did Noah do after he got off the ark? (9:18-21) What did Noah’s sons do in response to what Noah did? (9:22-24) How did Noah respond to what his sons did? (9:25-27) Why do you think God instituted capital punishment? What is the connection between capital punishment and the image of God? What are the significant elements in the covenant between God and Noah? Why is it significant that the author of Genesis included the account of Noah getting drunk? Why is it easy to fall into sin after a significant spiritual victory? What did the actions of Noah’s sons reveal about their character? What lessons can we learn from Noah’s experience and the actions of his sons? OUTLINE: Diet (Genesis 9:3) Discipline (Genesis 9:4) Noah Toiling (Genesis 9:18-23) Father: Genesis 9:18-19 Farmer: Genesis 9:20 Failure: Genesis 9:21-23 Noah Testifying (Genesis 9:24-27) Canaan: Genesis 9:25 (Note that Ham was blessed back in Genesis 9:1) Shem: Genesis 9:26 Japheth: Genesis 9:27

F-260 Genesis 8 Here is the aftermath of the flood. Noah and his family faithfully obeyed God and God faithfully protected them from his judgment. We are reminded of God's love for human beings, who he created in his own image. God used Noah's family to repopulate the earth with his people. Here we read the Noahic Covenant, God promising to never destroy the earth with a flood. God sealed this promise with the sign of the rainbow, God will always keep his promises. What happened after the Flood ended but before Noah and his family got off the ark? (8:1-14) What does it mean that God remembered? (8:1) Why did God tell Noah to bring the animals off the ark? (8:15-17) What did Noah do when he got off the ark? (8:20) How did the Lord respond to Noah’s offering? (8:21-22) Why did Noah worship God after getting off the ark? Why do you think God promised never to destroy the earth with a flood again? Among whom do you have a reputation for serving God? OUTLINE: God Remembered (Genesis 8:1) Flood Receded (Genesis 8:3) Ark Rested (Genesis 8:4) Noah Tested (Genesis 8:6-14) God Commanded (Genesis 8:15-16) God's Covenant (Genesis 8:20-22)

F-260 Genesis 7 Why did God tell Noah he was allowed to enter the ark? (7:1) How important is obedience to what God commands? (7:5, 16) What happened to all the living creatures that were not on the ark? (7:21-23) Why did Noah worship God after getting off the ark? Why do you think God promised never to destroy the earth with a flood again? Among whom do you have a reputation for serving God? What is one thing you can do to cultivate a blameless reputation among your coworkers? Neighbors? What is one act of protection or provision from God for which you want to praise Him? OUTLINE: Deliverance (Genesis 7:1-9) Full Commitment: Genesis 7:1 Final Commission: Genesis 7:2-3 Faithful Compliance: Genesis 7:5-9 Destruction (Genesis 7:10-16) Further Delay: Genesis 7:10 Final Dawning: Genesis 7:11-16 Flood totality: Genesis 7:17-24