Old Testament 150 Reading Challenge week 6

Old Testament 150 Reading Challenge 5 May 2014 to 28th November 2014 Week 06: Bible Reading Plan and Discussion Starters

Welcome to The Salvation Army's Challenge to read
150 popular chapters from the Old Testament within 7 months,

reading just 5 chapters per week.

 Monday, June 09, 2014 --- Genesis 26 – Isaac and Abimelech

-       V5, what laws, statutes, or commandments is God referring to?

-       V6-10, where do you think Isaac learned to do such a sneaky (even deceitful?) thing?

-       Do you think this is because Abraham told the story of his past adventures to Isaac?...or was it simply a case of ‘like father, like son’?...or a bit of both?

-       V35, this is a sad verse isn’t it?...are we a ‘grief of mind’ to anyone?

  

Tuesday, June 10, 2014 --- Genesis 27 – Isaac blesses Jacob, who then runs away from Esau

-       V1-8, what do you think was so important about being blessed by Isaac ?

-       V1-8, is this a commendable thing Rebekah does ?...or is it deceitful against her own husband and elder son ?

-       V19, Jacob tells a clear lie, and the Bible doesn’t hide this flaw in his character. Is this a good thing, or would you rather not know about such things ?

-       V20, is the lie made even worse by bringing God into it ?

Wednesday, June 11, 2014 --- Genesis 28 – the story of Jacob’s vision of a stairway to heaven

  -       Thus far we don’t seem to come across God rebuking Jacob for his deceit. In fact, in v13-15 God seems to affirm the blessing Isaac unknowingly gave to Jacob. What are we to make of this ?...do you think God doesn’t worry about deceit ?...was God’s promise to Abraham and Isaac too important to risk breaking at this point ?...did God plan for Jacob to receive the blessing all along, or was it simply a case of foreknowing that this would happen ?

-       V16, have you ever been in a place or situation where after a while you realised the presence and purpose of God had been at work all along and you hadn’t previously recognised it ?

-       V22, why a tenth ?...and how do you decide how much to give back to God ?

Thursday, June 12, 2014 --- Genesis 29 – More deceit, and Jacob marries Rachel and Leah

-       V15-30, Jacob is deceived by Laban, his own relative. Do you think this was part of the punishment intended by God to help Jacob realise how wrong his own deceitfulness had been ?

-       V23-25, how could Jacob do all this without realising it was Leah instead of Rachel ?... do you think he had too much to drink at the feast ?...or was it simply too dark to tell ? … do you know people who have done things they’ve regretted the following day ?...can we learn anything from this ?

-       V30, marrying two people may bring problems in itself, but to love one more than the other is surely a recipe for disaster !...but it is also a flaw within Jacob which arises later on too. In what ways must we guard from favouritism in our families, and at church ?

Friday, June 13, 2014 --- Genesis 30 – Jacob’s wives and maids have children, and he makes an agreement with Laban as his family and possessions grow.

-       V 2, is God to blame when people cannot conceive ?

-       V31-43, is this clever strategy something which God approved of ?...why do you think Jacob didn’t simply rely on God to provide what he needed ?…or is the ability to make such a cunning manoeuvre part of God’s provision and blessing?

Old Testament 150 Reading Challenge week 5

Old Testament 150 Reading Challenge 5 May 2014 to 28th November 2014 Week 05: Bible Reading Plan and Discussion Starters

Welcome to The Salvation Army's Challenge to read
150 popular chapters from the Old Testament within 7 months,

reading just 5 chapters per week.

Monday, June 02, 2014 --- Genesis 21 – Isaac is born, and Hagar and Ishmael depart 

-       V1-7, what can these verses teach us about how God may use us throughout any age of life?

-       V1-7, what can these verses teach us about trusting in God’s promises?

 Tuesday, June 03, 2014 --- Genesis 22 – Abraham’s faith is tested and affirmed 

-       V1-14, This story may generate all sorts of questions and emotions…such as, given the length of time Sarah had waited until she gave birth to a child, do you think Abraham told her about this journey before he left ?

-       V7, Isaac had been with his father to offer sacrifices many times, and knew that something was missing, but to what extent to we realise how much our children are watching and learning from us in our spiritual lives today, and do you think they recognise when there is something ‘missing’?

-       This story really needs to be read alongside Hebrews 11 :17-19, what light does this shed upon Abraham’s faith, belief, and actions?

 Wednesday, June 04, 2014 --- Genesis 23 – Sarah’s death and burial 

-       V1, how old would Isaac have been when Sarah died ?

-       Why do you think Abraham was so insistent on paying for the burial place ?

 Thursday, June 05, 2014 --- Genesis 24 – Abraham’s trusted servant finds a bride for Isaac 

-       This is a terrific and familiar story. As you read through it carefully, is there anything which you had either forgotten or not noticed before?

-       V12-14, do you think it is legitimate to make sure a prayer today ? … does it depend on the circumstances ?...or is gthis something that Christrians should not attempt ?...how would you justify your answer ?

 Friday, June 06, 2014 --- Genesis 25 – Abraham remarries, Rebekah gives birth, and Esau sells his birthright 

-       V5, despite have more children, why do you think Abraham gave all he had to Isaac ?

-       V9-10, do you think this was a rather momentous occasion to havde Isaac and Ishmael burying Abraham together ?

-       V9-10, do you think the ability to bury subsequent family members in the same place was the reason why Abraham was so insistent on purchasing the land in the first place ?

-       V29-34, although it would be fair to assume Esau was extremely tired and hungry, do you think Esau lacked respect for his birthright ?... or that Jacob was showing disrespect by buying it so cheaply ?...or is this simply a case of sibling rivalry ?

    

Old Testament 150 Reading Challenge week 4

Old Testament 150 Reading Challenge 5 May 2014 to 28th November 2014 Week 04: Bible Reading Plan and Discussion Starters

Welcome to The Salvation Army's Challenge to read
150 popular chapters from the Old Testament within 7 months,

reading just 5 chapters per week.

Monday, May 26, 2014 --- Genesis 16 – Abram has a son, but not with his wife Sarai 

-       V1-2, do you think Abram was too quick to listen to Sarai’s logic, or was this a sensible decision under the circumstances?

-       V5, do you feel sorry for Abram, or Sarai, or both…or neither? 

Tuesday, May 27, 2014 --- Genesis 17 – Circumcision is the sign of God’s covenant with Abraham 

-       Was God’s covenant with  Abraham the Hebrew a temporary one or an everlasting one?

-       V10-11, was circumcision part of the covenant itself, or was it the sign of the covenant?

-       V12, why do you think day eight of a boy’s life was chosen for circumcision?

-       V19-21, was God’s covenant to be established through Isaac or Ishmael?

Wednesday, May 28, 2014 --- Genesis 18 – Abraham receives heavenly visitors, who repeat the promise to Sarah and travel on to judge Sodom 

-       Reading through this chapter and the first verse of chapter 19, it seems that the God and two angels presented themselves in human form. Do you think God and His angels can, and still does, do this today?

-       v14, a question for you, maybe with regard to your own prayers….’Is anything too hard for the LORD ?’

-       v15, is there any promise or prophecy in Scripture which you doubt will occur?

-       V16-33, (especially v25) ‘Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?’…how useful is this to remember when considering those who die without hearing the Gospel?

 Thursday, May 29, 2014 --- Genesis 19 – The sin of Sodom and its subsequent Judgement 

-       V1-3, why do you think Lot was so insistant on the visitors staying at his house?

-       V5, does this verse reveal the problem which the angels came to judge?...or do you think it was a symptom of a bigger problem?

-       Was the wickedness shown toward the two visitors with regard to homosexuality, rape, or inhospitality?

-       V8, isn’t Lot’s offer of two daughters a crazy thing to do?...do you think the Bible includes this as a good thing, or as an example of human stupidity ?...is it affirming to know that the Bible does not attempt to hide such mistakes made by characters such as Lot ?

-       V9, having been denied the male visitors, and having rejected the virgin daughters, the men of the city now want Lot!

-       V14, even within the family unit not everyone heeded the urgent warning – does this happen today with regard to our eternal Judgement ?

Friday, May 30, 2014 --- Genesis 20 – Abraham pretends Sarah is his sister – again! 

-       We know that Sarah was now at least 90 years old (see Ch 17:17) and yet Abraham evidently still feels he needs to deceive the King Abimelech about her…putting her in danger and in the King’s hands. Do you think Abraham should have learnt to trust God for protection by now, given the repeated promise of descendants which would come through him ?

-       V12 reveals that, in Abraham’s perspective at least, he had not been lying about Sarah being his sister!