1. Chapter 9 is strikingly similar to chapters 1-3 in regards to its content and structure. Note the similarities and what significant events occur in chapter 9. What is a covenant? What's so great about the covenant God makes with Noah?
2. What is the significance of the tower of Babel story (11:1-9)?
3. Take special note of God's first interaction with Abram in 12:1-3. Besides the fall of man, this is THE MAJOR TURNING POINT IN HISTORY! What happens? What is important? How does this event relate to/differ from events that have happened earlier in the book?
4. Chapter 13 seems to be a pretty plain (pun?) chapter. Here the focus is placed on the land, which is one of the major themes in the book. Feel free to jot down some notes and questions about this chapter; heck, even start a discussion about it here on the blog.
5. This is another important chapter in the book. Once again, I'd like to see what is significant about the events.
6. So what does all these events mean for us anyway? If we really believe that scripture was written for our good, then what do all these stories and events have to do with us?
Try checking out the monergism.com site for articles that may help you understand what is going on.
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Quick question:
Should we discuss these questions on the blog, or save our answers for Saturday night?
Some questions I may say that we ought to discuss here; also, if you have any questions about a question, or another question comes up that is worth mentioning, or even if something really struck you, then it's blog-able.
I've got some ideas about question #1.
I'm not sure if they're worth much, but hopefully you all will fancy reading them anyhow.
God's covenant to not destroy us by flood again raises a couple of problems. If His outpouring of anger was a perfect choice, why does He promise never to do it again? Likewise, if He promised never to do it again, why do it in the first place?
In our world today, we often have two opposing views about God: atheists and nonbelievers think that our God is fire and brimstone, that He holds above us at all times some kind of angry hellfire which at any moment He might destroy us wicked sinners with. This is where expressions like "may God strike me down with lightning" come from. Most Atheists hate the Christian idea that humans are essentially evil and God is angry with us.
Christians, on the other hand, have trouble even believing in the doctrine of Original Sin for two reasons: 1) if we were really as evil as the Bible says, God would have destroyed us and 2) if God is just going to destroy us again and again, we begin to question (heaven forbid) His perfect goodness and ask ourselves if He is merely cruel. So we tend to either cease believing that we are really all that evil or cease believing that God would really want to destroy us. All of the above are incorrect.
Which is why, I believe, we find both in Genesis. Humanity is evil enough to destroy, yet God is merciful enough to relent. It was right that we were destroyed and it was right that He made a covenant never to do the same thing again. Instead, His son endured our great sin because He Himself loves us very much. In this way, His covenant can be seen as a preliminary promise to save the human race.
Well now that you said everything I was going to say, you can lead the meeting this week =D
I say do half and half
For questions 2 & 3:
Kevin, we talked about the significance of Babel on Friday... The real rub with God was not that man got so powerful that he could build tall towers, but that the tall tower was a representation of man's relationship with the gods, that man could reach up into the heavens and touch the gods themselves.
As shown throughout the Bible, we are ineffectual to meet God where He is; He always comes to us. Furthermore, He is God and is in control of the relationship. This is why God confounded their speech and ceased the building project.
So in chapter 12, with Abram, God establishes what the relationship will be with man. He chooses Abram to be the first representative of his people, and promises to make a great nation out of him. The relationship is a covenant of love and blessing.
The real shocker is, even in this covenantial relationship established by God, Abram goes out and commits some of the worst atrocities imaginable. In the very same chapter, 12:10-20, Abram both deceives the Pharaoh and practically prostitutes his wife for cattle and riches. This is a shocking display of cowardice and greed at the expense of his own wife.
So this is the guy that God chose to start his holy nation? I propose that none of us would have done much better. If there is much to be taken from the beginnings of God's relationship with man, it is that man seems to choose pleasurable sin over God, and that God must pursue the relationship.
I wasn't sure what you meant by "turning point in history." Do you mean the beginning of the nation of Israel?
Sadly my views on these matters wont be as in-depth as Patro’s. Comes from a combination of being busy from the 4th and dealing with the new puppy. So kind of been short on time this week. Anyways, enough with excuses and on to my answers.
1. Mainly the greatness of the covenant God makes with Noah is that it’s not only with him but all of mankind in general. He makes an unbreakable promise never to flood the earth completely ever again. And what makes a covenant so great with God is that he, unlike man, will never break that promise or change it.
2. Every person spoke the same language, so it was highly likely everyone shared seemlier customs as well. However, when the event at the tower of Babel happened it not only made speech different but scattered man across the earth. This event was so critical because it made man carryout Gods commend of spreading out and multiplying across the land.
3. God in these chapters would lead A’bram out of his land and into his own nation that would be fruitful and greatly bless by God. Theses single event would be the turning points in history because it would go on to affect the blessing of all the future tribes of Israel.
4. I guess my question would be a pretty general and straight forward one; who was Lot?
5. To be honest I’m not quite sure how to best answer this question.
6. I think the first main point that these events teach us is that God keeps to his promises if we keep to ours towards him. That and a leader of any sort has an even higher responsibly to reflect themselves well in the eyes of god. For their actions will outstretch to the whole future of those they watch over in their blessings with God.
Hope some of these offers even a little bit of insight. Feel free to take a stab at some of the short answers. And be seeing you all later tonight.
Geez guys, I love these thoughts! Johnny "Ark," you always give great insights.
Nice work, Ark. Very complete, and some good thoughts here.
One critique of your last answer - "God keeps to his promises if we keep to ours towards him." Isn't this in contradiction to what you said in answer to question 1: "what makes a covenant so great with God is that he, unlike man, will never break that promise or change it"?
I don't mean to be nitpicky, and I think there are places in the Bible where both happen; for example, God promises to bless the nation of Israel IF they follow his commandments. But in this case, which is it, God being great because he alone keeps promises, or God keeping covenants that man also has to keep?
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