1. What stood out most to you from this week’s reading?
2. What do you think of the sons of Jacob’s plan against Hamor and Shechem? (i.e. just or unjust, cleverness of the plan, what was the fall-out, etc.)
3. What is the background behind Benjamin’s name?
4. What is the connection between Rachel’s burial place and the New Testament? (See Jeremiah 31:15 and Matthew 2:18)
5. In Genesis 37, what were Joseph’s brothers reasons for hating him?
6. What were the various plans the brothers hatched to do to Joseph?
7. Can you name three examples throughout his life that show Joseph’s excellent administration abilities?
8. In the time of Joseph, the meaning of dreams could be interpreted, often with a prophetic message. Do you think God still speaks in dreams today?
9. What do the trials of Joseph (betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, unjustly accused, forgotten in prison) teach us about living an upright life?
10. What does Joseph’s answer to Pharaoh about dream interpretation in Genesis 41:16 reveal about Joseph?
11. If it hadn’t been for (God working through) Joseph, what would have happened to Egypt and its people, as well as Joseph’s family back home?
12. Based on the meaning of the names of Joseph’s sons (Manasseh and Ephraim), how do you think Joseph was feeling during the seven years of plenty?
13. What do you think were Joseph’s motivations in the mind games he was playing with his half-brothers?
14. How is Judah’s offer in Genesis 44:33 a picture of the gospel story in miniature?
15. Do you agree with Joseph about who he feels has been working behind the scenes throughout the events of his life (Genesis 45:8 and 50:20)?
16. Speculation question – do you think anyone ever told Jacob what had really happened to Joseph?
17. Beersheba had a profound spiritual influence on Abraham’s family. Compare the experiences in Genesis 26:23-25 and Genesis 46:1-5.
18. What was the first tax rate in Egypt? (Hint: See Genesis 47:26)
19. What do you make of Jacob’s crossed-arm blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh in Genesis 48?
20. What “unfinished business” does Genesis end with?
No comments:
Post a Comment