THE GOSPEL IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

ASSIGNMENT 1

 

Read Genesis Chapters 1-3.

 

  1. According to a Jewish tradition, no person under the age of 30 should be permitted to publicly read or explain the book of Genesis, and Martin Luther said a person should read and understand all the other books of the Bible before reading Genesis.  What do you think might be the reasons for these restrictions?

 

  1. Do you believe in the almighty creator God because of Genesis 1?  If not, why do you believe in God?

 

  1. Some scholars think Genesis 1-3 includes two different accounts written by two different authors (just as the four gospels in the New Testament are four accounts of the same story written by four different authors).  If this is the case, where do you think the first account ends and where does the second account begin?

 

  1. What raw material did God use to create the universe?  Compare Romans 4:17.  What does this teaching have to do with existentialist philosophy?  If you don’t know much about existentialist philosophy, don’t worry   The teacher will deal with this question in class.

 

  1. How does Genesis 1:1 relate to the “Big Bang” theory of physics?

 

 

 

 

 

THE GOSPEL IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

ASSIGNMENT 2

 

 

  1. What kind of literary style do you see in Genesis 1-3?  Is there any evidence of poetic or symbolic language?   If so, where, and what might be its meaning?

 

  1. Read Psalm 8.  How could this be seen as a commentary on the meaning of Genesis 1 and 2?  What does this say about you and the meaning of your life?

 

  1. Do you think there is any conflict between Genesis 1-2 and the natural sciences, particularly geology and paleontology?  Why or why not?

 

 

 

 

Memorize the chapter locations of these Old Testament passages:

      

       God created all things good.                                          Genesis 1

       God’s will for his creation                                              Genesis 2

       The fall into sin                                                              Genesis 3

       Am I my brother’s keeper?                                           Genesis 4

       The flood                                                                      Genesis 7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE GOSPEL IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

ASSIGNMENT 3

 

  1. What statement in Genesis 1:1 - 2:3 is repeated five times?  Why do you think this statement is emphasized so strongly?  What is the Christian’s attitude toward the world?  Is it evil?  Can we love the world?  What are right and wrong ways of loving the world?

 

  1. Read Psalms 23, 27, 121, 65:5-13, 139, and Isaiah 43:1-3, and 55:6-11.  How does this message compare with the philosophy of Deism or Confucius’ maxim, “Respect God, but keep your distance”?  If you don’t know much about Deism or Confucius, don’t worry.  The teacher will deal with these questions in class.

 

  1. Is there any evidence in Genesis 1-2 that God gave humans freedom of choice?  Are there any boundaries to this freedom?  Does freedom of choice imply ethical relativism (the idea that any choice is OK as long as it seems right to us)?

 

Memorize the chapter locations of these Old Testament passages:

 

       The tower of Babel                                         Genesis 11

       The call of Abraham                                       Genesis 12

       Abraham and Lot                                           Genesis 13

       Melchizadek                                                   Genesis 14

       Ratification of the covenant with Abraham       Genesis 15

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE GOSPEL IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

ASSIGNMENT 4

 

Read Genesis 1 and 2.

 

  1. What do you think the Bible means when it tells us that mankind is created in the image of God?  How are we different from other animals?  How are we similar?

 

2.  What does Genesis 2 tell you about God’s intention for our life on earth?

 

  1. In the Hebrew language the word  “Adam” is the same as the word for “mankind”.  Because of this, some scholars believe that Adam and Eve were not two specific individuals, but that the Bible uses these names to describe the experience of the human race.  Do you agree or disagree?  Why?

 

 

 

 

 

THE GOSPEL IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

ASSIGNMENT 5

 

 

 

Read Genesis 3.

 

  1. What do you think are the significance of the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil?  What was the significance of the act of Adam and Eve?

 

  1. How does a command imply the reality of free will?

 

  1. Is there any evidence of hope in this chapter?  Where?

 

 

 

 

Memorize the chapter locations of these Old Testament passages:

 

      Abraham justified by faith                                         Genesis 15

      The sacrifice of Isaac                                               Genesis 22

      Jacob’s dream                                                         Genesis 28

      Jacob becomes Israel                                              Genesis 32

      God can bring good out of evil                                 Genesis 50   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE GOSPEL IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

ASSIGNMENT 6

 

 

Read 1 Corinthians 15:20-22, 42-49, Romans 5:12-21, and Mathew 4:1-11.

 

  1. How were the first Adam and the second Adam alike?

 

  1. How were they different?

 

  1. Do you believe when Adam was tempted that it was possible for him not to sin?

 

  1. Do you believe when Jesus was tempted that it was possible that he could have sinned?

 

Read Isaiah 11:1-9,  35:1-10,  51:3, Ezekiel 36:35, Micah 4:3-4, and Revelation 22:1-6.

 

  1. What does Genesis have to do with eschatology (the doctrine of the end of the world)?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE GOSPEL IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

ASSIGNMENT 7

 

Read Genesis 12:1 - 13:4.

 

  1. Some people have observed that God’s call to Abram is like a proposal of marriage.  What similarities do you see?

 

  1. When does God reveal himself to Abram a second and third time?  Why?

 

  1. Why did Abram go to Egypt?  Was this decision a mistake?

 

  1. What difficulties, dangers, and temptations might Abram expect to encounter in  Egypt?

 

  1. What does the return to Bethel signify?

 

Read Genesis 13:5 – 14:24.

 

  1. What is the problem between Abram and Lot?

 

  1. How is Abram’s way of handling problems different now from before?

 

  1. Where is Lot now, and what is his situation?

 

  1. What things about Melchizadek arouse your curiosity?  How did Abram’s encounter with Melchizadek prepare him for his meeting with the king of Sodom?

 

Read Genesis 15:1 – 21.

 

  1. Why would God’s message in Genesis 15:1 be especially helpful to Abram at this time?

 

  1. What is Abram worried about? Why?  How does God respond to his concern?  How does Abram respond to God’s promise?

 

  1. What is the significance of what happens in Genesis 15:12 – 21?

 

Memorize the chapter locations of these Old Testament passages:

 

       The birth of Moses                                         Exodus 2

       The name of God                                           Exodus 3

       The first Passover                                           Exodus 12-13

       Crossing the Sea of Reeds                              Exodus 14

       The Ten Commandments                                Exodus 20

 

 

 

 

THE GOSPEL IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

ASSIGNMENT 8

 

Read Genesis 16.

 

  1. What is Abram and Sarai’s basic mistake? 
  2.  How does God handle their mistake?

 

Read Genesis 17.

 

  1. Which would be harder for you to believe, the promise in verse 4 or the promise in verses 15-16?  Why?
  2. What does Isaac’s name mean?  Why did God give him this name?

 

Read Genesis 18.

 

  1. What is Sarah’s response to God’s promise?  Do you think it has any connection with Abraham’s response in Chapter 17?
  2. Why does God tell Abraham what he plans to do in Sodom and Gomorrah?
  3. What do you think Abraham learned from this experience of prayer about who he is and the purpose of his life?

 

Read Genesis 19.

 

  1. Here is a clear picture of the contrast between Abraham and Lot.  One is a life of tragedy, the other a life of being blessed and blessing others.  Why?

 

 

 

 

Memorize the chapter locations of these Old Testament passages:

 

       Instructions for corporate worship                          Exodus 24

       The golden calf                                                      Exodus 32

       The pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire                    Exodus 40

       Moses lifts the bronze snake                                  Numbers 21

       The tithe                                                                Deuteronomy 14

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE GOSPEL IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

ASSIGNMENT 9

 

 

Read Genesis 20

 

  1. It seems incredible to us that Abraham should make this same mistake a second time.  But we see here that the root problem goes back to many years before.  What is the root problem?

 

Read Genesis 21.

 

  1. Now at last Abraham and Sarah receive the promised son, but their previous mistake has produced great problems.  What conflicting feelings does Abraham have?

 

  1. What does God teach Abraham here?  How does Abraham treat Abimelech differently here than he did in Chapter 20?

 

Read Genesis 22.

 

  1. Try to imagine Abraham’s feelings in verses 1 and 2.  How does God show that he understands Abraham’s feelings?

 

  1. What do discover in verse 5 about Abraham’s faith?

 

  1. How does Abraham respond here differently that he did before when he encountered difficulties?

 

  1. God’s testing of Abraham this way seems to us very cruel.  Do you think the good it produced was worth it? Why?

 

  1. This incident might be seen as a picture or foreshadowing of something in the New Testament.  What might that be?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE GOSPEL IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

ASSIGNMENT 10

 

Read Genesis Chapters 12-50.

Make a list of all the passages  which refer to:

 

(1)   The promise of a land

(2)   The promise of descendents

(3)   The promise of a blessing

(4)   The process of separation (from other ethnic groups, within the Jews’ own

            ethnic group, and geographical separation).

 

Read Genesis 28:10-22 and 32:1-33:12

 

(1)   How do you see Jacob changing here?

(2)   What is causing the change?

(3)   How does Jacob’s dream in Genesis 28 help you to understand John 1:43-51?

(4)   In the struggle with the angel, who won, Jacob of God?

 

Read Genesis 37.

 

      (1) In this dysfunctional family how are the parents, the elder brothers, and Joseph

                  all responsible for the conflict, jealousy, and sibling rivalry?

 

Read Genesis 39-45.

 

        (1) How do you see the covenant of blessing working itself out in Joseph’s life          

                   in the midst of betrayal, injustice, disappointment, and discouragement?

        (2) Would it be easy for you to keep believing in God’s love through such

                   things?  How do you think Joseph was able to maintain his attitude

                   of trust and absolute obedience during so many years of adversity and

                   disappointment? 

   (3) When Joseph frightened his brothers, was he just having fun?  Or was it a     

             kind of revenge that he wanted to have before forgiving them?  If not,

             why did he behave the way he did?  How did this work for good for his

             brothers?

   (4) What does 44:33 tell you about how Judah is changing? 

   (5) What is the significance of Joseph’s instruction in 45:24?                   

 

   Read Genesis 50:15-21.

               (1) How was it possible for Joseph to forgive his brothers this way?

               (2) How does this passage show the basic contrast between Joseph and his   

                            brothers?                                    

               (3) What New Testament words does 50:20 remind you of? 

 

 

 

 

 

THE GOSPEL IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

ASSIGNMENT 11

 

Read Exodus 2.

 

  1. What kind of environment did Moses live in as a child and youth?  What influences might this have had on him?
  2. What is your impression of this young person?  What are his strengths and weaknesses?
  3. What is his first attempt at serving God?  What are the results?
  4. What would be your assessment of this young person’s potential for serving God?

 

Read Exodus 3 – 6.

 

  1. What are Moses’s feelings now about his ability to serve God?
  2. How does he feel about the results of his first attempts at service?
  3. Moses would not be a stranger in Pharaoh’s house.  How do you think he would feel about confronting the people in the palace?

 

Read Exodus 7 – 11.

 

  1. When the Bible tells us that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, we feel a sense of fatalism, as if Pharaoh has no choice in the matter.  But if we look closely we see that the Bible has two ways of describing this.  One is to say the God hardened Pharaoh’s heart.  The other is to say that Pharaoh’s heart was hard, or became hard, or that Pharaoh hardened his heart.  Do you see any time sequence in the two different ways this phenomenon is described?  What might this mean?

 

Read Exodus 12.

 

  1. What feelings might Moses have had when he received these instructions?
  2. What similarities are there between the first Passover and the sacrifice of Isaac (Genesis 22)?  What differences? 
  3. What similarities and differences are there between the first Passover and what  happened  in the Last Supper (1 Corinthians 11:23 – 26)?

 

Memorize the chapter locations of these Old Testament passages:

 

       The hidden things and the revealed things                Deuteronomy 29

       The everlasting arms                                               Deuteronomy 33

       As your days, so shall your strength be                   Deuteronomy33

       I will never leave you or forsake you                       Joshua 1

       As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord      Joshua 24

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE GOSPEL IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

ASSIGNMENT 12

 

 

Read Exodus 13 – 17 and Numbers 11 – 12.

 

  1. How would you like to be the chairman of this fellowship?
  2. What signs of growth and development do you see in Moses’s character here?
  3. What spiritual growth do you see in him?

 

Read Exodus 24:1 – 11.

 

  1. How is worship here different than it was previously in the Old Testament?  How is it similar?

 

Read Deuteronomy 9 – 10.

 

  1. Moses has already felt like giving up several times.  Now who is talking about giving up?
  2. Did Moses’ prayer change God’s will?  What is the relationship between his prayer and God’s will?

 

Read Numbers 21.

 

  1. What did the Israelites learn from the incident of the bronze snake?
  2. Why did Jesus choose this incident to explain the meaning of the cross to Nicodemus (John 3:14 – 15)?

 

Read Deuteronomy 34.

 

  1. When Moses died, who was there?  Who took care of the funeral arrangements and burial?
  2. Do you think the reason for Moses’ not being permitted to enter the Promised Land was only a punishment?  What other reasons might there have been?

 

Read Psalm 90.

 

  1. When Moses wrote this poem, what memories and recollections might he have had?
  2. What were his feelings?  What was his prayer?
  3. Moses knew he could have spent his whole life enjoying the luxuries of the king’s palace, or he could have passed a quiet and happy life as a shepherd in Midian.  Now as he prepares to leave this life, after experiencing so much difficulty and suffering, and knowing that he will not see the results of his labor,  do you think he has any regrets?