Session 5: Genesis 11-12:9

Session 5: Genesis 11-12:9

Summarize:

I. The people of the world disobey God's command to spread over the face of the earth(11:1-9)

A.  The people settle in the valley of Shinar and decide to build a monument to declare their glory(1-4)

B.  God causes the people to fulfill His purpose by causing the people to speak different languages so that they would be unable to continue communicating and working to glorify themselves.

C.  The people leave the valley of Shinar and obey God's command to spread over the face of the earth.

II.  The genealogy of Abram(11:10-32)

A. The effect of sin is displayed in the shortening life span of the descendants of Shem(10-25)

B. Abram and Nahor the sons of Terah took wives,  Abram's wife Sarai was barren(29)

C. Terah the father of Abram moved his family to go to the land of Canaan but settled in Haran(31)

III. God calls Abram(12:1-9)

A. God commands Abram to leave his home and follow God(1)

B. God promises to bless Abram and make him a great nation that will bless all the people of the world(2-3)

C. Abram obeys God and leaves Haran,  his nephew lot goes with Abram.  

D.  Abram goes to the land of Canaan,  a land that God promises to give to his descendants(7)

E.  Abram builds an altar to the Lord (7-9)

Analyze:

Read Genesis 9:1

1. What command of God did the people in the valley of Shinar disregard?

a.  What reason did the people of Shinar give for staying put?  How did their decision display a distrust of God? (4)

Read Psalm 127:1-5, Isa 23:9, Jas 4:6

b.  Why was God not pleased with the people of Shinar?  

c.  What does God do to move the people to accomplish His purpose? (7)

d. How have you put your priorities and concerns before God's?  How has God responded to your disobedience?  

Read Proverbs 3:12, Heb 12:6

e. How does the story of the people of Shinar influence your understanding of how God accomplishes His purposes?

f. How do the passages above shape your understanding of God's discipline and correction?

2. Read the genealogies in Gen 5:1-32 and 11:10-25 how has sin affected mankind? (look at the life span)

a. What is an important fact stated about Abram's wife? (30)  Why was it disgraceful for a woman to be barren in Abram's culture? What do you learn about Abram's character and love for Sarai in remaining monogamous despite Sarai's condition? (mono= one/single,  gamos=marriage)

b. How does Abram’s treatment of Sarai shape your understanding of marriage?(Gen 2:24)

c. Where was Terah taking his family before he settled in Haran?

3. What did God promise Abram? (2-3)

a. The fulfillment of God's promise is contingent upon what?

Read Psalms 56:3, 143:8

b. What promises of God require you to trust Him? What blessings of God are you missing out on because of your lack of faith?  

c.   What did Abram stand to lose if he obeyed God?(12:1)

d. Abram’s nephew Lot leaves with Abram, what are some assumptions we might make as to why Lot would follow someone in doing something that makes no sense?

e. How does this shape your understanding of how radically lived out faith influences others?

Contextualize:

1. God’s purposes are never thwarted.
2. God invites us into intimacy by asking us to trust Him.
3. Radical dependence and trust in God are contagious

Actualize:

Commit to leveraging your influence by sharing stories of how you have/are trusting God. Practice by thinking about your stories of God’s faithfulness, write them down.