Maadi Women's Bible Study

Questions

1) Do you think this dream is like a divine “seal of approval” on Jacob’s behavior up to now? Or is it an “in spite of”? Or something else? Why do we say this?

2) Do you think that Jacob has moved into a genuine personal relationship with Yahweh? Does this tell us anything about God, that would relate to us? What is that?

3) What application can you make in your own life from this story?

Questions

1. What do you think are the similarities and differences between doing God’s will and God’s will being done?
2. Can you relate to the idea or feeling of living in the sweet spot of God’s will and pleasure? Can you remember a clear example when you were outside of the sweet spot and you knew it? 

Questions

1. Abraham insists on his servant finding a bride from his family and country. The servant goes about this request by specifically asking of God to reveal the woman in a specific way. How do you feel about praying in this fashion? Have you ever asked something of God in this fashion?

2. Read 24:21 What do you think the servant was considering as he looked at Rebekah?

3. Do you think Rebekah made her decision to go with the servant based on a sense of God’s providential call, or was she impressed by the gifts and the promise of a good life? Why or why not?

4. What personal application do you see in this text?

1. God is certainly testing Abraham, but He may also be seeking His own benefit by the pleasure He receives through Abraham’s active love and obedience. Have you ever considered that your faithfulness to God and obedience to Him gives Him pleasure? How might that be a motivating factor in your walk with God? 

2. With the sacrifice of Isaac, God is asking Abraham to give up everything – not just his son, but the promises of the covenant as well. All Abraham will have left is God Himself. Is that enough?  Would you give God your life if He gave back nothing but Himself? 

3. How much do the “benefits/blessings of God” motivate you in your walk with Him?

Questions

1. In this story of Sarah, Abraham and Hagar who is someone that you can relate to? What was God doing or saying to Sarah, Abraham, or Hagar that God might also be saying to you today?

2. Discuss how the sorrow of sending Ishamel away was the natural consequence of Abraham’s sin. How might the Lord use the consequences of our sin to refine us. When we suffer under the consequences of our sins does this mean that God is angry with us?

3. Where do we see evidence of God’s mercy in this passage? How has God been merciful to you in the midst of pain and suffering (of any kind, but even pain caused by your own sin)?

Questions

1. Judging from Sarah’s laughing in unbelief at God’s promise, how do you explain the fact that Sarah is one of only two women mentioned in the Bible’s honor roll of faith? See Heb 11:11 and Gen 21:1-7. What does this tell you about God and how He works? About Sarah’s faith? Your faith?
2. The condition of Sodom and Gomorrah is so outrageous to most of our ears that it is easy to move on fail to apply anything. How does Ezekiel’s take on their sin affect your thinking?
3. Share a time of God’s expression of slow to anger in your life

Notes and Questions

A. Geneology 11:26-32

     B. Test for Abram 12:1-9

          C. Abe sojourns in Egypt and passes Sarai off as sister 12:10-20

                D. Abram and Lot incident 13:1-14

                      E. Covenant 15

                            X Hagar and Ishmael

                       E. Covenant 17

                 D. Abram and Lot 18-19

             C. Abram sojourns Gerar passes Sarai off as sister 20:2

         B.  Test for Abram

A. Geneology 22:20-24

 

If you were to rename certain locations based on your testimony of God’s faithful work, which places would you focus on? 

What names might you give them? Share or write down one of those meaningful stories of God’s faithfulness.

 

 

Questions

1. What are you waiting on God for? What could it look like for you to wait patiently and with expectant hope in God’s faithfulness?

2. Examine your social circle. How much diversity is present in your community? How can you go about working on being more open to different/odd/uncomfortable relationships? Keep in mind it isn’t a project you do on the side for a short time but it is the goal of what it looks like to be the family of God.

Questions

1. What questions or fears arise when you ponder that understanding the Bible may not be as plain and simple and literal as you might have once thought?
2. Share a thought that was new to you or stood out to you as important?
3. We often talk about our "testimony" or our "witness" but what if we shifted our language of outward responsibility to reflect more of how it is worded in Genesis 1-2,  as a mandate to image God as priest and king? What difference does this make in how you understand what God wants from you?