Discussion Questions for Group Study

The following discussion questions are provided for groups to be used after reading each section of the book.

PART 1 CONCEPTION Discussion Questions

1. Share books or authors you have read that used metaphor, theme, archetypes, motif, symbol, or allegory to tell their story or convey their message. Share examples from well-known books or films.

2. Use the first chapter of Genesis to find patterns, key “first use” words, and symbolic language. Discuss how the author conveys meaning through these literary elements. Are there any other elements you can add (for example, personification, associations with numbers, etc.)?

3. Remember our three questions: 1. What does it say? 2. What does it say about God? 3. Why is it here? Since Genesis 1 is the reader’s introduction to God, what does Gen. 1 tell us about God? What is it in Gen. 1 that is unique in its perspective of who God is?

4. Why do you think Gen. 1 is here? What purpose does it serve in the Bible?

5. Remember the tool of “first use”. Try to define these words as if you had no prior knowledge and could only use the context clues in Gen. 1: blessed, rule, work, rest, holy, and vast array.

6. Genesis 1 covers the creation of the physical world we know, the galaxy, and the universe in 7 days and only 34 verses. Why do you think the account is so brief and structured into 7 days?

7. Talk about the creation account in Gen. 1 and how it parallels conception.

PART 2 BIRTH Discussion Questions

1. Name as many brother stories as you can from Genesis in order. What are the commonalities and differences? Discuss the source of conflict and resolution of conflict in each.

2. Consider the character of each brother—is one good and the other bad? Discuss maturity and integrity as it relates to their behavior and attitudes towards one another and toward God. Do they undergo a transformation? How? Does this change who God favors?

3. Genesis means “beginning.” List all of the beginnings in Genesis.

4. Sin is used for the first time with Cain. Compare sin in the Garden of Eden with the sin in Cain’s story. Talk about God’s intervention in these two stories of temptation. Does God warn, intervene, or protect from consequences in these stories?

5. Explore the first ten questions posed in the Bible (Gen. 2-4). Are they answered? Who is to answer them?

6. All of the brother stories have conflict. What determines whether there is reconciliation or not?

7. What about Genesis reminds you of the birth of an infant? Which motif does Genesis have in common with the first minutes or hours of a newborn’s life? Describe the relationship between the parent and their infant shortly after birth.

PART 3 INFANCY Discussion Questions

1. What is the familiar story that Exodus opens with?

2. Exodus also gives an elaborate call narrative for Moses. How is Moses called by God? Is he eager, hesitant, prepared, equipped, worthy, or favored? Who are Moses’ siblings and is he favored among them? What does favored mean in the context of being favored by God?

3. The term “Israelites” is first used to name God’s people in Exodus. What is the significance of Exodus 4:22?

4. What symbols can you find as God institutes sacrificial laws and the tabernacle? How do these symbols aid Israel in remembering the events of the Exodus?

5. How would you characterize the Israelites once they cross the Red Sea? What complaints do they have? How does God respond? How does God provide for the needs of Israel?

6. Discuss the theme of covenant as it relates to Moses, the Law, and the tabernacle in Exodus.

7. How does the relationship between God and Israel reflect a parent and an infant (in Exodus)? Can you draw additional parallels between Israel and an infant’s behavior?

PART 4 CHILDHOOD Discussion Questions

1. As the successor of Moses, Joshua leads the Israelites into the Promised Land. Canaan and its people worship pagan gods, practice child sacrifice, and engage in temple prostitution. Obedience and faithfulness to God is a focal theme. How does God work to ensure Israel’s obedience as they enter the land of the Canaanites? How does God teach and train his children to obey Him?

2. How do the Israelites show that their faith is immature?

3. How does Rahab’s story challenge the perception of Canaanites as the enemy of God’s people? Why is she the exception? Why does God save her and her family?

4. How do the Moses and Joshua stories parallel one another? What are the similarities? Why would the author want to draw these parallels?

5. Why was the Lord angry with Israel?

6. How does this period in the history of Israel parallel the immaturity of a child? (Consider words from the text such as wrath, punishment, evil, disobey, covenant, refuse, correction, “the hand of the Lord was against them,” “again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord,” etc.)

7. How is God portrayed in this period in Israel’s history? Relate those observations to the life stage of childhood.

PART 5 ADULTHOOD Discussion Questions

1. Who is your “brother”? Can a friend be closer than a brother? Can you think of biblical examples of this?

2. List all the barren women in the Bible so far (in order). Why do you think God chose to heal them? What was the result?

3. List examples of the “low raised high” theme in the Bible so far (in order). How were those examples raised high above their earlier circumstances and why?

4. Who in the Bible has had a change of heart? Why is David called “the man after God’s own heart”? What purpose does that distinction serve in the larger context of the biblical narrative?

5. How do the following themes play out in David’s story? 1. Brothers in conflict 2. Younger brother is favored 3. Change of heart 4. Low raised high 5. Barren women 6. Covenant

6. How does the monarchy effect Israel’s faithfulness to God? How does God communicate with His people now that they have an earthly king?

7. How does this phase of Israel’s history show signs of maturity or “adulthood”? What are the similarities between Israel’s challenges and preoccupations during the monarchy period and the struggles of adulthood? What purpose do the prophets serve for Israel during this time?

PART 6 DEATH Discussion Questions

1. How is death depicted in the Old Testament? What metaphors does the Bible use to discuss death? What is Sheol?

2. List some examples of “cheating death” in the Old Testament so far (in order).

3. This is a dark and difficult time in Israel’s history as they are no longer unified, but a divided kingdom split into Israel to the north and Judah to the south. Many of their kings fail them. Jerusalem and the Temple are destroyed by Israel’s enemies. In these dark times, what purpose do the prophets serve?

4. According to Lamentations, describe the relationship between God and Israel at this time in history.

5. Give examples of Israel’s sense of loss and loneliness.

6. Is there any hope for Israel? Where can it be found?

7. Where are the hints of an afterlife in the Old Testament? What does resurrection mean? Where are the foreshadowing of the resurrection? What prophesies give Israel hope?

PART 7 HEAVEN Discussion Questions

1. Review the barren women who are healed and how the theme culminates in the immaculate conception of Jesus Christ.

2. Discuss the low raised high theme throughout the Bible and how it foreshadows Christ as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. How is the “low raised high” theme expressed in Matthew’s genealogy of Christ?

3. Consider the change of heart theme in light of the prophets’ call to repent and Jesus’ message and teachings. (Look at the Sermon on the Mount, for example.) Compare and contrast David and Christ in light of the “change of heart” theme.

4. How does Christ’s mission (see John 3:16) relate to the covenant theme? How does it relate to the life stages theme? How does Christ’s mission relate to Israel’s/mankind’s moral development (consider sin, remorse, repentance, cleansed heart, forgiveness)?

5. How does the “brothers in conflict” theme result in reconciliation once Christ comes? Consider Adam and Israel as well as Israel and Jesus Christ.

6. How is the “younger brother favored by God” theme related to Christ? (Relate Adam and Christ.)

7. Why do you think little is said about Heaven in the Old Testament? How does Christ and his message relate to the afterlife of a human? What is his role in bridging the separation between humans and God? To whom does the covenant of Christ (Messianic Covenant) extend? How does Christ’s conception, birth, teaching, temptation, betrayal, crucifixion, death, resurrection, appearances as the risen Lord, Holy Spirit, ascension, and anticipated second coming mirror the “life” of Israel, the firstborn son of God? What does Christ represent to a Jew, then and now?