Tag: bsf genesis questions answers

BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 14, Day 3: Genesis 15:1-11

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Summary of passage:  Abram received the word of the Lord in a vision:  Do not be afraid for I am your shield and your very great reward.

Abram questions God as to where is this promised heir.  God assures Abram he will have a son from his own body and his offspring will be as numerous as the stars in the heavens. God also reiterates to Abram that He brought him from Ur to give him this land.

Again, Abram questions God, asking for reassurances of this promise.  God tells Abram to bring him a heifer, goat, ram, dove, and a pigeon.  Abram cut these in half (except the birds).  As Abram awaits God’s arrival, birds of prey come to feed on the carcasses so Abram drives them away.

Questions:

5a)  In 12:7 the Lord tells Abram He will give this land to Abram’s offspring.  In 15:2-3, Abram asks God where is this promised offspring because without one his servant will be his heir.

b)  God clarifies to Abram that indeed he will have an heir from his own body and tells Abram that one day his offspring will be as numerous as the stars.  God reiterates again that He is the Lord who will give this land to Abram. (Don’t you just want to hit Abram over the head here?  God probably does!)

6)  That Abram knew (and rejoiced) that Jesus would come, that this day (the day Jesus is walking the earth) would come, and Jesus would be the promised Messiah.  And Abraham was glad!  This shows that Abram had faith in God’s words and believed in the promised Messiah!

7a)  Righteousness is by faith alone–always has been and always will be.  If you believe the Lord and believe in Him you are righteous.

b)  Personal Question.  My answer:  Faith is believing in what you cannot see and righteousness is being right with God through faith in Jesus Christ and what he did on the cross.  In believing Jesus is your Savior, you are wiped clean of sin and only when we are free of sin can we be with God and stand before Him–hence, we are “righteous” or right before Him.

c)  He finally believed he would have a son when God told him (again) and he finally believed his descendants would possess the land as God made a covenant (again) with him.

Some might say Abram made a covenant with the Lord when he cut the animals and God passed between them.  I would say no because in verse 18 we are told “the Lord made a covenant with Abram”.  Abram didn’t do anything but receive.  It’s a covenant God made alone with man out of His infinite love and grace for us piddly humans.  God even told Abram to go and get the animals.  It wasn’t even Abram’s idea!

Hence Abram didn’t “do” anything with regards to this covenant to prove his faith.  He merely received.

Conclusions:  This shows that even Abram, a man scholars would argue is the epitome of faith in the Bible, needed reassurance and signs from God in his life.  This applies to us as well.  God helps us even when we don’t know it.  He is there always even when we push Him away.  He picks us up and gives us a push in the right direction (His, NOT ours).

This also shows that it’s okay to question God.  For we, as humans, cannot understand Him and His ways.  It’s okay to ask Him for more clarification, for a sign, for confirmation, for direction, and for help.  Abram wasn’t for sure if the promised seed would be natural born or an adoptee so he asked God for clarification.  Abram wasn’t sure if he would possess the Promised Land and God told him he wouldn’t but his descendants would.

Throughout the Bible, prophets and others have questioned God and He has always answered.

He still answers.  And all we must do is have faith He will.

BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 2, Day 5: Genesis 1:26-31

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Summary of passage:  Finishing up the sixth day, God made man in our image (our being God the father, Son, and the Holy Spirit) and let man rule over the fish, birds, livestock, and all of earth and its creatures.  He created both male and female.  God blessed man and told him to be fruitful and multiply.

God gave man every seed-bearing plant and every fruit for food.  He gave all the other living creatures green plants for food.  God saw all He made and it was good.

Questions:

10)  1)  God made man in His own image

2) God created both male and female

3)  God let man rule over the fish, birds, livestock, and all the earth and its creatures

4)  God blessed man

5)  God told man to multiply

11a)  God gave man food:  every seed-bearing plant and every fruit.  Not until the Fall did God give man animals to eat (Genesis 9:3).

b)  Personal Question.  My answer:  Basic needs are food, clothing, and shelter, all of which I have thanks to God.  Everything else I have would be “beyond”, again all of which God has provided.

How?  By making me human, with a brain, the ability to work and grow into His purpose for my life.

12)  Personal Question.  My answer:  The gist of this passage for me was God making us in His image.  This is huge since nothing else on earth is.  So wrapping my mind around how God is similar to me (but definitely not the same).

Psalm tells us God created me and I am wonderful.  Always good to hear.  Especially when you don’t feel such.

Acts tells us that I belong here and now so I could find Him.

Great passages if you are questioning your place in this world.

Conclusions:  It’s always a good reminder that God provides everything we need.  This is His promise.  Not everything we want (as some claim and then get frustrated when they don’t receive).  It’s a good day to thank Him for the basics, which we often forget to do.

BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 2, Day 4: Genesis 1:20-25

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Summary of passage:  God created living creatures in the water and birds to fly in the skies.  He saw that it was good and blessed them to multiply and fill the earth–the fifth day.

Sixth day:  God created living creatures (both domestic and wild) to fill the land.  He saw that it was good.

Questions:

8a)  Orderly process.  He fills the seas with living creatures and the sky with birds  (He separated these first so He fills these first).  The He populates the land with creatures, which follows since He separated dry land after He separated out the sky.

b)  Here BSF mentions evolution but does nothing to explain the the term.  BSF assumes everyone knows what evolution is which I can tell you right now my kids have no clue what evolution is.  They kind of do from all the dinosaur books we read but could not explain the theory.

Evolution is a complicated theory and even scientists have different definitions.  There is also the evolution of the universe and biological evolution (the evolution of life forms).

So this question I think would be best answered keeping it as general and as simple as possible.  Since we are talking about life forms on the fifth and sixth day of creation, we will stick with biological here.

Biological evolution is the process that results in changes in a population spread over many generations.

To me, I define evolution as the idea that all life evolved from a single-celled microorganism over billions of years.  Obviously, Genesis states God created every kind of plant and animal–nothing evolved over time.

God created; not time.

9a)  Personal Question.  My answer:  Ephesians tells us to be filled with the Spirit.  I don’t think me life is right now.  It’s pretty chaotic around here.  So much going on: caring for and teaching my kids, running my household, kids activities, meeting husband’s needs, working out, carving out a niche of time to be with God (bible study) and do His will (my novel).  This is my typical day.

I need to pray more.  Give more.  Reflect God more.  Love more.

b)  Personal question.  My answer:  He has reinforced old ideas and desires, not necessarily new.  Refocused I guess.  I gotta get my query letter done and get it out to agents.  I gotta quit cussing.  I gotta be more grateful and thankful for all that I have.  I gotta be a life-giver, not a life-drainer.

c)  Personal question.  My answer:  Watching my tongue more.  Being more encouraging.  Praying more and thanking more.  Caring for others more than myself.

Conclusions:  To be honest, I didn’t really like this lesson.  8b seems obvious if you are a believer what the answer should be.  But it just seems out of place and presumptuous–to throw in the theory of evolution without discussing it first.  It’s like assuming everyone knows what “pop” is.

Question 9 is a good reminder of what I should be doing.  But I don’t have any new ideas. God’s word is timeless.  How you should live has not changed and never will change.  Nothing should be “new” unless you just learned it.  I know how I should be filling my life and I’m not.  I guess that’s why I don’t like it.  I don’t want to change.  But I know it’s time.  And re-prioritizing is never easy.