sacrifice of isaac – Michelle Lesley

Previous Lessons: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17

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Read Genesis 24

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Questions to Consider

1. Review lesson 17 (link above) and briefly set the scene for chapter 24. Who are the main characters? What events have recently transpired? Approximately how old is Isaac in chapter 24? (v.67)

2. Why didn’t Abraham want Isaac to marry a Canaanite woman? (3) Why did Abraham tell the servant not (6,8) to take Isaac back to his native land? (7) Think in terms of the Abrahamic Covenant and Abraham’s concept of possessing the land. What might the future ramifications of possessing the Promised Land (Canaan) have been if Isaac had intermarried with a Canaanite and had descendants who were partially Canaanite? What might have happened if Isaac had gone back to Abraham’s native land and stayed there- would Abraham’s lineage still have had a physical presence (possession) in the Promised Land after he died?

3. What impact would all of the issues in #2 have had on Rebekah when she married into this family?

4. What can we learn about marriage and betrothal customs of the time from this chapter? What else can we learn about Mesopotamian culture, such as hospitality, gender roles, authority and submission, etc.?

5. How do Abraham, Isaac, the servant, Rebekah’s family, and Rebekah each demonstrate their trust in God in this chapter? How does God demonstrate His trustworthiness in each of their situations?

6. Examine Rebekah’s words and actions in this chapter and write a brief character sketch of her. What are some ways she sets a good (or bad?) example for you as a Christian woman today?

7. How does this chapter showcase God’s sovereignty over our personal lives as well as over history?

Homework

Examine the decision-making process, and list the steps the servant took, to determine whether or not Rebekah was the right choice. (12-14) Does this serve as an instruction to Christians today on how to make godly decisions? Are we to pray for a sign or for wisdom to make godly decisions? Are we to expect God to verbally tell us what to do, or depend on His fully sufficient written Word for guidance? Do you have an upcoming decision to make? My article Basic Training: 8 Steps to Finding God’s Will for Your Life may be helpful.

Suggested Memory Verse

And they blessed Rebekah and said to her,
“Our sister, may you become
thousands of ten thousands,
and may your offspring possess
the gate of those who hate him!”
Genesis 24:60

Previous Lessons: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

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Read Genesis 21:22-23:20

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Questions to Consider

1. Briefly review lesson 15 (link above) as you read 21:22-34. What happened the last time Abraham and Sarah had an encounter with Abimelech? Why did Abimelech and Phicol think God was with Abraham? (22) How had they dealt kindly (23) with Abraham and Sarah?

2. Read 22:1-19. Why, according to verse 1, did God ask Abraham to offer Isaac? How is Abraham’s sacrifice of his one and only son a type and shadow of God’s sacrifice of His one and only son? Which elements and details of this story point ahead to elements and details of the crucifixion? (Hint: check out the cross-references) See also Hebrews 11:17-19

3. How many times is Sarah mentioned in 22:1-19? Why do you think that’s the case? Do you think Sarah knew what Abraham was going to do before he did it? List a few different ways Sarah might have reacted if Abraham had told her what he was about to do. How might she have reacted upon finding out what had happened after it was all over?

4. Examine 22:20-23. Considering that familial lines, inheritance, etc., were reckoned through male offspring, why does verse 23 specifically point out that Bethuel fathered Rebekah? (Hint: check your cross-references)

5. Read chapter 23. Keeping in mind our previous lessons about Sarah, what memories of her might have come to Abraham’s mind as he was mourning her death? (1-2) What might Abraham have learned from Sarah’s life about faith, sin, and godliness?

6. How old was Isaac when Sarah died? (See Genesis 17:17 and 23:1)

7. What can we learn about Abraham’s character from his encounter with the Hittites in chapter 23?