All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others
In the Beginning - Unit 20
Reflection: Tell us about an important person who stayed over night at your house. What did you and your family do for them?
Word:
1. Read Genesis Chapter 18 through 19:16. What did Abraham do when he saw three visitors? (See Genesis 18:1-8).
2. Who were these visitors? (See Genesis 18:2, 16-17, 22, 25, 33, and 19:1, 10-11, 15).
3. Why do you think Sarah laughed? (See Genesis 18:9-15).
4. According to Hebrews 11:11-12, why did Sarah laugh?
5. What is a way we can understand Genesis 18:9-15 and Hebrews 11:11-12 so that both are true?
6. Why did God tell Abraham His plans? (See Genesis 18:16-21). Does this have any application for you today in discerning the will/plans of God for your life?
7. What was the result of Abraham’s actions in Genesis 18:22-33? What can we learn about intercession (prayer for mercy, protection, etc. on behalf of others and nations) from this example?
8. What did Lot do when he saw the visitors? (See Genesis 19:1-3).
9. What happened at Lot’s house that night? What else? (See Genesis 19:4-13). What do you think Lot did right? What do you think he did wrong?
10. What does Abraham and Lot’s treatment of visitors teach us about hospitality? (See Hebrews 13:1-2).
11. What is something that helps you believe that angels are real and help people?
Think About It:
1. What would you like to do to be more hospitable to visitors?
2. What do you trust (believe) God will do for you?
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NOTES:
God appeared to Abraham in human form. God conversed with Abraham concerning his future and Sodom and Gomorrah. The Jews considered God’s personal name, “YHWH,” too holy to say. So “LORD” is frequently used in the Old Testament to translate, “YHWH.”
Sarah’s response and the visitors’ words in Genesis 18:9-15 suggest that she did not believe them. But according to Hebrews 11:11-12, Sarah was able to conceive and give birth, because she believed God. Sarah may not have believed the message at first. But she may have believed after she was corrected. Another possibility is that she believed when she first heard she would have a baby. But she laughed due to surprise and joy over having a baby at such an old age. Genesis 18:12-15 suggests this was true. If so, she may have been afraid to admit that she laughed. Genesis 18:15 suggests this was also true. God’s words in Genesis 18:13-14 might not have been intended as a correction. Instead they may have been an affirmation of her faith, God’s power, and God’s promise. Hebrews 11:11 seems to support this view.
Hospitality was an extremely high virtue in Old Testament cultures. A family was obligated to risk everything to protect anyone they welcomed into their home. But Lot’s daughters could not have felt good about Lot’s offer.
Word:
1. Read Genesis Chapter 18 through 19:16. What did Abraham do when he saw three visitors? (See Genesis 18:1-8).
2. Who were these visitors? (See Genesis 18:2, 16-17, 22, 25, 33, and 19:1, 10-11, 15).
3. Why do you think Sarah laughed? (See Genesis 18:9-15).
4. According to Hebrews 11:11-12, why did Sarah laugh?
5. What is a way we can understand Genesis 18:9-15 and Hebrews 11:11-12 so that both are true?
6. Why did God tell Abraham His plans? (See Genesis 18:16-21). Does this have any application for you today in discerning the will/plans of God for your life?
7. What was the result of Abraham’s actions in Genesis 18:22-33? What can we learn about intercession (prayer for mercy, protection, etc. on behalf of others and nations) from this example?
8. What did Lot do when he saw the visitors? (See Genesis 19:1-3).
9. What happened at Lot’s house that night? What else? (See Genesis 19:4-13). What do you think Lot did right? What do you think he did wrong?
10. What does Abraham and Lot’s treatment of visitors teach us about hospitality? (See Hebrews 13:1-2).
11. What is something that helps you believe that angels are real and help people?
Think About It:
1. What would you like to do to be more hospitable to visitors?
2. What do you trust (believe) God will do for you?
=============================
NOTES:
God appeared to Abraham in human form. God conversed with Abraham concerning his future and Sodom and Gomorrah. The Jews considered God’s personal name, “YHWH,” too holy to say. So “LORD” is frequently used in the Old Testament to translate, “YHWH.”
Sarah’s response and the visitors’ words in Genesis 18:9-15 suggest that she did not believe them. But according to Hebrews 11:11-12, Sarah was able to conceive and give birth, because she believed God. Sarah may not have believed the message at first. But she may have believed after she was corrected. Another possibility is that she believed when she first heard she would have a baby. But she laughed due to surprise and joy over having a baby at such an old age. Genesis 18:12-15 suggests this was true. If so, she may have been afraid to admit that she laughed. Genesis 18:15 suggests this was also true. God’s words in Genesis 18:13-14 might not have been intended as a correction. Instead they may have been an affirmation of her faith, God’s power, and God’s promise. Hebrews 11:11 seems to support this view.
Hospitality was an extremely high virtue in Old Testament cultures. A family was obligated to risk everything to protect anyone they welcomed into their home. But Lot’s daughters could not have felt good about Lot’s offer.
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