2025 Bible Study Group

Genesis 11-12

A key part from Genesis 11 is here:
4Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”

5But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.

Firstly, there is a warning about being too prideful in human achievements and trying to be mini Gods. This seems to anger God. There is also a suggestion that God would prefer us to all be speaking one language though practically speaking given the origins of the Bible I'm not sure what that preferred language would actually be.

The comment from Roosh that this is a critique of multi-culturalism is interesting although in modern cities most people can understand at least English so it isn't quite like the example here.

Genesis 12:

Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

And this begins a bit like later books such as 'Lord of The Rings' with a man being forced out of their home land onto an adventure of sorts. Almost shows the Bible as the first Heroes journey.

It's also the beginning of the next 'key' character so to speak as previously we had:
Adam
Cain
Noah

Now Abraham. It seems through Genesis the favour of God is often put upon one single man.
 
Genesis 11

The Tower of Babel is of the first one world government. Every nation since then has tried to finish what Babel started. They seek to exalt themselves as God. They are just like Adam.

God refers to Himself in the plural: "Let Us go down and confound their tongue." If the word God was translated more literally, it would be translated as Gods. If refers to a singular even though its a plural.

God is opposed to all nations, to all the world. Psalms says that He frustrates and thwarts the plans of the peoples. By contrast, His sovereign plan stands forever. He humbles anyone who would exalt themselves.

The line "let us build ourselves a city" strikes me. Throughout the Bible, the dual city imagery is used. Jerusalem and Babylon. One represents God's order for men, the other represents men's Satan-like self-worship. Augustine picks up on this in his City of God. Charles Dickens also apprehends this in his A Tale of Two Cities.
 
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I'm posting this a day early, as I have a busy few days coming up and I may not get time.

Genesis 13-14

As we've been reading through Genesis this month, I've really started to appreciate just how many of these stories serve as metaphors or foreshadow the later teachings of Jesus.

For example, when Abram and Lot part ways, Abram graciously allows Lot to choose his path first. Lot selects the well-watered plains of Jordan, drawn by their outward appeal.

This choice may symbolize the contrast between the narrow and wide gates mentioned in Matthew 7:13-14. The wide gate, though seemingly desirable, ultimately leads to destruction, just as Lot's choice led him toward Sodom and Gomorrah.
 
Genesis 12

God speaks to Abram and makes unconditional promises to him. He didn't do anything to earn it, as the Apostle Paul will emphasize, but he believed in God's word by faith. And so he left his home, not knowing where he was going. God promises to give the land of Canaan to Abram's seed. He journeys to Egypt to avoid the famine, just as his great-grandsons will do by the end of Genesis.

Abram was described as a sojourner. He never really belonged anywhere, because according to Hebrews, "He was looking for the city who's builder and founder was God."
 
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Abraham set out for the land of Canaan as instructed by God, but why did he pass through? Was this an act of disobedience which led to further troubles as shown in the rest of the chapter? edit. I may have my geography wrong? Is Abraham actually still within “the boundaries” of Canaan.IMG_1287.jpeg
 
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Reading Genesis 11 and 12 what stood out to me was the lifespans seemed to begin to shorten, and people began to have children at a younger age.

"When Peleg had lived 30 years, he became the father of Reu. And after he became the father of Reu, Peleg lived 209 years and had other sons and daughters.

When Reu had lived 32 years, he became the father of Serug. And after he became the father of Serug, Reu lived 207 years and had other sons and daughters.

When Serug had lived 30 years, he became the father of Nahor. And after he became the father of Nahor, Serug lived 200 years and had other sons and daughters.

When Nahor had lived 29 years, he became the father of Terah. And after he became the father of Terah, Nahor lived 119 years and had other sons and daughters."

Compare to: Lamech was 182 years old when his first child was born, and lived a total of 777 years. Noah was over 500 years old when his children were born, and lived for 950 years.

It seems something may changed after the flood causing shorter lifespans.
 
WaveMechanic said:
It seems something may changed after the flood causing shorter lifespans.
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A massive global flood would have significantly lowered carbon dioxide levels by destroying ecosystems, including plants that absorb and recycle CO2.

Despite what the globalist-funded scientists claim, carbon dioxide is essential for life on Earth.

More CO2 in the environment supports more robust plant growth, which increases oxygen production through photosynthesis.

Higher oxygen levels create a healthier environment, allowing life to thrive and contributing to longer human lifespans, as described in the pre-flood world of Genesis.

The push to lower CO2 emissions isn’t about the environment: it’s part of a the depopulation agenda
 
I'm curious : where do you guys stand on dating the events of Genesis, particularly the flood?

Some young Earth creationists date the flood as happening as late as 2500 to 2300 BC. Many cultures have their own flood story, from the Sumerians to the Native Americans. I've read that if they are retelling the same event that all their ancestors experienced the flood would have occurred before the Bering Strait Migration, which occurred at the end of the last ice age, around 14,000-12,000 years ago.
 
JCSteel said:
I'm curious : where do you guys stand on dating the events of Genesis, particularly the flood?
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I don't have a set date in mind. Someday I might be curious enough to look into it. I am a YEC and believe the Flood really happened and that it happened the way the Bible said it did, which is globally.

Genesis 13

Abram and Lot go their separate ways. The valley of the Jordan is pleasing to Lot's eye, "like the garden of Yahweh, like Egypt." Also, the same way the fruit was pleasing to Eve's eye. Abram stayed in the country, looking for that heavenly city. Lot chose the city of man and settled in Sodom.
 
Genesis 13:
'14And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: 15For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever'

More promises to Abram and Lot settles near Sodom while Abram is in Canaan.

Genesis 14:

Lots gets captured and Abram sends in some money to get Lot back.

Not described in a narratively compelling way (which makes genesis difficult for me to enjoy as a read in general)

That's about it really in these sections.
 
Tippy said:
Genesis 13:
'14And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: 15For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever'

More promises to Abram and Lot settles near Sodom while Abram is in Canaan.

Genesis 14:

Lots gets captured and Abram sends in some money to get Lot back.

Not described in a narratively compelling way (which makes genesis difficult for me to enjoy as a read in general)

That's about it really in these sections.
Click to expand...
Yes chapter 13 was a wonderful read for me this morning. All I could keep thinking about was the promises of God. It gave me great comfort.
 
Genesis 14

The first time the word 'Hebrew' is applied to someone, it's applied to Abraham. Abram rescues his nephew with the help of his militia. Abram meets Melchizedek, who is the first Priest by name in the Bible. Melchizedek's name literally translated means 'King of Righteousness'. He is also identified as the king of Salem (Peace), which is the city of Jerusalem in Abraham's day. Melchizedek gives Abraham bread and wine and blesses him. In response, Abram gives a tenth, a tithe, of all he owns to Melchizedek.

The true identity of Melchizedek is a mystery. Hebrews makes it a point to say that he has no origin story or conclusion. Christ is said to occupy the Melchizedek priesthood, which is greater than the Levitical priesthood. Some would say that Melchizedek is a pre-incarnate Christ, it's possible, he is certainly a type of Christ.
 
Genesis 15-16

The story of Abram, Sarai, and Hagar in Genesis 16 mirrors the fall of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3. In both stories, the man follows his wife's lead, and chaos unfolds.

Sarai, urges Abram to have a child with Hagar, instead of waiting on God’s promise. Abram, like Adam, acted without first seeking God's guidance. This resulted in disorder in his household.

Sarai's jealousy and mistreatment of Hagar is a textbook example of female nature. God shows His compassion by appearing to Hagar at a spring, calling her by name: something neither Abram nor Sarai do.

Some people defend polygamy from an Old Testament perspective, noting that many patriarchs practiced it and were still favored by God. However, while the Bible does record these instances, it also highlights the negative consequences of polygamy: conflict, jealousy, and disorder within families. Genesis 15-16 is a good example of this.
 
Bizet said:
Genesis 15-16

The story of Abram, Sarai, and Hagar in Genesis 16 mirrors the fall of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3. In both stories, the man follows his wife's lead, and chaos unfolds.

Sarai, urges Abram to have a child with Hagar, instead of waiting on God’s promise. Abram, like Adam, acted without first seeking God's guidance. This resulted in disorder in his household.

Sarai's jealousy and mistreatment of Hagar is a textbook example of female nature. God shows His compassion by appearing to Hagar at a spring, calling her by name: something neither Abram nor Sarai do.

Some people defend polygamy from an Old Testament perspective, noting that many patriarchs practiced it and were still favored by God. However, while the Bible does record these instances, it also highlights the negative consequences of polygamy: conflict, jealousy, and disorder within families. Genesis 15-16 is a good example of this.
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Houston, we have a problem IMG_1295.jpeg
 
Genesis 15

5And He brought him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your seed be.” 6Then he believed in Yahweh; and He counted it to him as righteousness.

Paul emphasizes in Galatians that the seed in verse 5 is a singular, not a plural. The true fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham is Jesus Christ. Verse 6 is one of the most quoted Old Testament passages in the New Testament, thanks to the Apostle Paul. Abraham believed in God's word and he was justified, it was credited to him as righteousness. It is not the works that Abram had done up to this point that justify him, it is his belief in the seed, his faith in Jesus Christ that justifies him.

Abraham gives God animals, which he then cuts in half and lays them across from each other, forming a kind of red carpet or hallway. The custom was that if you cut a covenant with someone you would walk through the carcasses, promising to keep the covenant and invoking the curses of the covenant on yourself if you break it. Basically, you're saying "let what happened to these animals happen to me if I prove unfaithful to the covenant."

The most amazing part of this is that God walks through the carcasses while Abraham is sleeping. While Abraham was doing nothing, God was cutting the covenant. Maybe another way to put it is that God is working while Abraham is resting. The Abrahamic Covenant is unconditional.

While Abraham was sleeping, God gives Abraham a prophecy of the Exodus.
 
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Genesis 16

There is a temptation we all face: do we wait on God or do we take matters into our own hands? Faith says to wait on God but we have a sinful inclination to trust in our own works.

Sarah convinces Abram that they should take matters into their own hands. After all, given their age and Sarah's barreness, it wouldn't seem as if God would come through on His promise. So Hagar and Abram produce Ishmael. Ishmael is the son of works, but he is not the son of faith, the son of the promise.

The irony of works is that it leads to hypocrisy: Sarah holds it against Hagar that she gave Abram a son even though it was her idea.

Paul sees an allegory in this account in Galatians 4: Ishmael, the son of works, was born to Hagar, the servant woman, the Law.

But even "when we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself." God's plan is not derailed by Abraham and Sarah. Sarah will go on to conceive Issac according to God's timing and purpose and the Angel of the Lord promises to bless Ishmael and Hagar, even through their victimization at the hypocrisy of works.
 
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