Father Abraham Section Study Guides Thirdmill 316 Live Oaks Boulevard Casselberry, FL 32707 USA FATHER ABRAHAM STUDY GUIDE 1.1 Lesson 1: The Life of Abraham; Structure and Content Section 1: Literary Design OUTLINE FOR TAKING NOTES Introduction I. Literary Design A. Genesis B. Abraham REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. Why do nations normally pass on memories from generation to generation? 2. According to the lesson, what was the intention of the biblical authors as they recorded history? How did this affect the accuracy of their records? 3. How does Dr. Pratt prefer to divide Genesis into sections for the purpose of making an outline? 4. Why does Dr. Pratt not include Isaac as a division of the section of early patriarchal history? 5. List the 17 episodes in the life of Abraham, as Dr. Pratt names them. Explain how these episodes are related to each other. 6. List the names of the five "clusters" of episodes in the life of Abraham, as Dr. Pratt divides them. Explain the symmetry of their arrangement. QUESTIONS FOR APPLICATION AND REFLECTION 1. Why is it important to understand the intention of the human author of Genesis? Can you think of an example of how this might affect the way you interpret a passage in Genesis? 2. Why do you think it is important to understand the literary design of Genesis and the story of Abraham? Can you think of an example of how this might affect the way you interpret a passage in Genesis? 3. In what ways are you able to identify with Abraham? Which episode in Moses’ account seems closest to your own experience as a follower of Christ? How does Abraham’s story offer encouragement to you? FATHER ABRAHAM STUDY GUIDE 1.2 Lesson 1: The Life of Abraham; Structure and Content Section 2: Major Themes OUTLINE FOR TAKING NOTES II. Major Themes A. Key Passage B. Unfolding 1. Divine Grace 2. Abraham’s Loyalty 3. Blessings to Abraham 4. Blessings through Abraham Summary REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. According to Dr. Pratt, what is the key passage in the Genesis account of Abraham? Write out these verses. Make sure you are very familiar with their contents. Explain how these key verses are organized. 2. Explain the apparent contradiction between Acts 7:2-4 and the Genesis account of the life of Abraham. How does Dr. Pratt deal with this? 3. List the major themes in the biblical account of the life of Abraham, as given in the lesson and give a brief explanation of each one. QUESTIONS FOR APPLICATION AND REFLECTION 1. Do you see any parallels between the way God showed his grace to Abraham and the way He has shown grace to you? Explain. 2. God expected loyalty from Abraham. In what concrete ways can you express your loyalty to God in gratitude for the grace He has shown you? Think of something new and different. 3. Isaac While Isaac is not highlighted as a key figure in the Genesis story, he is still important. First, he was a figure of Jesus in that his father was going to sacrifice him (Genesis 22). Secondly, he is an ancestral bridge to the Messiah. Not all of the descendants of Abraham were blessed with being a part of the family tree of Jesus, but Isaac had that privilege. See Romans 6:6-9: It is not as though God’s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." In other words, it is not the natural children who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring. For this was how the promise was stated: "At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son." What can we learn from the fact that, while he is not one of the most highlighted figures, Isaac was very important for the history of redemption? FATHER ABRAHAM STUDY GUIDE 2.1 Lesson 2: The Life of Abraham; Original Meaning Section 1: Connections OUTLINE FOR TAKING NOTES Introduction I. Connections A. Definition B. Types 1. Backgrounds 2. Models 3. Foreshadows C. Summation REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. What is Dr. Pratt's opinion about the author of Genesis? 2. Dr. Pratt says that when Moses wrote about Abraham, he was making "connections" between "that world" and "their world." What does he mean by this? 3. According to the lesson, how did Moses make use of the BACKGROUND of Abraham to try to encourage the Israelites to continue on to Canaan after the exodus? 4. According to the lesson, how did Moses make use of Abraham as a MODEL to try to encourage the Israelites to continue on to Canaan after the exodus? 5. What does Dr. Pratt mean by a "foreshadow"? Explain the two foreshadows from the life of Abraham that are mentioned in the lesson. 6. Give the example from each period of Abraham's life of how Moses made a connection between Abraham many years ago and Israel at the time of Moses. QUESTIONS FOR APPLICATION AND REFLECTION 1. When you read and study the Bible, do you simply jump to make applications directly to your own life, or do you try to make "connections" between the original world described, the world of the first readers, and your own world? How can you do this better? 2. The events in Abraham’s life were told in order to impart a vision for God’s plan to use Israel to spread his kingdom to the entire world. What does this project of spreading the kingdom to the entire world manifested in our day? How should our plans be shaped by our commitment to this task? FATHER ABRAHAM STUDY GUIDE 2.2 Lesson 2: The Life of Abraham; Original Meaning Section 2: Implications OUTLINE FOR TAKING NOTES II. Implications A. Basic Impact B. Major Themes 1. Divine Grace 2. Abraham’s Loyalty 3. Blessings to Abraham 4. Blessings through Abraham C. Five Steps 1. Background and Early Experiences 2. Early Contacts with Others 3. Covenant with God 4. Later Contacts with Others 5. Progeny and Death Summary REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. According to Dr. Pratt, what is the main reason Moses wrote about Abraham? 2. Moses touched four major themes as he wrote about Abraham. Describe each need in Israel that he is addressing as he touches each of these themes. 3. Moses wrote about Abraham's BACKGROUND AND EARLY EXPERIENCES, in order to make applications for Israel in his time. Describe the practical implication that Moses makes from each episode of this stage in the life of Abraham. 4. Moses wrote about Abraham's EARLY CONTACTS WITH OTHERS, in order to make applications for Israel in his time. List the name of each episode and describe the practical implication Moses makes from each episode of this stage in the life of Abraham. 5. Moses wrote about the COVENANT OF GOD with Abraham, in order to make applications for Israel in his time. List the name of each episode and describe the practical implication Moses makes from each episode in this stage of Abraham's life. 6. Moses wrote about the LATER CONTACTS of Abraham with others, in order to make applications for Israel in his time. List the name of each episode and describe the practical implication Moses makes from each episode in this stage of Abraham's life. 7. Moses wrote about the PROGENY AND DEATH of Abraham, in order to make applications for Israel in his time. List the name of each episode and describe the practical implication Moses makes from each episode in this stage of Abraham's life. QUESTIONS FOR APPLICATION AND REFLECTION 1. How do the stories of Abraham’s interactions with other people provide a model for followers of Christ in the modern world? Mention examples. 2. Like Abraham’s failure with Hagar, at times we justify our own plans instead of following God’s plan. In what situations have you been tempted to do this? What can you learn from Abraham to overcome this temptation? 3. What other practical lessons do you learn from the life of Abraham? 4. Ishmael and Islam Abraham's first child was Ishmael. Islamic traditions teach that Ishmael was the father of most Arabs, and that Mohammed was one of his descendants. They also believe that when Abraham went to sacrifice his son, it was Ishmael and not Isaac. We will take a brief look at what the Bible says. Read Genesis 16:15. Who was Ishmael's mother? Read Genesis 17:19-21 With what son would God make His covenant? Read Genesis 22:1-2 Whom did Abraham take to offer as a sacrifice? Some Muslims argue that this passage contains an error, because it says that Isaac is Abraham's "only son." They argue that if Abraham really took his "only son" to sacrifice him, it must have been Ishmael. After all, goes the argument, the only time Abraham only had one son was before Isaac was born. How would you answer this argument? What do you think it means when it says that Isaac is Abraham's "only son"? Read Galatians 4:21-31. Which son represents freedom and the covenant of promise? Which represents slavery? What do you think: Does Islam also represent slavery? If so, in what sense? FATHER ABRAHAM STUDY GUIDE 3.1 Lesson 3: The Life of Abraham: Modern Application Section 1: Abraham and Jesus OUTLINE FOR TAKING NOTES Introduction I. Abraham and Jesus A. Seed of Abraham 1. Singularity 2. Christ as Seed B. Major Themes 1. Divine Grace 2. Abraham’s Loyalty 3. Blessings to Abraham 4. Blessings through Abraham REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. According to Dr. Pratt, what error do people often make in the way they apply the stories of Abraham to our lives today? 2. Explain how Dr. Pratt interprets Galatians 3:16. Focus especially on the way he deals with the word "seed" and with Genesis 22:16-18. 3. According to Dr. Pratt, what must any proper modern application of Abraham's life include? 4. How are the themes from the life of Abraham completed in Christ? Explain this for each of the four themes. QUESTIONS FOR APPLICATION AND REFLECTION 1. In the past, how have you made application of the Bible passages about Abraham? How has this lesson changed the way you will make practical application of these passages now? 2. If you recognize Christ as Abraham's seed as your application of the life of Abraham, does this mean that you no longer find other more personal applications? Can you think of some? How can you harmonize these different aspects of application? FATHER ABRAHAM STUDY GUIDE 3.2 Lesson 3: The Life of Abraham: Modern Application Section 2: Israel and the Church OUTLINE FOR TAKING NOTES II. Israel and the Church A. Seed of Abraham 1. Numerical breadth 2. Ethnic identity 3. Spiritual character 4. Historical situation B. Major Themes 1. Divine Grace 2. Abraham’s Loyalty 3. Blessings to Abraham 4. Blessings through Abraham Summary REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. What does Galatians 3:29 teach us about the seed of Abraham? 2. What was the ethnic makeup of the original audience of Moses as he wrote Genesis? Give biblical evidence. 3. According to Dr. Pratt, to whom do the promises made to Abraham apply today? How do many people make a mistake in their answer to this question? 4. Were all Israelites true believers in the time of Moses? Who received blessings among the Israelites? Explain how the Church today is similar. 5. What are the parallels between the historical situation of Israel in the time of Moses and the situation of the Church today? 6. How are the themes from the life of Abraham reflected in the Church? 7. Make sure you are familiar with the contents of the following Bible passages: Galatians 3:29 Exodus 12:38 Romans 9:6-8 1 Corinthians 10:1-6 QUESTIONS FOR APPLICATION AND REFLECTION 1. Why is it important to recognize the ethnic diversity of the Church? Does your local church reflect diversity? How about your denomination as a whole? What can you do to reflect greater diversity? 2. Why is it important to recognize that the church contains both believers and unbelievers? How does this affect the way you should view and minister in the church? 3. In what ways do you enjoy the foretastes of blessings that God has given to you as his child? 4. In what ways can you help the Church be an instrument of blessing to the rest of the world? 5. What is the most significant insight you have learned from this lesson? © 2018 by Third Millennium Ministries. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means for profit, except in brief quotations for the purposes of review, comment, or scholarship, without written permission from the publisher, Third Millennium Ministries, Inc., 316 Live Oaks Boulevard, Casselberry, FL 32707 USA.