Read Exodus 1-2

God made a promise way back in Genesis 15 to Abraham. We are going to see it be fulfilled over these next few weeks. These two chapters cover a lot of years!

• How has the climate changed for the Israelites?

• How do we see racism at work between the Egyptians and the Israelites? (at least that is what I see in the king when he says “there’s a lot of them, and they are getting more numerous, they may turn on us…”)

• How do you see God’s sovereignty at work in these chapters?

Moses is born a Levite. The Levites would become the tribe of the priests, the people who would be the ones leading the people to walk righteously before God. Moses obviously knows that he is an Israelite, which is interesting to me.

• Why do you think he chooses to identify with the Israelites now when it seems like he had not previously?

In verse 24 we see again that “God remembered” phrase. Reminiscent of Noah in the ark, God’s remembering is always accompanied by His moving, his action.

• How has God used a hard situation in your life to point you towards Himself?

Moses lives in exile for a long time. Probably so long that he has no thoughts of his former life in Egypt.

• We’ve all, in the social distancing, been in a sort of exile. What kinds of things did you see God teach you through that time?

Let’s sit today and listen to the story of Exodus as told by the Bible Project friends. Today we will hear the description of chapters 1-18, and later we will do the rest!

Read Genesis 49:29-50:26

I always like to give us Sunday to relax and reflect, but we are on a mission to finish Genesis, so we have a few verses to read this morning.

• As you reflect back on the book of Genesis, including these chapters here, how would you describe God?

• One last time! What does Joseph’s faith look like?

I know we’ve read a chunk each day, and we will continue into Exodus. These chapters and stories are so essential for us to understand our faith as well as the heritage passed down to us. God tells Abraham that he will be the Father of many nations, and that all nations will be blessed through him. He shows him the stars and speaks of his descendants. If you have placed your faith in the saving work of Jesus, you are one of those descendants.

Take a listen to this old song and reflect:

Read Genesis 47-48

So Israel (Jacob) goes to Egypt and settles with his family. This had to be a sweet time for him. Jacob immediately blesses Pharaoh.

• Is there someone older in your life who has blessed you, spoken truth over you, or influenced you?

He also spends time explaining the promises that God had given him and how they were being fulfilled.

• Who is someone in your life that has pointed out how God is at work in and through you?

Genesis 48:15-16 are just beautiful verses. If you were to write a few verses about who God has been to you, what would you say? Think of the characteristics describing who He has been in your life. Write them down on a piece of paper.

Read Genesis 44-46:7

The drama continues!

• Why do you think Joseph deceived them this second time?

• What do you think he was accomplishing by putting the cup in Benjamin’s sack?

• Where is faith and growth evident in Judah’s response?

Think of a situation in your own life where you were angry or wondered why God would allow something like that to happen. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to give you perspective on how that situation could be fertile ground for your growing deeper roots.

Read Genesis 42-43

I love this story on a variety of levels!

• Since we are on the lookout for faith, how do you see evidence of Joseph’s faith here?

• Where have the brothers grown? Not grown?

• What about Israel (Jacob)? How is his faith in evident?

• How has Judah in particular grown since we saw him in the story with Tamar?

• Joseph’s steward says a curious thing in Genesis 43: 23. How do you think he comes to know about God?

Read Genesis 41

• Where do you see Joseph acting out of faith in this chapter?

• How do you think his hardships and pain forged in him a character ready for this position?

• How can you see that Joseph has not grown bitter towards the Lord during his time in prison?

• Joseph did not seem to waste his time in prison. How is the season you are in right now able to be used to prepare you for what’s ahead?