From Prison Cell to Palace

• Lesson 12 for the week of December 16 to December 23

Read: Genesis 37:2 – 41:40 Discussion themes and questions: The story of Joseph is one in which an overriding providence carries Joseph through a series of heartbreaking setbacks to a remarkable position of honor. The...

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Jacob becomes Israel

• Lesson 11 for the week of December 9 to December 16

Read: Genesis 25:19 – 29:30 Crooked Jacob, still haunted by his flawed genes and chromosomes, is still being blessed by God. And as he nears his homeland again, Jacob tussles with God until he receives...

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The Price of Duplicity

• Lesson 10 for the week of December 2 to December 9

Read: Genesis 25:19 – 29:30 The whole family knew how to cheat: Jacob cheated his brother and lied to his father; Jacob’s uncle, Laban, deceived both his daughters and Jacob by switching them on the...

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The Triumph of Faith

• Lesson 9 for the week of November 25 to December 2

Read: Genesis 20:1 – 25:10 The last years of Abraham’s life are a collage of failures, triumphs, and tragedies. He fails the test of honesty with Abimelech; he passes the test of loyalty on Mt....

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Faith and Frailty

• Lesson 8 for the week of November 18 to November 25

Read: Genesis 16:1 — 19:38 The story of Abraham brings out amazing highs and lows, from victories won with God to striking human failings. Discussion themes and questions: Hagar and Ishmael (Genesis 16). The story...

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The Man Abram

• Lesson 7 for the week of November 11 to November 18

Read: Genesis 11:27-15:21 After a long series of human disasters, God turns to Abram to help turn the tide. The early chapters of his life raise significant questions worth exploring: Discussion Themes and Questions: Joshua...

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The Earth After the Flood

• Lesson 6 for the week of November 4 to November 11

Read: Genesis 9-11 When compared with the good earth as it came from God’s hand after creation, the “new” earth after the flood presents a stark contrast — and a fruitful opportunity for some searching...

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Destruction and Renewal

• Lesson 5 for the week of October 28 to November 4

Read: Genesis 5:32 – 9:29 The story of the flood is a stark reminder that God’s perfect world did not last long. The impact of the flood is worth pondering, both from the standpoint of...

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Paradise Lost

• Lesson 4 for the week of October 21 to October 28

Read: Genesis 3:1 – 4:26 Crucial aspects of human existence are rooted in the story of the Fall and the on-going tragedy of our first parents. Discussion Themes and Questions: The subtle serpent. The serpent,...

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The Early Earth

• Lesson 3 for the week of October 14 to October 21

Read: Genesis 2 The second chapter in Genesis points to several key concepts which continue to shape Christian thinking. Discussion Themes and Questions: Sabbath. Genesis 2 opens with account of how God blessed the Sabbath....

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“In the Beginning…”

• Lesson 2 for the week of October 7 to October 14

Read: Genesis 1 Those of us who look forward to a restored world, look back to Genesis 1 as the foundation of our hope. Discussion themes and questions: Clarities. Though there are many issues about...

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Foundations

• Lesson 1 for the week of September 30 to October 7

Read: Matt. 19:3-8; Luke 17:26-30; Acts 7:1-15; Heb. 11:1-22 One of the key features which distinguishes the Judeo-Christian perspective from other “natural” perspectives is that history has a goal. You can chart the key events...

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The Meaning of the Judgment Today

• Lesson 14 for the week of September 23 to September 30

One of the interesting results of the 1844 experience has been a persistent and developing interest in questions of “theodicy” in Adventism. Classically, “theodicy” has focused on the question of the vindication or justification of...

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The Gospel and Judgment

• Lesson 13 for the week of September 16 to September 23

Potentially, this lesson week’s lesson is the most crucial one for God’s people today, for it highlights the two great questions confronting deeply religious people: How can we be good? And how can we be...

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