the Bridge Home Church

Genesis Reading Gude #8
Genesis 12 & 13

After the colossal failure of humanity in Genesis 3-11 God is ready to start fresh again: not be wiping humanity off the face of the earth, but by calling one family to follow Him and, through this family, to bless all the nations of the earth. His desire is, ultimately, to restore all His creation, but it begins in this humble place with an unlikely couple called to a world-changing task.

1 If God asked you to leave all that was familiar to you and go to an unknown place that he would later show you. How would you feel? What questions would you have? What would hold you back? What would lead you to move forward?

2 Why do you think it was necessary for Abram to leave everything in order to do what God wanted him to do?


3 List the different parts of the covenant that God makes with Abram (12:2-3)


4 What do these promises reveal about God and his priorities? What do they reveal about his attitude toward Abram?


5 Twice in this opening section (12:7-8) it says that “Abram built an altar to the Lord” What does this reveal about his relationship with God?


Altars function as sacrificial platforms. Their construction can also mark the introduction of the worship of a particular god in a new land. Abram’s setting up of altars in each place where he camped defines areas to be occupied in the “Promised Land” and establishes these places as religious centers in later periods. – IVP Bible Background Commentary

Perhaps the Lord anticipates resistance to this audacious request, so he reassures Abram with three promises:

“I will make you into a great nation.” We can’t forget the immediate context. In Genesis 11, Moses gave us the origin story of all nations. Now it’s as if the Lord leans back, cracks his knuckles, and says, “Now I’m going to make a nation of my own.” He’s going to use anonymous land and fill it with a nondescript nomad and his barren wife.

“I will make your name great.” Again, we cannot forget the context. After the Tower of Babel -that dumb debacle that led to the division of humankind – God promises to do for one man what all of humankind could not accomplish for itself. The Lord’s surprising kindness is on full display here as he promises to give as a gift what we tried and failed to earn for ourselves.

“I will bless you…You will be a blessing…I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse.” So far in Genesis, who has been cursed? Those who have rejected the Lord. So, when he promises to bless those who bless Abram and curse those who don’t he is basically saying, “How people respond to you will be how they respond to me.” – Alex Duke

6 Do you think the famine was a test to see if Abram would stay in the land that had been promised to him? Why or why not?


7 The problem with Abram’s response was not necessarily in going to Egypt; the problem with Abram’s response was independence from God — doing things on his own. Why is it easy to either “forget God” or live in isolation from Him in times of trial? Has this ever described you?


8 The overarching point of Genesis 12:10-20 shows us that God’s promises, and plan are greater than the challenges of trials and our sin. How does Genesis 12:10-20 demonstrate this point?

9 When Abram left Egypt after being disgraced in his faithlessness, he traveled to Bethel. What was important to Abram about this location? What did he do there?


10 Places are significant to God. Sometimes there are places of remembrance for failures and other places of remembrance for victories. Do you have any special places in your life where God has done some wonderful things, or places that serve as warnings of past failure?


11 In this chapter what principles do we learn with regards to handling conflict?


12 What principles do we learn about making decisions?


The point of Genesis 13 is quite clear: though the prospects of the world can be enticing to the eyes, they are never better than the promises of the Lord. The world is full of fake Edens that resemble paradise but in reality, lead us toward hell. Lot did not realize this. He thought he was walking toward a wellspring of water, but actually he was walking toward destruction. Lot lifted his eyes and riveted them to the luscious and lucrative land. He lived by sight. So, he hurled himself east. Abram lifted his eyes and riveted them to the promises of the Lord. He believed the Lord would make good on his promises to give him land and children to fill that land. He lived by faith even as the circumstances of his life cried foul because he knows that wherever the Lord is, there is protection and prosperity. There is paradise. - Duke