Week 1 assignment: Days 1-4

Day 1: Read Genesis chapters 1-6

Day 2: Read Genesis chapters 7-12

Day 3: Complete the following study questions: 

1. What do we know exists in Genesis 1:2?
2. How does God create? In other words, what actions does God perform in creation? 
3. Genesis 1-3 tells the story of creation in two different ways. Describe the differences between the two, not only in terms of narrative detail, but also in terms of how the stories are told. Note: the Hebrew word for plants is different in each account. In the Genesis account, the word refers to wild plants that need no cultivation, while in Genesis 2, the word used refers to cultivated plants.  
4. What does the Genesis 2 account of creation tell us 
   1. about the nature of God…what is God is like?
   2. about what is ideal for male and female relationship?
   3. about relationships to the animal world?
5. Why does God forbid the man and the woman from eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil?  
6. Why do you think that God put the tree in Eden?
7. What is God’s reason for turning Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden? (Gen 3:22)
8. What is Eve’s response to the birth of Cain? 
9. We are not told specifically why Cain’s offering was not acceptable to the Lord. Read Genesis 4:3-4 several times. Why do you think God was not pleased with Cain’s offering? What did God advise Cain to do? 
10. God appears to deal gently with Cain after he murdered Abel. Why do you think this is? (Think about God’s joy and care in creating, Eve’s gratefulness to God for Cain, the fact that Cain is the first person born of human parents, etc. )
11. Tell whether God’s actions during the first few generations were punishing, or were they merciful and loving? Give 3 examples in support of your answer. 
12. Lamech murders a man for wounding him. Think about the serpent telling Eve that she would be like God if she ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. How does Lamech’s response to his murderous act show that he considered himself to be godlike? (Gen. 4:23-24)
13. Genesis 6:3 offers insight into how human relationship with God had changed since Eve’s humble thanks to God for Cain. What is the relationship now between God and man as indicated by Genesis 6:3?
14. Genesis 6:4 mentions the Nephilim and says that they were the heroes of old. Think of characters in stories you have read. Give an example of a character that could have been a Nephilim and describe what makes them a hero of old. 
15. Summarize the flood story that we find in the Bible. Put this aside as a tool for comparison with other flood stories you may encounter in future books this year. Include aspects of God’s character, God’s purpose for sending the flood, human response to the flood, and the results of the flood. 
16. How does the account of the Tower of Babel clarify man’s pride and attempt to be equal to God?
17. Notice that Abram is a descendant of Shem. Consider the actions of Shem in Genesis 9:23 and tell what you think Shem’s influence might have been on Abram. This will be a guess, but make a guess that lines up with what you read in Genesis 12:1-9.

Day 4: Read Mythology: Introduction to Classical Mythology and study the mythology charts here