Family Resources for Bishop's Year of the Bible: Week 31

Sunday, June 27th
Genesis 26: 12-14

“And Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold.  The Lord blessed him, and the man became rich, and gained more and more until he became very wealthy.  He had possessions of flocks and herds, and a great household, so that the Philis’tines envied him.”  (Genesis 26: 12-14)

  • What does it mean to reap?  (harvest what we have planted)
  • What does it mean to reap a “hundredfold”?  (greatest possible harvest)
  • Does it sound like God is blessing Isaac?

Monday, June 28th
Genesis 27: 1-4

“When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called Esau his older son, and said to him, “My son”; and he answered, “Here I am.”  He said, “Behold, I am old; I do not know the day of my death.  Now then, take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field, and hunt game for me, and prepare for me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat; that I may bless you before I die.”  (Genesis 27: 1-4)

  • What did you hear?
  • I wonder what it means that his eyes were dim?
  • What did Isaac ask Esau to do?
  • After he eats the food, what will he do?

Tuesday, June 29th
Genesis 27: 28-29

“May God give you the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and wine.  Let the peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you.  Be lord over your brothers, and may your mother’s sons bow down to you.  Cursed be every one who curses you, and blessed be every one who blesses you!” (Genesis 27: 28-29)

  • What did you hear Isaac bless his son with?
  • I wonder how those blessings would help Isaac’s son?
  • Which of those blessings would you want for yourself?

Wednesday, June 30th
Genesis 35: 10-15

“And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; no longer shall you name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.”  So his name was called Israel.  And God said to him, “I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall spring from you.  The land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your descendants after you.”  Then God went up from him in the place where he had spoken with him.  And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he had spoken with him, a pillar of stone; and he poured out a drink offering on it,  and poured oil on it.  So Jacob called the name of the place where God had spoken with him, Bethel.”  (Genesis 35: 10-15)

  • I wonder why God changed Jacob’s name to Israel?  (He would make a great nation of Jacob’s family.)
  • Had God changed anyone’s name before?  (Abram to Abraham and Sarai to Sarah)
  • What land did God give to Israel (Jacob) and his descendants?
  • What did Jacob do to mark the place where he had spoken with God?

Thursday, July 1st
Dear Parents, 

Today we move back to Bishop Boyea’s bible reading plan and to the story of Jacob’s son Joseph.  Jacob had twelve sons, which became the twelve tribes of Israel.  We will finish out our time in Genesis with the story of Joseph and his great capacity for mercy and forgiveness.  In order to end the book of Genesis along with the Bishop’s reading plan, only highlights are given here for the children.  If they or you are in want of more detail, we encourage to read full chapters.     

Genesis 37: 1-4
“ Jacob dwelt in the land of his father’s sojourning, in the land of Canaan.  Joseph, being seventeen years old, was shepherding the flock with his brothers; he was a lad with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought an ill report of them to their father.  Now Israel (Jacob) loved Joseph more than any other of his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a long robe with sleeves.  But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him.”  (Genesis 37: 1-4)

  • What did you hear?
  • What was Joseph’s job?
  • What did Israel (Jacob) make for Joseph?

Friday, July 2nd
Genesis 37: 14a, 18, 21-24, 28

“So he (Israel) said to him, “Go now, see if it is well with your brothers, and with the flock; and bring me word again.”  They saw him afar off, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him.  But when Reuben heard it, he delivered him our of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.”  And Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; cast him into this pit here in the wilderness, but lay no hand upon him”- that he might rescue him out of their hand, to restore him to his father. So they stripped him of his robe, the long robe with sleeves that he wore; and they took him and cast him into a pit.  The pit was empty, there was no water in it.  Then Mid’ianite traders passed by; and they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ish’maelites for twenty shekels of silver; and they took Joseph to Egypt”  (Genesis 14a, 18, 21-24, 28)

  • What did Israel send Joseph to do?
  • What did Joseph’s brothers plan to do?
  • Who saved him?
  • What did they do to Joseph in the end?
  • I wonder why they sold their brother to traders?

Saturday, July 3rd
Genesis 39: 1-6

“Now Joseph was taken down to Eypt, and Pot’iphar, an officer of the Pharoah, the captain of the guard, and Egyptian, bought him from the Ish’maelites who had brought him down there.  The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian, and his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord caused all that he did to prosper in his hands.  So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had.  From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had, in house and field.  So he left all that he had in Joseph’s charge; and having him he had no concern for anything but the food which he ate.”  (Genesis 39: 1-6)

  • What did you hear?
  • What happened to Joseph?
  • Who did Joseph find favor with?
  • What is a Pharoah?  (An Egyptian King)
  • How much do you think he trusted Joseph?