Chapter Summary

Abrahamic covenant confirmed and spiritual seed promised.

Discussion Questions for Genesis, Chapter 15

1. Genesis 15:1 says that Abram had a vision from God. Other Bible writers also express having visions or dreams from God all the way to the last book Revelation. Does God still speak to people in visions or dreams? If not, why has God stopped speaking in visions? How does the general public react if someone says they had a vision from God? What are the reasons for the reaction?
2. Abram complains to God that He has not given him a child and a member of the household shall inherit his wealth. How is Abram justified to make this complaint to God?
3. Abram is over fifty years old when God promises him a child to become heir in Genesis 15:4. How would you react to God's promise at this age of life? Gen. 15:6 says that Abram believed the Lord and it was counted to Abram for righteousness. What did Abram base his faith in God on since there was no written record of God's works at the time?
4. Abram is promised that his offspring would be innumerable like the stars in the sky. How important was a legacy with multiple generations and heirs in the time period? How important is a family legacy in the American culture? How important is a legacy in your culture? How does the idea of a legacy affect your actions as a believer?
5. God tells Abram that his offspring will be sojourners in a land for 400 years but judgement will be made on the country they are in and his offspring will come out with great possessions. This indeed happened as the Jews left Egypt. Why is there very little mentioned about this prophecy in Exodus? How does God's prophecies offer hope in times of dire need? How does this hope affect you in a time of need?
6. After being told of his offspring's struggles in Egypt, Abram is told by God that he will die in peace. If you are a parent or grandparent, do you receive any comfort knowing you will be at peace but your children or grandchildren will go through a period of hardship? Abram rescued Lot but how much should a parent or grandparent interfere with a younger generation's life?
7. God tells Abram that his offspring shall return during the fourth generation because the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete (Gen. 15:16). This phrasing is similar to the phrase used by Jesus in Luke 21:24, "They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled." What do you think it means until the time is fulfilled? How will the children of Israel be affected during this time? What should a believer do during a long period of waiting? How does it affect their life?
8. God promises the land to Abram's offspring that belonged to several different countries according Gen. 15:20-21. What right does God have to take land from one tribe and give to another tribe? How does this affect most people's sense of fairness? As a believer, have you ever been blessed by God by someone else's misfortune? How does this exchange of land affect our society today?
9. The promised made to Abram about his offspring and their inheritance of land is one of the most significant events in the Bible. Why does this one event extremely impact Scripture and world history? How would Christianity, Judaism, and Islam be affected if this promise was not made and kept?
10. God's sovereignty is on complete display as He makes these promises to Abram in Genesis 15 . How can a believer explain the sovereignty of God to a nonbeliever? Will the believer be able to explain to the nonbeliever so it makes logical sense?

Key Words/Phrase

Seed, v. 5.

Characters

Abram, God.

Strong Verse(s)

1, 6.