FAST FORWARD -A Look Ahead to next week’s July 4th Reflections: The Nation To gain a deeper understanding, read the selected passages below. To aid you in your study, we invite you to visit the website http://notes.chicagofirstnaz.org, or pick up a copy of the Background Notes at Connect in the Atrium, or from your ABF leader. Day One 1. Carefully read Genesis chapters 1 & 2. What special role does God give to human beings, and what word does Genesis use to describe it? How does government either enhance or deface that role? 2. According to Genesis 3, what did human beings lose when they disobeyed God? What effects would this have on the human culture that would develop after the fall? 3. Among the immediate consequences of the human exile from Eden was loss, not only of fellowship with God, but what else? What point does the Cain and Abel story make about these consequences? What punishment did Cain receive? Does this surprise you? Why? Day Two 1. What condition was the world in before the ftood according to Genesis 6? How does the Bible account for this situation? After the ftood what did God do to remedy human lawlessness? (See Genesis 9) 2. In what ways did human beings resist the formation of diverse and populous nations? (See Genesis 11) Reading Genesis 10, what finally took place in spite of the human attempt to form one nation "against God?" Day Three 1. What role does Abraham have in relationship to "nation building?" (See Genesis 12) 2. Review the early chapters of Exodus. What profound event shaped the development of Israel as a nation? What did God grant Israel through this event? 3. According to 1 Samuel 8, Israel asked for something. What was it and what reason did they give for seeking it? How was this contrary to God's intentions do you think? Day Four 1. Freedom runs through the message of the New Testament. Read each of these passages and comment on the "freedom" theme: Romans 8:21; 2 Corinthians 3: 17; Galatians 2:4; Galatians 5: 1, 13; 1 Peter 2: 16; 2 Peter 2:19. 2. What did Jesus say about freedom? (See John 8:32 & 36) In what sense does "truth" set a nation free? Day Five 1. How did Jesus understand the relationship between a person and his nation? Read Matthew 17:24-27 and Matthew 22:17-21 as you work through this answer. 2. According to Revelation 11:15-19, what is the future relationship between "nations" and God's kingdom? What implication does this have for the relationship in our time?
FAST FORWARD -A Look Ahead to next week’s July 4th Reflections: The Nation To gain a deeper understa...
