Old Testament Lesson 9 – For Sunday March 7th 2010

“God Will Provide Himself a Lamb”

Abraham 1; Genesis 15–17; 21–22

To download audio podcast of this weeks lesson either click on the title of this post or subscribe using the button on the left. 

As Sunday School President for the New Bloomfield Ward in the Harrisburg, PA Stake I am starting this blog for two reasons. The first is that it will help me better study for class so that I can better participate. The second is to help others. The audio that I will also be posting to this blog I have been putting together for myself for awhile. While I like to read the scriptures each week for the lesson I have found that listening to it a few times during my commute each week helps me better process and remember what I read. I am sharing the audio so that others can benefit from it also. If you have any suggestions or comments you can leave them here on the blog or email me at ldssundayschoolnbw@gmail.com.

Now to this week’s lesson. The purpose of this lesson is to help us better understand Heavenly Father’s sacrifice in offering his Son as we learn about Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac.

Before I read to scriptures assigned for the lesson each week I like to look at the questions asked in the Class Member Study Guide. The reason I do this is to give my reading a focus

The important questions asked for this lesson are:

1. How did Abraham and Isaac respond to the command of God to sacrifice Isaac? (Genesis 22: 2-10)

2. What can we learn about faith and obedience from the examples of Abraham and Isaac?

3. Since this story is told as similitude of our Heavenly Fathers willingness to sacrifice his Only Begotten son, What are some of the similarities between Heavenly Father’s and Abraham’s experiences? What is the greatest difference?

While I read I do two things that I find helps me better process what I am reading. First at least every ten versus I stop and summarize to myself what I just read. This helps me better remember what I have read (There is actually educational research that shows that summarization is a very powerful memory tool). Second I take notes about what happens to answer the questions.

After I finish reading I like to read the brief summarization that is in the Class Study Guide. I do this to make sure that I did not miss anything that was important. If I do not remember something I will go back and reread. I sometimes also like to fill more details. Next I will go back to the important questions and answer each one. Usually I do this verbally to myself, but you may find it helpful to write down your answers. I’ve been contemplating starting a study journal to keep all my notes, answers and thoughts about the lesson in. Since we revisit that same curriculum every four years it may be interesting to use as a study aid the next time.

A quick summary of the reading:

This lesson takes us through three times in Abraham’s life.

First we read in Abraham 1:1, 5-20 about Abraham as a young man. In these scriptures he is persecuted by the false priests of the Pharaoh. They try to sacrifice him but he is saved.

Second we read in Genesis 15-17;21 about promises made to Abraham and about the birth of two of his sons.

In Chapter 15:1-6 Abraham is promised seed.

In Chapter 16:1-16 After Sarah gives Hagar to Abraham as a wife, Hager gives birth to Ishmael.

In Chapter 17: 1-22 God promises that Abraham would be the father of many nations and the birth of Isaac is announced.

In Chapter 21: 1-12 Sarah gives birth to Isaac

Third in Genesis 22 we learn about God commanding Abraham to sacrifice Isaac and about how Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son, but was provided with a ram to be sacrificed instead.

I have not filled in my answers to the important questions here because I feel it is important for each of us to do that on our own. I haven’t completely thought out what I would like this blog to grow into, but I would like to have a discussion with others about what we are studying and study techniques that work for you. We can do that here in the comments section for now.

I am going to be using twitter during the week to post study suggestions and hints. If you use this service you can follow at NBWSundaySchool or view them on the side panel.