"The Road to Emmaus"
(Luke 24:13-27)Study #2 – Jesus in Genesis Part I of II
(Presence & Promises)
(recall the four ways in which we find Jesus in the Old Testament: Prophecy/Promise, Parallel/Picture, Lineage, Presence)
1). Read John 1:14. John uses this verse to clarify who he is referring to with the title "the Word". What person is John referring to?
2). Read John 1:3. What claims does John make about the Word? (Also read Colossions 1:16-17 to see what Paul had to say)
3). Read Genesis 1:1-2. Explain how the verses in questions 1-3 support the doctrine of the Trinity.
Read John 5:37 and 1:18. These are interesting statements by Jesus since there HAD been people who had seen God face to face in the Old Testament. There is an apparent contradiction. Some use these verses to argue that every face to face meeting with God in the Old Testament is a pre-incarnation appearance of Jesus.
4). Some such appearances are listed below. Discuss any or all of them. Are there any you feel are almost certainly Jesus? Are there any you feel may be a stretch?
a). Genesis 3:8. God walks in the garden and talks with Adam & Eve
b). Genesis 16:7-14. Hagar refers to this angel (the word angel simply means "messenger") as "the God who sees me"
c). Genesis 12:7 and 17:1 record two meetings of Abram with God Almighty.
d). Genesis 18:1-5 tells of another appearance of the Lord (vs 1) to Abraham. He is accompanied by two angels (19:1 identifies them as such).
e). Genesis 32:22-30. Jacob wrestles with "a man" who he later (vs. 30) identifies as God.
5). Genesis 14:18 (read) records a unique and short lived appearance of a priest and king named Melchisedek. He is also mentioned in Psalm 110:4 (read), and then Paul gives some unexpected attention to him in the New Testament. Read Heb 6:20-7:17. List the things that Jesus & Melchisedek have in common:
a). Gen 14:18 & I Tim 1:16-17
b). Gen 14:18 & Heb 7:24
c). Heb 7:3 & Rev 1:17-18
6). Many believe Melchisedek was a pre-incarnation appearance of Jesus used to establish a perfect order of priesthood of which Jesus would belong (since He was not of the tribe of Levi, designated as priests) Why was it necessary that Jesus have an order of priesthood to belong to? (ie. why is it important that He can be a priest for us? What is a priest’s role? Read Heb 7:24-25)
7). Genesis 3:15 provides the first prophecy of Jesus in the Old Testament. Explain how this verse contains a prophecy of how God intends to use Jesus to deal with Satan.
8). In Genesis, God repeatedly makes promises to Abraham and his descendents regarding the future of their family line. Explain how the promises in each of the following verses relate to Jesus.
a). Gen 15:5
b). Gen 22:8 (hint: there is both a literal and figurative meaning of what God promises to provide)
c). Gen 12:3 & Gen 22:18
d). Gen 49:9-11 (note particularly the symbolism of Christ’s blood)
9). Also recall that we as Christians are considered Abraham’s spiritual offspring (Read Rom 4:11). As spiritual children of Abraham, how are we called to "bless all nations"?