14-20 September 2026 (Genesis, Exodus, Luke, Psalms)

Written By Cameron Blair

Bible Reading Plan

Monday: Genesis 48:1-50:26
Tuesday: Exodus 1:1-2:10
Wednesday: Luke 1:1-80
Thursday: Luke 2:1-52
Friday: Reflection Day

Fluid (fit in any time) Psalm 12:1-8

Reflection and Discussion Questions

Monday (Day 1): Genesis 48:1-50:26

  • Why do you think Israel mentions the death of Rachel in Genesis 48:7?

  • Do you think Bethel or Bethlehem important places in the history of Israel? Why or why not?

  • Does Jacob’s account of blessing Joseph’s two sons remind you of his own father’s blessing of himself and Esau? Why or why not?

  • Who received the greater blessing, Ephraim or Manasseh?

  • Which brother (or tribe) appears to receive the greatest blessing from Israel?

  • Like Reuben, Simeon and Levi seemed to be passed over for any positive blessing. Kissling (2009) makes the following comments about Simeon and Levi:

    On the one hand both tribes were scattered among the other tribes. The tribe of Simeon did not succeed in obtaining a separate territory of its own but was absorbed into the tribe of Judah’s territory (Josh 19:9). The Levites were scattered throughout the other tribes to serve as priests and teachers of the Torah. While there were levitical cities within the other tribes, they had no area of their own. On the other hand their long-term destinies as tribes were almost polar opposites. The tribe of Simeon declined in population from 59 thousand and 300 men of 20 years of age and older at Sinai to 22 thousand 200 men after the 40 years in the wilderness. No explanation is given for this dramatic decline. Eventually the Simeonites are absorbed into Judah and disappear as a tribe. By contrast the Levites replace the firstborn sons as priests during the wilderness period and, though they have no tribal territory to call their own, end up as the priests for the entire nation. Their “destiny” as a tribe completely turns around during the time the nation was in the wilderness.

    A comparison of the deathbed statement of Jacob and the blessing of Moses in regard to Simeon and Levi is instructive. Simeon is not even mentioned in Deuteronomy 33 while Levi’s curse by Jacob turns into an elaborate blessing….

    The faithfulness of the descendants of Levi at the Golden Calf incident and elsewhere results in turning the words that seem to be a curse in Jacob’s mouth into a blessing. Levi is scattered throughout the other tribes. But unlike Simeon they do not lose their identity. Instead the Levites became the leaders of worship and the teachers of Torah. Jacob’s words are not a curse at all, but a sort of conditional prophecy. (pp. 591-592)

    • What are your thoughts on Kissling’s comments? What do you find interesting?

  • Does it take effort to overcome the curses of a generation (or generations)? Do the abstract illustrative blessings of Jacob allow for positive progress (as well as negative decline) to take place in unusual ways? For instance, Simeon being were absorbed into the great tribe of Judah, and Levi into the honorable role of priesthood; the tribe from which Moses and Aaron descended from.

    • Thinking of ourselves and where we live today, is life as simple as good people and bad people? If we are all sinners, are some worse than others? Is this something to be wary of?

    • Would Christ accept the worst of sinners if the repented and turned to him? What does it mean to repent and turn to Christ? 

  • Why do you think Reuben was cursed for his adulterous act (Gen 35:22) but Judah was not for sleeping with Tamar?

  • Looking at the account of Genesis 38, would you have confidence in Judah’s family? What should the reader make of this?

  • Where was Jacob buried?

  • Were Joseph’s brothers concerned about what Joseph would do to them when their father died?

  • Looking at Genesis 50:20, if God can turn evil plans into good, do you think that good intentions can end up not working out and being used for evil? If so, should this deter us from prioritization and intention of committing good deeds rather than bad ones? After all, if God can change it around, one might ask, what does it matter?

  • Did Joseph live longer than his father?

  • Did the embalming of Joseph and Jacob by the Egyptian physicians contradict any of their religious beliefs or practices?

  • Do you Genesis illustrates God’s people as a picture of righteousness or an illustration of humanity? Is it about what should be or what could be? The good and the bad. Thoughts?

Tuesday (Day 2): Exodus 1:1-2:10

  • After the fortune Pharaoh had from Joseph’s prophecy in interpreting his dream, and the blessing from Jacob (cf. Gen 47:10) why would the new king of Egypt behave so poorly against the Israelites?

  • Do you agree with Bailey’s (2007) observation on Exodus 1:7. He writes:

    “The statement, the Israelites were fruitful and multiplied greatly and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them (v. 7), echoes Genesis 1:28”….

    The tension between the extremes of the death of Joseph’s generation and the geometric multiplication of the succeeding generations is developed through the use of creation language that gives verse 7 a miraculous hint reminiscent of Genesis 1:28. The reader familiar with Genesis 1:28 is prompted to add the “subdue it” of Genesis 1:28 to the end of Exodus 1:7, which prepares for the upcoming account of the subjugation of Egypt via the plagues. At the same time, the verse creates the crisis situation. Because the land was full of them, what would Egypt do with them?7 (pp. 65-66)

  • Why did the midwives not follow the orders of the king in Exodus 1:15-16?

    • Do you think the excuse they gave Pharaoh was wise or believable?

    • Did God curse the midwives for their lies to Pharaoh? Do you think life sometimes requires you to think of the greater good rather than never doing anything that could be considered disingenuous or wrong? How should one decide how to act if in a place where there is not a perfect honest solution?

  • What were Pharaoh’s three plans in Exodus 1 to restrain their strength and numbers?

  • Were the Egyptians sons also thrown into the Nile?

  • Pharaoh was looking for death and condemnation; God chose to increased life, offered emancipation, and life. How much control do we really hold? Is God or us who chooses our ways? Thoughts.

  • What are your thoughts on Mackay’s (2001) words. Do you agree? He writes about Pharaoh’s actions:

    Furthermore we see here more than an instance of attempted genocide, perpetrated by an ancient despot. This is part of the ongoing battle that has structured all human history since the Fall of mankind. In Eden the Lord God had announced to Satan, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike at his heel” (Gen. 3:15). In attempting to eliminate the offspring of the woman, the chosen people of God, Pharaoh and all Egypt with him are acting as Satan’s pawns, and their murderous schemes will not achieve their end.

    Such oppression did not cease when Israel left Egypt. There have been many times when God has seemed unmindful of his people’s suffering and evil has had the upper hand. Nowhere is this more evident than in the darkness of the cross when Christ cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46). (p. 45)

  • What did Moses’ mother, Jochebed, place Moses in before placing him in the Nile?

  • What would it feel like placing your own or other people’s babies in the Nile?

  • Do you agree with Pink’s (1962) words? He writes,

    • Scripture informs us that it was neither affection nor infatuation but faith which was the mainspring of action. Hebrews 11:23 declares, “By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.” Faith “cometh by hearing” (Rom. 10:17): the parents of Moses must, therefore, have received a direct communication from God, informing them of what should happen and instructing them what to do. And they believed what God had told them and acted accordingly. (p. 16)

  • What does the name, “Moses” mean?

  • Do you think for many of us it is easier to make a decision, deciding a cost others must pay or burden others must endure, than it is to watch individuals endure that suffering and do nothing?

  • What are your thoughts on Pink’s (1962) observation. He writes:

    • It is to be noted that in Hebrews 11:23 the faith of both parents is spoken of, while that of the mother’s is singled out here in Exodus 2 but his father receives particular mention by Stephen in Acts 7:20. It is blessed to see this concurrence between them. Husband and wife should go hand in hand to the throne of grace and act together in every good work. (p. 17)

  • Do you agree with Janzen’s (2000) thoughts on the exodus? He writes:

    Jon D. Levenson rightly reminds us, from a Jewish perspective, that the exodus is concerned with God’s leading of a chosen people from alien status to their promised homeland, and from serving an illegitimate master to serving their true Lord in covenant obedience. He warns against introducing modern concepts of freedom and self-determination into the exodus theme, stating that “the biblical story of the exodus is not couched in the vocabulary of freedom at all. Rather, it serves to undergird a set of (covenant) obligations to the divine sovereign, who is Israel’s king, their Lord in covenant, and the Deity to whose service they have been dedicated and consecrated” (Levenson, 1993:145; cf. 127–59).

    Christians will, of course, extend the references to Israel and thus include the new Israel, the church. We will then find in Exodus not only a paradigm of God’s care for all oppressed people, but also a specific message regarding election, covenant, obedience, and service. These topics will accompany us throughout our study of the book of Exodus. (p. 43)

Wednesday (Day 3): Luke 1:1-80

  • Luke gave an official preface in his Gospel. Was Luke considered an educated man? Are Luke’s Gospel and Acts considered to be reliable?

  • Do you think that Luke was the first Gospel written? Why or why not?

  • Does the different information given in Luke’s account mean that the other Gospel accounts are false?

  • Luke 1:10 lets the reader in on the fact that a prayer was made by Zechariah, and that prayer had been answered in the birth of his son, John. We see this in other OT cases (e.g. Isaac, Gen. 25; Rachel Gen. 40; and Hannah, 1 Sam. 1). Prayer is an important theme in Luke. Black (1995) offers the following supplemental study on prayer in Luke-Acts:

Only Luke (among the Gospel writers) records that Jesus was praying immediately after his baptism when the Spirit descended upon him.19 The frequent prayers of Jesus are a constant refrain in Luke, as Jesus is at prayer at all of the major events in his life (baptism, choosing disciples, great confession, transfiguration, Gethsemane, and on the cross) and at many other times.

Not surprisingly, volume two (Acts) shows the early church constantly at prayer, especially at momentous events (choosing a replacement for Judas, Pentecost, the imprisonment of Peter, and at times of evangelistic endeavors, such as the conversion of Cornelius and Paul’s journeys, etc.) What regularly happens in Luke-Acts when Jesus and his followers pray is that God reveals his will and gives courage and comfort. There is also a very obvious link in Luke-Acts between prayer and reception of God’s Spirit. Examples are here in the baptism of Jesus, before Pentecost (Acts 1:8, 14), and at Samaria (Acts 8:15). The promise of Jesus in Luke 11:13 makes the connection plain: “… how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Other significant prayer texts in Luke-Acts are Luke 1:10; 11:1–13; 18:1–14; 22:32; Acts 2:42; 4:31; 6:4; 10:2–9; 12:12.[1]

  • Was Zechariah’s prayer for a son?

  • Which Herod was mentioned in Luke 1:5?

  • What do you find interesting about the passage regarding the prediction of John the Baptist’s birth (cf. Luke 1:5-25)?

  • Do you think Zechariah and Elizabeth’s story shows similarities and/or signifies that of Abraham and Sarah’s in the Old Testament? Is there a representation of God’s people progressing into a time of the New Covenant from the Old Covenant, with a leader showing the way? A time when all nations will be blessed through Abraham and Sarah’s offspring (Gen 22:18)? Has Jesus (a Greek transliteration of Hebrew Joshua) come to lead God’s people into ‘the Promised Land’? How does John the Baptist assist in the transition from the Old Testament to the New Testament? 

  • How did John the Baptist act “in spirit and power” like Elijah? (cf. 1 Kgs 17-19, 21; 2 Kgs 1:1-2:18; Malachi 4:4-6) Do you think he was also in some ways like Moses?

  • What are your thoughts on Elizabeth’s actions and words in 1:24-25?

  • Reflecting on Elizabeth’s acknowledgement of “disgrace” (Lk. 1:25), do you think it is easier or harder to remain faithful and devoted to God when we feel like a disgrace in the eyes of the people? Is it a game of endurance? Is it complicated? What are your thoughts?

  • Go through the individual verses of Lk. 1:31-33 and write a brief comment on each of those verses, noting what you think is important in each of these verses.

  • Do you think it was appropriate for Mary to refer to herself as “the Lord’s female slave”? Why or why not?

  • Do you see parallels between the material in Luke 1:5-23 and Luke 1:26-38 and language in Luke 1:11-20 and Luke 28-38?

  • Do you have any thoughts or comments, reading Green’s (1997) comments on Luke 1:51-55:

The corporate implications of God’s activity now come into full view—as if the camera, previously focused more narrowly on Mary, has suddenly been pulled back to reveal the company of all Israel of which she is a part. Similarly, there are small hints that Israel is itself part of the larger company of all humanity who is the object of God’s mercy.37

Even if vv 51–55 are closely associated with the first half of Mary’s Song, it has its own heading (v 51), examples of God’s work (vv 52–53), and summary (vv 54–55). As a heading, v 51 functions first to broaden the scope of the locus of the divine activity. No longer directed at Mary in particular, the divine machinations appear against socio-religious, politico-economic forces working in opposition to God’s purpose.38 What is more, it continues the use of past tense (aorist) verbs, making clear that what God has done for Mary—her election and miraculous conception—signifies a fundamental shift in history. So decisive a moment is this that Mary’s Song speaks of God’s showing “strength with his arm.” This expression has been used in the OT for the work of God in creation and the preservation of his people, but especially with regard to the Exodus (cf. Acts 13:17) and in anticipation of the age of salvation.39

By way of annunciating the shape of God’s powerful acts, Mary’s Song places in apposition three phrases: scatters the proud, brings down the powerful, and sends the rich away empty. This coupling of the proud, powerful, and rich anticipates a major theme of the Lukan narrative. The opponents of Jesus, and therefore of God’s purpose, are portrayed as persons who grasp for social respect and positions of honor, who exclude the less fortunate and socially unacceptable from their circles of kinship, who enjoy the power that accompanies their privileged status.40 Over against such persons, Mary’s Song places the “lowly” and “hungry.” Set in this co-text, these people are not simply the unfortunate, those for whom life in general has not been kind. The powerful and privileged oppose God and in doing so oppress other people. Similarly, God’s powerful opposition to the proud, powerful, and rich is at the same time gracious activity on behalf of the lowly and hungry.

Mary’s Song formulates a triadic relationship: The Mighty One is contrasted with the lowly, for it is as the Mighty One that God can act on behalf of the lowly; the powerful are contrasted with the lowly, with the former group oppressing (whether through malicious intent or seemingly benign neglect) the latter; and the Mighty One takes the side of the lowly. This is not to obliterate the powerful so that the lowly can achieve the positions of honor and privilege to which they previously had no access. Rather, God is at work in individual lives (like Mary) and in the social order as a whole in order to subvert the very structure of society that supports and perpetuates such distinctions.41

Finally, God’s project of transposition is rooted deeply in God’s covenantal relationship with his people. All of these operative words in vv 54–55—servant, remember, mercy, promise, ancestors, and Abraham—point backward to God’s history with Israel, to their election, to their covenantal relationship. In fact, these terms, and especially “mercy,” point even further back, to the nature of God himself. The God Mary praises is the covenant-making God, the God who acts out of his own self-giving nature to embrace men and women in relationship. God remembers … and acts.[1]

  • Who did Mary stay with for about three months, and returned to her home? Does this remind the audience that she was only betrothed, not married?

  • Did people expect John (the Baptist) to be great? Why? What did his father’s words of praise and prophecy in Luke 1:67-79 suggest about John and the moment of history the Jewish narrative was currently in? 

  • What does Luke 1:80 mean when it states, “the child kept growing and becoming strong in spirit [emphasis added]”?

  • What parts of Luke 1 did you find spoke to you, or seemed particularly interesting or relatable?

Thursday (Day 4): Luke 2:1-52

  • Green (1997) comments, “The registration of “all the world” asserts Augustus’s sovereignty over that world. Yet the birth of Jesus, God’s Son (1:35), is made known not to the Emperor or even to the Syrian governor, Quirinius, but to peasant shepherds. With the birth of Jesus, the powerful are already being brought down, while the lowly are lifted up (cf. 1:52).[2]

    • What does this say to you about God’s perception(s) and/or understanding of reality in comparison to our own as humans?

  • What town did Mary and Joseph go to register? Why?

  • Where did Mary give birth to Jesus?

  • The birth of Jesus shows a humble beginning. How do you think this is relevant to His story, role and mission? (cf. Lk 1:7) Is it what one would have expected in a first-century context, or after reading the Old Testament?

  • Are the shepherds in Luke 2:8-20 the same as the wise men (or Magi) in Matthew 2:1-12? Explain. What was announced to the shepherds?

    • While those who heard were amazed (Lk 2:18), and the shepherds returning home glorified and praised God (Lk 2:20), “Mary treasured up all these words, pondering them in her heart” (Lk 2:19). The definitions to the Greek words translated “treasured” and “pondering” are:

29.1 συντηρέωb: to exert mental effort in storing information so as to have continual access and use of it—‘to cause oneself to be fully aware of, to keep in mind, to remember.’ ἡ δὲ Μαριὰμ πάντα συνετήρει τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα συμβάλλουσα ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτῆς ‘Mary kept all these things in mind and thought deeply about them’ Lk 2:19. An equivalent of ‘to keep in mind’ may be ‘to keep thinking about’ or ‘to continue to think about’ or even ‘not to stop thinking about.’ (p. 345)

30.7 συμβάλλωa; ἐπιβάλλωe: to give careful consideration to various implications of an issue—‘to reflect on, to think about seriously, to think deeply about.’ (pp. 349-350)

  • When are male infants traditionally circumcised? When did this tradition start?

  • Do you think that Luke is presenting Jesus’ family as pious? Why would piety be a subject of relevance? Were Simeon and Anna godly people?

    • Do you think Western society (or society where you live) today appreciates the importance of piety? Do you think God is truly central for most Christians? How could we do a better job of managing our priorities?

    • Who was Simeon?

  • What does Luke 2:32 say? Was Luke showing the way for the Gentiles as well as the Jews? Was this what the Jews were likely expecting?

  • Have you noticed a frequent reference to the Holy Spirit in the early chapters of Luke?

    • If you have some bible software (e.g. Logos) look at the references to “Spirit” in the comparative gospels. Does Luke speak more about the Holy Spirit than the other Gospel authors?

    • Why do you think Luke uses the theme and power of the Holy Spirit more than the other Gospels, especially the Synoptic Gospel authors (i.e. Matthew and Mark)?   

  • Luke 2:51 states, “And his mother treasured all these things in her heart.” Remembering Luke’s words 2:19, what statement is Luke looking to make about Mary?

  • The two summary statements of 2:40 and 2:52 form an inclusio around the passage of Jesus in the temple at age 12. After announcement, veneration and celebration from the angels, shepherds, Simeon, Anna, and others, we see that Jesus is fulfilling the intentions of the Father, as God’s favour is acknowledged in both 2:40 and 2:52. Is there anything of particular interest to you about one or both of these two verses (Lk 2:40, 52) or in this section (Lk 2:41-52)?

  • Did the people realise the wisdom and strength of Christ when he was younger, or was it just God? (cf. Lk 2:52)

Psalm 12:1-8

  • What are your thoughts on Psalm 12?

  • Has this feeling ever resonated with you?

  • How are we best to work together in realisation of other’s dispair and maltreatment?

LXX Septuagint, Greek translation of Hebrew OT

37 Cf. v 50—the unspecified “those who fear him”; the description of Israel as God’s “servant” in v 54, recalling Israel’s special place among the nations as God’s presence to the nations; and v 55—with the mention of Abraham, whose descendants would be innumerable.

38 Attempts to find in v 51 a moral revolution, v 52 a political revolution, and v 53 a social revolution (Dupont, “Magnificat”) are tempting but anachronistic, for such distinct categories would have been unknown in antiquity. Indeed, the effect of the structural parallelism of these poetic lines is to remind us how interrelated these realities were and are.

39 See Exod 6:1, 6; 15:16; Deut 3:24; 7:19; 33:27; Pss 78:10; 88:10; 97:1; Isa 26:11; 40:10; 51:9–10; 52:10; 65:12; et al.; Schlier, “βραχίων.”

40 See Green, “Good News”; Moxnes, Economy of the Kingdom.

41 See Bede, Homilies, 1:30: “Now because the human race had perished at the touch of the plague of pride, it was proper that the time of salvation should first begin with the putting forward of the medicine of humility by which it might be healed.” In proclaiming the reversal motif, Mary’s Song echoes a long-standing affirmation of God’s work; cf., e.g., 1 Sam 2:7–8; Job 5:8–11; Isa 2:11; 5:15–16; Sir 10:14.

[1] Green, J. B. (1997). The Gospel of Luke (pp. 104–105). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

[2] Green, J. B. (1997). The Gospel of Luke (p. 121). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

19 The Spirit descends “in bodily form like a dove,” stressing that the Spirit was somehow visible as it descended like a dove. Luke probably suggests that the Holy Spirit took on the appearance of a dove, but the language does not demand it.

[1] Black, M. C. (1995). Luke (Lk 3:21–38). College Press Pub.

References

Black, M. C. (1995). Luke. College Press Pub.

Edwards, J. R. (2015). The Gospel according to Luke (D. A. Carson, Ed.). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Apollos.

Green, J. B. (1997). The Gospel of Luke. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

Janzen, W. (2000). Exodus. Herald Press.

Kissling, P. (2009). Genesis (Vol. 2). College Press Publishing Company.

Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). In Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1). United Bible Societies.

Mackay, J. L. (2001). Exodus. Mentor.

Cameron Blair https://www.strengthinthefaith.com
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