Read Genesis 20
Abraham and Abimelek
1 Now Abraham moved on from there into the region of the Negev and lived between Kadesh and Shur. For a while he stayed in Gerar, 2 and there Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” Then Abimelek king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her.
3 But God came to Abimelek in a dream one night and said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.”
4 Now Abimelek had not gone near her, so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation? 5 Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister,’ and didn’t she also say, ‘He is my brother’? I have done this with a clear conscience and clean hands.”
6 Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against me. That is why I did not let you touch her. 7 Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, you may be sure that you and all who belong to you will die.”
8 Early the next morning Abimelek summoned all his officials, and when he told them all that had happened, they were very much afraid. 9 Then Abimelek called Abraham in and said, “What have you done to us? How have I wronged you that you have brought such great guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should never be done.” 10 And Abimelek asked Abraham, “What was your reason for doing this?”
11 Abraham replied, “I said to myself, ‘There is surely no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’ 12 Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father though not of my mother; and she became my wife. 13 And when God had me wander from my father’s household, I said to her, ‘This is how you can show your love to me: Everywhere we go, say of me, “He is my brother.”’”
14 Then Abimelek brought sheep and cattle and male and female slaves and gave them to Abraham, and he returned Sarah his wife to him. 15 And Abimelek said, “My land is before you; live wherever you like.”
16 To Sarah he said, “I am giving your brother a thousand shekels of silver. This is to cover the offense against you before all who are with you; you are completely vindicated.”
17 Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelek, his wife and his female slaves so they could have children again, 18 for the Lord had kept all the women in Abimelek’s household from conceiving because of Abraham’s wife Sarah.
Go Deeper
Genesis 20 leaves us with one predominant thought: “Again, Abraham?” Twenty-five years have passed since Abraham first lied about Sarah being his sister instead of his wife. It didn’t work out so well the first time Abraham used that lie, but we are a forgetful bunch, we humans. We tend to romanticize our past and diminish the pain of familiar sin. Familiarity often breeds comfort. However, comfort is never promised as a follower of Jesus.
We often make the mistake in thinking that we’ll age out of sin. We’ll simply grow old and grow out of giving in to temptation, but age doesn’t automatically sanctify us. We never grow too old to sin, especially if it’s a familiar sin, a default sin. If God were finished changing and conforming us to the image of Christ, we’d be face to face with Him right now.
So far in our study of Genesis, it appears that honesty is not Abraham’s star quality. Neither is boldness or courage. However, one might say he excels at self-sufficiency and trying to control. It would make sense to all of us if someone called Abraham a “liar” or “failure” or “control freak.” It seems like he earned those names.
But God, rich in mercy and faithful to the faithless, gives him a name never before mentioned in scripture—God names him “Prophet.” It makes no sense, this mercy and grace. This good, perfect God who loves not-so-great, imperfect people. It makes no sense that God doesn’t abandon or disqualify Abraham; but rather, He empowers Abraham with a new name, a new identity. Reminding Abraham that what Abraham has done is not who Abraham is.
What makes sense to us is that, like Abraham, we often default to a familiar sin, an old way of handling a crisis situation. What causes us the most pain is repeated folly. We KNEW better and didn’t act on that belief. We fail. We control. We think we can handle it.
But God. He breaks through. He intervenes. He doesn’t abandon us. He reminds us who we are. Failure doesn’t disqualify us. Quitting does. We are not what we’ve done, we are who Christ says we are. Let’s throw off the sin that easily entangles us and run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
Questions
Is there a familiar sin you keep running back to? Why? What is one thing you can do to “throw it off” today?
Contrast Abraham and Abimelech. What do you learn from each of them?
If you believed, truly believed, that God calls you righteous, holy, and blameless, how would that change the way you lived?
By the Way
In this passage we see Abraham’s tendency to return to old sin patterns. Proverbs 26:11 says, “As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.”
Let’s pray that God will give us the wisdom and strength to not return to our old habits and hangups today!
7 thoughts on “Genesis 20”
Through all his mistakes and missteps, Abraham explains his poor choices of deceiving and lying by using Sarah as a pawn to appease King Abimelech. ( I wonder if Sarah put up a fight or simply went along with the duplicitous plan? ) Abraham clearly feared the king instead of having reverence for God. We, like Abraham, tend to default to our flesh instead of clinging to our faith. Moving away from a holy fear and reverence for God is a dangerous place to be and will lead us into sin. Proverbs 26:11 says it this way, “As a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.” We must pay attention to our vulnerable places and submit them to God’s authority.
Believers do sin. This is not an encouragment but a warning. We must walk in and with Holy Spirit in order to overcome tempations. 1John 1:8-9 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. BUT GOD through the blood of Christ, we can have victory over our old nature. Abraham was in dangerous territory, he had ventured out. He was still within the bounds that God had established for him but it was close to the proverbial fire. Watch and pray, lest you enter into tempation Matthew 26:41. When Abraham entered into the land he began to walk by sight and not faith. He convinced himself along with Sarah that they were only telling a half truth, a white lie. God in His grace, will forgive our sin, IF we confess and repent. We will have to reap the consequences of our sin, Gal 6:7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. BUT GOD, He did not reject Abraham, but Abraham had to confess, repent and start his testimony over and he had consequences. Make a new beginning, seek God, pray, read His words, pray some more, have community, pray, confess and repent when necessary, pray some more.
God thank You for directing my path. Thank You for Your HESED love that can fill me. God I am thankful for Your peace, and that it can fill me, surround me and I can be content. God I desire to do Your will. Thank You that You give me the tools to by Your divine power to live a godly life through my knowledge of Him who called me by His own glory and goodness. 4 Through these He has given me His very great and precious promises, so that through them I may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.(2 Peter 1:3-4). God thank You for the minutes of this day, today, now, that I can listen, obey and see others through Your love goggles. May I extend them grace as You have so freely given it to me. I am soooooo thankful, grateful and blessed beyond what words can express. May I give You glory and honor in my actions today in Jesus name amen.
WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Abrahams actions is a big reminder to me of how God is constantly calling us to die to ourselves DAILY. It’s not a one time deal. Our sins will always be vying for our attention. That’s just where the devil wants to keep us, in those familiar patterns of sin that steal the joy, true life & freedom Christ died to give us. Aren’t we glad God is full of grace and is patient to continue to remind us of who we are & whose we are. Let us throw off the old daily to break those sin patterns & walk in the newness of life God is calling us to each day.
I find it interesting that the same sin of lying was committed by Abram and Abraham. Obviously, they are the same person, but it shows that even after a covenant was made with God, Abraham was still capable of same sin.
It is a reminder that our church leaders, as well as ourselves, are in need of continual prayer to turn away from past sins.
It’s interesting how much favor Abraham has over the innocent king. I guess the king was warned from god as well but the king seams more faithful to god than Abraham is.
I relate with Abraham. May I reflect & understand that I have similar tendencies today. To go back to my old ways.
Gods got me.
5 Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister,’ and didn’t she also say, ‘He is my brother’?
So, now we see that not only is Abraham continuing to be extremely cowardly despite all the blessings that he has seen from God, but that Sarah is complicit. She is enabling Abraham!
If God can use these two, despite their failings, he can use me!
Out of fear of man we tell the so- called “white lie” to spare feelings or protect ourselves instead of speaking truth in love. God is sovereign and just. I surrender daily of myself to become more Christ like.