He Did It Again

Genesis 20:1-18

“And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.” (Genesis 20:1)

Large herds of livestock require constant movement to new pastures. When the grass in andarea became depleted, Abraham moved to new areas to be close to the herds. As he traveled, he stayed for a time in the city of Gerar, a city the Jews would later own. At the time it was ruled by a king of what would later become the Philistine people.

“And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.” (Genesis 20:2)

Twenty four years before, in Genesis 12, Abraham had gone to Egypt because of a famine. Fearing others would kill him for his wife, he had pretended she was his sister. The king had taken her to be his wife when he discovered the truth, and expelled Abraham from Egypt because the Egyptians feared it might result in God’s judgment if someone believed him. Faced with a similar situation, Abraham responds the same way, telling the same lie. Humans tend to repeat their mistakes unless something forces them to change. Inevitably, it produces similar results. Like Pharaoh, Abimelech took her to be his wife.

“But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.” (Genesis 20:3)

God had revealed the truth to Pharaoh, and he revealed it to Abimelech as well. God’s penalty for adultery was always death for both parties, whether administered by the courts, or by the mate or their family. Though he was still alive, Abimelech was as good as dead if he went ahead. Clearly God takes sexual sin far more seriously than most modern Christians.

“But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation? Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.” (Genesis 20:4-5)

Abimelech had acted totally on what he had been told with no idea it was a lie. He had had no intention of doing anything wrong, and had not had sexual relations with her. He was innocent of any wrong doing.

“And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her. Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.” (Genesis 20:6-7)

God had known that Abimelech had no intention of sin and had prevented him from committing it. It is the same thing believers are promised in Romans 6-8, that God will keep his children from sin. Like Abimelech, once we are aware of the danger, we have to make the decision whether to go ahead. If Abimelech continued once he knew he would suffer the consequences. Hebrews 10:26-7 warns, “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.”

“Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.” (Genesis 20:8)

Abimelech made what had happened clear to his people and they feared what God might do. Clearly they had a high level of respect for God. When Abimelech didn’t take her, none of the others would be inclined to try.

“Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done. And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?” (Genesis 20:9-10)

Next, Abimelech confronted Abraham. Notice that it was not in and antagonistic or confrontational manner. He made him aware that what he’d done was wrong and exposed Abimelech and his people to sin, but he asked what had happened that made him think it necessary. Sometimes we unintentionally act is a way that causes people to respond wrongly, and a defensive confrontational attitude puts them on the defensive.

“And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake. And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt show unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.” (Genesis 20:11-13)

Like we so often do, Abraham had assumed the People did not believe in God and attempted to prevent being attacked, instead of trusting God. As Romans 14:23 declares, “…whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” The sin of unbelief led to the further sin of lying. He justified the lie to himself as being true, even though it was not the whole truth, and it was something they had agreed to before.

“And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife. And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.” (Genesis 20:14-15)

Unlike Pharaoh, Abimelech did not kick Abraham out of the land, but gave him permission to live wherever he wanted to. Later they became friends.

“And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved.” (Genesis 20:16)

Abimelech also confronted Sarah for her part in the mess. She had gone along with Abraham’s decision, and would have been guilty of adultery as well. The wife should never be looking at other men as a possible mate, any more than the man should. That her husband her to do it did not relieve her responsibility for her actions. We can’t blame the leaders when we knowingly do wrong, contrary to the teaching of some.

“So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children. For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife.” (Genesis 20:17-18)