Abraham stood in the exact same spot where he
had met with the Lord. Where they had looked out over the Jordan valley.
Just yesterday, it was a beautiful view of
fruited plains lush and green. Now ‘twas nothing but scorched earth.
Did the stench of sulfur, of death, of hell
itself, burn his throat? Did the smoke make his eyes water? Or, was it the
thought of Lot, and his family, down there, burned alive, turned to ash?
Did he wipe his eyes and shake his fist? “Lord,
I interceded. I prayed.”
Did he blink back the tears and through
quivering lips whisper, “You promised.”
Did he count on his fingers?
1. Lot
2. Lot’s wife
3-4. Their two daughters.
5-6, Their betrothed husbands.
7,8,9,10. The husbands’ parents. Righteous Lot
would never allow his daughters to betroth ungodly men.
Then, did he look to the sky and back to the
earth again? “My God, why have You forsaken me? You promised, if there were
ten... There had to be ten.”
What do you do when it looks like God’s promises
have gone up in smoke?
Genesis 20:1
And Abraham journeyed
from there to the South, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur,
and stayed in Gerar
Abraham had settled for years in the beautiful hill country of Hebron.
But now, without explanation he packs up and heads
south.
We were told, God remembered Abraham, and delivered Lot. But we’re
not told, that Abraham was told about Lot being delivered. Gen. 19:29.
All we’re told is that Abraham saw Lot’s homeland
going up in smoke (Gen. 19:28) and the next thing we see of Abe is he’s packed
up and headed south.
Straight toward Egypt.
The place he fled in fear of famine. Genesis 12:10.
The place he selfishly, foolishly, fearfully, gave
his wife, to a demon worshipping Pharaoh.
However, before dropping completely out of the
Promise Land into Egypt, he paused at the southern border.
He might’ve though, hmm, Sarah’ still pretty
hot, even at 90—I might not be able fool Pharaoh, again, saying, “She’s, my
sister.”
We don’t know, but for whatever reason, he
doubled back, and headed north, and came to stay in Gerar.
Gerar was the place the Philistines settled; the area Goliath was from;
the home of Israel’s enemies back then and to this day; we call it Gaza.
Whereas, Hebron, the homeland he just left, is
the place God met with him, blessed him, told him that any day now, in less
than a few months, your 90 years young wife will be with child.
So, why’d he go?
Was he mad at God? Did he think His promises just went up in smoke? Was the smell too awful? Was there famine? Was he looking for Lot? Did God tell him to go? We’re not told—and that is telling.
2 Now
Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And
Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.
So, once again, we see how easily he falls from faith to fear, and the same old sin, like muscle memory kicks in.
Abraham,
selfishly, foolishly, fearfully, throws his wife to the wolves, to save his own
skin (again).
A
king, would take (abduct) for his harem any woman he wanted; however, typically
not another man’s wife—however, if the hubby suddenly met an untimely death…
well, then, that’s a different story.
Dear
sweet Sarah, went along with the ruse.
Some
say it wasn’t because of Sarah’s beauty, but because of Abraham’s wealth, and
Abimelech wanted to make Abe an ally; but God knew there was more to it than
that.
3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream
by night, and said to him, “Indeed you are a dead man because of
the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.”
See,
God knew Abimelech had more in mind than just a business deal.
So,
GOD showed up, and He meant business.
God
knows how to protect those that are His.
To
protect Sarah, He stepped in, where her husband stepped out.
Some
trust in chariots and horses, bank accounts and affluence, husbands and wives and family,
but we trust in the name of the Lord, Psalm 20:7-8.
Abraham
may have thought God didn’t answer his prayer.
Sarah
might’ve felt unloved and abandoned.
But God came for all the disillusioned Abrahams, and all the sad Sarahs. For
God so loved, that He came; with clarity and Truth, peace, protection and
deliverance. Never to leave, abandon, forsake.
Hallelujah
4 But Abimelech had not come near her;
and he said, “Lord, will You slay a righteous nation also?
WAIT! I didn’t do anything wrong. Will You slay the
righteous, also?
Abim’s prayer is similar to Abraham’s: Far be it from You
to slay the righteousness with the wicked (Gen. 18:25).
Abimelech, must’ve heard of the destruction of wicked
Sodom and cities. But (of course) he thinks he’s righteous. You destroyed those
wicked cities, but Lord, we’re righteous, are You going to slay the
righteous also?
Notice, a pagan king, a philistine calls Him, “Lord”
The Creator needs no introduction. All know Him. Many deny
Him.
Romans 1:20
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible
qualities, His eternal power and divine
nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His
workmanship, so that men are without excuse.
5 Did he not say to me,
‘She is my sister’? And she, even she herself said,
‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and
innocence of my hands I have done this.”
Abimelech, a pagan king who just abducted a woman for his
harem, declares his own righteousness, innocence, before the Almighty.
The creation needs no introduction to sin. All know it. Many
deny it.
Nevertheless, check this out.
God, is so awesome. He loves people. Period. No matter their
make, model, brand, title…
This is the first mention of integrity in the
Bible.
The Law of First Mention, sets the precedent, casts
the die; and here God chooses the thoughts and intents of a pagan king to
establish the standard of integrity.
Man looks on the
outward appearance, God looks on the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7.
In this situation, Abimelech used integrity,
(not all situations) but in this situation, Abimelech used integrity,
and God uses this situation to reveal His integrity. He meets us, where
we’re at; no matter who we are. He sees the thoughts and intents of our heart;
our inners, not our outers, not our resume, not our pedigree. Just as I am.
Yes, I know, you did this in the integrity of your
heart.
But don’t toot your own horn too loud; I’m the One who kept
you from sinning, otherwise— you’d be dead by now.
You’re welcome.
God, is interested in his soul, too.
Dear Abim, you’ve just encountered the grace, the unmerited
favor, of God
By grace you are
saved, not of works. Ephesians 2:8-9.
Notice He says, “against Me.” All sin is against God.
He takes it personal.
Like Jesus said to the woman caught in adultery, He says to him who He kept from adultery, “Go and sin no more” John 8:11.
He is a prophet. Another First Mention. This is the first-time,
prophet, is mentioned in Bible.
God calls Abe a prophet; whereas we might’ve called him a problem
after the way he’s behaved.
But God looks at our potential, not our past, He sees who
we’ll become not where we’ve come from.
Thank You Lord Jesus, for not being quick to kick us to
the curb.
He will pray for you. Not only that, but I
will answer him and you shall live.
Have you ever blown it? Ever said: God can never use me
again.
Well, this is for you.
Abe gave his wife away, twice. Lied. Walked away. And Yet,
God says, He’s, My prophet. He speaks for Me. He will pray for you. I’ll
hear him, and heal you.
Know for sure and certain, God hears you, and you
can hear Him, too.
But if you do not… you shall surely die.
God’s mercy and grace are by no means license to sin. Each sin is a step toward hell, death; continue long enough down that path and you’ll become too numb to turn around, to repent…and then, know for sure and certain, that you shall surely die.
Abimelech rose early, this reveals the
integrity God saw in his heart; this is important, it can’t wait.
He called all his servants, and told them everything. He put
it all on the table, out in the open, for everyone to see; like a man of
integrity would do.
The men were very much afraid, this is good. Godly
fear is good. They took it seriously.
With Sodom still smoldering, it probably wasn’t hard to
consider the consequences. Smell the smoke? That could be us.
Is that what it’ll take for the world to awake?
Soon the world will know. What happened in Sodom was a dress rehearsal for the quickly approaching Great Tribulation.
I pray, none of us, are here for that.
9 And Abimelech called Abraham and said
to him, “What have you done to us? How have I offended you, that you
have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to
me that ought not to be done.”
God’s prophet, God’s main man on the planet, is being
rebuked by a pagan.
God can speak however He chooses.
He once used a donkey and He just used facebook algorithms.
I shared someone’s post, but facebook added the
following warning:
Do you want to see what facebook censored?
Are you sure?
Okay, here it is:
What the facebook devil meant for harm, God used for Good.
Like a, Wet Paint, Don't Touch, sign, fb unwittingly
caused a multitude to touch and see the Lord is good.
They even provided the message; all must, choose.
No matter the violent or graphic content. All must choose
to take up the cross, even if ever so violent; all must willingly follow His
Voice, no matter the graphics.
God won't be censored or silenced. He can cause the rocks to cry, the donkey to speak… even the pagan, philistine, king, Abimelech.
Prov. 28:1. The
wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.
(and apparently, the wicked, are really scared of Sheep)
10 Then Abimelech said to Abraham, “What
did you have in view, that you have done this thing?”
What’d you have in mind? What were you thinking?
Abe blames Abimelech. If I didn’t lie, you’d kill me.
Because I thought… not prayed… not sought God…
not heard from God…
Assumption is the lowest form of communication.
Rather than assuming, the worst (the fear of God is not in this place) why not, believe the best, and watch how folks aspire to our expectation.
Abe sugarcoats the deception. She is my sister.
It’s not the words, it’s the intent. If it’s meant to
deceive—it’s deception.
Okay, so you’re married to your sister, half-sister, that’s weird, and that’s still a whole lie. By saying she’s your sister, you implied, she’d not your wife—that’s deception, that’s a lie, no matter what words you use.
Abe in a way, blames God.
God caused me to wander. It’s because of Him, I’m in harm’s
way.
Wander used 50 times, all in a negative sense.
Theologian Donald Grey Barnhouse:
There is a terrible meaning in this verb wander which Abraham uses. The Hebrew word occurs exactly fifty times in Scripture and never in a good sense. It is used of animals going astray, of a drunken man reeling, or staggering, of sinful seduction, of a prophet’s lies causing the people to err, of the path of a lying heart.
Six other words are translated wander; Abraham could’ve used any one of them; but he chose to use the worst one.
Bottom line is that if Abe would've stayed in Hebron, he wouldn't be tempted to lie or give away his bride. Just like, if he never would've dropped out of the Promise Land into Egypt; that wayward wander continues to pour oceans of bloodbaths from Hagar and son.
Stop wandering. Stay where God's called you.
14 Then Abimelech took sheep, oxen, and male and female
servants, and gave them to Abraham; and he restored Sarah his wife to
him.
Abimelech shows more integrity, more fear of God, than the
man of God, Abraham.
Okay, to be sure we’re square, no hard feelings, here’s
something for any inconvenience we may have caused you, and here’s your wife, or,
umm… sister.
He gives to Abe, but it’s meant for God. Abimelech wants to get off God’s hit list, off death row.
Now Abraham was very wealthy, perhaps had 1,000 people with
him by now.
Abimelech, was wise to extend an offer to be allies.
I have given your brother, listen sister,
he sure ain’t acting like your husband.
A thousand pieces of silver, that’s about
twenty-five pounds of silver. That’s over six-million-dollars today.
Thus, she was rebuked, a better translation is vindicated, or completely cleared of any wrong; as evidenced by the six-million-dollar settlement package.
So, Abraham prayed, he couldn’t preach (he ruined his
testimony) but he could pray.
We can too.
We have those we can’t talk to, those who won’t listen across
all those burned bridges, but we can pray. God is Good. He hears those prayers.
It’ll be just as good for you, as it is for them (probably better). You may not
know this side of heaven, the eternal difference your prayers make. They will
make a difference.
This chapter has good guy, bad guy and damsel in distress,
so it’s easy to get caught up in the characters and miss the message.
Abraham, running, wounded, thinking God’s
promises have gone up in smoke.
Sarah, passed like a pawn, between cowardice,
and lust.
Abimelech, getting a death threat, like the
Godfather, but from God the Father.
Then there’s God, the main Character. The Hero.
This is like Luke 15 the prodigal son on steroids.
The prodigal and Abe wandered away from the good home the Father provided.
Before long they both were in a heap of trouble.
The prodigal was about starve to death in a pig pen, but
came to himself and went home. The father, watching, waiting, welcomed him with
open arms and a huge celebration.
But here, with Abe, with us, God doesn’t wait.
He shows up, comes down, gets in, the pig pen we’ve made of
our lives.
He reaches everyone.
He gives the bad guy a road to redemption.
He delivers the damsel in distress.
He picks us up, pulls us out, delivers us home.
He lets us know all His promises still stand; not a one has
gone up in smoke.
Amazingly, He still wants to use us.
He still holds a place in His plan for us, that’s above and
beyond all we could ever ask or think.
In a grand finale, the Lord uses Abraham to reveal, once
again, the power of intercession. Only this time, with a twist of irony.
For over, twenty-five long years, Abraham and Sarah have hoped, prayed, believed,
for a baby.
Now, God asks Abe to pray, for his enemy to receive the very
thing that he and Sarah need—an open womb.
He obeys.
He prays.
God answers.
Abimelech’s household gets pregnant.
And, before Sweet Sarah can sing, Away in a Manger,
she’s sending dear Abee Baby, to the store at two a.m.... ‘cuz she’s craving pickles.
Let’s pray.
Our, Good, Great, Gracious, Father, we come to You, in the
name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
In this Resurrection season, we thank You for opening the
tomb of those promises we thought had gone up in smoke.
Thank You for opening the womb to a new life of communion
with You and intercession for others.
Most of all, thank You for coming down, so we can go up, and
be with You…
And love you, forever.
Amen.
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This was feed for you to
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Thank you for sharing.
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