X. Attack on the Seed

X. Attack on the Seed Theme: 3-Aug-03 Genesis 20:1-18 Duguid Chapter 10 Satan attacks the Bride to prevent the promised Seed; God intervenes by protecting the Seed, converting the pagans, and blessing Abraham. Key Verses: Genesis 20:17-18 17 So Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants. Then they bore children; 18 for the LORD had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham s wife. Review Last week we looked at the destruction of Sodom in Genesis 19. The fate of Sodom had been foreshadowed as early as 13:10, when Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the plains of the Jordan (where Sodom and Gomorrah were located) was good. In fact, it looked like the garden of the LORD, or like the land of Egypt. Those were ominous words indeed! While Sodom may have had a beautiful exterior, it was rotten to the core. Sodom had a chance to repent. The gospel was presented to the king of Sodom in Genesis 14 when Abram saved Lot and all of Sodom from the Mesopotamian king Chedorlaomer, and then had a fellowship meal with Melchizedek, the king of righteousness and peace and offered tithes to him. But Sodom refused this offer of the gospel, and eventually their time was up. When God comes in blessing to announce the birth of the Seed, Isaac, in Genesis 17, he also comes to pronounce judgment on the wicked. These two sides of the same coin are always present when God comes: He saves His people and destroys His enemies. And because that is what God does, He moves in His sovereign grace to save Lot. We might not think that Lot was really worth it. He separated from Abram. He moved to the well-watered plain and left his uncle with the more difficult land. He moved into the city of wickedness. He became an elder of the city and sat at the gate. He offered up his daughters to the wicked men of the city. When destruction was upon him, he could not leave the city behind. When told to flee to the mountain of safety, to return to Abraham, he could not obey and instead begged to go to the town of little Zoar. His wife was even worse; she couldn t bear to leave and was destroyed along with Sodom. Eventually Lot ends up as a drunkard in a cave while his daughters sodomize him. Lot really doesn t appear worth it. And yet God was merciful to him and took him by the hand, and led him to safety. In many ways, Lot is a picture of all of us. We are not worth it. We are sinful and compromised with the world. And yet God is merciful to us. He takes us by the hand, and leads us to His Son, the Savior of sinners. Like Lot, we wouldn t come to Christ if God did not have mercy on us and lead us to Him. Introduction The destruction of Sodom is another exodus story in the life of Abraham, or in this case, Lot. We ve seen Abraham s northern exodus out of Ur of the Chaldees in 11:27-12:5, and we ve seen his southern exodus out of Egypt in 12:6-13:4. Another exodus occurs in the destruction of Sodom in chapter 19. Here is a summary of the main elements of the exodus pattern and their fulfillment in the story of Lot and Sodom (from Appendix II): Genesis II Notes. Doc p. 83 DSB 9-Sep-05

Elements The Destruction of Sodom (Gen. 19:1-38) 1. Some threat, some aspect of sin or of the curse, drives God s people from their home. 2. During the sojourn in captivity, Eve is assaulted by the Serpent, who wishes to use her to raise up his own wicked seed. 3. The righteous use holy deception to trick the Serpent and protect the Bride. 4. Very often, God s people are enslaved during the sojourn outside the land. 5. God brings blessings upon His people during the captivity, but plagues the tyrant, either progressively or as part of the deliverance. 6. God miraculously intervenes, often with visions to the pagan lord, in order to save His people. 7. Very often the serpent tries to shift blame and accuse the righteous man of being the cause of his difficulty. 8. God humiliates the false gods of the enemy. Personal sin put Lot into Sodom (Gen. 13:7-13) Lot s daughters were corrupted (Gen. 19:30-38) Lot offers his daughters to protect his heavenly visitors (Gen. 19:6-8) Lot is enslaved to his sin and won t leave Sodom until forced to by the heavenly visitors (Gen. 19:1; 15-16) Sodom is destroyed because of its wickedness (Gen. 19:13, 24-25) Angels came to save Lot, and worked miracles (Gen. 19:11) The men of Sodom attack the heavenly visitors (Gen. 19:4-5) 9. God s people depart with spoils. Lot barely escapes Sodom with his life and nothing else (Gen. 19:15-17) 10. Finally, God s people are installed in the Holy Land (this of course, is the goal of the exodus). Lot rejects the return to the blessings of Abraham, and instead dwells in Zoar and then in a mountain cave (Gen. 19:23, 30) Jordan: Part of Abraham s mission was to minister to the Gentiles, leading them in true worship. Chapter 20 is another Exodus story with conversion. (Refer back to the table in lesson 2 on the exodus theme and the exodus pattern in Genesis 20). Chapters 20 and 21 form a single unit. They are united because they open and close with Abimelech. In between is the birth of Isaac and the separation of Ishmael. Overview A. Abraham Moves South (20:1) B. The Bride is Attacked (20:2) C. God Intervenes (20:3-7) D. Abimelech Responds (20:8-13) E. The Bride is Delivered (20:14-16) F. The Seed (20:17-18) [Read the entire chapter, then ask for thoughts. This lesson is slightly different than previous ones. Go through the following overview of the chapter, summarizing the standard interpretation with some alternate (Jordanesque) thoughts, then go through Jordan s verse-byverse commentary. Since all four of the other commentators essentially agree with each other Genesis II Notes. Doc p. 84 DSB 9-Sep-05

and are very different than Jordan, this seems to be the best way to introduce their ideas while focusing on Jordan s commentary.] The standard interpretation goes like this: Abraham is confused, sad, depressed, or for some other reason, decides to move. He goes to Gerar, where he foolishly slips back into his old sin habit of passing off Sarah as his sister. He is afraid and selfish and sinful. He believes that there is no fear of God in Gerar. He is wrong. There is great fear (20:8), and Abimlech has to reproach Abraham. Abraham is the one in sin. Abimelech s words knock sense back into Abraham, and he repents. Abraham gains riches as a result of this incident. Abraham is then back in fellowship with God and able to pray that the curse of barrenness be lifted from the house of godly Abimelech. For example, consider this commentary from Wallace: Wallace: Abraham seems to have given way to one of those moods of depression and gloom that we find on certain occasions temporarily taking possession of the lives of many of the great men of God in the Bible. It was the effect of the Sodom affair that brought this gloom over Abraham. Abraham, understanding more deeply than any other man on earth just what must have taken place in the streets of Sodom and just how far even Lot himself, the one righteous man, had sunk, allowed for a moment a mood of depression and fear to take possession of him. Abraham had become unsettled as well as depressed. He wanted to get as far away as possible from where Sodom could even be seen. He journeyed toward the territory of the Negev and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and he sojourned in Gerar. Wallace: In Gerar, everything was in contrast to Sodom. In Gerar, their daily life was lived under a fear of God (20:11) that affected their whole outlook and life-style. Gerar had a pious, upright king who led all of his servants in a genuine act of community repentance (20:14ff). In Gerar, even the suspicion that one innocent person might have been wronged brought a public inquiry and a restoration of rights (20:16). In Sodom, the visiting divine strangers were singled out to be raped; in Gerar, the wandering prophet of God from another nation was recognized, given his status and gifts, and honored. Abraham therefore has now been brought into the midst of a community enjoying a large measure of the grace of God. And as Lot errs tragically one way by naïvely allowing himself to imagine there was some good even in Sodom when there was none Abraham errs in the opposite way by naïvely imagining that there was no good in Gerar when it had so much to offer him. Wallace: Through Abimelech, Abraham is brought to realize how urgently he needs to seek the pardon of God. His healing has begun, and the turning-point is the ministry of the king of Gerar. Note Abimelech s deep concern for Abraham s welfare. He not only showers gifts on Abraham himself, but tries to ensure the vindication of Sarah (20:14-16). And he freely offers Abraham protection, hospitality, and privilege within his kingdom (20:15). Not only is Abraham healed by Abimelech, but Abimelech is also healed by Abraham. There was little else that Abraham could do for Abimelech, except to pray for him. There are lots of problems with this interpretation. It doesn t explain why Abraham moves to Gerar, or why Abimelech takes Sarah, or why Abraham is blessed with riches if he is sinful, while righteous Abimelech is cursed, or the whole timing issue of the curse of barrenness. This last point is a major key to unlocking the chapter. How long does it take before you realize there is a plague of barrenness? Unlike boils, or flies, or frogs, or darkness, or death, barrenness is not immediately apparent. In modern terms, a couple is considered infertile if they are unsuccessful in achieving a pregnancy over 12 months Genesis II Notes. Doc p. 85 DSB 9-Sep-05

of trying. How long had it been since there had been a pregnancy in Abimelech s household before he would have realized that there was a plague of barrenness? Perhaps a year, perhaps six months, but certainly at least 3 months. And that means that the plague of barrenness had to be upon the house of Abimelech before Abraham and Sarah arrived. Notice that Abraham and Sarah move to Gerar after the destruction of Sodom. The day prior to the destruction of Sodom, God told Abraham that Sarah would give birth in 1 year. In other words, she would become pregnant in three months. After Sodom is destroyed, Abraham moves to Gerar. Why? Probably because of the chaos and environmental distress after the disaster at Sodom. Abraham does not have to go all the way to Egypt, because there is not a general famine in the land. But there is certainly an economic and ecological disaster in the local area where Abraham was. So he moves a short distance away to get away from the aftermath of Sodom. This is prior to Sarah s pregnancy. Sarah is snatched by Abimelech. Chapter 20 ensues, and Sarah is returned, untouched, to Abraham. This is all still within the three months between the announcement of Isaac and his conception. Therefore, the plague of barrenness must have already been on the household of Abimelech prior to the arrival of Abraham and Sarah. Otherwise, Abimelech would not even have been aware of it to ask Abraham to pray about it. Now we have a motive for Abimelech to seize Sarah. His household is barren. His women are cursed. There are no children being born in his house. Along comes Sarah, a beautiful outsider (although her beauty is not mentioned here). Abimelech seizes Sarah, because he wants to gain a child by her. This chapter is all about the Seed, about having children. Abimelech doesn t have any. He wants a seed of his own, and so he seizes the Bride unlawfully. Given the curse on Abimelech s household, and his unlawful seizure of Sarah, we can see that Abimelech is acting as a pagan tyrant. Abraham is right. There is no fear of God in this place. The fear of God that is mentioned in verse 8 comes after the revelation of God in a dream to Abimelech. Originally, Abimelech is under a curse and he acts sinfully as a tyrant in seizing what does not belong to him. Like the sin of Adam and Eve, who unlawfully seized what did not belong to them; Abimelech seizes what does not belong to him. Thus, Satan is using Abimelech to try and corrupt the Seed line. Remember, Sarah is shortly due to become pregnant by Abraham. This is an attempt to stop that. Like the slaughter of the Hebrew babies by pharaoh to stop Moses, like the slaughter of the innocents by Herod to kill Jesus, Satan is using a tyrant to attack the Seed. But God intervenes, and changes Abimelech s heart. Abimelech appears converted. There is fear of the Lord. There is repentance. There is restitution. There is a right relationship with Abraham. There is a reversal of the curse upon Abimelech s household. Abimelech, like Nebuchadnezzar, is a converted tyrant. Instead of hardening his heart like the pharaoh in Genesis 12, or Moses pharaoh, Abimelech s heart is changed. He wants Abraham to continue living nearby, so that he can receive the blessing from being close to Abraham. Thus, Abimelech is blessed, because he changes from dishonoring to honoring Abraham, in accordance with the promises in Genesis 12:3. Sarah is restored and the Seed line is kept pure. Abraham continues to be a blessing to the Gentiles, and involved in the conversion of sinners to faith. Thus, in the Exodus pattern, the Bride is seized in Egypt (Philistia), God intervenes supernaturally, the tyrant is plagued, the tyrant (in this case) repents, gifts are given and spoils Genesis II Notes. Doc p. 86 DSB 9-Sep-05

taken. Thus, the sin is Abimelech s not Abraham, explaining why Abraham receives gifts and Abimelech has a curse upon him. A. Abraham Moves South (20:1) Jordan: According to Genesis 10:13-14, the Philistines were descendents of Mizraim (Egypt). Thus, they were Egyptians. God s people are to be priests to the nations, and that thought is usually associated with Egypt. Abraham goes to Egypt in Genesis 12. Here in Genesis 20 he is with the Philistines. Isaac goes to these Philistine Egyptians. Joseph converts Egypt. Egypt is the Gentile nation to be conquered by the gospel. Jordan: Abraham moves south and west into the Negev to Gerar, which is in Philistia and not part of the Promised Land (cp. Gen. 10:19; 15:18-21 no Philistines). God had given Abraham a prophecy of enslavement and affliction for 400 years in Gen. 15:13. There were varying degrees of affliction over that time, but it starts here in Genesis 20. The 400 years of oppression begin here in the outskirts of Egypt in Philistia (theologically Egypt). Genesis 20:15 reminds us of the land of Goshen in Egypt. Up to now Abraham has been dwelling in the Land, but now he moves out of the Land and dwells in a land that is not his own. From now on, the patriarchs live most of the time outside of the Promised Land. For example, Jacob lives in Mesopotamia under oppression of Laban. Abraham lives for many years in Beersheba, on the outskirts of the land of Philistia (cp. Gen. 21:34; 22:19). Thus, Abraham s move to Gerar fulfills the prophecy of Genesis 15:13. Jordan: Why did Abraham move? In Genesis 12 he went to Egypt because of famine. No such reason is given here. What is implied is that Abraham had to move because of the physical and spiritual chaos after the destruction of Sodom. The geography is significantly altered. There was pollution and anarchy in the area, and Abraham had to leave. B. The Bride is Attacked (20:2) Baldwin & Eveson: Gerar was an important caravan center on the border between Canaan and Egypt, but it was also a royal city, where Abimelech was king. Abimelech, like the word Pharaoh, is not a personal name but a royal title. This local rule was not as powerful as the pharaoh of Egypt. Jordan: Why did Abraham say Sarah was his sister? Again, Abraham is trying to protect Sarah. Any honest man would come to the brother and ask for the sister. Abimelech seizes Sarah. This is a tyrannical attack to add Sarah to his harem. Abimelech is the unwitting pawn of Satan. He tries to attack the Seed by impregnating Sarah by another man. C. God Intervenes (20:3-7) Jordan: Abimelech s sin was the sin of tyranny. God comes to him in a night vision (theme of the Passover) and threatens him with the punishment of death. Abimelech is like Adam in seizing the forbidden fruit. Note that Abimelech does not commit adultery, whether or not he intended to or not. However, he does seize Sarah without permission. The sin of tyranny is seizing what you want. This is Adam s sin and the consequence is death. Jordan: God calls Abraham a prophet. This is another reminder that Abraham is God s council member. Abraham goes into God s council and brings back God s message to the nations. Abraham is also a priest who ministers to the nations on their behalf. Genesis II Notes. Doc p. 87 DSB 9-Sep-05

D. Abimelech Responds (20:8-13) Jordan: Abimelech rises early the next morning. The Passover has come, for Abimelech has seen the Angel of Death. Abimelech repents and wants to do what is right. Unlike Pharaoh, he lets the people go, and so there is no death, but a new creation occurs. Abimelech and his people fear God. However, Abimelech blames Abraham for his own sin. Abimelech asks why the deception? Abraham responds in verse 11 by saying there was no fear of God in this place. Abraham was right at first there was no fear of God. The fear of God comes later, in verse 8. This shows conversion going from no fear of God to fearing God. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom this is conversion. Abraham has been engaged in evangelistic work. Eveson: The fear of God is the Old Testament way of describing true religion. To Abraham s surprise, he found there was more fear of God among the pagans than he imagined. Abimelech s response to God s dream indicated a humble, reverent attitude. Abimelech recognized his responsibilities and acted honorably. Abimelech was not a pagan saint, as some have suggested. He and his people may have been more saintly than the men of Sodom, but they were still sinners heading for hell. However, Abimelech obeyed God s special revelation by believing and repenting of his sin of ignorance. Though he deserved death (20:3), he was healed along with the rest of his household. He is an example, not of a pagan saint, but of a pagan who became a saint. E. The Bride is Delivered (20:14-16) Jordan: In verse 14, Abimelech makes restitution to Abraham to cover his sin. This is another evidence of conversion, the transition from wrath to grace. In verse 15, Abimelech wants Abraham to stay. Unlike Pharaoh in Genesis 12, Abimelech does not drive Abraham out. He wants to stay near Abraham. He wants to keep this preacher of righteousness nearby. Jordan: In verse 16, the word vindicate literally means a covering of the eyes, or a veil. Abraham is Sarah s veil. You have to go through the brother to get the sister you have to lift the veil. This is Abimelech s sin he fails to go through Sarah s veil. This is a public admission of Abraham s position as a veil as the protector of Sarah. Abimelech re-establishes Abraham s position as a strong protector. Jordan: There are three evidences of the conversion of Abimelech in Genesis 20. 1. First, Abimelech and his people come to fear God (Gen. 20:8). 2. Second, Abimelech makes restitution for his sin by giving gifts. He confesses his sin and now is repentant (Gen. 20:14, 16). 3. Third, Abimelech wants Abraham to stay near, so they can have the blessings of the covenant and receive the kingdom as it comes through Abraham (Gen. 20:15; Gen. 21:22-34). Jordan & Eveson: Abraham was used to bring salvation to Abimelech and his family. In this he pointed forward to the great Prophet to come. We need to be like Abraham, bringing salvation through prayer and evangelism. F. The Seed (20:17-18) Jordan: Verses 17-18 start talking about children, and this is a key to understanding the passage. Abimelech wanted children. So God s plague is barrenness. Genesis II Notes. Doc p. 88 DSB 9-Sep-05

Jordan: Satan wants to raise up ungodly Seed through the Bride. In the book of Exodus, Pharaoh kills the Hebrew boy children and wants to keep the Hebrew girls alive to intermarry with the Egyptians. In Genesis 12, the attack was on the Bride, but here in Genesis 20, the attack is on the Seed. The timing of this attack is important. It happens during the 3 months before Sarah is due to conceive. She was due to give birth one year after the destruction of Sodom (18:10). Satan has three months to prevent Sarah from carrying Abraham s seed. Jordan: The difference between Satan s attack in Genesis 12 and here in Genesis 20 is that there was no mention of the Seed in Genesis 12. The attack on Genesis 12 was purely on the Bride; here it is on the Seed. In Genesis 3:15, God puts enmity between the Serpent and the Woman (Gen. 12), and between the Serpent s seed and the Woman s Seed (Gen. 20). This theme carries on throughout Scripture, right down to the slaughter of the innocents by Herod to keep Christ from being born. Satan still attacks the seed today (e.g., pagan schools). Jordan: God defeats Satan s attacks in either one of two ways. He either punishes/destroys the tyrant, or he converts the tyrant. The exodus pattern shows both examples. In Genesis 12, God punishes Pharaoh. In the Exodus, Pharaoh is punished. Here in Genesis 20, there is conversion. Likewise, in the book of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar is converted. Jordan: How does Satan attack the various possibilities of the Seed? The first possibility of the Seed we find is Lot, the nephew of Abram. Satan corrupts Lot. Lot is seduced by the pleasures of the world and is ruined in the destruction of Sodom. Next, is Ishmael the Seed? Satan arranges for Ishmael to be cast out by creating conflict between Hagar and Sarah. However, Ishmael comes back, is circumcised, and is brought into the kingdom. Nonetheless, Ishmael is not the Seed. We learn in Genesis 18 that the Seed will come from Sarah. How does Satan attack? Satan tries to impregnate Sarah by another man to destroy the Seed, but that doesn t work. In chapter 21, the Seed, Isaac, is born. So Satan sets up Ishmael as a counterfeit to undermine the Seed. So Ishmael has to be sent away and given his own land. Conclusion Gal. 3:14-18 14 That the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. 15 Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: Though it is only a man s covenant, yet if it is confirmed no one annuls or adds to it. 16 Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, And to seeds, as of many, but as of one, And to your Seed, who is Christ. 17 And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect. 18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise. This is another example of exodus in the life of Abraham. The features of this exodus are summarized in the table below (from Appendix II): Genesis II Notes. Doc p. 89 DSB 9-Sep-05

Elements Attack on the Seed (Gen. 20:1-18) 1. Some threat, some aspect of sin or of the curse, drives God s people from their home. 2. During the sojourn in captivity, Eve is assaulted by the Serpent, who wishes to use her to raise up his own wicked seed. 3. The righteous use holy deception to trick the Serpent and protect the Bride. 4. Very often, God s people are enslaved during the sojourn outside the land. 5. God brings blessings upon His people during the captivity, but plagues the tyrant, either progressively or as part of the deliverance. 6. God miraculously intervenes, often with visions to the pagan lord, in order to save His people. 7. Very often the serpent tries to shift blame and accuse the righteous man of being the cause of his difficulty. The disaster at Sodom drove Abraham to Philistia (Gen. 19:28; 20:1) Abimelech attacks Sarah, the Bride, the mother of the Seed (Gen. 20:2) Abraham calls Sarah his sister to prevent attack and protect the Bride (Gen. 20:2) Abram acquired wealth in Philistia (Gen. 20:14), but Philistia was plagued with barrenness (Gen. 20:18) God appeared to Abimelech in a dream to deliver Sarah (Gen. 20:3-7) Abimelech blames Abraham (Gen. 20:9-10) 8. God humiliates the false gods of the enemy. conversion of Abimelech is later indicated (Gen. 21:22-34) 9. God s people depart with spoils. Abraham receives large gifts from Abimelech (Gen. 20:15-16) 10. Finally, God s people are installed in the Holy Land (this of course, is the goal of the exodus). Abraham dwells in the land of the Philistines many days (Gen. 21:34), but does return to Canaan (Gen. 22:2; 23:2) Duguid: God was in control of the entire situation. He kept Abimelech from touching Sarah, preserving both her purity and his (20:6). Abraham s ministry in Gerar is one example of the promise to be a blessing to the nations (20:17). Abimelech was rewarded for his favor shown to Abraham; he and his household were healed. Sarah was returned safely to her husband, and Abraham was given even greater wealth than he had before! But notice how God answered Abraham s prayers. After one simple prayer by Abraham, he opened the wombs of Abimelech s wife and slave girls, so that they could have children again. Yet after years of praying for a child of their own, Abraham and Sarah remained childless. The God who opened one closed womb could just as easily open another, even that of Sarah herself. Two other lessons: 1) Blessings come to the Gentiles through Abraham (Gal. 3:14-18). This is the same pattern as today the blessings come to people through the ministry of the Church. 2) Don t seize what is not yours. This is the sin of impatience. Adam and Eve, Ham, Lot, Abraham with Hagar, Abimelech all of these are sins of impatience and seizing what is not theirs. Instead, we are to wait on God s timing. Close in Prayer. Next week: Lesson 11 Birth of the Seed Gen. 21:1-34 (Duguid chapter 11) Genesis II Notes. Doc p. 90 DSB 9-Sep-05