Abraham part 12 Abraham denies his wife once more by Victor Torres Last time, we saw Abraham witnessing the destruction of Sodom, Gomorrah and the two other surrounding cities. Deu 29:22 (CEV) The LORD will strike your country with diseases and disasters. Your descendants and foreigners from distant countries will see that your land ` Deu 29:23 has become a scorching desert of salt and sulfur, where nothing is planted, nothing sprouts, and nothing grows. It will be as lifeless as the land around the cities of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, after the LORD became angry and destroyed them. Deu 29:24 People from other nations will ask, "Why did the LORD destroy this country? Why was he so furious?" furious (adj) extremely angry Deu 29:25 And they will be given this answer: Our ancestors worshiped the LORD, but after he brought them out of Egypt and made an agreement with them, they rejected the agreement When we disobey God, He will also destroy our life. We might not literally die, but we will fail in everything we do, and we will feel so empty like the lands of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim. Let's continue the story of Abraham: Gen 20:1 And Abraham went on his way from there to the land of the South, and was living between Kadesh and Shur, in Gerar. Gen 20:2 And Abraham said of Sarah, his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent and took Sarah. What's up with Abraham? He has now twice lied about Sarah for being his wife for fear of losing his life. First he lied to the pharaoh of Egypt, now he lies to Abimelech, king of Gerar. We'll get back to this later: Gen 20:3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream in the night, and said to him, Truly you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken; for she is a man's wife.
Gen 20:4 Now Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, Lord, will you put to death an upright nation? Gen 20:5 Did he not say to me himself, She is my sister? and she herself said, He is my brother: with an upright heart and clean hands have I done this. Gen 20:6 And God said to him in the dream, I see that you have done this with an upright heart, and I have kept you from sinning against me: for this reason I did not let you come near her. We must remember this kids. When we do something right, we did it not because we have free will, but because God has kept us from sinning against Him. This is not what the rest of the Christian world teaches, because they, like Abimelech, all believe in free will. Like Abimelech, they believe they are righteous out of their own choice and their own efforts. They don't believe that it is really all up to God if we obey Him or disobey Him. We are completely hopeless in changing our nature just like it is impossible for an Ethiopian to change the color of his skin or for a leopard to change its spots. Jer 13:23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil. Ethiopian a native of Ethiopia, a country in Africa leopard a large cat that has a brown coat with black spots accustomed habitual or usual
Gen 20:7 So now, give the man back his wife, for he is a prophet, and let him say a prayer for you, so your life may be safe: but if you do not give her back, be certain that death will come to you and all your house. prophet (n) a person regarded as an inspired teacher or proclaimer of the will of God Again, Abraham being a prophet has nothing to do with free will which we don't have. The Lord has chosen Abraham to be a prophet before he was even born. Jer 1:5 "Before I made you in your mother's womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I chose you for a special work. I chose you to be a prophet to the nations." This is true of every one of His chosen people, they were chosen before they were even born. Let's continue the story: Gen 20:8 So Abimelech got up early in the morning and sent for all his servants and gave them word of these things, and they were full of fear. Gen 20:9 Then Abimelech sent for Abraham, and said, What have you done to us? what wrong have I done you that you have put on me and on my kingdom so great a sin? You have done to me things which are not to be done. Gen 20:10 And Abimelech said to Abraham, Why did you do this thing? Gen 20:11 And Abraham said, Because it seemed to me that there was no fear of God in this place, and that they might put me to death because of my wife. So now we know that God is using this occasion to make Abimelech and the nation of Gerar fear Him. This is a good kind of fear, when we fear God. When we fear God and our parents, it keeps us from doing evil things. But the fear of Abraham of losing his life is not a good kind of fear. He admitted that he feared of being killed because of his wife. This is why we are told in the New Testament of who we should fear: Mat 10:28 (YLT) `And be not afraid of those killing the body, and are not able to kill the soul, but fear rather Him who is able both soul and body to destroy in gehenna. When we deny Christ and His Words, we do the same thing as Abraham denying his wife. We will be punished if we deny Him, but if we suffer for standing up for His words, then we will rule with Him.
2Ti 2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: Let's continue the story: Gen 20:12 And, in fact, she is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife: Gen 20:13 And when God sent me wandering from my father's house, I said to her, Let this be the sign of your love for me; wherever we go, say of me, He is my brother. Abraham admits to lying partly. But when we mix the truth with a lie, it becomes a lie in full. This is how Satan works, he mixes the truth with lies to make us believe in his lies. Isn't God going to save everyone? (truth). Then you can do anything and God will not be angry at you (lie). Let's continue the story of Abraham: Gen 20:14 Then Abimelech gave to Abraham sheep and oxen and men-servants and women-servants, and gave him back his wife Sarah. Gen 20:15 And Abimelech said, See, all my land is before you; take whatever place seems good to you. Gen 20:16 And he said to Sarah, See, I have given to your brother a thousand bits of silver so that your wrong may be put right; now your honour is clear in the eyes of all. Gen 20:17 Then Abraham made prayer to God, and God made Abimelech well again, and his wife and his women-servants, so that they had children. Gen 20:18 For the Lord had kept all the women of the house of Abimelech from having children, because of Sarah, Abraham's wife. There are many ways the Bible describe us spiritually when we don't have God in our life: dead, blind, naked and sick. God resurrects, give sight, clothe and heal His people first. 2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Abimelech was healed through Abraham's prayer to show us the rest of the selfrighteous Christians in this world will also be healed spiritually, in other words, they will also learn how to live right before God.
Let us continue the story: Gen 21:1 (NLT) The Lord kept his word and did for Sarah exactly what he had promised. Gen 21:2 She became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age. This happened at just the time God had said it would. Gen 21:3 And Abraham named their son Isaac. Gen 21:4 Eight days after Isaac was born, Abraham circumcised him as God had commanded. Gen 21:5 Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born. Gen 21:6 And Sarah declared, God has brought me laughter. All who hear about this will laugh with me. Gen 21:7 Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse a baby? Yet I have given Abraham a son in his old age! Gen 21:8 When Isaac grew up and was about to be weaned, Abraham prepared a huge feast to celebrate the occasion. Gen 21:9 But Sarah saw Ishmael the son of Abraham and her Egyptian servant Hagar making fun of her son, Isaac. Gen 21:10 So she turned to Abraham and demanded, Get rid of that slave woman and her son. He is not going to share the inheritance with my son, Isaac. I won t have it! Gen 21:11 This upset Abraham very much because Ishmael was his son. Gen 21:12 But God told Abraham, Do not be upset over the boy and your servant. Do whatever Sarah tells you, for Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted. Gen 21:13 But I will also make a nation of the descendants of Hagar s son because he is your son, too. Gen 21:14 So Abraham got up early the next morning, prepared food and a container of water, and strapped them on Hagar s shoulders. Then he sent her away with their son, and she wandered aimlessly in the wilderness of Beersheba.
Gen 21:15 When the water was gone, she put the boy in the shade of a bush. Gen 21:16 Then she went and sat down by herself about a hundred yards away. I don t want to watch the boy die, she said, as she burst into tears. Gen 21:17 But God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, Hagar, what s wrong? Do not be afraid! God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Gen 21:18 Go to him and comfort him, for I will make a great nation from his descendants. Gen 21:19 Then God opened Hagar s eyes, and she saw a well full of water. She quickly filled her water container and gave the boy a drink. Gen 21:20 And God was with the boy as he grew up in the wilderness. He became a skillful archer, Gen 21:21 and he settled in the wilderness of Paran. His mother arranged for him to marry a woman from the land of Egypt. Gen 21:22 About this time, Abimelech came with Phicol, his army commander, to visit Abraham. God is obviously with you, helping you in everything you do, Abimelech said. Gen 21:23 Swear to me in God s name that you will never deceive me, my children, or any of my descendants. I have been loyal to you, so now swear that you will be loyal to me and to this country where you are living as a foreigner. Gen 21:24 Abraham replied, Yes, I swear to it! Gen 21:25 Then Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well that Abimelech s servants had taken by force from Abraham s servants. Gen 21:26 This is the first I ve heard of it, Abimelech answered. I have no idea who is responsible. You have never complained about this before. Gen 21:27 Abraham then gave some of his sheep, goats, and cattle to Abimelech, and they made a treaty. Gen 21:28 But Abraham also took seven additional female lambs and set them off by themselves. Gen 21:29 Abimelech asked, Why have you set these seven apart from the others?
Gen 2 1:30 Abraham replied, Please accept these seven lambs to show your agreement that I dug this well. Gen 21:31 Then he named the place Beersheba (which means well of the oath ), because that was where they had sworn the oath. Gen 21:32 After making their covenant at Beersheba, Abimelech left with Phicol, the commander of his army, and they returned home to the land of the Philistines. Gen 21:33 Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there he worshiped the Lord, the Eternal God. Gen 21:34 And Abraham lived as a foreigner in Philistine country for a long time. Next time, Lord willing, we will look closer at this last chapter that we read and