Not Again!

Genesis 20:1-18

1 And Abraham journeyed from there to the South, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and stayed in Gerar. 2 Now Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.

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.” 4 But Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, “Lord, will You slay a righteous nation also? 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.” 6 And God said to him in a dream, “Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart. For I also withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her. 7 Now therefore, restore the man’s wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.”

8 So Abimelech rose early in the morning, called all his servants, and told all these things in their hearing; and the men were very much afraid. 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.” 10 Then Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you have in view, that you have done this thing?” 11 And Abraham said, “Because I thought, surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me on account of my wife. 12 But indeed she is truly my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. 13 And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said to her, ‘This is your kindness that you should do for me: in every place, wherever we go, say of me, “He is my brother.”’”

14 Then Abimelech took sheep, oxen, and male and female servants, and gave them to Abraham; and he restored Sarah his wife to him. 15 And Abimelech said, “See, my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you.” 16 Then to Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver; indeed this vindicates you before all who are with you and before everybody.” Thus she was rebuked. 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.

I can certainly understand it if when I was reading Genesis 20 you thought to yourself, this sounds familiar—didn’t we cover this text already? Abraham lying about Sarah being his sister rather than his wife; Sarah being taken into the king’s harem; the king confronting Abraham when he discovers the truth; Abraham receiving lavish compensation from the king. Undeniably, the story in Genesis 20 is very much like a story told in Genesis 12 which we covered about three months ago. The two episodes are similar, but not identical. Even though the similarities are striking and purposeful, the differences are significant (Deffinbaugh).

In both chapters Abraham is on the move and sojourned in the area of a powerful king—Egypt and Pharoah in Genesis 12 (Gen. 12:10, 15) and Gerar and Abimelech in Genesis 20 (Gen. 20:1-2). Both places had the same affect on Abraham. He feared that the powerful men in that place would take his wife either because of her beauty or for political advantage, and do him harm. In both instances Abraham’s tactic was to deceive by passing Sarah off as his sister, not his wife. When we get to Genesis 26 we will find that Abraham’s son Isaac does the exact same thing.

Why the repetition? Why did Moses, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, decide to tell what is essentially the same story three times? Perhaps it is to warn us that even mature saints are sometimes plagued with the sins of their younger days (Gen. 20) and that the sins of the fathers sometimes are repeated by their sons (Gen. 26).

This passage easily breaks into four sections: In Genesis 20:1-2 we see Abraham’s journey to Gerar and his deception of Abimelech; in Genesis 20:3-7 the Lord comes to warn and correct Abimelech in a dream; next Abimelech confronts Abraham in Genesis 20:8-13; finally in Genesis 20:14-18 Abraham prays for Abimelech.

1. Abraham’s deception (Gen. 20:1-2)

We are not told why, but Abraham left Mamre in the hill country of central Canaan and traveled south toward Kadesh and then west toward Gerar. Abraham often moved to find pasture for his flocks and herds. As soon as we hear Abraham tell his old deception about Sarah, “She is my sister” (Gen. 20:2) we know trouble is coming. And sure enough, next we read, “And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.” It’s almost the same exact thing that happened last time we saw Abraham tell that lie.

Only this time, it seems even more serious than what happened in Egypt. There it was early in Abraham’s relationship with God. Now Abraham had walked with God for twenty-five years. He had appeared recently to be a hero of faith. Abraham unselfishly gave his Nephew Lot his choice of the land when they were forced to separate (Gen. 13). He had defeated the invading kings who had attacked and looted the cities of the plain and had rescued Lot (Gen. 14). The priest of God Most High, Melchizedek, acknowledged him as a man of God.  Abraham resisted the temptation from the king of Sodom to profit financially from his military success. The Lord appeared twice more to Abraham to renew and elaborate His covenant with Abraham and Abraham believed and was justified (Gen. 15) and he promptly obeyed the command to circumcise his family (Gen. 17). In Genesis 18 the Lord Himself appeared to Abraham with two angels and assured him that Sarah herself would give birth to a son within a year. The Lord himself declared that he had chosen Abraham to be a righteous man and to raise his children in righteousness after him. Abraham had interceded with the Lord about the judgment of Sodom.

As a man of faith, Abraham seemed to have hit his stride. We are not expecting Abraham at this point to betray his faith, the Lord’s promise, and his own righteousness. But suddenly, in Genesis 20, he’s right back where he started: same sin; same failure. Even worse, we know that we’re on the verge of a new chapter in which the son of promise, Isaac, is going to be born to Abraham through Sarah. And right now on the threshold of the fulfillment of that promise, Abraham’s faith is failing.

Steven Cole points out that often, like Abraham, we fail in the everyday worries and fears of life, not in the major crises. Abraham had this long-standing fear for his safety. Back before he left his father’s house, he devised this “little white lie” and got Sarah to agree to it in an attempt to protect himself (Gen. 20:13).

First, we need to remember that years of blessings and commendable experiences of faithfulness are no guarantee of victory today. You cannot rest on your laurels in the Christian life. Abraham had walked with God for years, but he fell into the same sin he committed years before. Some churches teach that Christians can reach a state of sinless perfection in this life. If only it were so! The Bible does teach that we can have consistent victory over sin as we walk in the Spirit in obedience to His word, but it also teaches that even the most mature believers are still vulnerable to temptation. In the words of the apostle Paul, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12).

It is the nature of man in his flesh to be easily entangled in sin (Heb. 12:1). It happens so effortlessly. Often, like Abraham, we have cultivated habits of sin which now plague us even after we are saved. Yes, we can confess our sin and be cleansed from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Yes, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1). But we should never presume upon God’s mercy and grace. We must never use our freedom in Christ for an opportunity for the flesh (Gal. 5:13).

MacArthur writes: “Treat your sin seriously. It dishonors God. It abuses mercy. It despises grace. It presumes on forgiveness. It defiles worship, service, and fellowship. It stains and taints and poisons and destroys everything good and holy.”

Next in Genesis 20 we see …

2. God corrects Abimelech (Gen. 20:3-7)

In Genesis 20:3 we read, “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.”” Why did God appear to Abimelech, but not to Abraham? Why didn’t God stop Abraham from his foolish action? Maybe the reason that God sometimes allows us to fail is to teach us that our salvation depends totally on His grace, and not at all on ourselves (Cole). Understand that except for the grace of God you could fall into any and every sin, and you can be deceived so easily.

The way that God warns Abimelech shows how serious God is about sin, particularly the sin of adultery. Moses clarifies the situation saying, “But Abimelech had not come near her” (Gen. 20:4). He had not violated Sarah. But that did not make him innocent. Abimelech protests based on his ignorance and Abraham’s deception saying, “Lord, will You slay a righteous nation also? 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.” (Gen. 20:4-5).

God confirms Abimelech’s ignorance of his wrongdoing, but He does not excuse it. Genesis 20:6 says, “And God said to him in a dream, “Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart. For I also withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her.” Apart from the gracious intervention of God, Abimelech would have committed a grave offense. The way that the king responds to God’s warning would now determine his destiny. The Lord said, “Now therefore, restore the man’s wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.” (Gen. 20:7). To delay or disobey meant certain death.

Deffinbaugh points out that strange as it may seem, the integrity of the pagan king Abimelech stands head and shoulders above Abraham’s in this passage. We must admit that there is no sin into which the Christian cannot fall in times of disobedience and unbelief. Sadly, unbelievers may even put the sinning Christian to shame by their integrity and morality (cf. 1 Corinthians 5:1ff).

The king needed forgiveness and cleansing, and so God tells Abimelech of his special relationship with Abraham and that Abimelech needed to go and speak to Abraham – to the one who had lied to him. I want you to know why I find this wonderfully encouraging. Perhaps you have blown it in front of unbelievers, maybe in front of your family. Listen, in spite of your failure God can still bring those people to know Him. He can still use your prayers to bless them. God can demonstrate His goodness, His mercy, His love and His holiness even through our failures.

Next we see that …

3. Abimelech confronts Abraham (Gen. 20:8-13)

Abimelech wasted no time making matters right before God. He arose early in the morning and reported his dream to his servants. Because they were affected along with Abimelech, they greatly feared (Gen. 20:8). Abimelech then summoned Abraham. It was not a pleasant situation, and Abraham was sternly rebuked for his deception:

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.” Then Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you have in view, that you have done this thing?” (Gen. 20:9-10).

Abimelech had been wronged by Abraham. He had not only done what was wrong in the eyes of God, but also in the eyes of pagans. Abraham, who was to be a blessing to the nations (Gen. 12:2,3), had become a curse to those in Gerar. Abraham’s “little white lie” had brought his neighbors to the brink of God’s judgment of death. It had caused all the women in Abimelech’s house to be barren (Gen. 20:18) and brought a sickness on Abimelech and his household from which they needed to be healed (Gen. 20:17). “We never have the luxury of sinning in private. Our sin always hurts others.” (Deffinbaugh).

Abraham has three excuses for his sin. First, he says that the situation forced him to do it: “And Abraham said, ‘Because I thought, surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me on account of my wife.’” (Gen. 20:11). He assumed they had no fear of God and behaved like animals, while the conduct of king Abimelech in the previous couple of hours proved that he was more God-fearing than Abraham who had failed to protect his wife from this man to save his own skin.

Abraham’s second excuse was to justify a half-truth as the truth, to say that Sarah was his sister: “But indeed she is truly my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.” (Gen. 20:12). Half truth masquerading as a whole truth is a whole lie. Sarah was also Abraham’s wife and had been for over sixty years!

His third excuse was, “That’s the way we’ve always done it”: “And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said to her, ‘This is your kindness that you should do for me: in every place, wherever we go, say of me, “He is my brother.”’” (Gen. 20:13). In other words, this was not a one-time slip-up but a constant attitude of deception which made his guilt even worse. Abraham’s excuses account for the repetition of this sin by Abraham, but they do not justify it. It seems like Abraham never said to himself or to God, “I’ll never do that again,” either in Egypt or in Gerar.

I do not think that Abimelech was impressed with Abraham’s explanation. Nevertheless, God had severely cautioned him, and he knew that Abraham was the only one who could intercede for him to remove the plague which prohibited the bearing of children.

So finally we see …

4. Abraham intercedes (Gen. 20:14-18)

Abimelech first makes restitution. Sarah was given back to her husband Abraham along with sheep, oxen, and servants (Gen. 20:14). He extended the invitation to Abraham for him to settle in the land wherever he chose (Gen. 20:15). Finally, he gave a thousand pieces of silver to Abraham as a symbol of Sarah’s vindication (Gen. 20:16). Abimelech

Genesis 20:17-18 says, “So Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants. Then they bore children; for the LORD had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

We see here God’s grace toward Abimelech. He seemed to be a relatively good man for a Canaanite kings. But he was a sinner, just like everyone else. God justly could have killed him to deliver Sarah. But God showed him grace.

What a humbling experience it must have been for Abraham to intercede on behalf of Abimelech. As a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, I must confess to you that I frequently experience feelings of inadequacy and unworthiness. Prophets are not necessarily more righteous, and neither are preachers! One of the greatest dangers that those in positions of prominence face is when they begin to believe that their usefulness is based upon their faithfulness and deeper spirituality. Any time that we are used of God, it is solely because of the grace of God (Deffinbaugh).

In spite of their sin, God graciously blessed Abraham and Sarah, financially through Abimelech’s gifts, and in the next chapter with the birth of Isaac (Gen. 21:1-7). God didn’t disown Abraham for this failure, but called him His prophet. Abraham is mentioned many times in other books of the Bible. But God never mentions this sin, but only Abraham’s faith. What amazing grace! (Cole).

Aren’t you glad that God doesn’t deal with us according to our sins? Instead the Bible says that while we were still sinners God showed His love by sending His Son to die for us. Jesus Christ bore the death penalty we deserved. God raised Jesus from the dead and now gives eternal life and forgiveness of sins to everyone who believes on Him. Have you? When the Lord saves you it does not make you want to be sloppy about your sin. It makes us want to be holy in order to please the God who loved us and gave Himself for us!

 

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