The Book of Genesis
Part 33
It is evident from Gal. 5:17, that the life of the believer is one of conflict. There are times when the Holy Spirit has the mastery, and the believer is led by Him, and there are other times when the flesh has the ascendancy and the believer cannot do the things that he otherwise would. The life of the Christian is one of high-lights and shadows.
This fact is clearly illustrated by events in the life of Abraham. In our previous lesson, we followed the man of faith as he grew stronger and stronger, until he walked and talked intimately with God, and until he showed a deep interest in the recovery of his erring brother. In the lesson that now occupies our attention, the pilgrim is seen acting in duplicity, being rebuked by a heathen king, and receiving a message from God through that same king. If such changes occurred in the spiritual life of Abraham, they will also occur in ours, “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12). Let us pursue our lesson.
The Deceit In Abraham (V. 1-2)
Our Patriarch’s sojourn in Gerar may have brought added riches, and eventually some blessing, but it also resulted in rebukes and regrets. Here we see Abraham stooping again to use, as an expediency, an arrangement made with Sarah years before. It was the same expediency that he had used in his contacts with Pharoah in Egypt (Gen. 12). “Abraham said of Sarah his wife, she is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.”
Although this Abimelech, one in a line of Philistine kings, in all probability was an idolater; he seems to have been as well an honourable gentleman. He is another example of how God could speak to, and speak through a heathen.
Sarah, at this time, must have been quite advanced in years, probably in her late eighties. She surely must have been well preserved and beautiful. This natural femine loveliness led her along with her husband into the plot of deception.
How true are the words of Solomon written centuries later, “The bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel” (Prov. 20:17).
The Detection Of Abraham (Vv. 3-8)
Abraham’s scheme was uncovered in a dream to Abimelech by God Himself. At this very time, our Patriarch was not far from Shur. It was near Shur that the angel of the Lord appeared to Hagar, and it was there that she named the well “Beerlahairoi, the well of the Living One Who seeth me” (Gen. 16). Abraham through fear, might hide from Abimelech his true relationship to Sarah but he could hide nothing from God, nor can we, “All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do” (Heb. 4:13).
God not only uncovered Abraham’s sin, but He warned Abimelech of the consequences of continuance in the delusion.
In spite of the unfaithfulness of Abraham and Sarah, God remained faithful to them. He had protected Sarah and would defend Abraham. Both were kept by the power of God. The God Who protected Abraham and Sarah from the innocent intentions of Abimelech, and saved David from the purposes of Saul, and delivered Daniel from the jaws of the lions still lives to deliver His own. This fact filled the heart of Paul with courage as he faced his court trial before Nero, for he wrote to Timothy saying, “The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom” (2 Tim. 4:18).
How gracious and yet how righteous is our God! He must expose the deflection of His child, Abraham, and warn a poor worlding of the ultimate result of not paying heed to this exposure, but at the same time He revealed the true character of Abraham who was a prophet and thus able to speak for God, and a priest and thus able to speak to God. The Lord laid more emphasis upon the general tenor of Abraham’s life than upon his deviation from the path of rectitude. If it is the constant heart desire of a believer to live for God, restoration from single spiritual declension appears more sure. God will not deal lightly with sin, but He ever seeks the recovery of the erring one. “Who is a God like unto Thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He retaineth not His anger for ever, because He delighteth in mercy” (Micah 7:18).
The Defect In Abraham (Vv. 9-13)
There are two salient points in this portion that we must consider:
The condemnation by Abimelech: What a rebuke to the man of faith was given by this heathen king! Five times over Abimelech charged Abraham saying, “Thou hast,” “Thou hast.” Then he asked in so many words, why hast thou so done? Like Nathan the prophet who charged David saying, “Thou art the man,” Abimelech singles out Abraham and charges him with guilt.
The confession of Abraham: While we call this Abraham’s confession, we are forced to admit that it is not a frank one. In fact, it is like many we make ourselves. We so frequently excuse ourselves and on occasions, like Abraham, we indirectly blame others and even God.
Abraham thought that there was no reverential fear of God in Gerar; yet, a real sense of this fear in his own heart would have deterred Him in his deception. Since God had called him to wander from his father’s house, this should have assured him of the divine presence, preservation, and power. God’s commands are accompanied by His enablings; His calls, by His grace; and His commissions, by His power. Abraham was slow to learn all this; he was a man of like passions as we.
“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Prov. 28:13). As has been intimated, Abraham had misrepresented his true relationship to Sarah some years before when he was in Egypt (Gen. 12). He had been rebuked by Pharaoh at that time. Had Abraham confessed and forsaken this evil arrangement with Sarah, in all probability, he would not have suffered this severe denunciation before the king of Gerar. “Unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required” (Luke 12:18). “To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin” (Jas. 4:17).
The Deference Of Abraham (Vv. 14-16)
The attitude of this Abimelech under these circumstances was most admirable; he was firm and frank, nevertheless, genuine and generous. He respected Abraham: The deep regard shown by the king to Abraham arose, indubitably, from what God had told him rather than from what he had discerned in the behaviour of the Patriarch.
It might be well to understand here that the appelation “Abimelech” among the ancient Philistines, like the word, Pharaoh, among the Egyptians and the name, Caesar, among the Romans, was not the name of one man, but rather the title of a complete line of royal rulers. We speak today of the king, the ancient Philistines of the Abimelech, the Egyptians of the Pharaoh, and the Romans of Caesar.
This particular Abimelech assumed the responsibility for the wrong that had been done, and immediately restored Sarah to Abraham along with rich gifts to make reparation.
He reassured Abraham: We might expect a word of resentment on the part of Abimelech, but actually there was none. In fact, he was most considerate, and said, “Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.”
He reproved Abraham and Sarah: In his words to Sarah, there is a stern rebuke. By his gifts, he righted her before the eyes of all. See the margin of verse 16. She had wronged him; his words form a reprimand, “He is to thee a covering of the eyes.”
The interesting story of Isaac meeting Rebekah shows us the value of a covering to an eastern woman. “Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel. For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a vail, and covered herself” (Gen. 24:64-65). Eastern etiquette, modesty, and propriety required that a chaste woman wear a vail, a covering, in the presence of strangers. The words of Abimelech to Sarah indicate that she had lost at least the demeanour of propriety even although she may not have failed to use an actual vail, that she had not deported herself according to the best standards of oriental etiquette. What a rebuke to these two saints of God! God would have His people, “Abstain from all appearance (form) of evil” (1 Thess. 5:22). All are to eschew evil, and do good” (1 Pet. 3:11). God in His commendation of Job said that he was one “that feareth God, and escheweth evil” (Job 1:8).
The Duty Of Abraham (Vv. 17-18)
It would seem that Abraham had failed before Abimelech as a prophet; his testimony for God there was not the best, but rising to the occasion and the responsibility, as a priest, he prayed for Abimelech and his family. God heard this prayer, and removed His disciplinary hand from the king’s household and replaced the scourge with a blessing.