Gospel Light Christian Church Thru-The-Bible Series (19.2)
The Book of Genesis
Genesis Chapter 20 - Read this Bible passage
once through before referring to the notes below.
Abraham and Abimelech: The Deception of Unbelief
v.1 On the brink of Issac’s birth, the Promise (cf. 18:10) was endangered
again for personal safety out of Abraham’s deception of unbelief. If God’s Word was ever to be fulfilled,
it will owe very little to man. No reason is given for Abraham’s departure from the grove at Mamre near Hebron.
He journeyed about 100 kilometres southwest to the Negev and settled in Gerar, an area controlled by the Philistines.
v.2 To a lesser man of faith, the long delay in the fulfillment of
God’s promises would have been sufficient reason to abandon His covenant. Abraham still lacked an heir and
he exercised very little control over the land but he persisted to place his faith in the LORD’s Word. This
does not imply that Abraham never struggled to realise the promises made to him (e.g. the birth of Ishmael).
Neither does it mean that he was a man without faults and weakness. The repetition of Abraham’s mistake,
first made in Egypt (cf. 12:10-20),
now in the land of the Philistines, clearly identified him to be an ordinary man with an extra-ordinary faith in
a trustworthy God, yet who can suffer lapses in his faith. Abraham is capable of making some of the gravest
mistakes but God is faithful to His Promise to intervene and rescue in His grace.
Abraham evidently had deep suspicions about Abimelech, the king of Gerar. One would think that after his
humiliation in Egypt 25 years ago, Abraham would have abandoned the use of deception. It is also quite astonishing
that he thought Abimelech might be attracted to Sarah who was now 90 years old (cf. 18:18-12) but Abimelech did
take Sarah into his harem, indicating that she was indeed blessed with unusual beauty.
v.3 Abimelech discovered the deception quickly, not by any genius
of his own, but by special revelation. The Word of God came to him in a warning dream – “Behold, thou art but a dead man”.
The reason Abimelech was going to die was because he “hast taken” another “man’s wife”. The suddenness of the warning gives emphasis to the
seriousness of abducting a married woman, even though he was under deception.
v.4-5 The response of Abimelech shows that he was, contrary to Abraham’s
suspicions, a God-fearing man (“in the integrity
of my heart and the innocency of my hands have I done this”). He was implicated
in a guilty offense by Abraham’s deception and so protested his case to God – “Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?” This recalls
Abraham’s plea in 18:23 and
lays out the right of every individual to appeal to God’s justice in making his defense.
v.6-7 God’s acknowledgement of Abimelech’s integrity confirmed Abraham
to be in error in his suspicions of the king of Gerar. Because God knew that he was blameless in his choice
of Sarah, He did not allow him “to touch her,” and compound his offense against the LORD (“I also withheld thee from sinning against Me”). It was the restraining
hand of God more than any moral vigour on Abimelech’s part that kept him from a gross violation.
Nevertheless, Abimelech’s ignorance is no excuse for continuing on the path of error. Now that he knew better,
he must restore Sarah to Abraham, or else he remains in danger of losing his life, “and all that are thine”. Abraham’s deception had brought reproach
to God’s programme in the eyes of Abimelech.Therefore, God did not rebuke him but gave him the sternest warning not to sin.
v.8-11 Abimelech immediately reported the matter to his household
early in the morning. Then, he summoned Abraham and rebuked him for placing him and his people in danger
of a guilty, though unintentional, violation (“thou
hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin”). Through it all, Abimelech
appeared more righteous than Abraham.
v.11-12 Abraham’s self-defense had less to commend it than did Abimelech’s
self-defense before God. Abimelech could plead integrity and ignorance but Abraham could explain his deception
only as a result of a low estimation of his new neighbors (“Surely the fear of God is not in this place”) and as a means of self-protection
(“they will slay me for my wife’s sake”). Even the fact that Sarah is his half-sister was a poor justification for his actions that endangered
God’s promise, his wife’s purity, and the lives and well-being of an entire people.
v.13 It may seem unbelievable that a man, who had had so many direct
personal encounters with the LORD God and who had observed the merciful hand of God in the rescue of Lot in response
to his prayers, is unable to trust God to protect and deliver him in an imagined danger! But such is the
unreasonable inconsistency of unbelief.There is no protection from an individual’s reason nor experience when one allows unbelief to strike fear
into the heart in a new situation. He will simply act as if he needs to do something by himself and for himself in order that God’s programme be preserved, without realising
that that very act in the flesh brings reproach to His name.
v.14-15 The restitution of Abimelech for his unintentional wrong
to Abraham demonstrated that the king had integrity indeed. He “restored him Sarah his wife” and even made reparation payments (of animals,
servants, silver, and the permission to dwell wherever he pleased) to ensure release from the threat of death (cf.
v.7).Those who have
integrity are eager to prove it by their actions.
v.16 The statement of Abimelech to Sarah served as a rebuke (“I have given thy brother”)
and as an explanation of his actions (they were intended to preserve her honour as Abraham’s wife).The expression “a covering of the eyes” may carry the idea of a justification of her
honour in the eyes of those who would know of the situation.
v.17-18 Abraham’s deception had provided the occasion for the violation
but Abraham’s God alone could restore life to its normal and healthy state. Intercessory prayer was the divinely
appointed means for having the barrenness of “all
the wombs of the house of Abimelech” removed. In spite of Abraham’s failures,
he still was a man of prayer and an effective intercessor.This is a beautiful picture of the patience of God with His servants. Even though
Abraham had perpetuated a half-lie for 25 years, God was tolerant and forgiving but He did not ignore nor excuse
Abraham’s sin. God exposed his deception both times, thereby warning him of the serious consequences of his
sin.
After all was said and done, Abimelech would know that Abraham was powerful man of God but he had foolishly attempted
to defend himself though deception. In such a situation, Abimelech did everything in his power to set things
right and showed himself more righteous than Abraham. Abraham would learn that the preservation of the honour
of God’s name, the promise of a son and the purity of his marriage involve fearing God more than man and maintaining
integrity and honesty with others.