Genesis 20
Pastor Mark Hudson
Abraham is now dealing with the nations surrounding the promised land. The first foreign leader Abraham interacts with is the Philistine Abimelech. As the story unfolds, the author almost makes us side with Abimelech, king of Gerar, against Abraham. The story unfolds rather quickly. We are not told until later in the story what happened to the king and his people or why Abraham lied.
First, God kept Abmilech from Sarah, “Therefore I did not let you touch her” (v. 6). Yet God means business. “Behold, you are a dead man . . . .” God tells Abmilech in v. 3. I wonder if non-believers who hold such casual views of sexuality can ever decipher God’s word of judgment toward Abimelech. The king immediately protests and states his innocence quoting Abraham’s words. God even agrees with this foreign king in v. 6 but also claims, “it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her.”
Abimelech is told to return Sarah to Abraham so he could live and not die. God tells the king that Abraham will pray for him (yet we don’t know why until v. 18). The next morning, after telling his servants, the king castigates Abraham. He rebukes Abraham rather harshly in v. 9, “You have done to me things that ought not to be done.” This sounds like Tamar in Gen. 34:7; or these following verses: Deut 22:21; Judges 20:6; ,10 2 Sam 13:12). This foreign king has to rebuke Abraham. Abimelech wants to know why Abraham “did this thing” in v. 10.
While Abraham is clearly wrong, he shows planning, strategic thinking, and lays all this out for the king. Moses is not done showing what this ‘righteous Gentile’ is like. Abimelech lavishes Abraham with many valuable gifts and assures Sarah that her reputation is intact (v. 16).
At the end of the chapter, Abraham prays for Abimelech and heals him, his wife, and the female slaves because, we are finally told, “the Lord has closed all the wombs of the house of Abimelech. . . .”
This is not a good start for Abraham but great narrative art. We might expect the king to produce a baby which would not be a ‘seed of Abraham.’ We might expect the king to punish or even kill Abraham for his deceit. Sometimes, God’s people do not always act like God’s people should act, speak, or think. Yet God proves faithful and rescues His people and may have to rescue unbelievers from the foolishness of His chosen people. That is the case here.
Abraham felt fear and that fear led him to ungodly behavior. Both children and adults experience fear and we often respond poorly. Most of the time we don’t see how anyone can get us out of a predicament without resorting to lying or deceit. It may appear to us that lying is the only way out. But in many cases, like Abraham in Genesis 20, others are harmed. Here is Abraham, the father of a new nation formed for and by God, interacting with this Philistine, in a less than godly way. Yet God deliver Abraham even when Abraham caused his own predicament.
It is safe to say that often our behavior and treatment of non-believers does not help us reach those who do not know Christ. Our culture is changing quickly and not for the better. This alarms many of us. How do we respond? The more you grow in your faith the more humble, kind, and compassionate you become. The more we get closer to Christ the less we think about ourselves and the more we think of others. We also need time to reflect on how hurtful sin is to everyone. Sin always hurts us, makes us smaller, and damages relationships. Our attitude toward unbelievers can’t be anger but confidence in the truth, a listening ear and compassionate heart and as good of an answer as we can muster. I know most of us feel like we can’t provide a good answer. Sure, we could all study more but your answer is sufficient.
Lord, these times are both vexing to us and changing so quickly. There are subjects in the public that we wish were not discussed. But here we are. We find in our schools, politics, and work a decidedly wicked proclivity. Give us Your Holy Spirit to equip us to respond wisely, lovingly, and clearly. Father, we are so concerned about our nation’s collective spurning of all godliness yet there is always a remnent. You always raise up godly people who, though fearing, fear You more. Remind us that You are worth standing up for. We pray for Your church to be holy and faithful in the midst of this period of stubborn unbelief. Raise up believers who understand the times and can teach others. We pray for all church leaders to be faithful to the Word of God, the gospel, and to faithfully pursue their calling of Word and sacrament. We pray this so the gospel may be embraced, loved, and spread and that all that all the nations would experience Your joy. In Christ’ powerful name. Amen.