8/1/12 Genesis 20-22; Luke 8
S: Genesis 20:1-13 Abraham moved south to the Negev and lived for a while between Kadesh and Shur, and then he moved on to Gerar. While living there as a foreigner,
Abraham introduced his wife, Sarah, by saying, “She is my sister.” So King Abimelech of Gerar sent for Sarah and had her brought to him at his palace.
But that night God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are a dead man, for that woman you have taken is already married!”
But Abimelech had not slept with her yet, so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation?
Didn’t Abraham tell me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘Yes, he is my brother.’ I acted in complete innocence! My hands are clean.”
In the dream God responded, “Yes, I know you are innocent. That’s why I kept you from sinning against me, and why I did not let you touch her.
Now return the woman to her husband, and he will pray for you, for he is a prophet. Then you will live. But if you don’t return her to him, you can be sure that you and all your people will die.”
Abimelech got up early the next morning and quickly called all his servants together. When he told them what had happened, his men were terrified. Then Abimelech called for Abraham. “What have you done to us?” he demanded. “What crime have I committed that deserves treatment like this, making me and my kingdom guilty of this great sin? No one should ever do what you have done!
Whatever possessed you to do such a thing?”
Abraham replied, “I thought, ‘This is a godless place. They will want my wife and will kill me to get her.’ And she really is my sister, for we both have the same father, but different mothers. And I married her.
When God called me to leave my father’s home and to travel from place to place, I told her, ‘Do me a favour. Wherever we go, tell the people that I am your brother.’”
O: I had wondered for a long time about how Abraham could have committed this same sin the second time after what God taught him in Egypt. What he says in verse 13 here I think explains that. He didn't just commit this sin in Egypt, he committed this sin wherever he went since he left Haran, and possibly since he left Ur of the Chaldeans with his father Terah!
When one has been habitually committing a sin, even a clear rebuke from the Lord isn't enough to make one stop, as one easily falls back into the habit. So the Lord had to expose his lie again.
A: The Lord did not abandon Abraham in spite of him struggling with a habitual sin. So even as we struggle with habitual sins, we must not despair and stop following the Lord, but rather, we must keep repenting and keep turning back to the Lord until we are made perfect in Christ and overcome.
P: Father, thank You that You don't abandon us even when we continue to struggle with the same sins. Great is Your faithfulness! In Jesus' name, amen.
Note: this is using the SOAP method. For more information, see this page (not written by me.)
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