Daily Devotions
Genesis
"Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all. Psalm 34:19
Text: Genesis 20:1-18
ABRAHAM’S LAME EXCUSE
What could Abraham say to the angry and exasperated Abimelech, ruler of Gerar? He had to explain all to a stranger. It was a hard pill to swallow. It would have been far better to exercise his faith, trusting the Lord for His protection.
“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.
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.
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.””Genesis 20:11-13
1. The practice of Sophistry
Strangely Abraham resorted to sophistry as a means to escape danger. Technically, Abraham was the half-brother of Sarah. Nevertheless, this relationship had become secondary the moment they became man and wife. Sophistry as a ploy is not pleasing to the Lord! Faith in the Lord should have been the only approach taken!
How long had Abraham been practising sophistry? His answer suggests that he and Sarah had agreed to tell people that they are brother and sister. This was to be their usual stock answer. It sounded plausible, except that it was not true that Abraham and Sarah lived together as brother and sister. The problem they had was a long-standing problem!
2. The deep problem of fear
Deep down, Abraham was battling his fears. He was afraid that he would lose his life! Somehow, the courage that should have been the hallmark of his life was strangely missing. Human reasoning abets fear at times. Abraham reasoned that the fear of God was not in Gerar, therefore the residents there might not treat him with due respect. He failed to apply his knowledge of God and his faith in Him. He had not yet mastered the discipline of walking by faith.
3. God’s hand of Chastening
God allowed the incident with Abimlech to occur to teach him deeper lessons of faith and life.
a) The danger of returning to the old ways of sinful living was very real indeed.
b) God allowed a non-believer to bring shame to Abraham’s heart!
A stranger who does not know God , was rebuking Abraham for his cowardly behaviour! It was a humbling time for Abraham!