A DISGUISED HUSBAND
Opening Prayer
Truth-telling Holy Spirit, breathe Your truth on me today. Bring fresh life to the Word, and through it to me.
Read Genesis 20
Abraham and Abimelek
20 Now Abraham moved on from there into the region of the Negev and lived between Kadesh and Shur. For a while he stayed in Gerar, 2 and there Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” Then Abimelek king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her.
3 But God came to Abimelek in a dream one night and said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.”
4 Now Abimelek had not gone near her, so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation? 5 Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister,’ and didn’t she also say, ‘He is my brother’? I have done this with a clear conscience and clean hands.”
6 Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against me. That is why I did not let you touch her. 7 Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, you may be sure that you and all who belong to you will die.”
8 Early the next morning Abimelek summoned all his officials, and when he told them all that had happened, they were very much afraid. 9 Then Abimelek called Abraham in and said, “What have you done to us? How have I wronged you that you have brought such great guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should never be done.” 10 And Abimelek asked Abraham, “What was your reason for doing this?”
11 Abraham replied, “I said to myself, ‘There is surely no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’ 12 Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father though not of my mother; and she became my wife. 13 And when God had me wander from my father’s household, I said to her, ‘This is how you can show your love to me: Everywhere we go, say of me, “He is my brother.”’”
14 Then Abimelek brought sheep and cattle and male and female slaves and gave them to Abraham, and he returned Sarah his wife to him. 15 And Abimelek said, “My land is before you; live wherever you like.”
16 To Sarah he said, “I am giving your brother a thousand shekels[a] of silver. This is to cover the offense against you before all who are with you; you are completely vindicated.”
17 Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelek, his wife and his female slaves so they could have children again, 18 for the Lord had kept all the women in Abimelek’s household from conceiving because of Abraham’s wife Sarah.
Footnotes
- Genesis 20:16 That is, about 25 pounds or about 12 kilograms
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
What events in your life have made a shift in who you think you are?On his travels Abraham moves to Gerar, Philistine territory which was never settled by God’s people. He assumes the people here don’t worship the true God, so presents himself as Sarah’s brother – technically true, but not their prime relationship. It was an act of fearful deceit, and not for the first time either (12:10–20)!
How strange that in a dream God converses with King Abimelek, who appears morally upright and certainly respectful of Abraham’s God. We might have expected him to banish Abraham.
Why then did Abimelek reward him as he does, including the public compensatory gift for Sarah, who in his eyes has been abused (16)? Was this to humiliate her husband?
This is a sordid story, made interesting by seeing God communicate with and even bless those who are outside the covenant. Abraham took on a false identity from lack of trust in God. In new situations, feeling insecure, we too may take the risk of twisting the truth to make ourselves more acceptable.
Apply
When have you been tempted to be someone you are not? What does God say about you? How can you stand true to your identity in this situation?
Closing prayer
God of Truth, lying is such a bother as well as a sin. There is no end to it. I don’t like to lie, but I know I can so easily slip into the habit. Forgive me, Lord, and fill me with truth.
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