Presumed Unrighteous
Opening Prayer
Father, I thank You for bringing forth this great nation. May I help strengthen it by my devotion to do what is right.
Read GENESIS 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 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.
Reflect
This story tells us that real life is often a mixture of contradictions; the totally pure (Abraham) or completely evil (Abimelech) exist only in fiction!
We may find it strange that God appears to Abimelech after, and not before, he had taken Sarah and that he threatens to kill him for his behavior. The way the story is written makes a point, however. First, it demonstrates Abimelech’s immediate submission when apprehended by God. Ironically, the word that Abimelech uses to describe his clear conscience is very similar to the word used in 17:1, when God tells Abraham to walk blamelessly before him. Abimelech, the foreigner with a different religion, behaves more righteously than God’s covenantal partner. Second, when God threatens punishment, it almost always leaves open the possibility of repentance. In fact, we learn that it was God himself who kept Abimelech from touching Sarah precisely so that he was not in a position of guilt. Third, the story shows that it is possible to do wrong, unknowingly, but that doesn’t negate the need to apologize or make amends upon discovering the reality of the situation.
Contemporary readers may recoil at Abraham’s habit of passing off Sarah as his sister to protect himself, plus emotionally blackmailing Sarah to acquiesce as a way of showing her love for him. Abraham’s defense (as well as pleading a half-truth) that he expected Abimelech’s nation to have no fear of God seems weak. We readers have seen that this is not so and we can observe who is the more righteous. At the same time, as a prophet of God, Abraham has authority and Abimelech needs his prayers before God lifts the curse. Church leaders may sometimes behave less righteously than they should, but (unless it is a matter for church discipline) they still have God-given authority. We would do well to pray that they maintain integrity.
Apply
Who in your life has been, or is, an “Abimelech”—one who bravely sets you straight! Where might God be calling you to be an “Abimelech”?
Closing prayer
Father God, give strength to the leaders around me to stay true, even in difficult situations. May they fulfill with integrity the positions that you have given them.
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