16 A REPEAT

Abraham’s moved from Mamre, where he had lived nearly twenty years, into the country of the Philistines: For a while he stayed in Gerar (1). We are not told why he moved west from Mamre. Perhaps it was because he was terrified by the destruction of Sodom, or because Sodom was now unpopular with the Canaanites, or because he was grieved at Lot’s incest with his daughters, or the scorn that the Canaanites had toward him, his God and his religion. There was some good reason for him to move away. In a world where we are travelers we cannot expect to be always in the same place or doing the same thing. Wherever we are, we must remember, however, that we are mere travelers. The Bible tells us specifically what we need to know, not all that could be written. The Bible is salvation history. It has purpose, intent and a goal. It is there for a good reason. So we should read it.

Why did Abraham sin in lying and denying his wife, again? He should be Sarah’s protector not user or abuser. He again exposed her to danger, loss of chastity and honor of his wife, of which he ought to have been the protector. This time it was worse: He had been guilty of this same sin before, and had been reproved for it, and convinced of the folly of the suggestion which tempted him to do it; yet he returns to it. It is possible that a good man may, not only fall into sin, but relapse into the same sin, through the surprise and strength of temptation and the weakness of the flesh. Let backsliders repent then, but not despair. Jeremiah 3:22 says, “Return, faithless people; I will cure you of backsliding.”  “Yes, we will come to you, for you are the Lord our God.”

It is possible that Sarah was already pregnant. Her pregnancy is not mentioned until the next chapter, but it is possible she was already pregnant. If so Abrham’s sin was worse also because Sarah was now pregnant with the promised son. Abraham ought therefore to have taken even more particular care of her then.

It was also worse because of the additional unnecessary danger to Sarah. She was brought into the king’s house by this means: The king of Gerar sent, and took her to his house, in order to eventually take her to his bed. The sin of one often occasions the sin of others; he that crosses the line of God’s commandments opens a gap to he knows not what; a dam may break through that line.

God once again protected the obedient and submissive Sarah. He spoke through a dream to even unbelievers like a previous Pharoah, now Abimelek, then a later Pharoah, and then still later Nebuchadnezzer. He reproved this king for the sake of Abraham, Sarah and the unborn baby Isaac. Psalm 105:14 says, “He allowed no one to oppress them; for their sake he rebuked kings.”

God told Abimelek of his serious danger giving him clear notice of it: “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman” (3). Sin brings death. God’s saying he is a dead man makes him so. Every willful sinner ought to be told that he is a dead man, as the condemned wrong-doer, and patient whose disease is mortal. If one is a bad man, certainly he is a dead man. Shouldn’t church leaders be constantly aware of this?

He pleads ignorance that Abraham and Sarah had agreed to deceive him, and not let him know that they were any more than brother and sister. Notice what confidence even an unbelieving man may have in the justice of a righteous God when his heart does not condemn him. 1 John 3:21 says, “Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God.” God is fair. Sodom may perish before a righteous, sin-hating God, but innocent Abimelek, though not a believer, will still be treated fairly and spared. In fact it was God who had informed Abimelek in the dream. Having prepared him God now gives a full answer.

God acknowledges that what Abimelek did he did in the integrity of his heart: Verse 6 says, “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.” It is a matter of comfort to those that are honest, that God knows their honesty and will acknowledge it, though for prejudiced men who cannot be convinced or will not admit their sin, to them their sins remains against them.

God let Abimelek know that he was kept from proceeding in the sin merely by the good hand of God: Abimelek was kept from doing wrong, Abraham from suffering wrong, and Sarah from both. There is a great deal of sin (and good) devised and designed that is never executed. As bad as things are in the world, they are not so bad as the devil and wicked men want them to be. God restrains men from committing the sin they intend. It is not from God that there is sin, but it is from God that there is not more sin, either by His influence on men’s minds, hindering their inclination to sin, or by His will in taking away their opportunity to sin. It is a great mercy to be hindered from committing sin; for this God must have the glory, whoever is the instrument just as when Abigail was used to help David avoid a sin. 1 Samuel 25: 32&33 say, “David said to Abigail, ‘Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands.’” 

But even with forgiveness, God requires restitution. Ignorance will excuse no longer than it continues. If we have begun a wrong course through ignorance this will not excuse our knowingly persisting in it. Leviticus 5:3-5 make this very clear. “or if they touch human uncleanness (anything that would make them unclean) even though they are unaware of it, but then they learn of it and realize their guilt; or if anyone thoughtlessly takes an oath to do anything, whether good or evil (in any matter one might carelessly swear about) even though they are unaware of it, but then they learn of it and realize their guilt— when anyone becomes aware that they are guilty in any of these matters, they must confess in what way they have sinned.” Abraham was a prophet, near and dear to God, for whom God concerns Himself. Apparently, God highly resents injuries done to His prophets, and takes them as done to Himself.

Since he is a prophet, he will pray for you; this is a prophet’s reward, and a good reward it is. It is intimated that there was great efficacy in the prayers of a prophet, and that good men should be ready to help those with their prayers that need them. In this case, Abraham was the cause of Abimelek’s trouble, and therefore was justly obligated to pray for him. Samuel said he did not want to sin against God by ceasing to pray for Saul. Is it a sin for God’s chosen leader not to pray for the people with whom they have a relationship? Personally, I believe so.

Abimelek, warned of God in a dream, takes the warning seriously, and being truly afraid of sin and its consequences, rises early to obey the directions given him including warning his servants. “Early the next morning Abimelek summoned all his officials, and when he told them all that had happened, they were very much afraid.” (8). Shouldn’t we all follow Abimelek’s example here that when God shows us something that involves or will effect others we share it with those others?

And Abimelek also correctly confronts Abraham. His reasoning with Abraham was very strong, and yet very mild. Nothing could be said better; he does not reproach him, nor harshly insult him but fairly represents the injury Abraham had done him, and calmly states his resentment of it. He calls that sin which he now found he had almost committed a great sin. Even the light of nature teaches men that the sin of adultery is a very great sin, to the shame of many who call themselves Christians, and yet make a light matter of it. He looks upon it that both himself and his kingdom would have been exposed to the wrath of God if he had been guilty of this sin, though ignorantly.

He charges Abraham with doing what was not justifiable, in disowning his marriage. This he speaks of justly, and yet tenderly; he does not call him a liar and cheat, but tells him he had done deeds that ought not to be done. He takes it as a very great injury to himself and his family that Abraham had exposed them to sin: “What was your reason for doing this?” If I had been your worst enemy, you could not have done a worse deed to me. We ought to know that to expose or tempt someone to sin is one of the greatest unkindnesses in the world. They will have done the other party wrong whether they be friend or enemy. It is wrong to cause another to sin. Abraham did wrong to Abimelek.

Abraham made a poor excuse as he admitted he had had a bad opinion of the place. True, little good is to be expected where no fear of God is. Yet, a suspicion, doubt or questioning of one’s goodness is a great insult. There are many places and persons that have more of the fear of God in them than we think they have: perhaps they are not called by the Christian name, do not wear our badges, or maintain our habits and rituals of which we have high opinions and therefore we conclude they have no the fear of God in their hearts. Especially for the Christian missionary this is very harmful both to Christ and Christians. For sure a Christian missionary should be careful not to make Abraham’s mistake. We are not to judge lest we be judged (Matthew 7:1). When men have once persuaded themselves regarding such and such that someone does not fear God, they may mistakenly think this will justify them in unjust and unchristian practices towards them. Let us learn to control our thoughts. Men would not do wrong if they did not first think wrong.

Abraham had excused himself from the guilt of a downright lie by making it out that, in a sense, Sarah was his sister. But those to whom he said, “She is my sister,” understood from what he said that she was his biological sister and not capable of being his wife; so that it was playing untruthfully with a half-truth; with an intent to deceive.

Abraham tries in an illegal way to clear himself from the sin of an affront designed against Abimelek by saying that it had long been his practice before, according to an agreement between himself and Sarah, when they first began their journeys. “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”’” (13). Since when does planning or doing something wrong for a long time make the sin of what was planned or done any less a sin? Since when is the long-term practice of a sin an excuse for that sin?

God is to be acknowledged in all our wanderings. Those that travel abroad, and converse much with strangers, have need of the wisdom of the serpent, so it is necessary that that wisdom be ever tempered with the innocence of the dove. It is even possible that God denied Abraham and Sarah the blessing of children so long as He had so as to punish them for this sinful agreement. If they will not acknowledge their marriage, why should God acknowledge it and give them a child? According to this line of thought, we may suppose that, after this reproof which Abimelek gave them, they agreed never to do so again, and then soon, as in the second verse of the next chapter, we read that Sarah conceived.

Abimelek showed great kindness to Abraham. See how unjust Abraham’s jealousies were. He fancied that if they knew that Sarah was his wife they would kill him; but, when they did know it, instead of killing him they were kind to him, augmented by the fact that Abimelek was frightened by the divine rebukes of his dream. Abimelek gave Abraham permission to live anywhere he pleased in his country, welcoming his stay because he gives him his royal gifts of sheep and oxen and a thousand pieces of silver. He gave this when he restored Sarah possibly to satisfy her for the wrong he had offered to do, in taking her to his house.

Remember when the Philistines restored the ark, being plagued for detaining it, they sent a present with it. The law appointed that when restitution was made something should be added to it. Possibly also he wanted to request Abraham’s prayers for him which brings up another question: Can prayers be bought and sold? We should be kind to those who benefit us spiritually. 1 Corinthians 9:11 could be used to build a case for this. “If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?” It is wise to get and keep company with believers; to make those our friends who are the friends of God. But there is a limit to the benefits one obtains by associating with good people if they themselves refuse to become a good person.