Encouragement for Backsliders

Continuing a chronological Bible study:

(Genesis 20:1) And Abraham journeyed from there toward the south country, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and stayed in Gerar. (2) And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, "She is my sister." And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.

It's hard to believe that Abraham did this a second time, but he once again stretched the truth to say that Sarah was his sister.  Technically, Sarah was indeed Abraham's half-sister as he will explain later in verse 12, but as he did before, Abraham said this because he thought it might bode better for himself if he was not beautiful Sarah's husband.  Not only should Abraham have learned from the first time he did this, think of how he endangered Sarah's honor and chastity, and she was probably pregnant with Isaac by this time!  Actually, this incident should serve as encouragement to us backsliders who constantly find ourselves falling into the same sin.  Good righteous men, even friends of God (James 2:23), can relapse into the same sins over and over again.

(3) But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, "Behold you are but a dead man for the woman you have taken, for she is a man's wife." (4) But Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, "Lord, will You slay also a righteous nation? (5) Did he not say to me, 'She is my sister'? And she, even she herself said, 'He is my brother.' In the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands have I done this."

God came to Abimelech in a dream with the message that he was a dead man for he had taken another man's wife.  Whether in his dream or as a result of it, Abimelech's plea is in answer to God.  He, in fact, had not come near Sarah (in that way), and asked the Lord would He punish his kingdom for something he had not done.  He proceeded to explain his innocence in recounting that Abraham and Sarah had both said Sarah was Abraham's sister, and he in his heart never knew she was Abraham's wife.

(6) And God said to him in a dream, "Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart, for I also withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her."

God protected Sarah, even though Abraham had put her honor in danger, and thus protected Abimelech's life, knowing his intentions were not sinful.

(7) "Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live; and if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours."

God gave Abimelech a choice.  Some may think it wasn't much of a choice, but is it not always this choice with God?  Choose life or choose death.  God's way is life more abundant and life everlasting and the other choice is death.  As I read and write this, it is election day in our country.  When my step-son was much younger, he was stating his opinion about whom he would vote for if he could, and he responded that the Democrat wanted abortion, so he had to be for the other guy.  I remember thinking then that it really is that simple...always "CHOOSE LIFE".

(8) Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their hearing; and the men were very afraid.

Abimelech rose early in the morning after his dream and it appears he certainly took the dream very seriously, as he related it to all his servants, and he must have been very convincing, as his servants are very afraid.

(9) Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him, "What have you done to us? And how have I offended you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done deeds to me that ought not to be done." (10) And Abimelech said to Abraham, "What have you seen, that you have done this thing?"

Abimelech took his complaint to Abraham whose lie was the cause of his almost sinning against God and losing his life.  He asked what he had done to deserve such treatment, or what Abraham had seen that gave him reason to think what he had done had to be done.

(11) And Abraham said, "Because I thought, surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me for my wife's sake. (12) And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. (13) 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 which you will show to me; at every place where we shall come, say of me, "He is my brother."'"

This is where Abraham justifies his deception as truth.  Don't we often want to justify our apparent misdeeds?  Notice that Abraham thought.  Maybe it was true that the fear of God appeared not to be in that place, but then again, was Abraham judging the outward appearance and making snap assumptions?  However, even if he knew for a fact that these people did not fear God, was His God not mighty enough to protect him, or as in this case with Abimelech's dream, cause the people to fear Him?

(14) And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and male and female servants, and gave them to Abraham; and he restored to him Sarah his wife.

Abimelech restored Abraham's wife untouched by him as God had directed him in a dream.  Also understanding from his dream that this man was a prophet of God and apparently respecting that fact, he also gave Abraham sheep and oxen and servants.

(15) And Abimelech said, "Behold, my land is before you; dwell where it pleases you."

It is interesting to contrast Abimelech's behavior with the king of Egypt who merely sent Abraham and his wife on their way.  I can't help but think that Abimelech did indeed find the fear of God as he not only heeded God's warning, but went a step further in sending Abraham away with gifts and offering him any dwelling place he wanted.  Perhaps he only did it for the promise of prayer by the prophet as God had told him in the dream, but in any event he appears to have believed every word God said to him in his dream.

(16) And to Sarah he said, "Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver; indeed he is to you a covering of the eyes to all who are with you and with all others." Thus she was reproved.

It's interesting that most of the newer translations translate the very last word, "yakach" as "vindicated" or "justified", making it sound as if Sarah was justified and found to be right in all this.  But I don't think that is the case at all.  The word is "reproved" and is almost always used as "reproved", "rebuked", or "corrected" in other places in the Bible.  The king probably had a bit of sarcasm going as he called Abraham "her brother".  As her husband, Abraham would be as a veil, a protective covering to her, so that no one would look upon her, desire her, and take her to be his wife.  Some Bible scholars took this a bit further than I think it actually states in the words, but I suppose it is a possibility, since he reproved Sarah.  They say that Abimelech may have been sarcastically suggesting that Sarah buy a veil with the thousand pieces of silver he had given "her brother".  They say this because later in scripture it is seen that married women wore veils, and if Sarah had been wearing one, it certainly would have prevented much trouble.  That may be reading more into the words than are actually written, but it is apparent that he was a bit irritated by her deception in concealing her identity.

(17) So Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants, and they bore children; (18) For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.

So as God told Abimelech in his dream, Abraham did pray for Abimelech, undoubtedly thanking God for making him restore Sarah to him unharmed and untouched, but probably also asking for healing for Abimelech and his household, as well, as we read that God had closed up all the wombs of the women in Abimelech's household.  Note the scripture said God healed Abimelech, as well, so Biblical scholars have speculated that there may have been some disease that prevented Abimelech from being able or even wanting to bring Sarah into his bedroom, and that disease may have made child-bearing impossible, as well.

I do believe the moral of this historical account is that there is great hope for backsliders.  Imagine Abraham, that great man of God, that friend of God, falling into the same sin, and God was merciful and patient to protect him and bring him through again.  That should give us backsliders now much encouragement!