From the forthcoming book: You Can Succeed
“And Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? 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” (Genesis 20:9)
Abraham had a problem: he had a beautiful wife. Most men would not think that was a problem, but Abraham did. As a stranger in the land, Abraham was afraid of the people who dwelled there. He was afraid that they would kill him in order to take his beautiful wife, Sarah.
Abraham had journeyed from the south to Gerar (about twenty miles from the Mediterranean coast). And by the time they had arrived, Abraham had concocted a lie.
But this was not the first time that Abraham had trotted out this particular lie. And the first time he lied, things did not go well. When the Egyptian Pharaoh prepared to take Abraham’s wife as his wife, the Lord unleashed plagues on his house. “And Pharaoh called Abram and said, ‘What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’? I might have taken her as my wife. Now therefore, here is your wife; take her and go your way.’”
That was a big mistake and a painful lesson for everyone involved. But when Abraham and Sarah arrived in Gerar a few years later, he unleashed the same lousy lie all over again.
This is all the more troubling because of what had happened in the ensuing years. When Abraham’s nephew, Lot, was captured (along with six small kingdoms in the area), Abraham went after them. He was victorious in one of the most remarkable campaigns in military history.[1] With three hundred and eighteen trained servants, Abraham defeated the captors and released the captives! When the campaign was over, a king named Melchizedek pronounced the blessings of the Most High God upon Abraham. Why does a man like this need to be afraid of anyone?
… when Abraham and Sarah arrived in Gerar a few years later, he unleashed the same lousy lie all over again.
But wait, there’s more. After his victorious campaign, the Lord told Abraham, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”[2] In fact, the Lord promised him that He would give the entire land to Abraham’s descendants. And the Lord repeated and affirmed that promise to Abraham again and again.[3] He told Abraham that his family would become a mighty nation.[4] And once again, this raises the question: Why does a man like this need to be afraid of anyone or anything?
But Abraham and Sarah had apparently forgotten the painful lessons from that episode in Egypt. And Abraham forgot the victory that God had given him as well as God’s blessings and promises to him.
Perhaps it was stories like this one that led Peter to write, “…I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you,”[5] Perhaps forgetting is the greatest problem of every believer.
But Abraham’s story reminds us that forgetful failures aren’t finished. Abimelech of Gerar made preparations to take Abraham’s wife as his own wife. (Did Abraham’s servants roll their eyes and think, “Here we go again?”) But this time, the Lord spoke to Abimelech the king directly.
“God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, “Indeed you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.”[6]
How would you respond if the Lord told you that you were going to be a dead man?
“But Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, “Lord, will You slay a righteous nation also? 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 I have done this.”[7]
The Lord told Abimelech that He had protected him from further sin. But God warned Abimelech, “Now therefore, restore the man’s wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.”[8]
As you can well imagine, Abimelech got up early the next morning to get to the bottom of this plot. He knew that if didn’t act quickly, he would face certain death. And when Abimelech confronted Abraham, he got right to the point:
“And Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? 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.” Then Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you have in view, that you have done this thing?” (Genesis 20:9-10).
Aren’t we all eager to hear Abraham’s answer? Here it is: “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.”[9]
“Because I thought …” Abraham told the king what was in his mind, before he arrived in Gerar. He was sure that the people in that place did not fear God. But Abraham was wrong. It turns out that people did fear God, and that included the king and his servants. They respected the Lord and they acted accordingly.
When God spoke, they listened intently and acted quickly.
But because Abraham thought that they did not fear God, he ignored God’s promises and acted deceptively. Abraham would have insisted that he feared God. And King Abimelech actually did fear God. But because Abraham assumed that Abimelech and his people did not fear God, Abraham conspired with Sarah to lie.
Be careful! What you assume to be true can dominate your mind and change your behavior. But even forgetful failures are not finished. Abimelech did what was right, and Abraham prayed for those whom he had hurt: “So Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants …”[10] At the end of the day, you can pray. And God shows us that even forgetful failures are not finished.
Abraham Thought
“Because I thought,” I sought a plot.
Alive, a lie – I may not die
Unfound. Unsound, I’m bound
By fear that’s near: My life is dear!
My wife? My lie; does he detect?
Suspected by Abimelech!
Who fears the God I claim to fear!
Who knew!?
“Because I thought…” yet overwrought
“Those here appear, to leer, to sneer:
The fear of God cannot be here.”
It is?! What misery I’ve made!
To heal, I kneel, to feel, to pray
For those that I have hurt today,
“Because I thought…”
Discussion questions
- Abraham believed things that were not true and chose to change his behavior as a result. How does this enlighten you about the things you choose to believe?
- This was the second time that Abraham made the same mistake. If you had been Abraham’s friend, how would you have counseled him after he made the mistake the first time?
- Why is Peter’s approach – to continually remind people of what they already know – still important for you and your fellow believers today?
- After Abraham confessed his wrongdoing, he prayed and God helped the people that Abraham had hurt. How does this guide you to look for hope, even when you have failed miserably?
[1] Genesis 14
[2] Genesis 15
[3] Genesis 17
[4] Genesis 18:18
[5] 2 Peter 1:12-13
[6] Genesis 20:3
[7] Genesis 20:4-5
[8] Genesis 20:7
[9] Genesis 20:11
[10] Genesis 20:17
Gordon Dickson blogs at www.LiveServeLead.com
Live, Serve, Lead: Help Others Succeed
© Gordon Dickson
Author of
“12 Ways You Can Make a Difference in This Crazy, Mixed-up World”