GENESIS 20
From there Abraham journeyed toward the territory of the Negeb and lived between Kadesh and Shur; and he sojourned in Gerar. 2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. 3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.” 4 Now Abimelech had not approached her. So he said, “Lord, will you kill an innocent people? 5 Did he not himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this.” 6 Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her. 7 Now then, return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you, and you shall live. But if you do not return her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.”
– Genesis 20:1-7
GENESIS 20 ABRAHAM LIES AGAIN & GOD SAVES HIM AGAIN
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
As Abraham continued his journey towards Negeb, he stopped in Gerar
Once again, he fell into saying the same lie that Sarah was his sister
Abimelech, the king of Gerar took Sarah to include in his harem
But he was interrupted by God in a dream not to take Sarah.
Even if it was Abraham’s lie that placed them in that predicament
God still rescued Sarah from being touched by Abimelech
When Abimelech reasoned and claimed integrity in taking Sarah
God warned him that he shall die if he took her as his wife.
In this incident, we get another glimpse of the nature of man’s sinfulness. Abraham said the same lie he gave when he went to Egypt. He didn’t learn from that rebuke that the Pharaoh gave him when he lied that Sarah was his sister. He was bent to take matters into his hands again instead of relying and completely trusting God. It is interesting how God, once again saved Sarah from being touched by Abimelech. In Egypt, he plagued Pharaoh, here, God warned Abimelech not to touch her in a dream.
REFLECTION
- What sins find their way easily in your life that puts your faith in jeopardy?
