Walk in the Bible - Genesis 20

 Walk in the Bible - Genesis 20

     In verse 1, Abraham is shown leaving - he's leaving the same place he was when he entertained the angels, under the trees of Mamre and he's traveling to Negeb. This chapter tells us that he's staying for a while in Gerar which is the home of King Abimelech of the Philistines. None of the Torah scholars really know why he left. They state emphatically that there was no famine in the land, so that wasn't it, they just simply don't know why he left.

     We do know that in Gerar, we have a replay of what happened in Egypt, namely, Abraham told King Abimelech that Sara was his sister. Most of the Torah scholars believe that Abraham did this because he thought the king might kill him to take his wife. Although we have one scholar, Rabbeinu Chananel who postulated that Abraham had divorced his wife, and because she was his half-sister, wasn't really lying. The Bible doesn't support this anywhere in this story. The Bible does however, show King Abimelech taking Sarah as his wife.

     Just  like in Egypt, GOD interceded and told Abimelech that Sara was married and he would die because HE has told him this. We're told by Maimonides, who quotes Hilchot Melachim 9:5 that any gentile who sleeps with a woman who he has reason to believe is single is innocent of adultery. Because GOD told him Sara was married, he was no longer innocent of that. Verse 4 points out that Abimelech hadn't actually had sex with Sarah, which was really unusual in that period of time.

     Normally, a bride and groom do this right away, and the bed sheet is saved as proof of the girl's virginity. The Bible points out this hadn't happened. Now God says he was the one that didn't allow him to touch her, in verse 6. Maimonides states that the king was aware that if she were married and he touched her he would be guilty of death, but verse 6 contradicts this.

     Abimelech next speaks to GOD, at this time, he's the only recorded person to ever speak to GOD other than a prophet (there will be other's later, but he gets the distinction of being the first!). He explains that he's innocent because Abraham and Sarah claimed they were brother and sister rather than husband and wife. Chizkuni points out that GOD gave Abimelech a warning first rather than send plagues to him like he did in Egypt because he'd asked if Sarah was Abraham's wife or sister first, unlike the Pharaoh. Here, GOD lets him know HE's aware of this and because HE knew this, HE kept the King from touching Sarah and thus committing a sin that should have earned him the death penalty, we saw this in Hilchot Melachim 9:5 and Sanhedrin 57. 

     GOD tells him to give Sara back to Abraham, and he advises Abimelech that Abraham is a prophet, therefore he'll know that Sarah wasn't touched and he will intercede on the king's behalf. Remember, in this day and time, you couldn't approach GOD yourself, nor ask him to blot out your sin, because that's the best you could ask for in this time, blot out your sin, not forgive it. You had to have a prophet do this on your behalf, which is just what GOD says Abraham will do for him. HE also lets King Abimelech know that if he doesn't give Sarah back to Abraham, he will die.

     When the Bible tells us that King Abimelech told his servants what happened and that they were frightened, they really were, the Hebrew words used for greatly afraid literally meant they were afraid in abundance. They were very likely mortally afraid. Chizkuni underscores this when he mentions that Rabbi Abba states that these people could still see the smoke rising from where Sodom and Gomorrah once stood and were frightened that they would be next. They were also aware that Abraham was their only hope, and if he refused, they might be the next to die, per Haamek Davar.

     Of course the king wants an explanation from Abraham and he requests one in Verse 9 and 10. Abraham lets him know that he saw no fear of GOD in this land. They were a pagan people, their main god was a deity called Dagon, they had no place for GOD in their society, and even though they had laws and considered themselves to be civilized it was no guarantee that they wouldn't give in to lust and commit any crime, even murder to satisfy it, as Malbim reminds us. On top of that, Abraham tells the King that he actually didn't lie to him, as Sarah is, as he says it, "his father's daughter but not his mother's". GOD would close that loophole later on in Leviticus 18:6 - 10.

     Abimelech, in not so many words, acknowledges that GOD is more powerful than him by giving Abraham back his wife along with some of his slaves, and his sheep an oxen and told him he could settle where he liked in his land. He also paid Abraham a thousand pieces of silver, which was the customary dowry and it shown to give Sarah a veil of many colors, indicating that not only is she a proper women (prostitutes wore no veil to mark them clearly as such), but she's a woman of distinction. Chizkuni states that Abimelech calls Abraham her brother, but does so sarcastically. Since he needs Abraham to pray for him,this is pretty doubtful. The chapter ends with Abraham praying to GOD and GOD allowed Abimelech, his wife and his slave girls to have children. It's mentioned that GOD had closed up every womb in his household because of what almost happened to Abraham.

     Despite this being a short chapter, there's really a lot going on here. GOD had just destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, but turned and sparred Abimelech because he did as GOD had told him, in a foreshadowing of 2 Chronicles 7:14. It showed the King setting a captive Sarah (she really was a captive, women couldn't walk around on their own in this day and time ) free, just as GOD would do for Israel first and then for us all. Finally, it shows GOD opening up the wombs of everyone in King Abimelech's house, just as he would do shortly for Sarah herself. Remember, in this day and time, to not have children was seen as a curse from GOD, that you'd done something to displease HIM, whereas, to have children was seen as a blessing from GOD.

     This shows us that GOD can act no matter what our circumstances are. No matter how bad, or how good, he can act, he can influence and he can deliver. Nothing is outside of his influence or too powerful for him. All HE asks is that you trust HIM and follow HIM and he won't let you down,ever. Now, there might be a few "bumps" in the road, but even they will ultimately be there for GOD's glory.

     Don't believe me? I can understand. Let me tell you about how I became a worship leader (I still am! ). I wanted to be one for a very long time. I played keyboard really well, I could read music, play by ear, read chord sheets. I could pick up any song after hearing it one time. I could even sight read if I had to. I thought I was the best candidate for a worship leader position. Everywhere I went, I was welcomed to play the keyboard, or even accompany the choir, but I was never the leader.

     At first I thought I was in the "wrong church" or perhaps "they" couldn't see how perfect I was for the role, so perhaps I should give them a demonstration. That went over like a lead balloon! It finally came to a head when I was playing at the third church I'd joined searching for a leadership position. We had a young lady join us temporary and she got to do everything I wanted to do.

     I was furious! I was and am still in the 12-step fellowship and I reached out to my sponsor and basically whined about "How come she gets to do everything I want". My sponsor's response was that I needed to do a first step about this and pray that she got everything I wanted. I wasn't happy, but I did it anyway. GOD first showed me that I was wrong about being the right person to lead, yes, I had a lot of skill, but I wasn't a servant, and in the church, I HAD to be a servant, no matter what my title was, period. If I couldn't do that, I didn't belong leading anything.

     As I prayed for the young woman to get everything I wanted, and as I worked on my character defects that prevented me from just serving (jealousy and my big ego!) I got to the point where I really did want to serve. I totally wanted no leadership position. My prayers evolved into "If my worship leader wants to give my X leadership position, give it to her instead!" and I meant it whole-heartedly.

     Once I got to that point, even though I wasn't looking for any leadership position at all, I began to get offers from my worship leader to do just that! The point here is, I was just as much a captive of my own jealousy and over-sized ego as Sarah was in King Abimelech's palace. The only way out was to trust GOD, and not only did he release me, like King Abimelech did for Sarah, but I left with more than what I came in with, just like Abraham. I left, not only with jealousy gone and my ego normal-sized, but with offers to lead worship and with an attitude of "It's all about GOD, none of it's about me".

     GOD was there the whole time and he used all the "no's" to finally drive home the point that I needed to grow up first and not worry about leading. He'd take care of that if he wanted me to lead. He was there during my whining to my sponsor, he was there all the times I gritted my teeth and prayed that that woman would get everything I wanted. He was there while I was in emotional turmoil releasing all the negative emotions behind my jealousy and over-sized ego. All of that was used for his glory.

     So you can see I'm not kidding when I say there might be a few bump in the road, but GOD's still in control!  How about you? Do you believe that as well? If not feel free to reach out to me and I'll be happy to talk to you!