1 00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:05,160 Speaker 1: Let us pray. And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the 2 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:10,640 Speaker 1: South country and dwelled between Kadesh and Surer, and sojourned 3 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:17,200 Speaker 1: in Gerar Genesis twenty one. Dear God, in the midst 4 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:20,439 Speaker 1: of my new season, when I am afraid that I 5 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:23,960 Speaker 1: might not survive it, I will not sacrifice the things 6 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:26,680 Speaker 1: close to me by giving them up to try to 7 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:32,080 Speaker 1: preserve my position and life. I declare that the same 8 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:35,440 Speaker 1: faith that brought me to believe in You will be 9 00:00:35,479 --> 00:00:38,120 Speaker 1: the same faith I use to believe that you will 10 00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:43,560 Speaker 1: protect me and deliver me from any future threats. Thank 11 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:47,040 Speaker 1: you Jesus that because of your sacrifice, I can be 12 00:00:47,120 --> 00:00:51,160 Speaker 1: forgiven of my mistakes and still have my future restored. 13 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:54,240 Speaker 1: When I come to you with a pure and clean heart, 14 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 1: holy spirit, like Abraham, if there is any half truth 15 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:03,639 Speaker 1: my life, reveal it to me, then I will correct it. 16 00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:09,360 Speaker 1: Give me the strength to stand in integrity when it's 17 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 1: easier to do the opposite. I am blessed and secured 18 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:19,399 Speaker 1: in your presence. Therefore I am free to be me 19 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:23,639 Speaker 1: and dwell in the place You've given me with peace 20 00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:32,479 Speaker 1: and prosperity. In Jesus name, Amen, Thank you for praying 21 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:36,480 Speaker 1: with me today, continue listening for an incredible Bible story 22 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:45,280 Speaker 1: brought to you by Bible in a Year dot com. 23 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:51,440 Speaker 2: Abraham and Abimelech. Before this story, we learned about how 24 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 2: God brought justice to Sodom Angomorah and delivered Lot and 25 00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:59,440 Speaker 2: his family out of that city. But Lot's wife turned 26 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 2: back and became a pillar of salt. Now we will 27 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:08,000 Speaker 2: learn about Abraham again saying Sarah is my sister to 28 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:12,400 Speaker 2: protect his own life from King Abimelech. Inspired by the 29 00:02:12,440 --> 00:02:14,600 Speaker 2: Book of Genesis. 30 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:17,600 Speaker 3: Hello, I'm Pastor Jack Graham with today's episode of the 31 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:21,480 Speaker 3: Bible in a Year podcast. In our previous passage, we 32 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:24,280 Speaker 3: focused on Lot and his daughters and the results of 33 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:28,399 Speaker 3: fear in their lives. Today we turn again to Abraham 34 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:32,680 Speaker 3: and Sarah. Lest we imagine that Abraham has now fully 35 00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:36,320 Speaker 3: matured in his faith and has become immune to fear 36 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:40,760 Speaker 3: and faithlessness. Today's story reminds us that often our journey 37 00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:44,200 Speaker 3: is one of highs and loves, of zigs and zags. 38 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:47,600 Speaker 3: At times we trust and obey, at other times we 39 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:51,360 Speaker 3: turn back to our sin and disobedience. That's where we 40 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:55,680 Speaker 3: find Abraham today, once again encountering a powerful king whom 41 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:58,640 Speaker 3: he appears to fear more than he fears God, the 42 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:01,639 Speaker 3: God who has promised to be with him and bless him. 43 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 3: Not only that, but again Abraham will show a lack 44 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 3: of regard for his wife. He is meant to lead 45 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:10,440 Speaker 3: and protect his wife, but now he uses her as 46 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:15,280 Speaker 3: a way to secure his own safety, to save his 47 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:20,360 Speaker 3: own neck. As you listen, notice how Abimelek is spared 48 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:22,880 Speaker 3: from committing a sin that would have cost him dearly. 49 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:28,720 Speaker 3: And notice how Abraham responds when confronted with his deceitfulness. 50 00:03:29,160 --> 00:03:31,560 Speaker 3: Does he repent of his wrongdoing and fully own up 51 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:34,560 Speaker 3: to his mistake, or does he try to twist his 52 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:38,800 Speaker 3: way out of it justifying his actions. Finally, watch how 53 00:03:38,840 --> 00:03:42,640 Speaker 3: God works through this situation to restore Abraham and Sarah, 54 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:47,280 Speaker 3: as well as King Abimelek and his household. Consider how 55 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:50,480 Speaker 3: God has guarded you from sins you may have committed 56 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:55,120 Speaker 3: in times of temptation had he not intervened. It is 57 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 3: a reminder of God's faithfulness to us always, even when 58 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:03,280 Speaker 3: we fail to be faithful to him. Now, let's listen 59 00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 3: to today's passage. 60 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:12,280 Speaker 2: Abraham and his wife Sarah ventured to a new land 61 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:15,640 Speaker 2: where Abimelech was the king and ruled over the people. 62 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:19,400 Speaker 2: When they had entered the land, Abraham had once again 63 00:04:19,520 --> 00:04:23,159 Speaker 2: claimed that Sarah was his sister, so nobody would harm 64 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 2: him to take her. Abimelech, being curious about Sarah, had 65 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:30,760 Speaker 2: her brought to his home since he believed that she 66 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:35,279 Speaker 2: was Abraham's sister, Yet he did not touch or harm her. 67 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:39,880 Speaker 2: One night, while Abimelech was asleep, God came to him 68 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:43,600 Speaker 2: in a dream, saying, you are a dead man because 69 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:46,480 Speaker 2: of the woman you have taken, for she is a 70 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:51,720 Speaker 2: man's wife. Abemelech cried out in anguish, knowing he had 71 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:55,600 Speaker 2: not touched Sarah. He cried, Lord, do not kill an 72 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:58,880 Speaker 2: innocent man. Did he not himself say to me that 73 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:02,320 Speaker 2: she is his sister? And she herself said he is 74 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:05,680 Speaker 2: my brother. In the integrity of my heart and the 75 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:09,520 Speaker 2: innocence of my hands, I have done this. The Lord 76 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:13,120 Speaker 2: knew this and was the one who had kept Abimelecht 77 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:16,799 Speaker 2: from touching her. He knew the integrity of his heart 78 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:20,960 Speaker 2: and commanded him to approach Abraham for prayer and returned 79 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:24,600 Speaker 2: Sarah to him. Yet God warned, if you do not 80 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:29,640 Speaker 2: return her, you shall surely die. You and all those 81 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:34,159 Speaker 2: who are yours. A Bimelech and all those under him 82 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:37,720 Speaker 2: became afraid. The wombs of the women in his household 83 00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 2: were shut and became barren. Terror filled a Bimelech's kingdom. Therefore, 84 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:47,120 Speaker 2: he wasted no time trying to find Abraham. He sought 85 00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:52,159 Speaker 2: out Abraham, and when he had arrived, demanded answers, what 86 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:55,800 Speaker 2: have you done to us? You made me sin against you, 87 00:05:56,279 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 2: and now my kingdom is to be punished for it. 88 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:04,560 Speaker 2: You should have ever done this. Abraham, embarrassed and ashamed, 89 00:06:04,880 --> 00:06:08,640 Speaker 2: spoke a half truth, saying, Sarah and I share the 90 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:13,080 Speaker 2: same father, but not the same mother, so she is 91 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:17,440 Speaker 2: my sister. He continued, explaining, I did not take you 92 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:20,680 Speaker 2: for god fearing people. I was afraid that you would 93 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:26,159 Speaker 2: kill me to take her. Then Abmelech, both enraged and afraid, 94 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:30,400 Speaker 2: took sheep, oxen, and servants and gave them to Abraham, 95 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:35,560 Speaker 2: then returned Sarah to him. This is my land, he said, 96 00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 2: dwell wherever you please. Then he turned to Sarah and said, 97 00:06:40,839 --> 00:06:44,359 Speaker 2: take a thousand pieces of silver for your brother. This 98 00:06:44,520 --> 00:06:48,680 Speaker 2: is proof that my hands are clean and you are free. 99 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:53,400 Speaker 2: After another failure of character, Abraham was faced with his faithlessness. 100 00:06:54,080 --> 00:06:57,360 Speaker 2: Not only did he betray his wife to protect himself, 101 00:06:57,960 --> 00:07:01,279 Speaker 2: but he put an entire kingdom in a place of sin. 102 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:06,480 Speaker 2: Abraham prayed to God, and God healed a bimelech, and 103 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:09,920 Speaker 2: also healed his wife and servants so they could bear 104 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:15,400 Speaker 2: children once again. Even after another failure, God's promise to 105 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:19,440 Speaker 2: Abraham would not be made void. He would still be 106 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:24,640 Speaker 2: faithful and continue to bless him. 107 00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:30,240 Speaker 3: Abraham and Lot, whose stories we've heard in the previous chapters, 108 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:34,920 Speaker 3: are in many ways contrasting characters. Abraham is often an 109 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:40,239 Speaker 3: example of wisdom and faith and obedience to God's direction. Lot, 110 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:43,000 Speaker 3: on the other hand, is rarely any of those things. 111 00:07:43,440 --> 00:07:46,920 Speaker 3: As we have seen, he acts with worldly wisdom and compromise, 112 00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:51,560 Speaker 3: and reacts based on fear not faith. They are indeed 113 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:55,880 Speaker 3: very different men. This does not mean, however, that Abraham 114 00:07:56,040 --> 00:07:59,480 Speaker 3: always moves in the right direction, trusting God and acting wisely. 115 00:08:00,360 --> 00:08:04,440 Speaker 3: Today we've heard one such example. Fear has taken over 116 00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:08,120 Speaker 3: Abraham once again, just as he had done when they 117 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:11,080 Speaker 3: entered Egypt many years before. Abraham is in a new land, 118 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:13,680 Speaker 3: the land of a king whom he does not know 119 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:17,960 Speaker 3: and who he fears greatly. King of Bimelek. We're not 120 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:20,280 Speaker 3: told what the basis of the fear is, only that 121 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:25,000 Speaker 3: Abraham hatches another crazy scheme of deceit to protect himself. 122 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:29,200 Speaker 3: He tells everyone that Sarah is his sister, not his wife. 123 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:34,040 Speaker 3: In other words, she's available, So King of Bimelek sends 124 00:08:34,040 --> 00:08:36,760 Speaker 3: for her, and she's brought to him. Before we get 125 00:08:36,800 --> 00:08:38,920 Speaker 3: to what happens next, I want you to think for 126 00:08:38,960 --> 00:08:41,640 Speaker 3: a moment about what this is saying about Abraham that 127 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:44,880 Speaker 3: he would put forward his wife to save his own skin. 128 00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:49,800 Speaker 3: Year after year, Abraham has seen God's strength and faithfulness 129 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:53,120 Speaker 3: to keep Abraham and Sarah together and strong and safe. 130 00:08:53,679 --> 00:08:57,719 Speaker 3: Not only that, but God has repeatedly reaffirmed his promises 131 00:08:57,760 --> 00:09:01,839 Speaker 3: to grant Abraham a descendant through Sarah. If Abraham were 132 00:09:01,880 --> 00:09:04,480 Speaker 3: to be killed as he fears, that would mean God 133 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:07,920 Speaker 3: did not or could not keep his promise. So think 134 00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:11,000 Speaker 3: about it. What Abraham is saying here with his action 135 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:14,200 Speaker 3: is that he really doesn't trust God to deliver on 136 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:18,400 Speaker 3: his word now less we judge him too quickly. How 137 00:09:18,440 --> 00:09:21,640 Speaker 3: often do we buy our own actions say the same 138 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:25,200 Speaker 3: kind of things. God has given us so much, and 139 00:09:25,280 --> 00:09:28,720 Speaker 3: we have such a wonderful promise of life, abundant life 140 00:09:28,760 --> 00:09:32,240 Speaker 3: in him. And yet so often with our actions we're 141 00:09:32,280 --> 00:09:35,840 Speaker 3: willing to say to show that we really don't trust 142 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:38,480 Speaker 3: God to give us what we need, that God is 143 00:09:38,520 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 3: not enough, that his promises may not be true. So 144 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:46,520 Speaker 3: that's what Abraham does here. But fortunately a Bimelek is 145 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:49,439 Speaker 3: spared from sin by God himself, and because he appears 146 00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:53,560 Speaker 3: to be a man of some integrity before he touched Sarah. 147 00:09:54,040 --> 00:09:56,600 Speaker 3: God appears to a Bimelek in a dream and tells 148 00:09:56,640 --> 00:10:00,240 Speaker 3: him the true story. This terrifies a Bimelek, and he 149 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:03,360 Speaker 3: asks if God is going to destroy him for something 150 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:06,960 Speaker 3: he has not done. God assures him that he knows 151 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:09,920 Speaker 3: the king's heart and reveals that it was him who 152 00:10:10,040 --> 00:10:13,000 Speaker 3: kept the king from sinning. Look what he says to 153 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:17,160 Speaker 3: the king in Genesis twenty verse six. Then God said 154 00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:20,080 Speaker 3: to him in the dream, Yes, I know that in 155 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:22,880 Speaker 3: the integrity of your heart you have done this, and 156 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:26,800 Speaker 3: I also kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I 157 00:10:26,920 --> 00:10:30,640 Speaker 3: did not let you touch her. You see, God is 158 00:10:30,679 --> 00:10:33,200 Speaker 3: not only active in the lives of those who have 159 00:10:33,280 --> 00:10:37,120 Speaker 3: received a special calling and blessing. Like Abraham. Here we 160 00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:41,400 Speaker 3: see that God is watching over this king Abimelek, searching 161 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:44,960 Speaker 3: his heart and keeping him from sin, God says he 162 00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:49,800 Speaker 3: will spare him if he will return Sarah immediately. A 163 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:54,120 Speaker 3: Bimelek promptly does so, confronting Abraham for having a lie 164 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:58,160 Speaker 3: to him, and rather than owning up to his dishonesty 165 00:10:58,200 --> 00:11:01,680 Speaker 3: and deceit and fully admitting that he was wrong, Abraham 166 00:11:01,800 --> 00:11:05,800 Speaker 3: tries to soften it by telling another lie. Sarah is 167 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:08,080 Speaker 3: in no way his sister, but he is still trying 168 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:11,640 Speaker 3: to save face with the king. We'll see many times 169 00:11:11,679 --> 00:11:14,840 Speaker 3: in scripture how someone is confronted with their sin, and 170 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:19,080 Speaker 3: rather than openly admitting their fault and repenting, they try 171 00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:23,400 Speaker 3: to justify or explain their actions. This isn't true repentance, 172 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:27,320 Speaker 3: and it's not what God wants. But once more, as 173 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:30,760 Speaker 3: we've seen so many times already, and as we can 174 00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:34,320 Speaker 3: see vividly in our lives today, God is faithful to 175 00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:38,439 Speaker 3: Abraham in spite of his lack of faith. God restores 176 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:43,199 Speaker 3: Sarah to Abraham and heals king of Bimelek and his household. 177 00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:46,640 Speaker 3: Dear God, thank you for this story and what it 178 00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:50,360 Speaker 3: teaches us about your faithfulness, even when we take backward 179 00:11:50,400 --> 00:11:53,840 Speaker 3: steps in our walk with you. Thank you also for 180 00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:57,560 Speaker 3: what Abimelek's example shows us about your hand of protection 181 00:11:58,200 --> 00:12:00,920 Speaker 3: in times that we're not even aware of our danger. 182 00:12:01,720 --> 00:12:06,240 Speaker 3: Thank you for always watching over us and always always 183 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:12,440 Speaker 3: delivering on your promises in Christ's name. Amen, Thank you 184 00:12:12,480 --> 00:12:15,920 Speaker 3: for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast. I'm 185 00:12:15,960 --> 00:12:19,959 Speaker 3: pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Download Theprey dot com 186 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:23,480 Speaker 3: app and make prayer a priority in your life. If 187 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:26,800 Speaker 3: you enjoyed this podcast, share it with someone you love. 188 00:12:27,440 --> 00:12:30,160 Speaker 3: By sharing this podcast, you can make a difference in 189 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:34,200 Speaker 3: someone's life. And if you want more resources as to 190 00:12:34,240 --> 00:12:38,160 Speaker 3: how you can know God and experience Him in your life, 191 00:12:38,360 --> 00:12:43,000 Speaker 3: be sure to visit Jack Graham dot org. God bless you.