1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:05,160 Speaker 1: Let us pray. And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the 2 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:10,680 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 --> 00:00:20,479 Speaker 1: of my new season, when I am afraid that I 5 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:24,000 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 00:00:38,159 --> 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 00:00:47,159 --> 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 --> 00:00:59,920 Speaker 1: holy spirit, like Abraham, if there is any half truth 15 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:03,640 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 --> 00:01:14,759 Speaker 1: easier to do the opposite. I am blessed and secured 18 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:19,400 Speaker 1: in your presence. Therefore I am free to be me 19 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:23,679 Speaker 1: and dwell in the place You've given me with peace 20 00:01:24,440 --> 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 --> 00:01:45,279 Speaker 1: brought to you by Bible in a Year dot com. 23 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:51,480 Speaker 2: Abraham and Abimelech. Before this story, we learned about how 24 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:55,640 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 00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 2: back and became a pillar of salt. Now we will 27 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:08,040 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 --> 00:02:15,240 Speaker 2: Book of Genesis, Hello. 30 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:18,040 Speaker 3: I'm Pastor Jack Graham with today's episode of the Bible 31 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:22,079 Speaker 3: in a Year podcast. In our previous passage, we focused 32 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:24,680 Speaker 3: on Lot and his daughters and the results of fear 33 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:29,760 Speaker 3: in their lives. Today we turn again to Abraham and Sarah. 34 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:33,200 Speaker 3: Lest we imagine that Abraham has now fully matured in 35 00:02:33,240 --> 00:02:37,560 Speaker 3: his faith and has become immune to fear and faithlessness. 36 00:02:37,919 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 3: Today's story reminds us that often our journey is one 37 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:45,680 Speaker 3: of highs and loves, of zigs and zags. At times 38 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:48,200 Speaker 3: we trust and obey, at other times we turn back 39 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:52,600 Speaker 3: to our sin and disobedience. That's where we find Abraham today, 40 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:56,320 Speaker 3: once again encountering a powerful king whom he appears to 41 00:02:56,360 --> 00:02:59,200 Speaker 3: fear more than he fears God, the God who has 42 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:02,760 Speaker 3: promised to be with him and bless him. Not only that, 43 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:05,399 Speaker 3: but again Abraham will show a lack of regard for 44 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 3: his wife. He is meant to lead and protect his wife, 45 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 3: but now he uses her as a way to secure 46 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:17,720 Speaker 3: his own safety, to save his own neck. As you listen, 47 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:21,600 Speaker 3: notice how Abimelek is spared from committing a sin that 48 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:26,400 Speaker 3: would have cost him dearly. And notice how Abraham responds 49 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:30,120 Speaker 3: when confronted with his deceitfulness. Does he repent of his 50 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:33,520 Speaker 3: wrongdoing and fully own up to his mistake, or does 51 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:36,160 Speaker 3: he try to twist his way out of it justifying 52 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:40,400 Speaker 3: his actions. Finally, watch how God works through this situation 53 00:03:40,560 --> 00:03:44,680 Speaker 3: to restore Abraham and Sarah, as well as King Abimelek 54 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 3: and his household. Consider how God has guarded you from 55 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:52,800 Speaker 3: sins you may have committed in times of temptation had 56 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:57,320 Speaker 3: he not intervened. It is a reminder of God's faithfulness 57 00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:01,080 Speaker 3: to us always, even when we fail to be faithful 58 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:09,080 Speaker 3: to him. Now, let's listen to today's passage. 59 00:04:09,120 --> 00:04:12,280 Speaker 2: Abraham and his wife Sarah ventured to a new land 60 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:15,640 Speaker 2: where Abimelech was the king and ruled over the people. 61 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:19,400 Speaker 2: When they had entered the land, Abraham had once again 62 00:04:19,520 --> 00:04:23,160 Speaker 2: claimed that Sarah was his sister, so nobody would harm 63 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 2: him to take her. Abimelech, being curious about Sarah, had 64 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:30,760 Speaker 2: her brought to his home since he believed that she 65 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:35,279 Speaker 2: was Abraham's sister, Yet he did not touch or harm her. 66 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:39,880 Speaker 2: One night, while Abimelech was asleep, God came to him 67 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:43,600 Speaker 2: in a dream, saying, you are a dead man because 68 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:46,480 Speaker 2: of the woman you have taken, for she is a 69 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:51,720 Speaker 2: man's wife. Abemelech cried out in anguish, knowing he had 70 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:55,560 Speaker 2: not touched Sarah. He cried, Lord, do not kill an 71 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:58,920 Speaker 2: innocent man. Did he not himself say to me that 72 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:02,320 Speaker 2: she is his sister? And she herself said he is 73 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:05,720 Speaker 2: my brother. In the integrity of my heart and the 74 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:09,520 Speaker 2: innocence of my hands, I have done this. The Lord 75 00:05:09,640 --> 00:05:13,120 Speaker 2: knew this and was the one who had kept Abimelecht 76 00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:16,839 Speaker 2: from touching her. He knew the integrity of his heart 77 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:21,000 Speaker 2: and commanded him to approach Abraham for prayer and returned 78 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:24,600 Speaker 2: Sarah to him. Yet God warned, if you do not 79 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:29,640 Speaker 2: return her, you shall surely die. You and all those 80 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:34,159 Speaker 2: who are yours. A Bimelech and all those under him 81 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:37,760 Speaker 2: became afraid. The wombs of the women in his household 82 00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 2: were shut and became barren. Terror filled a Bimelech's kingdom. Therefore, 83 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:47,120 Speaker 2: he wasted no time trying to find Abraham. He sought 84 00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:52,200 Speaker 2: out Abraham, and when he had arrived, demanded answers, what 85 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:55,800 Speaker 2: have you done to us? You made me sin against you, 86 00:05:56,279 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 2: and now my kingdom is to be punished for it. 87 00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:04,560 Speaker 2: You should have ever done this. Abraham, embarrassed and ashamed, 88 00:06:04,880 --> 00:06:08,680 Speaker 2: spoke a half truth, saying, Sarah and I share the 89 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:13,080 Speaker 2: same father, but not the same mother, so she is 90 00:06:13,279 --> 00:06:17,440 Speaker 2: my sister. He continued, explaining, I did not take you 91 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:20,680 Speaker 2: for god fearing people. I was afraid that you would 92 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:26,160 Speaker 2: kill me to take her. Then Abmelech, both enraged and afraid, 93 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:30,400 Speaker 2: took sheep, oxen, and servants and gave them to Abraham, 94 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:35,559 Speaker 2: then returned Sarah to him. This is my land, he said, 95 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 2: dwell wherever you please. Then he turned to Sarah and said, 96 00:06:40,839 --> 00:06:44,359 Speaker 2: take a thousand pieces of silver for your brother. This 97 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:48,680 Speaker 2: is proof that my hands are clean and you are free. 98 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:53,400 Speaker 2: After another failure of character, Abraham was faced with his faithlessness. 99 00:06:54,120 --> 00:06:57,360 Speaker 2: Not only did he betray his wife to protect himself, 100 00:06:57,960 --> 00:07:01,280 Speaker 2: but he put an entire kingdom in a place of sin. 101 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:06,480 Speaker 2: Abraham prayed to God, and God healed a bimelech, and 102 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:09,920 Speaker 2: also healed his wife and servants so they could bear 103 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:15,440 Speaker 2: children once again. Even after another failure, God's promise to 104 00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 2: Abraham would not be made void. He would still be 105 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:25,320 Speaker 2: faithful and continue to bless him. 106 00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:30,280 Speaker 3: Abraham and Lot, whose stories we've heard in the previous chapters, 107 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:34,960 Speaker 3: are in many ways contrasting characters. Abraham is often an 108 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:40,280 Speaker 3: example of wisdom and faith and obedience to God's direction. Lot, 109 00:07:40,320 --> 00:07:43,000 Speaker 3: on the other hand, is rarely any of those things. 110 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:46,920 Speaker 3: As we have seen, he acts with worldly wisdom and compromise, 111 00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:51,560 Speaker 3: and reacts based on fear not faith. They are indeed 112 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:55,880 Speaker 3: very different men. This does not mean, however, that Abraham 113 00:07:56,040 --> 00:07:59,520 Speaker 3: always moves in the right direction, trusting God and acting wisely. 114 00:08:00,360 --> 00:08:04,440 Speaker 3: Today we've heard one such example. Fear has taken over 115 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:08,120 Speaker 3: Abraham once again, just as he had done when they 116 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:11,080 Speaker 3: entered Egypt many years before. Abraham is in a new land, 117 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:13,680 Speaker 3: the land of a king whom he does not know 118 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:18,000 Speaker 3: and who he fears greatly. King of Bimelek. We're not 119 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:20,320 Speaker 3: told what the basis of the fear is, only that 120 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:25,040 Speaker 3: Abraham hatches another crazy scheme of deceit to protect himself. 121 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:29,200 Speaker 3: He tells everyone that Sarah is his sister, not his wife. 122 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:34,040 Speaker 3: In other words, she's available, So King of Bimelek sends 123 00:08:34,040 --> 00:08:36,800 Speaker 3: for her, and she's brought to him. Before we get 124 00:08:36,800 --> 00:08:38,920 Speaker 3: to what happens next, I want you to think for 125 00:08:38,960 --> 00:08:41,640 Speaker 3: a moment about what this is saying about Abraham that 126 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:44,920 Speaker 3: he would put forward his wife to save his own skin. 127 00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:49,800 Speaker 3: Year after year, Abraham has seen God's strength and faithfulness 128 00:08:49,840 --> 00:08:53,199 Speaker 3: to keep Abraham and Sarah together and strong and safe. 129 00:08:53,679 --> 00:08:57,719 Speaker 3: Not only that, but God has repeatedly reaffirmed his promises 130 00:08:57,760 --> 00:09:01,880 Speaker 3: to grant Abraham a descendant through Sarah. If Abraham were 131 00:09:01,880 --> 00:09:04,480 Speaker 3: to be killed as he fears, that would mean God 132 00:09:04,559 --> 00:09:07,920 Speaker 3: did not or could not keep his promise. So think 133 00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:11,000 Speaker 3: about it. What Abraham is saying here with his action 134 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:14,200 Speaker 3: is that he really doesn't trust God to deliver on 135 00:09:14,280 --> 00:09:18,400 Speaker 3: his word now less we judge him too quickly. How 136 00:09:18,440 --> 00:09:21,640 Speaker 3: often do we buy our own actions say the same 137 00:09:21,760 --> 00:09:25,240 Speaker 3: kind of things. God has given us so much, and 138 00:09:25,280 --> 00:09:28,720 Speaker 3: we have such a wonderful promise of life, abundant life 139 00:09:28,760 --> 00:09:32,240 Speaker 3: in him. And yet so often with our actions we're 140 00:09:32,320 --> 00:09:35,880 Speaker 3: willing to say to show that we really don't trust 141 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:38,480 Speaker 3: God to give us what we need, that God is 142 00:09:38,520 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 3: not enough, that his promises may not be true. So 143 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:46,560 Speaker 3: that's what Abraham does here. But fortunately a Bimelek is 144 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:49,439 Speaker 3: spared from sin by God himself, and because he appears 145 00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:53,680 Speaker 3: to be a man of some integrity before he touched Sarah. 146 00:09:54,040 --> 00:09:56,600 Speaker 3: God appears to a Bimelek in a dream and tells 147 00:09:56,640 --> 00:10:00,240 Speaker 3: him the true story. This terrifies a Bimelek, and he 148 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:03,360 Speaker 3: asks if God is going to destroy him for something 149 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:06,960 Speaker 3: he has not done. God assures him that he knows 150 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:09,920 Speaker 3: the king's heart and reveals that it was him who 151 00:10:10,040 --> 00:10:13,000 Speaker 3: kept the king from sinning. Look what he says to 152 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:17,160 Speaker 3: the king in Genesis twenty verse six. Then God said 153 00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:20,080 Speaker 3: to him in the dream, Yes, I know that in 154 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:22,920 Speaker 3: the integrity of your heart you have done this, and 155 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:26,800 Speaker 3: I also kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I 156 00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:30,679 Speaker 3: did not let you touch her. You see, God is 157 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:33,200 Speaker 3: not only active in the lives of those who have 158 00:10:33,320 --> 00:10:37,120 Speaker 3: received a special calling and blessing. Like Abraham. Here we 159 00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:41,440 Speaker 3: see that God is watching over this king Abimelek, searching 160 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:44,960 Speaker 3: his heart and keeping him from sin, God says he 161 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:49,800 Speaker 3: will spare him if he will return Sarah immediately. A 162 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:55,080 Speaker 3: Bimelek promptly does so, confronting Abraham for having lied to him, 163 00:10:55,760 --> 00:10:58,720 Speaker 3: and rather than owning up to his dishonesty and deceit 164 00:10:58,800 --> 00:11:02,240 Speaker 3: and fully admitting that he was wrong, Abraham tries to 165 00:11:02,320 --> 00:11:06,080 Speaker 3: soften it by telling another lie. Sarah is in no 166 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:08,480 Speaker 3: way his sister, but he is still trying to save 167 00:11:08,559 --> 00:11:12,280 Speaker 3: face with the king. We'll see many times in scripture 168 00:11:12,280 --> 00:11:15,480 Speaker 3: how someone is confronted with their sin, and rather than 169 00:11:15,720 --> 00:11:19,840 Speaker 3: openly admitting their fault and repenting, they try to justify 170 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:23,960 Speaker 3: or explain their actions. This isn't true repentance, and it's 171 00:11:24,040 --> 00:11:27,840 Speaker 3: not what God wants. But once more, as we've seen 172 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:31,600 Speaker 3: so many times already, and as we can see vividly 173 00:11:31,679 --> 00:11:35,160 Speaker 3: in our lives today, God is faithful to Abraham in 174 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:39,040 Speaker 3: spite of his lack of faith. God restores Sarah to 175 00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:44,680 Speaker 3: Abraham and heals king of Bimelek and his household. Dear God, 176 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:47,360 Speaker 3: thank you for this story and what it teaches us 177 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:50,920 Speaker 3: about your faithfulness, even when we take backward steps in 178 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:54,920 Speaker 3: our walk with you. Thank you also for what Abimelek's 179 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:58,760 Speaker 3: example shows us about your hand of protection in times 180 00:11:58,760 --> 00:12:02,080 Speaker 3: that we're not even aware of our danger. Thank you 181 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:07,280 Speaker 3: for always watching over us and always always delivering on 182 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:13,120 Speaker 3: your promises in Christ's name. Amen, Thank you for listening 183 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:16,680 Speaker 3: to today's Bible in a Year podcast. I'm pastor Jack 184 00:12:16,720 --> 00:12:20,400 Speaker 3: Graham from Dallas, Texas. Download Theprey dot com app and 185 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:24,360 Speaker 3: make prayer a priority in your life. If you enjoyed 186 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:28,000 Speaker 3: this podcast, share it with someone you love. By sharing 187 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:31,160 Speaker 3: this podcast, you can make a difference in someone's life. 188 00:12:31,520 --> 00:12:34,560 Speaker 3: And if you want more resources as to how you 189 00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:38,480 Speaker 3: can know God and experience Him in your life, be 190 00:12:38,559 --> 00:12:42,240 Speaker 3: sure to visit Jack Graham dot org. God bless you. 191 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:51,640 Speaker 3: This episode is sponsored by Meta Share, an innovative healthcare 192 00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:55,760 Speaker 3: solution for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality. 193 00:12:57,160 --> 00:12:59,920 Speaker 2: Welcome to the previous podcast, where Hope is our only bio. 194 00:13:01,360 --> 00:13:04,480 Speaker 2: Each day, we'll unpack the most prominent stories happening in 195 00:13:04,520 --> 00:13:06,640 Speaker 2: the news and offer a Christian perspective. 196 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:09,760 Speaker 1: We won't shy away from the hard topics, and we 197 00:13:09,840 --> 00:13:12,000 Speaker 1: won't dilute the hopeful message of Christ. 198 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:15,040 Speaker 2: This is more than a daily brief on the news. 199 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:19,600 Speaker 2: It's a way to be informed and transformed. 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