What would you do if your wife was so beautiful that men would kill
you to have her?
This is the dilemma that Abraham faced many times in his life. There
are two recorded instances of his dealings with such men, one in
Genesis 12
with Pharaoh in Egypt, and again in
Genesis 20
with Abimelech.
I won't quote them here, since they are long, but you can read them easily
in the version of your choice with the above links.
It is interesting that I often hear people looking down on Abraham,
claiming that his deception indicated a lack of faith or trust in the
Lord. In fact, even the footnotes in my KJV study Bible seem quick to
point out the deception and basically call Abraham a liar.
But I cannot escape the fact that one Person seems silent on the matter.
The same God that had no trouble cross-examining Job, who in God's own
words was "a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and
escheweth evil," (Job 1:8) does not say a thing to Abraham about this
craftiness. God has a lot to say to Abraham. He blesses him, establishes
a covenant with him, tests him, but doesn't seem to rebuke him.
Abraham seems to pass God's tests each time.
When I ponder the story of Abraham and Abimelech, I start to see both
a great show of faith, and a practical lesson for myself, from each man
respectively.
Let's start with Sarah. This was a beautiful woman. So beautiful that
men would kill for her. And she was not just beautiful to look at,
but she had an inner beauty that came from trusting God. She was strong,
willing to travel with her husband to who-knows-where. She was submissive,
willing to do anything her husband commanded her, even to the point of
calling him "master" or "lord". (1 Peter 3:6,
depending on the translation)
And all this in a woman who was over 90 years old at the
time! (Genesis 17:17)
So here comes Abraham, rich with flocks of animals and many servants,
with this beautiful wife on his arm, marching into Abimelech's country.
And Abraham can tell right way: there is no fear of God in this place.
(Genesis 20:11) He can see that look in men's eyes, and knows that in
their hearts, they are secretly sharpening their knives.
What would be the prudent thing to do? Get out of Dodge! But here's
the problem: apparently there are many places just like this (Genesis 20:13),
and Abraham has no choice. God has commanded him to be on the move.
There is no going back to his father's household.
So plan A is out. What's plan B? Guards! He could hire lots of armed
guards, and provide his wife with 24 hour protection. These guards
would be highly trained, and they would all be female, since he couldn't
really trust the guys with such a delicate task. The chuckwagon would
be heavily armoured, and his wife's location would be known at all
times.
That takes care of Sarah's security. But wait! The real threat
is to Abraham! He is the one they want to kill, in order to
take all his possessions, and his wife! So more guards are in order.
This time the biggest, strongest Hebrew lads around, highly trained
in martial arts, with sword, spear, and arrow. Abraham would go
nowhere without his armed guard. He'd even send some ahead to make
sure there were no booby traps.
Is this what Abraham does? No.
Instead, he uses crafty wisdom. Both practical wisdom and Godly wisdom.
He, and his wife, behave like brother and sister, and tell everyone
that fact. (Genesis 20:12, Proverbs 22:3)
I see three reasons why this shows great faith and wisdom on Abraham's
part.
First, by proclaiming Sarah as his sister, he turned all his enemies
into his friends. Now, these "friends" were not any better men than
when they were his enemies, except with one difference: they weren't
looking to kill him anymore. Instead, they were trying to get into
his good graces, and giving him gifts to get on his good side, hoping
they would be the one to win the fair hand of Sarah. This is what
happened in Egypt.
It may look like Abraham was too afraid to take a stand here, but
remember that this is a rich man. He is not a pushover. He can easily
round up 318 men of his own and go to war at the drop of a hat, which is
what he did when his nephew Lot was kidnapped in Genesis 14.
If the need was for war, Abraham would have been ready.
But this happens at all cities, and even though God told him to wander,
and even though God promised him the land of Israel to his descendents,
this was not the time to put God to the test and run into a hasty
conquest. In fact, in so many ways, Abraham was a meek and humble man.
(Genesis 23:7, and Genesis 12:4)
So this crisis called for a more subtle solution. Not just a
practical and risky solution, but Godly solution. So...
Secondly, by proclaiming Sarah as his sister, he was placing huge and
secret faith in God.
His best defence is no defence. This boggles the mind, for he opens
his wife to the risk of another marriage!
When Abimelech hears of this newcomer, his eyebrows shoot up. He's the king,
and no lesser man will have this woman as his wife! Sure, she's 90
years old, but have you seen her? She's a knockout.
He sends for her, and takes her:
And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and
Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
Genesis 20:2
The word "took" is the same word used between Isaac and Rebekah:
And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took
Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac
was comforted after his mother's death.
Genesis 24:67
The Hebrew word, according to Strong's numbers, is Laqach, and
can mean marriage. It doesn't always mean that, but in the context,
I think the implication is strong. I don't know about you, but if
I were Abraham, I'd want some different word used right about now...
But what does Abraham do?
He lets her go! What kind of man would do this? What kind of
woman would? This is not the natural reaction for a man who has the
means to defend his house and home.
It doesn't say if Abraham was present when
Abimelech's men show up, but this was the logical conclusion of his
original plan, so he couldn't be that shocked when it happened.
And Sarah goes along, because that is what Abraham asked her to do.
It doesn't say what Abraham was doing while Sarah was gone, but
God does call Abraham a prophet (Genesis 20:7), so it would make
sense if Abraham prayed to God for help.
And what are the results?
Thirdly, by quietly trusting in God, Abraham puts the whole situation
in God's hands, not man's hands, and God is glorified.
In the same country where there was no fear of God, suddenly Abimelech
and his men are scared of Abraham, and terrified of God. The same
men what would have thought nothing of killing Abraham to take what
he had are now fearfully giving him gifts of recompense, giving
Sarah gifts to clear her name, and either telling him to leave,
like Pharaoh did, or pleading for a truce, like Abimelech did (Genesis 21).
All this without fighting, without bloodshed, and without the stress
of trying to defend what's yours. This looks like wisdom in rough
circumstances to me. The big question is: do I have that kind of
faith? (Matthew 5:39-42, Romans 13:1-2)
There's one more lesson that I see in this chapter, and this is from
Abimelech. He pleaded with God, saying that he had taken Sarah
with integrity in his heart. He did not know she was married,
so how could he be held to blame? God agreed with this analysis,
but only to a certain extent. His integrity was enough to prevent
his death, and enough to receive a direct warning from God, but it
was not enough to keep him out of hot water. He still had to pay
Abraham and Sarah for what he had done, even though by all human
accounts, he couldn't have done things any better.
What's the lesson? I think the lesson is in the words of Job.
5 If I have walked in falsehood
or my foot has hurried after deceit
6 let God weigh me in honest scales
and he will know that I am blameless
7 if my steps have turned from the path,
if my heart has been led by my eyes,
or if my hands have been defiled,
8 then may others eat what I have sown,
and may my crops be uprooted.
Job 31 (NIV 1984)
I was nearly blown away when I stumbled on verse 7 the other day,
because it describes me, and this world, so well. We let the
desires of our heart be inspired with what we see. And this opens
us up to all kinds of risk, and even manipulation by external
forces. Advertising, temptation, even innocent looking things
may have danger underneath, as Abimelech discovered the hard way.
What would you do if your eyes were closed? Doesn't that change
your perspective? What would you do with your eyes closed, your ears
plugged, your mouth shut, and your sex drive gone? Would your life
suddenly be calmer? More peaceful? Would there be a different
focus? Perhaps a better focus?
39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world,
that they which see not might see; and that they which see
might be made blind.
40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these
words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin:
but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.
John 9:39-41
Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that
I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the
Lord's servant?
Isaiah 42:19
Jesus was the ultimate blind man, seeing God and not letting His heart
be led by His eyes. He is perfect: blind and deaf to the temptations
of the world.
Is there a way to avoid Abimelech's error? Even in the face of a
crafty defence?
5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto
thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Proverbs 3
Oh Lord, let me be similarly blind and deaf, so that I may see You!
Edit: It occurs to me that, in light of Romans 13, it could be
argued that God did rebuke Abraham through the king, Abimelech, in
Genesis 20:9: "thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done."
How much of this message was God speaking to Abraham, and how much was
just Abimelech's fear and injured pride, I'm not sure. Abimelech was
the one who assumed Sarah was not married. A woman can be a sister
and still be married; she might not wear a ring, and still be married.
It still seems odd to me that God, Who often talked
directly to Abraham, would not have told him to stop this practice
before now if it was indeed wrong. But perhaps this was the final
time for Abraham's ruse, for after this came the convenant between
Abraham and Abimelech, and they lived peacefully together for some time.