Abraham in the Land of the Philistines: XVII (2)

Genesis 20

In the previous article we have seen that Abraham and Sarah went to the land of the Philistines. There was fulfilled what is written in the last Lord’s Day of our Heidelberg Catechism, “We are so weak in ourselves that we cannot stand a moment; and besides this, since our mortal enemies, the devil, the world, and our own flesh, cease not to assault us....” But then follows the prayer that we may be strengthened and preserved by the power of the Holy Ghost. Not only that first part, but also the second can be seen in this history.

For in this chapter it is told how the Lord prevented Abimelech from sinning against Him, even though Abraham and Sarah were also involved. The same is told us of David, when he confessed his sins, saying, “I have sinned against Thee.” When we sin, then we always sin against God, and we will have to give an account to Him of our deeds, although at the same time we may also sin against our neighbor or against ourselves. We have to do with a holy and righteous God, who cannot have communion with sin nor with sinners in themselves. Only in Christ is it possible to receive forgiveness.

When we listen to the defense of Abimelech, (may I call it this?), then we would say that he made quite a good impression. Calvin ascribes this to God’s common goodness, or common grace, as it is often called. Possibly we could compare him with Melchizedek, the God-fearing king of Salem. Could not Abimelech likewise have been such a king? We must say that there are different opinions about his relationship to the Lord, as we will try to explain. First of all, how must we view the obedience of Abimelech? Was it not a sign of the fear of the Lord? We should remember that the common goodness of the Lord is not without fruit in the life of man. It is a great privilege, also for today, that the Lord does not yet give us over to the foolishness of our hearts. But this is not sufficient for eternity, because a renewal must take place in our life, shall it be well. Let us not quarrel about the state of Abimelech. The great question is not whether Abimelech, Hagar, Naaman, and others mentioned in the Bible are saved, but whether I belong to the true Israel. Again we must say that we believe that Abimelech’s obedience was the fruit of God’s common goodness, a goodness which the Lord yet works over the whole world.

The Lord commanded the king to give Sarah back to Abraham, whom the Lord called a prophet. God gives special attention to His prophets, as we read in Psalm 105:15, “Touch not Mine anointed, and do My prophets no harm.” Abraham is the first man who is called a prophet by the Lord. A prophet signifies a person who stands in a special relationship to God, has the task of interceding for men, and makes God’s will known to men.

The Lord told Abimelech that Abraham must pray for him and his people, for otherwise they would die. This meant that Abimelech’s so- called righteousness could not save him and that an intercessor was necessary for him. In his book James wrote, “And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him” (5:15). The whole nation of the Philistines was infected with impotence, and therefore the prayer of faith was indispensable.

How is it with our prayers? Are they not often only words? How is it when we are confronted with a great problem, which can be sickness or other cares? Still it can be that our prayers are only words. Only when the Lord binds the need upon our hearts, then we will ask for a prayer, a true prayer. It is very well possible that among our readers there are some who have experienced this in their lives. When one of God’s children began to feel the need of a neighbor and could lay it before the Lord, then suddenly there came a turn for the better. This does not mean that all prayers are answered. No, but all God-given prayers will come to pass. And what the Lord can give in daily life, He can also give in spiritual life.

How necessary it is that the Lord also give such a prayer in your heart. Then instead of the fathers and mothers, the sons and daughters will go in the old paths. This would give a reformation in the church, something for which everyone is longing, everyone except the prince of darkness.

The following morning, after the Lord had spoken, Abimelech arose early and called all his servants together. He told them everything that the Lord had told him to do. His servants were frightened. They feared God’s judgments, probably thinking of what had happened to Sodom and Gomorrah. These men are a shaming example for us, because we do not have a fear of the Lord so readily, sometimes not even when the greatest judgments take place. Where did the callings of the Lord bring us, those callings which we have seen in the past years with earthquakes and floods, but also great storms? We proceed as if nothing has taken place. We do not see that God’s hand is in them because of our sins. There is therefore no humiliation! Humiliation will only happen when the Holy Spirit comes along with it; however, it does not take away the responsibility for our deeds.

According to God’s commandment Abimelech called Abraham. He asked him four questions as to why he had dealt in such a way with him. The answer of Abraham was very weak. He did not know very well what to say. It is not good when the world must condemn God’s child for his actions. It is a great privilege when our conduct does not give reason of offense for our neighbors who do not serve the Lord. He who knows his own heart must ask time and again, “Lord, keep me, so that Thy Name will not be dishonored for my sake.” It is only the protecting hand of the Lord when it does not come thus far in our life.

What was the answer of Abraham? He very weakly defended himself; it is obvious that his defense neither removed nor excused his sin. The father of believers must have been shamefaced in the presence of Abimelech and his servants. The only thing he could answer was that he thought there was nobody in Gerar who feared the Lord and they would kill him if he revealed that Sarah was his wife. He also told them that Sarah was his sister, although his half-sister.

On the one hand we can understand what the father of the faithful had done; he wanted to maintain his life. Man does not want to lose his life, and Abraham feared that this would happen. On the other hand it is impossible for man to give himself unconditionally into the hand of the Lord, except when the Lord Himself brings us upon this place and we may subject ourselves to Him. It was not an easy way for Abraham to go as a consequence of his unbelief, but it was nevertheless an instructive way. Herein man is seen as a sinner and the Lord as a righteous and merciful God.

Abimelech tried to make things right with Abraham, because he gave him valuable presents, but above all he restored Sarah to him. Moreover he said, “Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.” Abraham could request anything of the king, even before he had prayed for him. In this Abimelech dealt differently than did Pharaoh, who also gave Abraham presents, but commanded him to go away.

How wonderfully the Lord deals with His people. As the unchangeable God of the covenant, He will not forsake them, as we see so clearly in this history. The chastisements for sin were not lacking in the life of Abraham, as we have seen, but how clear it is that the Lord was silent in love. At the end Abraham was overloaded with presents by this heathen king through God’s intervention.

The Lord is still doing the same, even though we do the opposite. Many times we render evil for good and hatred for love, but the Lord renders good for the evil of His church, with tokens of His eternal love. This is only possible because of the righteousness which Christ has merited by His blood of reconciliation shed on Golgotha. We may see that the Lord maintains His attributes, but satisfaction is given, and in Christ it is possible for the Lord to again have communion with the sinner.

Abimelech told Sarah that he had given a thousand pieces of silver to her brother. He said to her, “Behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other.” This expression probably suggests the wearing of a veil, which Sarah should wear to prevent such troubles as she had experienced so recently. Probably Sarah had not used a proper veil, as was custom in the land of the Philistines. Abimelech also wanted to say with these words that Abraham would thus confess that she was his wife and that she would acknowledge him as her husband.

The text ends, “Thus she was reproved.” The margin says that the meaning is: “She was warned to be more careful.”

The end of the chapter tells us that Abraham prayed to the Lord for Abimelech and his house, which had been stricken with impotency because of Sarah. It is what the Lord told Abimelech to ask Abraham to do. The Lord laid the words in the heart of His child, and then an answer must follow because the Lord is a faithful God. The outcome was that the house of Abimelech was healed; the Lord took away the impotence.

You can see in this history that immodesty does much evil, which is also true today. Think of the history of Sodom and Gomorrah, the sin of incest in Lot’s family, and the sin of adultery. Three successive chapters in the Bible speak of it. It is a warning for all of us and for our country, because the displeasure of the Lord rests upon it, as we have seen. And the Lord has not changed. Therefore it should be our prayer that the Lord will keep us from those evil ways and from all sin.

How clear it is also in this chapter that the Lord is the unchangeable One, who does not deal with us according to our many sins. Like Abraham, we try to maintain ourselves, but the Lord knows how to bring us in true humiliation before Him. Do you have knowledge of the works of the unchangeable and faithful God in your life? May the Lord give that we draw nigh to Him, just as Abraham has learned to do, to receive His undeserved blessings. May we also experience that the Lord never forsakes the works of His hands, and feel this in our personal lives. Although it is possible that we wander away like Abraham did out of fear for his life, still the Lord remembers His covenant. So it will be with all His children. “Like a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear Him” (Psalm 103:13).

Questions:

1. Mention several reasons why Abraham might have traveled toward the south country.

2. Why was the sin of Abraham and Sarah, when saying that Sarah was Abraham’s sister, greater than when he said the same in Egypt?

3. What do you say of Abraham’s answer to Abimelech?

4. Abimelech claimed that he was innocent. Although the Lord was long-suffering in dealing with him, why do we conclude that this was not true?

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