The Life of Abraham XX: Abraham Makes a Covenant with Abimelech

Genesis 21:22-34

This portion of God’s Word tells of another meeting between Abraham and Abimelech. It was probably shortly after Isaac was weaned and Ishmael was sent away with his mother. Undoubtedly it was a difficult time for Abraham, but it is possible that the Lord comforted him with the visitor who came to him. We have met Abimelech before in the history of Sarah in Gerar (Genesis 20). This had occurred a few years before, because in the meantime Isaac had been born and weaned.

Most likely this Abimelech was the same person, but the name Abimelech is a title, not necessarily the name of a person. It is possible that this was the successor of the previous king, but this is not very likely, since he spoke of the kindness he had shown to Abraham in the past years. In this history we do not find extraordinary things; we would say that there is nothing special, but we do find here matters which show us the practice of godliness. It is something out of the daily life of the father of the faithful, and also these things are for our instruction.

We read in the beginning of this history, “And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest.” For Abraham it was not particularly special that important people came to him, since he was one of the richest people of his time. He associated with the princes of Mamre, but also with the Pharaoh of Egypt, and he had also met Abimelech before.

We should not forget that Abraham at times had higher Visitors than earthly kings. The Lord had come to him personally and had spoken to him. Communion with God teaches a man to value worldly honor rightly: not too low, not too highly. Abraham, the friend of God, did not lose his spiritual balance because a Philistine king and his general visited him.

When we speak of Abimelech, then we should not think in terms of his ruling over a large kingdom such as we have today. The kings were usually over one city with its surrounding territory. Still, such a visit was an occasion which did not happen every day, and especially the reason why he had come was important, as he clearly confessed, “God is with thee in all that thou doest.”

Abraham was a man who was richly blessed by the Lord. All that he did prospered. His cattle multiplied, and he had many servants and a large household. In one word, he was a man of great wealth and influence. Abraham did not pride himself in this, because he knew very well that it was the Lord’s doing. Lot went to Sodom to become rich, and he lost everything. Abraham went to Egypt in a time of famine, and still he increased his possessions, even though there was a dark side to it. It was clear to everyone that the favor of the Lord rested upon all the work Abraham did; even the heathens saw it.

Is this always felt by God’s children? No, often it is the opposite, and they complain, “The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me.” Or they cry out, “All these things are against me.” Then their eyes are dosed for the benefits of the Lord, while others can speak about it, just as Abimelech did in this history. God’s people are ashamed when they are judged by the world in this way, but our eyes are dosed for it.

Probably some will ask, “But do God’s people not have many adversities in their lives?” Yes, there are times in which everything seems to be broken down by the Lord, but also these ways are the fruit of divine favor and eternal love, so that His people may come to the right place before the Lord. As it is written in the prophet Jeremiah, the Lord says, “All that I have built 1 will break down.”

The general observation of Abimelech that Abraham was so prosperous brought him to the tent of the patriarch. The reason was that he wanted to make a covenant with him. Why? It was because he saw that God richly blessed Abraham, and he was somewhat afraid that Abraham would overtake him in the future. Calvin wrote, “The king, indeed, openly avowed his own suspicions of him.” While he would allow Abraham a free dwelling place, yet he held him bound to himself by an oath. He wished to be on his guard against him. Abraham had become so mighty that in the future he could become a threat to his son or to his grandson. The king requested Abraham not to do any harm to his descendants, and he asked that this be confirmed under an oath before God.

Probably you ask, “Whence had he this suspicion or fear for a stranger, who was an honest and moderate man?” We know that the heathen are often anxious without cause. This is still the case! Abraham was a man of great influence. He had many servants, probably more than most of the kings of those days. Abimelech was afraid of Abraham, although he had no reason for it.

For Abraham there were no real objections to making a covenant of friendship. It was not inconsistent with the special position he had in this country, in which he was separated from the other people according to the commandment of the Lord in the covenant He had made with him. We should realize that such a covenant was not the same as we find later on in the life of Jacob, who made a covenant with the inhabitants of Shechem to mix with them. This covenant between Abraham and Abimelech dealt only with social intercourse, such as regarding division of pastures and drinking water for the flocks, etc.

To prove this, think of the following. When Abraham later felt the need to look for a wife for Isaac, then he did not go to the Philistines but sent his servant to Haran. In social matters Abraham could make a covenant with Abimelech, but these dealings might never be allowed to do any harm to the covenant with God. This means that a Christian may deal with the world in daily life, but he must continue to be separate from the world. We are in the world, and we have to go through the world, but we may not become one with the world. How many have stumbled over this fine line and have gone along with the world. We have to be extremely careful and pray daily that the Lord will keep us.

The king requested that the covenant be made under oath, “Now therefore swear unto me here by God.” The verb swear is derived from the Hebrew numeral seven. The septenary number was sacred, and an oath was confirmed either by seven sacrifices (21:28) or by seven witnesses and pledges.

It is peculiar that Abimelech so highly valued the oath, which was calling upon the name of the Lord to be the witness. When we break an oath, then the Lord may punish us. Also in our days, in which so little respect is left for God and His commandments, also for the oath, we find many who are not afraid to lie, but who hesitate to make an oath. Secretly they think, “You never know; what if there is a God?” We think of many in our country who do not believe in God. Some say, “When one does not believe in God, how can he call upon the name of the Lord and swear an oath?” It seems as though there is some ground in this reasoning, but consider this carefully.

Are there really people who believe there is no God? They say that there is no God. But our fathers said, “It is more a wishing than a believing that there is no God.” They try to strengthen this conviction, because that is the way they would like it. If there were no God, then there would be no revenge to be feared from God. But their consciences tell them differently, as we know from many so-called atheists. Very often it happens that people, who have testified so loudly that there is no God, have trembled on their deathbed for fear, or they were in despair because they had to meet a holy and righteous God whom they had always denied.

— to be continued —

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