SCRIPTURE: GENESIS 20
BIBLE VERSES:
“hen Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech his wife and his female slaves so they could have children again, for the Lord had kept all the women in Abimelech’s household from conceiving because of Abraham’s wife Sarah.” (Genesis 20:17-18)
ABRAHAM AND ABIMELECH (vs. 1-18)
Abraham moved on to the region of Negev and lived between Kadesh and Shur. They stayed in Gerar for a while. Abraham and Sarah both lied to Abimelech, king of Gerar that theyw ere siblings. So, Abimelech took Sarah. But God spoke to Abimelech in a dream and told him that Sarah was a married woman. He instructed him to return Sarah in order to live. The following morning, Abimelech summoned all his officials and asked Abraham why he lied to him. He answered: “I am afraid I would be killed because of my wife. But Sarah is my half-sister”. Then Abimelech gave Abraham sheep, cattle, slaves and a thousand shekels of silver. Then, Abraham prayed to God and God healed Abimelech’s wife and slave girls so they could have children again.
THOUGHTS:
Even though Abraham committed sin of lying, God still protected him. Abraham’s selfishness and unbelief would have wrecked his own life and the future of the Jewish nation, but God in His mercy spoke to the heathen king and kept him from sinning. As we struggle with out weakness, we can be encouraged to know that God is watching us. He is faithful even through we may be unfaithful to him.
Abimelech was about to commit adultery. But God prevented him from touching Sarah and hold him back from sinning. god had hold us back from sin many times without us knowing it. God works in ways we cannot see.