In our study of Genesis chapter twenty, we look at prayer and how the prayer of a righteous man is effective. We will also see what it means to be a prophet as this is the first place in the Bible where we are introduced to the concept.
** Note ** In this study, we will be using the Complete Jewish Bible (CJB) translation which was translated directly from Hebrew into English. You can get your own hardback or paperback copy on Amazon where we will earn a small commission.
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Avraham traveled from there toward the Negev and lived between Kadesh and Shur. While living as an alien in G'rar,
The Negev is a desert/semi-desert region in southern Israel and that is where Avraham went after he witnessed the destruction of Sodom & Gomorrah. Why he went into that area instead of the more fertile areas, we do not know but we see that he spent time in Gerar. Throughout the Bible, the desert is a place of testing and the purpose of that testing is to grow us in our faith.
Avraham was saying of Sarah his wife, "She is my sister"; so Avimelekh king of G'rar sent and took Sarah.
While in Gerar, Avraham once again let it be known that Sarah was his sister just as he did in chapter 12 but we do not yet see the reason for it. So, we see that Avimelekh sent his servants to get Sarah and take her into the palace.
But God came to Avimelekh in a dream one night and said to him, "You are about to die because of the woman you have taken, since she is someone's wife."
Before the king could take her as his wife, God appeared to him in a dream and said that he would die for taking Sarah because she was a married woman. We must remember that the king would not have known that fact and it is significant that God appeared to the king and not to Avraham asking him why he had said that Sarah was his sister.
Now Avimelekh had not come near her; so he said, "Lord, will you kill even an upright nation? Didn't he himself say to me, 'She is my sister'? And even she herself said, 'He is my brother.' In doing this, my heart has been pure and my hands innocent."
In his dream, Avimelekh states his case for justice and we see that Sarah had also told him that Avraham was his brother. We are reminded that God knows the heart of man and that God knew that he had not intentionally sinned and thought that he was doing what was right. It reminds us that we are not held responsible for things that God does not make known to us. He has given us a Counselor to make us aware of His plans and to guide us in that path.
God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know that in doing this, your heart has been pure; and I too have kept you from sinning against me. This is why I didn't let you touch her. Therefore, return the man's wife to him now. He is a prophet, and he will pray for you, so that you will live. But if you don't return her, know that you will certainly die - you and all who belong to you."
We see that it was God who had kept the king from touching Sarah and we are reminded that we must rely on Him to overcome whatever we face. If we will listen and follow the leading of the Spirit, we can be sure that He will keep us from sin. We also see that God's favor was still upon Avraham and God called him a prophet meaning he had received revelation from God. This favor of God would be displayed for the king by God answering Avraham's prayer on the king's behalf. The king was to go and have Avraham pray on his behalf to save himself and his family. James said that "the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" (see James 5:16) and so we know that the same power is at work today. Unlike Abimelek, we do not have to go to someone else to have them pray for our needs. In Christ, we are made righteous and can ask for what we need on our own. That brings up questions about prayer lists, prayer chains, and getting together for prayer services: Are they more harm than good? The answer is maybe. If believers are thinking that they must be a part of that in order to have their prayers heard and answered, it is really forgetting the fact that Jesus died in order to give us personal access. If Christians are getting together to pray for others, it can be useful to build others up in the faith. When they see the prayers answered, it can build them up in their faith but we must be careful to say that it only takes one Christian to pray for God to hear and act on their behalf. Anything else is close to Nicolaitism which Jesus denounced in His letters to the churches (see Revelation 2). The sad fact is that many prayer chains and services degrade into gossip festivals which do not glorify God. For more on this, check out our modern parable titled Simon's Tears.
Avimelekh got up early in the morning, called all his servants and told them these things; and the men became very afraid.
Abimelek believed God and explained what had happened to his appointed leaders. They became afraid and, in this, we see that God has the power to work in the hearts of everyone, even those who do not belong to Him. We also see that this entire situation had been brought about so that God might be revealed to the king of that land. As the wisest man ever (Solomon) said, "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge".
Then Avimelekh called Avraham and said to him, "What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you to cause you to bring on me and my kingdom a great sin? You have done things to me that are just not done." Avimelekh went on, asking Avraham, "Whatever could have caused you to do such a thing?"
Abimelek asks Avraham why he did this to him and he acknowledges that it was a "great sin" for him to take a woman to be with who he had no intention of having a marriage covenant. Basically, the king is asking Avraham what it was that Avraham had seen in the king that would cause him to do this.
Avraham replied, "It was because I thought, 'There could not possibly be any fear of God in this place, so they will kill me in order to get my wife.' But she actually is also my sister, the daughter of my father but not the daughter of my mother, and so she became my wife. When God had me leave my father's house, I told her, 'Do me this favor: wherever we go, say about me, "He is my brother."'"
We see the answer was that Avraham was in fact a prophet of God and it was revealed to him the fact that the people of the land did not fear God. Avraham goes on to explain that he did not lie as Sarah truly is his sister.
Avimelekh took sheep, cattle, and male and female slaves, and gave them to Avraham; and he returned to him Sarah his wife. Then Avimelekh said, "Look, my country lies before you; live where you like."
We see that Abimelek went well above what God had required him to do as he presented gifts to Avraham. The king's actions remind us that, with repentance, comes a new attitude and that attitude is backed up by action. Abimelek was truly sorry for what he had done and he set about making it right.
To Sarah he said, "Here, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. That will allay the suspicions of everyone who is with you. Before everyone you are cleared."
Abimelek's repentance included making things right with Sarah. He gave what would have amounted to about 25 pounds of silver for his offence against her. We notice that the king said that he gave the silver to her brother and that is significant as he is admitting that what Avraham had said and done was right. The king admits that it was right for Avraham to say that they would have killed him to take Sarah from him.
Avraham prayed to God, and God healed Avimelekh and his wife and slave-girls, so that they could have children. For ADONAI had made every woman in Avimelekh's household infertile on account of Sarah Avraham's wife.
We see that after Abimelek's repentance, Avraham prayed on his behalf and God answered with healing for him and his family. This also provides a lesson in prayer for us as many may ask for us to pray for them without repenting of their sin but, like Avraham, we need to make sure that the sin is dealt with before we pray.
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