When God’s People Repeat Their Sins - or D eja vu

When God’s People Repeat Their Sins - or Deja vu Genesis 20 Created by David Turner www.BibleStudies-Online.com

I love the Bible because I can relate to all its heroes. With the exception of Jesus they are all sinners, and have the same issues I have. Even Abraham and Sarah. Abraham has a sin he doesn’t want to let go of.

Abraham Repeats his Sin Before we come down too hard on Abraham, lets look at ourselves.

Are there sins we won’t let go of? • Alcohol, drugs, excessive eating • Gossip, anger, slander • Lust, bitterness, resentment • Debt, a lust for money, reluctance to give to the Lord • Sexual sins • Wasting time, neglecting time for God

I. Abraham Repeats his lies (vs. 1-2) Genesis 20:1–2 Abraham journeyed from there to the Negev region and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he lived as a temporary resident in Gerar, 2Abraham said about his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent for Sarah and took her. • Abraham is on the move • He was in Mamre for about 20 years, living among the Oaks. • He left immediately after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. • Abram uses the same lie of protection in all his travels. “Sarah is my sister”. • Abimelech may be a name ascribed to kings in this area.

Comparison: Lie in Egypt and Gerar

Why would Abraham do it again? • Maybe, because he has used this lie everywhere he has traveled and there were seldom issues. It’s a 25 year old lie. • Maybe, because he prospered in Egypt last time he used it. • Maybe, though he had the lack of faith the tell the truth, he had faith that God would pull him out of it. • Even though Hagar and Ishmael resulted from the last lie, Abraham doesn’t grasp the negative consequences. • Why do you repeat your sins?

II. God Protects (vs. 3-7) 3But God appeared to Abimelech in a dream at night and said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is someone else’s wife.” • He protects the promise. • He protects Sarah. • By revealing the lie, he protects Abimelech from unintentional sin. • The Revelation is an act of God’s Grace (Revealing Grace)

II. God Protects (vs. 3-7) 4Now Abimelech had not gone near her. He said, “Lord, would you really slaughter an innocent nation? 5Did Abraham not say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ I have done this with a clear conscience and with innocent hands!” • Abimelech uses almost the same argument Abraham used in the previous chapter, “will you slaughter the innocent (Abraham said ‘righteous’)?” • Abimelech appeals to innocence by ignorance.

II. God Protects (vs. 3-7) 6Then in the dream God replied to him, “Yes, I know that you have done this with a clear conscience. That is why I have kept you from sinning against me and why I did not allow you to touch her. 7But now give back the man’s wife. Indeed he is a prophet and he will pray for you; thus you will live. But if you don’t give her back, know that you will surely die along with all who belong to you.” • Restraining Grace – God’s revealing grace restrained Abimelech from unintentional sin. • Protecting Grace – God’s restraining grace protected Sarah from defilement by Abimilech’s household. • Directing Grace – God directs Abimelech on how to save himself and his household.

III. Abraham is Rebuked (vs.8-13) 8Early in the morning Abimelech summoned all his servants. When he told them about all these things, they were terrified. 20:9Abimelech summoned Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? What sin did I commit against you that would cause you to bring such great guilt on me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should not be done!” • Chastening Grace – Abimelech (the unbeliever) rebuked Abraham (the believer). • How embarrassing is that? • What about Abraham’s testimony? • The unbeliever seems more righteous than the believer. • God used Abraham’s sin as a means of revealing Himself to Abimelech.

III. Abraham is Rebuked (vs.8-13) 10Then Abimelech asked Abraham, “What prompted you to do this thing?” 11Abraham replied, “Because I thought, ‘Surely no one fears God in this place. They will kill me because of my wife.’ • What did I do to you that you would do this to me? • Abraham’s excuses: • He assumed (made a generalization) they don’t fear God (remember Sodom?). • He assumed they wouldn’t respect the truth. Do we make generalizations that everyone around us is so bad they won’t listen to the truth. Instead of sharing our faith, we withdraw in fear. We are to fear God, not man.

III. Abraham is Rebuked (vs.8-13) 12What’s more, she is indeed my sister, my father’s daughter, but not my mother’s daughter. She became my wife. 13When God made me wander from my father’s house, I told her, ‘This is what you can do to show your loyalty to me: Every place we go, say about me, “He is my brother.”’” • Excuses continue • I didn’t lie, I just twisted the truth, “she is my sister”. It’s just a little white lie (half sister-half truth). • Little lies can cause the innocent to stumble. • “Don’t take it personal. We’ve always done it this way.”This was a general scheme, it wasn’t directed against you. A twisted truth is still a lie. The best lie is one that contains just enough truth to make it believable.

IV. The Scheme Pays (vs.14-16) 14So Abimelech gave sheep, cattle, and male and female servants to Abraham. He also gave his wife Sarah back to him. 15Then Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you; live wherever you please.” 16To Sarah he said, “Look, I have given a thousand pieces of silver to your ‘brother.’ This is compensation for you so that you will stand vindicated before all who are with you.” • What were the consequences? Out of fear of God, Abimelech • Gave Abraham sheep, cattle, and male and female servants. • Gave him permission to live anywhere in the land he wants. • Gave him 1,000 pieces of silver. • Sarah is vindicated. There is no indication from Abraham’s three lines of defense that he accepted responsibility or repented for his behavior. Though his arguments probably didn’t satisfy Abimelech, and they certainly don’t satisfy us, they did seem to satisfy Abraham. Isaac would commit the same offense in Gen 26.

V. Abraham Intercedes (vs. 17-18) 17Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, as well as his wife and female slaves so that they were able to have children. 18For the Lord had caused infertility to strike every woman in the household of Abimelech because he took Sarah, Abraham’s wife. • What does Abimelech get out of all this? • Abraham intercedes for Abimelech and God healed his wife and servants of their inability to have children.

Conclusion The most godly of believers are fallible. Sinless perfectionism is not taught in Scripture. Privileged position does not preclude failure.

Conclusion A generalization that everyone is evil can be a rationalization to disobey God Abraham’s fear of the people caused him to withdraw from being a proper testimony for God. He underestimated God’s desire to show his grace to others.

Conclusion Sometimes believers need to be rebuked by unbelievers In this chapter, Abimelech is more righteous than Abraham

Conclusion Our rationalized excuses for sin are transparent to others. Difficult circumstances are not an excuse for doing wrong. A half truth is a lie. Telling part of the truth and withholding part of the story is a sophisticated lie. “We’ve always done it this way” may be merely and admission of persistent sin.

Conclusion Our failures will won’t necessarily keep a person from coming to faith in the Lord. God spoke to Abimelech in spite of Abraham’s hypocrisy. God’s grace was manifested to Abimelech in the midst of Abraham’s failure.

Conclusion Our salvation and security is based on God’s Grace, not our works. Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Even when he failed his position within God’s promise was secured. Faith saves and secures us!

When God’s People Repeat Their Sins - or D eja vu