It was evening and Abraham was sitting outside his tent when three angels came. He insisted that they sit and rest while he prepared food for them. After they had eaten and rested, they told Abraham what their mission was. The cry of the sin of Sodom had ascended to God and they were coming to judge the iniquities of the cities of the plain. Two of the angels went on their mission to Sodom and the third, who was the Lord Jesus Christ, a theophany which is the manifestation of Christ; stayed with Abraham. As Abraham interceded for the city of Sodom and brought the number of righteous people from fifty to ten, the Lord agreed not to destroy Sodom if ten righteous people were found there.
“And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom; and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground.” (Gen.19:1).
When Lot separated himself from Abraham in Genesis, chapter 13, we read that Lot pitched his tent towards Sodom. Sodom was a very wicked city. In Genesis, chapter 14, Lot was now dwelling in Sodom and here in chapter 19, he is sitting in the gate of Sodom, which is a symbol of the position of a judge.
When there were judgments to be made, among the people, the judgments were always in the gates of the city. We see the progression towards evil. Lot first pitches his tent “towards” Sodom, then he is dwelling “in” Sodom and now he has become one of the “ruling judges” in this wicked city. As he is sitting there in the gate, he sees these two men approaching. It could have been by their appearance or by some discernment that he knew they were “divine” messengers, or perhaps he didn’t know; but, we see him bowing his face toward the ground.
“And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night, rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.” (Gen.19:2).
Lot was vexed by the way the people were living in Sodom. His righteous spirit was vexed by their manner of life. He knew the wickedness of the city and yet he dwelled there. He knew the dangers that would come to them if they tried to spend the night in the open square of the city so he insisted they stay at his house.
“And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.” (Gen.19:3).
The fact that Lot did the cooking could have been an indication that his wife was upset with him for bringing unannounced company home.
This is the first mention of unleavened bread in the scripture. Later on it would be used in the “Passover.” Leaven, in the scripture, is always a type of sin. It is the rising agent in the bread, the starter, that caused the air to puff the dough by putrefaction; because, a little bit of starter will permeate the whole batch of dough, it became an interesting type of sin.
“But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter.” (Gen.19:4).
So, this is not just a small segment of the city. It doesn’t represent a minority group, it represents the general practice of the city of Sodom.
“And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? Bring them out unto us, that we may know them.” (Gen.19:5).
So that they might know them in a homosexual way.
“And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes; only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.” (Gen.19:6-8).
It is extremely difficult for us to understand Lot’s reasoning in this passage.
Lot’s willingness to offer his two virgin daughters to this lustful crowd to be abused or raped is something we don’t understand; but, we don’t understand the Eastern mind. We don’t understand the social customs of the East. In the Eastern Culture a guest in the home is due your respect and protection. There is a moral obligation to take care of ones guests. This is still practiced in the Bedouin communities today. He may be your greatest enemy, but as long as he is in your home it is your duty to treat him with respect and courtesy. Lot is a classical example of being a host to the guests and protecting them even to the point of giving his virgin daughters to the crowd. Somehow I have to think that Lot knew these men were “divine” beings.
“And they said, Stand back, and they said again, this one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge; now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door. But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door. And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great; so that they wearied themselves to find the door.” (Gen.19:9-11).
In another place in the Old Testament, we find God striking the army of the Syrians with blindness when they came to capture Elisha. Remember how Ben-Hadad was thwarted in all of his plans to attack Israel. Everytime he planned an attack, the Israelis were waiting and ambushed them; because, Elisha was informing the king of all of the secret plans.
“Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not show me which of us is for the king of Israel? And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.” (II Ki.6:11-12).
The king of Syria sent his troops to find Elisha and bring him back to Syria. They came to Dothan and compassed the city about by night and when the servant of Elisha arose early in the morning, he beheld the city surrounded by horses and chariots. He told his master and asked what they should do. “And he,” (Elisha) “answered, Fear not; for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw; and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And He smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city; follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria. and it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see, And the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.” (II Ki.6:16-20). Elisha told the king of Israel to give them food and send them home and they came no more into the land of Israel.
Now, here in Genesis, chapter 19, God smote the men of Sodom with blindness. The amazing thing to me is that they kept trying to find the door. What would you have done if you were there and had been smitten with blindness? I would have tried to find my way home but they kept trying to find the door. This shows how determined they were in their sinful practices.
“And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son-in-law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place; For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it.” (Gen.19:12-13).
The angels told Lot to get his family out because they had a mission to destroy Sodom.
“And Lot went out and spake unto his sons-in-law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons-in-law.” (Gen.19:14).
Lot doesn’t even try to talk to his sons. It could be that they have become so corrupt that it wouldn’t do any good. He does, however, go and talk to his sons-in-law but they thought he was either crazy or just joking.
“And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.” (Gen.19:15).
There seems to be a real reluctance, on Lot’s part, to leave Sodom. He hesitates and the angels are constantly urging him to hurry.
“And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him; and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.” (Gen.19:16)
The angels practically had to force them out of the city.
“And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord; Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast showed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die.” (Gen.19:17-19).
This is an inconsistent logic that God saved him from Sodom only to kill him in the mountains. It doesn’t make sense, but fear, often times, does not make sense.
“Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one; Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live. And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken. Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.” (Gen.19:20-22).
The angel said, “I cannot do any thing until you are safe.” This is an important statement. In the New Testament, there are several references to Lot, to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, the people of Sodom and Gomorrah and to Lot’s wife. Jesus, in a warning of the dangers of turning back, said, “Remember Lot’s wife.”
In turning back she perished. Jesus said,
“No man having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62).
“And as it was in the days of Noah so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man.” (Luke 17:26). “
Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.” (Luke 17:28-29).
Perhaps most important of all to us is Peter’s reference to Lot, where he tells us that God delivered Lot from the city of Sodom before His judgment fell. “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.” (II Peter 2:9). This passage is being used in the context of the Second coming of Jesus Christ and the Great Tribulation in which Peter is declaring that God knows how to deliver the righteous, but reserve the ungodly for judgment. God’s day of judgment is fast approaching upon this world, in which we live. We can not escape the judgment of God, it’s really long overdue.
God has been very long suffering, but as He said to Noah, “My Spirit will not always strive with man.” There will come a day when the work of the Spirit will be over, but God knows how to deliver the righteous. Abraham’s whole logic in his intercessory prayer for Sodom and Gomorrah was, “Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?” “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” The LORD said He would not destroy it for ten righteous people, but there were not ten righteous found, only Lot. The LORD stayed His judgment until Lot was safe.
I believe that the judgment of God toward this Christ rejecting, humanistic, world is being kept back by the presence of the Christian Body. I also believe that once God removes His “church” that the judgment of God is going to fall, just as it fell on Sodom and Gomorrah, and those terrible days that are described in Revelation, chapter six through eighteen, will come to pass and the earth will see God’s judgment. He will pour out His wrath and indignation on those who have rejected His love and His Plan of Salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. I am also convinced, by the righteous nature of God, that He will not judge the righteous with the wicked, but, as with Lot, will take them out before His judgment comes.
“The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.” (Gen.19:23).
It is interesting that Lot didn’t take off for his Uncle Abraham’s place. He, no doubt, knew that Abraham was living in the high plains above Sodom and Gomorrah.
It’s amazing the strange fascination that evil can have for a person. There are some people who have come under the power of pornography. It is something that gets a grip on them and they are more or less compelled to look at it. It becomes a real problem to them. So, we see Lot holding on to this area and not really wanting to leave it.
“Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; And He overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.” (Gen.19:24-26).
It could be that there was volcanic action. When we read these things, we try to find some kind of a natural phenomena by which it can be explained. We do know that a great cataclysmic event took place around where Sodom and Gomorrah existed. There is a mountain of salt down there near the sight of the ancient city of Sodom. A mountain of salt that is seven hundred feet high and five miles long. There is no scientific way by which to reason that the salt came there by just the evaporation of the Dead Sea. The formation of the mountain, etc. preclude any rational explanation. There had to be some kind of catastrophe. It could be that there was a kind of volcanic upheaval and that the salt beds were blown in the air and Lot’s wife was covered by salt that was raining down with the fire and brimstone. I don’t think that there was some physical change of the body that she became a salt pile, but that she was covered with the salt that was raining down.
If you go down into the southern part of the Dead Sea, today, you’ll see several piles of salt that they call Lot’s wife, but I don’t put much credence in that.
“And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD; And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace. And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.” (Gen.19:27-29).
Abraham got up early and went to a place where he viewed the destruction that God had wrought. The smoke was like that of a great furnace.
“And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar; and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.” (Gen.19:30).
When the angels told Lot to flee to the mountains, he begged to go to the small city of Zoar and now here he is going to the mountains.
“And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth.” (Gen.19:31).
As far as they knew the whole earth was destroyed and they were the only inhabitants.
“Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. And they made their father drink wine that night; and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.” (Gen.19:32-33).
They got their father drunk and lay with him to preserve his lineage.
“And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father; let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. And they made their father drink wine that night also; and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father. And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab; the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day. And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi; the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.” (Gen.19:34-38).
The Moabites and the Ammonites are the descendants of Lot. Moab and Ammon are today found in the area known as Jordan. The capital of Jordan is Ammon which comes from the Ammonites. Basically the Arab races descended from Ishmael, Moab and Ammon.
Let’s look back over the chapter to see what we might learn from it, pointing out the fact that Lot first pitched his tent towards Sodom. Lot was attracted to the fertility of the area, the abundance that was there.
When Ezekiel talks about the sin of Sodom, he mentions the fullness of bread and the idleness of time. Actually what brought these people of Sodom into their sinful lifestyle was the fact that they were prosperous and had spare time. The area, being so fertile, required little attention or time and having this surplus of agriculture; they could turn their time towards their society. Lot was attracted to the area and then he lived in the area and became a judge. What was the price that Lot paid for this? It cost him his entire family. The morals of his entire family were corrupted although Lot, himself, stayed pure. He was strong enough to withstand the temptations and the evil that was there in Sodom, but his family were not.
Many times parents make a foolish mistake as they dabble with Playboy magazines or X-rated videos. The parents say, “We’re adults, we can look at this.” “As an adult I can handle it.” “It doesn’t really bother me.” We feel we can view these kind of things and not be dramatically affected. What you don’t realize is that your kids know how to put videos into the VCR. Your kids know where you hide that Playboy magazine and they pick it up and have emotions stirred in them that they are not able to handle. They’re not able to control these emotions because they do not have the natural outlet for these emotions. They are being emotionally stirred in their hearts and so they start messing around.
While you feel you can live in Sodom and not be affected, you do not consider the damage it can do to your family. You may survive, but your children, often, become the victims and they don’t survive. If you love your children, then keep your house pure. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” (Gal.6:7-8).
I believe this goes into every area of our lives. We are sowing, into our minds, the music that we listen to. There is a lot of music today which is suggestive in its lyric content. It is planted into your mind and you will reap of the flesh. You say, “Well, I can handle it.” But! Can your kids? Create a spiritual environment and atmosphere that will build up your children in the Lord. Be careful what is planted in their minds. Protect that treasure that you have in them as long as you can. Lot failed, though he personally survived, his family did not. This is the last that we hear of Lot. We know that his grandchildren grew up to become the nations of Moab and Ammon, but we hear nothing more about Lot.
“And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.” (Gen.20:1).
The south country is translated, “Negev Desert,” which is down toward Egypt.
Kadesh is on the northern end of the Negev, just south of Beer-sheva, where you come into the “promise land.” Shur is a little further south toward Egypt and Gerar is down near the Egyptian border. Gerar was a very large town. The archeologists have uncovered Gerar and it seemed to be a large merchandising town. Perhaps, even with all of his wealth, Abraham went down to trade to increase that wealth.
“And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister; and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah, But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man’s wife.” (Gen.20:2-3).
Twenty-five years earlier, when Abraham had first come into the land, there was a drought in the land and he went down to Egypt. He asked Sarah to say that she was his sister, because he was afraid they might take her, for her beauty, and kill him. The Pharaoh took Sarah into his harem, but God told him that she was a man’s wife. The Pharaoh sent Sarah and Abraham away. Now, Abraham is doing the same thing here in Gerar. After twenty-five more years of walking with God and entering into covenants with him, Abraham still has not grown in faith to the place where he knows that God will, indeed, take care of him. Abraham is repeating the same sin that he committed twenty-five years ago and behind it all is the fact that he is afraid of being killed. That fear caused him to enter into the deceit of saying Sarah was his sister instead of his wife. How tragic, what fear can do. What an enemy of faith, fear becomes.
“But Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation? Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother; in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this. And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me; therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.” (Gen.20:4-6).
There are some interesting things in this interchange between Abimelech and the Lord. God is dealing with Abimelech in a dream. You remember that later on he dealt with Nebudchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, in a dream. God reaches men even the Pagans. Abimelech, in this dream, has been declared by God as a dead man if he doesn’t return Sarah to her husband. Evidently, God had begun to strike the nation with a plague and people began to die for unknown reasons; also, God had shut up the wombs of the house of Abimelech. We don’t know how long Sarah was in the harem, but probably long enough for the plague to become evident. Abimelech was probably wondering what was going on just as Nebudchadnezzar’s dream followed his question of what’s going to happen to my kingdom? So, the Lord, in a dream showed Abimelech that he would die if he didn’t return Sarah to her husband.
The Lord said that He kept Abimelech from sinning against Him. I would think that the sin was against Sarah or Abraham. When King David took Bathsheba in adultery and had her husband put on the front line of battle and killed, his confession to God in Psalm 51 was, “Against thee, thee only, have I sinned…“
In reality all sin is against God. It may affect other people, but God is the one I always sin against. I can not sin except I sin against God. It can have a very tragic effect on the lives of the people around me, but ultimately God is the one I will answer to because sin is against His holy law.
“Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live; and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.” (Gen.20:7).
This is not a good witness to Abimelech that a prophet would lie. One of the things that makes this so terrible is that Abraham has been walking with the Lord for many years now. He should have advanced further in his walk and his faith by this time. Secondly, it’s a repeated sin and not the first time it happened. Thirdly, he is jeopardizing the whole plan of God. God has declared through Sarah shall thy seed be called.
Actually, in a sense, God brought Abraham and Sarah back to life. He rejuvenated them at ninety and a hundred years old. Have you ever wondered why she was so beautiful that a king took her into his harem? It could be that God completely rejuvenated this old couple in order to keep His word to them. If Abimelech had gone in and had relations with Sarah then the whole program could have been in jeopardy. Abraham was about to mess up the whole plan of God, by the polluting of the line by which the Messiah would come, but God moved sovereignly to protect His program.
God will always protect His program. We may fail, but God will raise up someone else. Remember when Mordecai sent the message to Esther, who was fearful to go in to Ahaserus because she might be killed, that she wouldn’t escape just because she was in the palace. If she chose not to go, God would raise up deliverance from another quarter. God would save His people, but she would have lost her chance to be used of God.
“Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears; and the men were sore afraid. Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.” (Gen.20:8-9).
What have you got against me that you would put me in this situation?
“And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?” (Gen.20:10).
In other words, what did you have in mind? It is interesting that here is a prophet of God being rebuked by a Pagan king. It completely destroys his witness before Abimelech.
“And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife’s sake. And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.” (Gen.20:11-12).
It’s not a complete lie. It’s sort of a half lie. Did you ever realize that a half truth is also a half lie? Abraham tries to lamely explain his actions which stems from the fear of his own life. God had said He was going to give him a son. The son was not yet born, so why would Abraham fear for his life? Surely he should realize that the word of God is going to be fulfilled. God’s word can not fail. Abraham’s faith did develop and grow as we will see as we read further in Genesis.
It is interesting that oftentimes these places of failure are also places of growth. God, in His love and grace towards us, reveals to us those areas of weakness in our lives; only, for the purpose that He might make us strong. God so often when revealing the fleshly areas that are displeasing to Him , doesn’t show them in a condemning way; but, he shows them in a way to reveal the next area where God will work in my life. Whenever God makes me aware of a displeasing area in my life, I look at it as God putting up “under construction” signs. That’s the place where he is going to be working next. As He puts me through the test, it is to develop my trust in Him and take away the confidence in my flesh. It is to cause me to trust only in His work, because in myself I am going to fail. We so often get in God’s way as He is trying to work in our lives. We want to get some of the glory when we get the victory. The tests and failures are to cause us to rely completely on the Lord, because in our flesh dwells no good thing.
“And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, he is my brother.” (Gen.20:13).
Abraham’s failure started back in Babylon before he ever walked with God. He had already figured this is the area where he would fail so he was programmed, back in Babylon, for failure.
It’s possible for us to program failure into our lives. In the same way that you program failure, you can program victory. “I know that I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.” If you learn to just trust in the Lord, you can be victorious over every circumstance of life. It’s important that you have certain foundational truths upon which you stand. When everything is shakey and trembling, you stand upon these truths: God loves me, God will take care of me, He who neither slumbers or sleeps will watch over me, He will preserve me and cause me to come forth triumphant. Look at what Paul the Apostle went through, Why? Because, he knew in whom he believed. He was able to go through the stonings, the shipwrecks, the beatings and all the experiences that he had, coming forth more than a conqueror; because his trust was in the living God. Here Abraham, the opposite, preprogrammed defeat and it happened to him and caught him in that moment of weakness.
“And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and women servants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.“ (Gen.20:14).
Remember, earlier, when the king of Sodom tried to give Abraham the recaptured “loot” and he wouldn’t take it. He said he had made a vow to the LORD that none could say they made Abraham rich. Here is a case where it would be a cultural insult and a worse disgrace not to take it; so, Abraham received these things from the king.
“And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee; dwell where it pleaseth thee. And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver; behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other; thus she was reproved.” (Gen.20:15-16).
Basically what Abimelech is saying to Sarah is, “If Abraham is stumbled because of your beauty, go buy a veil.”
“So Abraham prayed unto God…” (Gen.20:17a).
Interesting! Here is a man of failure but God said,
“he’s a prophet, ask him to pray for you that you might be healed.””…and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children. For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham’s wife.” (Gen.20:17b-18).
God’s sovereign providential care to keep his program though Abraham had this moment of weakness. In the following chapters of Genesis, we will find Abraham growing in faith.
Next: Genesis 21-22
Robert Clifton Robinson 