Sunday, May 22, 2022

Preparation

God is all knowing:

Abraham told his wife to say that she was his sister so that he would not be treated harshly.

But God came to Abimelech in a dream that night, and said to him, behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken is a man's wife. 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.

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.

What a conundrum. Abraham a prophet of God told a lie. King Abimelech, who also communicated with God, took Sarah into his home because he thought that she was Abraham's sister, and God closed up all the wombs in Abimelech's kingdom to prevent Sarah from getting pregnant.

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. The men no doubt were afraid because Abimelech told the men that he got the message straight from God.

Then Abimelech called Abraham, and asked him why did he do such a thing. Have I offended you in anyway that you would put me in a situation that would kill me and my people? Why did you bring this sin to my kingdom? You have committed a gross error, you have demonstrated very poor judgement. Thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done. Abimelech said unto Abraham, what were you thinking?

Abraham said I have misjudged. I thought that surely the fear of God was not in this place. I thought you were like everybody else, the crowd, the multitude who went along to get along. Those who enjoyed secretly working to destroy the lives of others--denigrating, subjugating and dominating others; holding people back and stopping and blocking people from getting ahead in life--but I digress.

Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife. Abimelech said, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee. And unto Sarah he said, behold, I have given thy brother (because Abraham really was Sarah's brother--they had the same father but different mothers) 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 forgiven.

Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children. For the Lord had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife.

Genesis 20 Courtesy of King James Bible Online

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Exercise your authority to tread on serpents and to cast out demons. You are the head and not the tail. Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. Exercise your holy boldness.