Abraham's Learning Curve: Sister-Wife Narratives (Egypt and Abimelech)

00:00 - James Spencer (Host) And, moreover, I would say, god's care for Abram extends beyond the boundaries of the promised land, and that detail is significant as it foreshadows God's presence and provision for His people in later periods of exile and wandering. God's faithfulness transcends geographic and situational boundaries, offering hope to all who trust Him. 00:19 - Speaker 2 (None) Welcome to PREPPED, the podcast that equips you to live out God's story, not the world's story. Hosted by James Spencer, PhD, each episode bridges the gap between academic insights and everyday life, preparing you to understand the Word of God and put it into practice. Whether you're diving into biblical studies, looking for ministry guidance or aiming to deepen your faith, PREPPED empowers you to think biblically and theologically in a world that encourages you not to Ready to get PREPPED. Subscribe now and transform the way you bring God's story into the world. 00:54 - James Spencer (Host) Hey everyone, this is Dr James Spencer and welcome to the PREPPED podcast. This is where we explore scripture in depth, connecting the text to our lives and uncovering the rich theological themes that are woven throughout God's Word. Today we're continuing our journey with Abram as we look at Genesis 12, 10 through 20, this interesting episode that highlights Abram's real first major challenge after answering God's call earlier on in chapter 12. And in this passage, Abram faces a famine that drives him into Egypt, and what follows is an interesting story of self-preservation, deception and, ultimately, divine intervention. So we're going to explore Abram's ploy to protect himself by asking Sarai to tell the Egyptians that she's his sister. We're going to look at the repetition of the saw good take motif in this narrative and talk about what it might reveal about human nature and divine sovereignty. We're going to talk about God's care for Abram outside the land, even when Abram's actions fall short, as well as the striking parallels between this narrative and Israel's later experience during the Exodus. And then we're going to talk about why Abram repeats a similar strategy when dealing with Abimelech in Genesis 20, highlighting both similarities and differences. Abram's story is messy, but it's also deeply relatable. It reminds us that faith is a journey marked by growth and missteps and, ultimately, god's unwavering faithfulness, and today's discussion will challenge us to consider our own learning curves in faith and how God's grace meets us at every turn. So let's dive into this text. 02:23 In Genesis 12, 10, we begin with a crisis. There's a famine in the land, and the famine pushes Abram and Sarai to seek refuge in Egypt, a place known for its abundance. Yet as they approach Egypt, abram gets a little worried and advises a plan to protect himself. He tells Sarai say that you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake. That's in Genesis 12, 13. Now, at first glance, abram's plan may seem just pragmatic. Sarai's beauty could attract the attention of the Egyptians and Abram fears that they might kill him to take her as a wife. By claiming Sarai is his sister, abram hopes to avoid conflict and ensure his safety. However, the deception places Sarai in a pretty vulnerable position and it seems like Abram is prioritizing his own self-preservation over her well-being. So Abram's actions here reveal a tension between faith and fear. I think, despite God's promise to make Abram a great nation in Genesis 12-2, abram's trust falters in the face of this danger, and his decision to rely on deception rather than on God's protection highlights a common human tendency to take matters into our own hands when circumstances seem dire. Abram's fear-driven decision also underscores how trusting God and God's promises is often tested in moments of uncertainty, forcing us to confront whether we truly believe God's word. 03:46 Now, the interesting part about this is that Abram has good, or somewhat good, reason to be concerned. So part of what we're seeing here, I think, is a working out of a general understanding of how the gods operated in the ancient Near East. The gods had sort of a geographic presence. Daniel Block addresses this in the Gods of the Nations, and the idea is just this that a god was over a particular territory and that there were other gods over other territories, and so what Abram may be thinking in this moment is that, having been called out of his original homeland into this land where he's going to sojourn, and the Lord is going to give him this land, abram may very well be thinking that, now that he is leaving this land to go into Egypt to escape the famine, that the Lord isn't going to be able to come with him, that this is going to be a place where the Lord is a little less strong. Let's say that the provision and protection that he can provide is less than when he's sojourning around in the land. And so Abram is reading perhaps and I don't think I'm reading too much into this narrative, but I think just the general ancient Near Eastern religious worldview is actually pretty important here as a backdrop. My guess is that Abram is walking into this situation and saying I'm leaving now the country that God called me to. I'm leaving the land of my sojourning where the Lord has promised to protect me and prosper me. I'm going into a new land with different gods, and I need to take some action here. And so I think we just need to keep that in mind, that in Abram's mind, this is making some sense. 05:27 This is the way he's reading and understanding the world around him, and the narrative really does remind us or teach Abraham and in turn, teach us that God has sovereignty over all creation. This isn't just about his power within the land. And so I think the passage really does challenge us to examine how we respond in our own crises. You know, do we, like Abram, lean on our understanding and craft plans to ensure our safety, or do we trust God to guide and protect us, even when the way forward is unclear, you know. Again, I think the narrative also teaches us to question some of those underlying social, cultural and political assumptions that we may make. Oftentimes, the way that we think the world works isn't actually the way the world works. And so what we know as Christians, what the Bible reveals to us, is that God is sovereign over all things, that he has authority over all things, and that obedience is always our best choice. And so, as Abram walks into this, he's going to learn that lesson. He's going to see God deliver him. And I think that is what makes some of this so confusing when Abram actually does it again in Genesis 20, but we'll get to that. I think Abram's misstep does here remind us that even those with great faith you know Abram's included in Hebrews 11, the hall of faith they're not immune to moments of doubt and fear. 06:48 Now, one of the key narrative threads in this passage is the repetition of the saw good take pattern. It first appears in Genesis 3 during the account of the fall, and here the Egyptians saw that Sarai was beautiful Beautiful is the same word as good, it's tov and praised her to Pharaoh, and then she was taken into his house and praised her to Pharaoh, and then she was taken into his house. So the motif underscores this recurring human inclination to act based on one's own desire, one's own interests, often leading to moral compromise or sin. Now, as we see here, there is a determination made that Sarai is beautiful, sarai is good, and then she is taken. Then it isn't clear, you know this language of being taken into the house of Pharaoh. It isn't clear that this is a forced language In English taken, you know. 07:46 We think maybe of the Liam Neeson movie right, where people are being taken against their will. That may not be the case in this narrative. I think it's very similar to what we see with this repetition in Genesis 6, 1 through 4. We see this similar narrative where the sons of God saw the daughters of men were beautiful or good and they took whomever they chose. I don't know that that taking is meant to denote that it was against anyone else's will. 08:15 This is language that would be commensurate with just getting married. So, for instance, even in our marriage rituals you'll hear the phrase do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife. Well, that reference of take is not a taking against their will, it's a receiving, it's a reciprocal engagement where there's an agreement between two parties and one person in these, two are taken together, and so it doesn't have to denote that sort of forcefulness that we might think of. 08:56 But I do think that it definitely underscores and is designed to sort of suggest look back at this sort of self-determination that Abram is in some sense correct about what he was seeing. He saw that he knew that Sarai was beautiful. He thought the Egyptians would think so as well, and this demonstrates that here and so, as the Egyptians make this judgment about Sarai and they take her into the Pharaoh's house, what we see is that it exposes this way that human desire, that our way of determining what is good and what we do with that goodness often operates in opposition to God and his will. Again, in this case, it's probably not this sense that you know. The Egyptians are acting again in ignorance, just like we saw in Genesis 11, 1 through 9,. Not all sin occurs in direct opposition to God. It's not as if someone is sitting back saying oh good, here comes Sarai. I know God has chosen she and Abram for this special task, and now I'm going to walk in and disrupt this, because the Lord is nothing. The Egyptians are, really, you know. They're just seeing what they're seeing. They're noticing her beauty and they're taking her in, and there's no reason for them not to do that, particularly given that Abram has said that she is his sister and not his wife. And so what we see, though, is this self-determined, this willingness to judge things based on what we see is often problematic, and so the repetition of the motif, I think, highlights God's sovereignty. It's just as God intervened after the fall, he's going to step into this situation and protect Sarai and preserve his covenant promises to Abram. 10:40 The determination of the Egyptians, while right, sarai does seem to be beautiful, the taking is, in this case, the problem, and so this saw good take pattern might reveal human brokenness, but it also sets the stage for God's redemptive action, demonstrating that his plan cannot be thwarted by human sin or willfulness, and I think, as modern readers, we're just reminded to reflect on our own impulses, you know. Are we led by what we see and desire, or do we seek God's guidance before acting? And Abram's story calls us to pause and consider how our decisions align with God's purposes. You know, despite Abram's deception and the moral complexity of the situation, god's care for Abram and Sarai remains evident when Pharaoh takes Sarai into his house. The Lord afflicted the Pharaoh in his house with great plagues because of Sarai, abram's wife. Now this divine intervention not only protects Sarai but also compels Pharaoh to turn her to Abram. 11:43 And this moment sort of highlights an important theological truth God's promises are not contingent on human perfection, nor are God's promises limited by geography. Even when Abram's actions fall short, god remains faithful. And even when Abram is in Egypt, god can still intervene. He intervenes to safeguard the covenant. He intervenes to ensure that his plan to bless all nations through Abram's offspring is not derailed. And that faithfulness underscores the nature of God's covenant as an unbreakable commitment rooted in his character, not in human performance. Moreover, I would say God's care for Abram extends beyond the boundaries of the promised land, and that detail is significant as it foreshadows God's presence and provision for his people in later periods of exile and wandering. God's faithfulness transcends geographic and situational boundaries, offering hope to all who trust him. And so this narrative in Genesis 12, 10 through 20, really does contain several striking parallels to Israel's later experience during the Exodus. And I think, as Israelites are reading this back, you know they're reading after the Exodus, and so they're reading this narrative after they've experienced the Exodus, and so for them, they're going to notice these parallels and they're going to recognize that it's foreshadowing something that God has done for them in their lives. 13:02 So we see the following One a famine driving movement in Egypt. Just as the famine forces Abram and Sarai into Egypt, there's a later famine that leads Jacob's family to seek refuge in Egypt. Joseph is already there, but the rest of family comes over. We see that in Genesis 46, 1 through 7. There's also God's actions on behalf of his people. In both accounts God intervenes to protect his people and fulfill his promises, and during the Exodus God sends plagues against Pharaoh to secure Israel's release, and that echoes the plagues inflicted on Pharaoh's house in Genesis 12. We also see that Israel is going to leave Egypt with riches. So when Abram and Sarai leave Egypt, they do so with increased wealth, including livestock and servants, and similarly, the Israelites leave Egypt with silver and gold and other valuables, as God grants them favor in the eyes of the Egyptians. They really just want to get the Israelites out of there so that the plagues will stop, and so, as they leave, they're giving them things to go. These parallels emphasize God's consistent faithfulness and sovereignty across generations, but they also underscore the recurring pattern of God's people facing trials, experiences, deliverance and really engaging with his blessings. And I think by drawing these connections, the text invites us to see Abram's story as part of the larger narrative of God's redemptive work in history. 14:23 Now, interestingly, abram does repeat a similar strategy in Genesis 20 when dealing with Abimelech, the king of Gerar. And once again, abram instructs Sarah to say that she is his sister. And once again God intervenes to protect Sarah and preserve his covenant promises. However, there are some key differences between these two accounts. In Genesis 20, god's intervention comes not through plagues but through a dream warning Abimelech of the consequences of taking Sarah as his wife, and that dream clarifies that Abimelech has not had a sexual relationship with Sarah, preserving her integrity and God's covenant purposes. Furthermore, the promise of Isaac is looming large at this point in the narrative, adding weight to God's protective actions. 15:10 Why does Abraham repeat this behavior? One possible explanation is that old habits die hard. Abraham's earlier experience in Egypt may have reinforced the idea that this strategy works. However, this repetition also reveals a lingering struggle with fear and self-preservation, even after witnessing God's faithfulness. Yet both narratives become teaching moments in which God demonstrates his willingness and ability to protect Abraham and Sarah regardless of their missteps. 15:39 And I think the pattern reminds us that growth in faith is often a gradual process. Abram's journey is marked by both progress and setbacks, reflecting the reality of the human condition. Yet God's unwavering faithfulness provides the foundation for Abram's continued growth, and it culminates in these moments of profound trust and obedience later on in the story, in Genesis 12, 10 through 20,. What we see is this rich narrative that reveals both human frailty and divine faithfulness. Abram's decision to deceive the Egyptians underscores the tension between faith and fear, while the saw good take motif reminds us of humanity's propensity for self-determined action, for deciding for themselves what is right and just doing it. Yet through it all, god cares for Abram and Sarai and he allows his covenant promises to continue by acting on their behalf. 16:35 And I think the parallels between the story of Israel's experience during the Exodus highlight God's consistent action on behalf of his people, while Abram's repetition of the strategy with Abimelech reveals the ongoing nature of the sanctification process. At the very least, I would also say that Abram's shortcomings in these narratives show us that God uses us even when we're failing, even when we're failing to learn the lessons that he's trying to teach us, even when we're failing, even when we're failing to learn the lessons that he's trying to teach us. And so, as we reflect on this passage, let's just consider our own learning curves in faith. How do we respond to challenges? Do we rely on our own strategies or do we trust in God's provision and promises? Abram's story reminds us that faith is a journey and even when we falter, god's grace and faithfulness remain steadfast. 17:21 Thanks for joining me on this episode of PREPPED. If you've enjoyed this discussion, please share it with someone who might benefit from it. Until next time, stay grounded in God's word and keep seeking his presence in all that you do. We'll see you on the next episode of PREPPED. Thanks for being here, everybody. 17:36 - Speaker 2 (None) Thanks for tuning into PREPPED. If today's episode helped you view the world through a God-centered lens, be sure to hit subscribe so you're always prepared for what comes next. Don't forget to rate and review us on your preferred podcast platform. Your feedback helps us reach more believers eager to live out God's story. Share this episode with a friend, family member or loved one, and together let's keep challenging the world's narratives. Until next time, stay grounded, stay inspired and continue living out God's plan. 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