God protects Abram [Gen 12b]

God protects Abram

Gen 12:10-20

Key Verse 17

As we learned from the previous passages, Abram set off to a new land, the land of God's promise of blessing.  He did begin with God in obedience to God's command and by faith in God's promise of blessing. It was a life turning event and required a great courage.

When he got to the land of Canaan, God appeared to him and confirmed his promise to give this land, the land of Canaan to his offspring.

So from this point on,  an invisible bond of relationship is created and maintained between God and Abram.  The substance of that bond is what God said to Abram at the time of His call [12:1-3].  So this promise will affect Abram through the entire span of his life ; When we look at 12:1-3, there are two things, one that Abram had to do and the other God would do. What Abram had to do was to go to the land of God's promise.  So for him the land of Canaan, the land of God's promise of blessing, is the most important thing. He has to stay in it because God is going to give his offspring the land. God will fulfill his blessing in this land.

The rest is what God has to do; the essence of what God has to do to Abram was to bless.  How will God's blessing lead him to? The direction of that blessing is to make him a great nation and eventually to make him a blessing for the whole world.

So from this point on, whenever we make an effort to understand the life of Abram, we have to engage our mind in these two things: how Abram take the land of blessing and how God deliver his blessing to Abram.  In these two things are hung faith of Abram and trustworthiness of God in his promise. In today's passage these two things face great danger. Abram failed to stay in the land of blessing and God would fail to make him a blessing.

1.       Severe famine stuck the land [10-13]

Famine struck the land of God's promise:

In the land of promise, there were many people living and Abram was looking for a place to live. When famine struck the land, those who are sojourning in the area are more likely to be affect by this famine.  Abram was a stranger in this land. On the other hand, the Canaanites lived in this land for long time. They occupied the best of the land, which was less vulnerable from draught. Abram was a rich man as we see in v5. He had many thing that he accumulated in the land of Haran and had many man and maid servants along with him. This means that he was quite rich and had quite asset to handle famines. Also in this area, the rainfall is very skimpy. So many parts are semi desert. So it is not infrequent to have famine. But here it says that it was 'severe'. What does it mean to Abram and his family? Even if he had so much riches, he could not handle the severe famine.

What is it like to live in famine? For us, it is hard to know because we never hand experienced such famine or its direct effects on our personal lives.

One thing I learned about is famine is that the entire land suffers greatly. It affect every aspect of human lives in the area affected by famine; starving and death; I saw the pictures and heard the news about famine in Africa and in North Korea. People become emaciated to have just bones and skins. Malnutrition is so severe that many children die young and simply there is no means to live or maintain life in the land of famine. In 1991-1992 it is estimated that about 300,000 people died by famine in Somalia. In 1996 it is estimated that about 600,000 people in north Korea died in famine.

Simply the famine was so severe and even threatened the life of Abram and his entire family. This famine was an insurmountable danger to Abram.
What are the choices that Abram had?  Practically it was impossible for him to stay in the land of God's promise and he had to search for food somewhere else! He found one place; that is Egypt, where there was bounty of food. It seemed that he had no choice but to go there to survive.

What was his decision?  v10
But he had to think about this seriously because God told him to come to this land and in this land God will bless him and his descendants will inherit this land.  If he leave this land, then there would be a great danger to God's promise of blessing.  So he had to think twice before he leaves this land.

What was the final decision? [v10] This tells us that he wanted to go there just to escape this famine and come back right away as soon as the famine goes away. So he was very conscious of the promise of God and within his ability and will, he was certain to live in God's promise.

This is the first test of his faith.

a. The test is real in life. Since the famine was so severe enough to threaten the very existence of him and his family, it is real!.

b. It is a test on his faith in God since God commanded him to come to this land of Canaan. This God confirmed by his personal appearance to Abram and told him that He would give his descendants this land.  This means that this is the land of God's blessing and that he should stay here to live in God's promise. So his decision involves inevitably of what to do with God's promise.

c. This test comes through 'food' that sustains our lives. The food is the primary and most basic element of life. So famine causes a direct threat to the very existence of our lives. So food shortage is a common test for many.

 When Jesus was forced to be tempted by Satan, the first subject of the temptation was to make bread out of stones after forty days of fasting. [Matt 4]

In the sermon on the mountain [Matt 6], Jesus talked about the most common worries of people; that is people's concern what to eat and what to wear.
31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.—not as solution but as important issue of life in faith

Once Jesus old a young man to sell everything that he had and give it to the poor and then follow Jesus. the rich young man went away sad because his life security was on what he had.

My life in faith started with such famine in my life and such test of food came to me three more times.  Soon after I arrived in US, I got into an internship program in six month because on paper I had all that were needed to begin training program. After finishing the first year, I was not offered the second year program at the same place. So I applied for other training program in this area. Since each year the program year starts on July, by march of that year, I had to secure my position in a new program. But till the end of March, I did not get any offer. I had to move quickly if I want to apply out of state programs. I had two choices; stay here where God called me to serve the work of God or to go wherever to find a job for me. Simply it was a test of my faith; either I trust God and his call for me to be here or to go anywhere in search for my job.

I struggled in fear and uncertain. The fear is that if I lose this year, I may not be able to keep my carrier as a physician in this land. If I leave this place that God called me to serve, then my mind will be driven in search for food. two choices: choose this place of God's call or to choose the place that I can do my residency so as to accomplish my medical carrier.

What did Abram choose to do?

Abram faced a severe famine. It was so severe for him to handle in the land of God's promise. So here comes a question in Abram's mind. Can God or will God provide all the needs of Abram? Is my need irrelevant to God? We do not know why he made such decision. But one thing we know is that Abram had to explain his decision at one point of his life.
Abram chose to take care of himself. He looked around and found out that there was an abundance of food in Egypt. So he decided to go to Egypt. Most likely in his mind this could have been the only choice for Abram at that time. This does not mean that he deserted the land of God's promise. He meant to stay there only for a short while in order to escape the famine.

But a problem was foreseen. [11-13]

The king of Egypt is so strong and worship other gods. The king Pharaoh was the mighty king of the time and in that region.
In addition, he feared that his life might be in danger because of Sarai. The people of Egypt might take Abram's life in order to take Sarai. This fear is founded in the principle of the land that he experienced. This is the law of the land. the stronger will take anything what they want from the weak. Esp if the mighty king Pharaoh want something, he can take it from Abram by force. This is the law of the land of a mighty king. Abram was like any other men and this principle was operative in his mind as he faced severe famine.

What is the counter part of this principle? Is there any other principle or rule of the game in this real world full of beasts?

We have lived in such environment so long that our mind is so well tuned to respect such principles of life in this world. So we like to be the smartest, the strongest or the most knowledgeable person so as not to be eaten away by others. This is the law of the world, the law of the land that we live to which our minds are so well tuned. How can I outsmart? 'This is the dominant  principle of the world and I must survive in and through this principle! ' Many of us are looking for a job. We have to choose or to rely on certain rules of the game! Is this the one that we have to choose? Or do we need something else?

v13.
What plan did Abram concoct? Sarai was his half sister as well as his wife. The bible does not tell us if she was her mother's daughter or father's. Most likely his father had other wife and had a daughter through her, though the Bile does not give us any record of it.
One thing we must understand is that this is not a casual decision just to escape. Pharaoh was a mighty king of the time. No one could dare to go against his feelings. Abram, in no way, could go against this king or challenge against his demand.
It seems that there is no way out! He had to escape from famine. Abram had to go to Egypt. There is no other choice. Then he had to face Pharaoh’s power and authority. This is also an inevitable encounter.  

When we are pushed to our limit, what do we do?
What did Abram do in this dire situation? So in fear that his life might be in danger in Egypt, Abram devised a plan to escape this threat; tell people that Sarai is his sister. This was the only choice for life!

But as we look into this decision, it is very pitiful one.  It is true that Sarai is his sister. At the same time it is not true that Sarai is just a sister. She is his wife. They are married and became one, not two.
In this regard, Abram wanted to live by half truth and half lie.
In his mind, keeping his life is the  most important thing! It is more important than his marriage with Sarai, it is more important than telling the truth and to live by the truth.
This is human weakness and human dilemma; an honest man tries to live honestly. But the world seems to force him to make a choice. The bottom line is the fact that he had to survive; survive from famine, survive from Pharaoh’s power.  
Here we can see his weakness. This weakness is revealed when he loses confidence in his own power to protect and to survive. One thing we know human confidence in himself or herself or in his means of life or her means of life will surely crumble in one point of their lives!  This is a life crisis. In such crisis. our true nature come out into broad day light. Our action will betray what is in the depth of our heart; 'what do I believe?'

2.       Pharaoh took Sarai[14-16]

When they got to Egypt, things happened exactly as Abram had worried about. King Pharoah saw Sarai and took her because she was beautiful and Abram said that Sarai was his sister. Abram even got much fabor from the King. [16]. Pharaoh treated Abram like one of his honored friend. After all Abram is becoming a brother in law of king Pharaoh! He got cattle, sheep as well as many servants. Truly he solved the problem of famine. He became more richer. Also Abram survived and Sarai survived! It looked great and escaped all problem
But his wife Sarai was taken to Pharaoh and Abram was all alone.
He succeeded in surviving through the famine and escaped the mighty hand of Pharaoh . But one thing is clear; this threatened his marriage. Most likely the marriage would be permanently fractured.  If this is going to be, then what does it mean that God will bless Abram, or Abram will be a blessing?  I am speaking in human terms, if one marriage is fractured because a stronger man took one's wife, can that man be called blessed? Or would God call such thing as His blessing!

Let say that Abram did make so egregious mistake or even outright wrong decision.  So let him bear his wrong decision! Is that what God meant to do!

No! Never ! God intervened. He had to!

3.       God inflicted a serious disease to Pharaoh [17]

V17.  God inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household. Pharaoh got sick and his family got sick. This sickness was so sudden and so severe enough to threaten their lives. In all the serious diseases of Pharaoh and his family is the signature of God’s mighty hand. It was an unambiguous threat and judgment of God. In this way, God demonstrated his mighty power over mighty king over Egypt! He also made it clear that this came upon him and his family because he was about to violate Sarai, the wife of Abram.

Why could Abram not figure of this? Why did he not count God as his source of power and strength? Why did he not count God’s promise to Abram that says that he would be a blessing and God will bless those who bless him and God will curse those who curses him?

In ability to reason, or understand or accept this God led him to such doubt and fear, giving into the principles of the world;

His God has no power or authority on this land of Egypt. Also my God may be irrelevant to the King Pharaoh. Pharaoh had upper hand and he could not challenge his power and his authority. He felt that he could not escape from his demand. The protection of God may not be in Egypt. Because he is a god for Abram only ; a god of a particular region or locale? God does not have such authority over King Pharaoh? Pharaoh does not honor God at all.

He was like any other men in the land of Ur of Chaldeans, where people live with many gods. He accepted the God that called him as his personal God, yet he did not know fully who the God was! He thought and reasoned like any other men of the time though he fully acknowledge that God is his God and he decided to trust that God. We all come to God like Abram. What we know about God is what we picked up on the street; they are from our families friends or books of the world and renown philosophies or spiritual gurus.  They never know God fully and God is hidden from them. But His work and his teaching discloses the true nature of His being; as the creator of the universe and creator of our being, and as the Lord for all human race.

While God stuck Pharaoh and his family with serious diseases, Abram was lonely in his quarter sleep all alone.  He might have been thinking about his decision, how foolish he was. He might be sobering in his weakness and failure to protect Sarai. Even he might be thinking of God why he could not or if he would do anything!  

4.       Pharaoh's charge against Abram[18-20]

V18-19

The next morning suddenly Pharaoh called him to come in immediately! He made this charge against Abram:

"What have you done to me?" he said. "Why didn't you tell me she was your wife? Why did you say, 'She is my sister,' so that I took her to be my wife?

It was a machine gun shooting ; why, why, why!  

He is charging Abram saying two things: Morally speaking Pharaoh did not anything wrong. It was all the wrongs of Abram because Abram told the king that Sarai was his wife.  So he did not deserve such punishment from God!

He is saying that Abram did wrong and Abram had to answer why.

How can Abram answer to this charge? He was dumb; How could he defend against the charge!

It was quite clear that Abram made wrong decision; Where did his decision go wrong?

In your view, what led him to get to such wrong decision?

Was there a choice for him to survive in the land of Canaan? No. Was he able to reject or escape Pharaoh's demand? No! Then what went wrong with his decision?

When the bible repeat three times of the same thing, then it makes great emphasis on the message it says.

Pharaoh said three time with question of why. Though Pharaoh said this. But in actuality it was God is saying through the mouth of Pharaoh.

·         God is charging him for his failure to count God as the God almighty who is able to keep His promise even in this foreign land. He has power over the mighty king Egypt.

·         God is charging him for his failure to abide by truth that Sarai is his wife! It was true that she was his sister as well as his wife. To the eyes of ordinary, it can be both. But in essence it is false and at best it is half truth, said in an effort to evade the truth or to escape consequences. Godly men shall never live in half truth. We are not living in the eyes of the world but in the eyes of God. Can we hide anything from Him?

·         God is charging him for his failure to count God's promise of blessing; When God said I will bless you; that's what God meant and that's what God will do.

We talked about confidence; Without confidence we cannot move an inch of our lives. I am confident that I will get up tomorrow and to go to work. So I can sleep in peace tonight.  This confidence is built in two things: the world and its system that we are very familiar with. The rule of the world that we know so well. In this world if I am confident that I can win victory despite of many obstacles, I can stride in confidence. But this confidence resides in my power and my ability to handle the world according to the rules of this world. But no matter how strong or smart we become, there will come a time when we come to realize that the oncoming problem is too hard for us to handle; Famine , severe famine.. no one is worrier before such life threatening situation! No human confidence can overcome all disasters and hardship of life! The confidence that founded its root in the rules of the world and my strength and my power shall surely fail in time.

What else then? Confidence in God and his promise! This is faith!

How did God demand Abram's faith?

V20

The might king of Egypt, whom Abram never thought of going against, dismissed him with his wife Sarai as well as all the thing that he gave; acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, menservants and maidservants, and camels.

The charges Pharaoh made against him were so serious; his voice was up with high tone and repeating why, why!

But Pharaoh released him right away with his wife. He released him with all the possession that Pharaoh gave him. He deserved Pharaoh's wrath! chastisement or anger! But why did Pharaoh released him immediately and so favorably! So fearfully!

God of Abram was so powerful on Pharaoh that he was so fearful of Abram. By all means Pharaoh had to bless Abram! Otherwise he would be in big trouble.

What was God telling to Abram through this!  

All that he understood about God, about Pharaoh came out to be wrong and erroneous.   The rule of the world does not apply for Abram for God is with him in His promise.  Actually God is the rules of the world, wherever he goes and whatever he does!

He must discard the idea that he held so long; the stronger eats the weak. At the same time, he must build his life or build his confidence not in him or rule of the world but in God and His promise!

God called us; Our confidence should not come in my wisdom or power or my ability to handle the rules of the world! Our confidence is in our God Almighty, the one who loved us so much that he even gave his own son to save us and made us his children!  

Who is the God that called Abram? God that called him to go to the land of promise is the supreme God, he is over the land of Egypt as well as in the land of God's promise. No king in the world can go against His God! Also he sensed strongly that God meant to do exactly what he promised to Abram. So God's promise is real!  He proved of living in His will by such protection of Abram.

God called each of us as He called Abram; his promise through His son Jesus is clear; I called you to bear much fruit  the fruit of God's blessing!

So dare to trust him and have confidence in his grace and promise!

We meet God through real life crisis! Be happy and watchful in all your hardships for God called you and decided to use you as the source of blessing for many.