Sermon on 2 July 2023 by Sis Hui Ling
Abraham deceived Abimelech :
Genesis 20:11-13
v2 Abraham introduced sarah as his
sister. Abimelech took her to his
palace
v3-6 GOD knowing Abimelech was
innocent, warned him in a dream
not to touch sarah, for she was
married,and to return her to
Abraham
v8-10 Abimelech returned to sarah and
demand to know why abraham had
deceived him, potentially causing
him to sin.
v11 Abraham replied, “I thought, ‘This is
a godless place. They will want my
wife and will kill me to get her.’
Severe famine - Issac deceives Abimelech:
v1 Severe famine causing Issac to
move to Gerar, where Abimelech,
king of the Philistines lived
v2-6 The lord appeared to Issac to instruct
him not go down to Egypt, but to live
as a foreigner in Gerar. GOD
promised to be with Issac and bless
him. He also confirmed the lands will
be given to Issac and his
descendants, can cause his
descendants to become as
numerous as the stars of the sky. so
Issac stayed in Gerar.
v7 When the men who lived there
asked Issac about his wife,
Rebekah, he said, "She is my
sister." He was afraid to say, " She is
my wife." He thought, "They will kill
me to get her, because she is so
beautiful."
Do we use our own wisdom when we face fear?
GOD gave his promise !
The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt, but do as I tell you. Live here as a foreigner in this land, and I will be with you and bless you. I hereby confirm that I will give all these lands to you and your descendants, just as I solemnly promised Abraham, your father. I will cause your descendants to become as numerous as the stars of the sky, and I will give them all these lands. And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed. I will do this because Abraham listened to me and obeyed all my requirements, commands, decrees, and instructions.”
Our own wisdom can end up as a disaster.
God rescues !
26:8
Abimelech happened to look out his window and saw Issac caressing Rebeka.
26:9-10
Abimelech immediately called for Issac and chided him for deceiving him and his people. Abimelech feared sinning against GOD by touching Rebekah.
Abimelech issued a public proclamation:
“ Anyone who touches this man or his wife will be put to death!”
. Do you really think Abimelech and his people are GOD-fearing ?
. If they were GOD-fearing, why would Abraham and Issac have a cause for fear
“I will be with you”
Despite the disaster of Issac’s own wisdom, this came from GOD!
Abimelech issued a public proclamation:
“ Anyone who touches this man or his wife will be put to death! ”
Not just the protection
Protection is to defend against losses
“ I will be with you and bless you”
Blessings are additions
God's blessings upon Issac
. v16. Conflicts due to jealousy -
Abimelech sent Issac away but
didn't harm him.
. v22 After mang conflicts over wells,
Issac found a well that no one
disputed ownership with him.
. v23-25 God appeared to Issac and
reminded + confirmed his
Promises to Issac again
. v26-31 Abimelech sought out to Issac to
make peace and take an oath
with Issac not to interfere with
each other ( just as he did with
Abraham )
History would repeat itself…
When Rebekah was pregnant with twins, they struggled with each other in her womb. She went to ask the LORD about it. And the LORD told her, “ The sons in your womb will become two nations. From the very beginning, the two nations will be rivals. One nation will be stronger than the other: and your older son will serve your younger son.”
Own wisdom in times of worry
. Rebekah favored Jacob and probably
also remembered GOD’S words that the
younger will rule over the older.
. Issac was old and wanted to bless Esau.
Rebekah overheard Issac’s conversation
with Esau and plotted with Jacob to cheat
blessings from Issac.
Genesis 27:11-13
“But look,” Jacob replied to Rebekah, “my brother, Esau, is a hairy man, and my skin is smooth. What if my father touches me? He’ll see that I’m trying to trick him, and then he’ll curse me instead of blessing me.” But his mother replied, “Then let the curse fall on me, my son! Just do what I tell you. Go out and get the goats for me!”
God redeemed the human wisdom disaster again
. Because of Rebekahh’s and Jacob’s deception, Jacob had to flee from his family for many years and got cheated himself. Meanwhile Rebekah died without seeing Jacob again.
. Eventually, Jacob and Esau made peace and managed to reunite with Issac.
Genesis 33:3b-4
,he bowed to the ground seven times before him. Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. And they both wept.
Genesis 35:27-29
So Jacob returned to his father, Isaac, in Mamre, which is near Kiriath-arba (now called Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had both lived as foreigners. Isaac lived for 180 years. Then he breathed his last and died at a ripe old age, joining his ancestors in death. And his sons, Esau and Jacob, buried him.
Don't let your worries and fear run wild
2 Timothy 1:7
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
Isaiah 41:10
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
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