Genesis 20:1-18 Foolish Words and Patterns of Sin

When Abraham took his family to Egypt on account of a famine, he told the Egyptians that Sarah was his sister (Gen 12). Pharaoh learned the truth and scolded him, but Abraham did not learn the lesson well.

In Genesis 20 Abraham goes to the Gerar and tells the people that Sarah is his sister. King Abimalech takes Sarah to be his wife and later hears that she is already someone else’s wife.

Abimalech tells the Lord about it, “Lord, would you really slaughter an innocent nation?” After all, Abraham had deceived him. Sarah had also called Abraham her brother.

In a dream the Lord speaks to Abimalech indicating that He knew of his innocence.

The next day, Abimalech summons Abraham and questions him about the situation. Abraham says that he feared he would lose his life because no one in that area believed in God. Second, Abraham argues that Sarah is technically his sister because she is his father’s daughter by a different mother.

After giving him sheep, cattle and servants, Abimalech tells him that he may live anywhere in the land he wishes.

This short account reminds us of two things.

First, we should tenaciously strive to eliminate sin from our lives. When we allow certain sins to have presence in our lives, we may develop patterns of behavior that will haunt us throughout our lives.

Second, we should tell the truth and refrain from misleading people. We live in a time in which even the President tried to defend himself by stating that the truth of his statements depended up “what the definition of the word ‘is’ is.”

Consider a young boy leaving for school as his mother says, “I want you to come right home after school.” However, when the time comes, he goes to a friends house to play computer games for an hour. Then he comes home.

When his mother gets home from the store, she asks him, “What did you do after school?”

The boy responds, “I came home.”

What the boy says is true. He did come home after school. However, it is misleading. His mother really meant, “What did you do right after school?” The boy knows the real intent of her question but answers in a misleading way.

When we use words in that way we are guilty of the sin of guile. We are cleverly trying to make things seem to be something they are not. In the process we deceive others

As believers we must speak the truth and set an example for others. Because they may follow in our steps, the way we conduct ourselves has an effect not only today, but also in the years to come.

"Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him." - Proverbs 29:20