Genesis
Genesis 12:10-20
Abram and Sarai in Egypt
Genesis 12:10-13 - 10 Now there was a famine in the land. So, Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land. 11 When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai, his wife, “I know that you are a woman beautiful in appearance, 12 and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me, but they will let you live. 13 Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake.”
God did not call Abram to go to Egypt. God called Abram to go to Canaan [1]. When Abram and Sarai leave Egypt, you see them journey back to the land of Canaan, where God was leading them. There was nothing wrong with Abram recognizing that there was famine in the land, and there was nothing wrong with him concerned about what he should do. The problem arose when he tried to fix the issue himself instead of trusting God and relying on God’s provision. Suffering in the place that God has called us is better than prospering in a place that He hasn’t. Fast forward a few thousand years, and we see Jesus prove this point and right this wrong. As Jesus hung between heaven and earth on the cross, He could have called 10,000 angels [2] to take Him off the cross and destroy His accusers. But Jesus understood, it is better to suffer in the place that God has called you instead of prospering in the place where He hasn’t.
Genesis 12:14-16 - 14 When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. 15 And when the princes of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house. 16 And for her sake, he dealt well with Abram; and he had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.
Abram enters the land of Egypt, and he knows that trouble will be brewing. Abram takes the issue of the famine into his own hands and tries to get ahead of God to solve the problem. Then, again, seeing the issue of having a beautiful wife, he takes the issue into his own hands and tries to get ahead of God to solve the problem. Pharaoh has Sarai brought to him, and he desires to have her. There is a tremendous shift in the biblical timeline here we need to see. Pharaoh, wanting to be kind and generous to Abram in exchange for Sarai, says that he gave Abram animals and servants. Most notably, Pharaoh gave Abram female servants…female Egyptian servants. Why is this significant? This is the point where Abram and Sarai pick up Hagar [3], and if you don’t know the significance of that, just hang on through this series to find out. You can also turn to Genesis 16 and begin to read. What lesson do we learn from this? Simple obedience can bring radical blessing. Likewise, simple disobedience can bring tremendous consequences. Going to Egypt may have seemed harmless enough, but it was the beginning step that led to a religious war that still rages today. But again, thank you, Jesus, for righting a wrong. His simple obedience to dying on the cross [4] led to the greatest spiritual blessing in existence…our salvation.
Genesis 12:17-20 - 17 But the Lord afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife. 18 So Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife; take her, and go.” 20 And Pharaoh gave men orders concerning him, and they sent him away with his wife and all that he had.
Thankfully, God intervened on behalf of Abram. God caused Pharaoh to return Sarai to Abram, and they began their journey back to Canaan. Where man simply cannot make ends meet, God bridges the gap. Staying with the common theme of scripture, let us say again, thank you, Jesus! Our sin separates us from God and creates a gap that we cannot close ourselves. But Jesus, taking the penalty for our sin, has bridged that gap that we may enjoy Him forever!
This is the Bible. Every word on every page whispers the name, Jesus!
By Pastor Barry Ginn, Assimilation Pastor
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