Genesis 20

And This word is also used to convey physical wandering.

So, for example, in Genesis 20 and verse 13, records Abraham who said, "...when God caused me to wander from my father's house." So it does, like I said, I'm showing you a great shade of the use of the word.

Isaiah 3.12 says, Oh, my people, your guides mislead you.

That is in reference to corporate apostasy of the body of believers under false leadership.

We're gonna read that story and then we're going to talk about it, and particularly what can we learn about prayer.

So let's start with Genesis 20 in verse one.

Whenever you're ready, Jules.

Abraham and Abimelech.

I want us to know one of the reasons why Joseph stayed longer in the prison was because somebody that was supposed to help him forgot about him, the butler.

In Genesis chapter, chapter 40, you know, uh, uh, Joseph interpreted a dream to him, and then the Bible says when that man was restored back to, to his former position with King Pharaoh, i- in Genesis 40:23, the Bible says, "Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him." Look at that.

He forgot about Joseph.

[laughs] He forgot him.

He can go and warn people in their dream because of you, say, "Stop that.

Stop persecuting that man." He warned several people in the Bible.

He warned Abimelech, the king in Genesis 20.

He warned the, I mean, Pharaoh in Genesis 12 when Pharaoh tried to take the wife of Abraham, say, "Stop, stop it.

Pharaoh called Abraham and says, what is this you have done to me? Why do you not tell me that she was your wife? 25 years after this event, Abraham was now about 100 years old and Sarah was about 90 years old.

And this time, another king whose name was Abimelech in Genesis 20.

Abraham said of Sarah, his wife, she's my sister.

Wow.

And the crazy thing is, is that it happens again, y'all.

It happens again in Genesis 20. verses one through 17.

And I won't read all of it, but I will read the beginning verses one through two.

It says, now Abraham moved on from there to the region of the Negev and lived between Kadesh and Shur.

And I know yesterday we talked about chapter 19, if you remember.

And we are in the study of Genesis.

And what we're learning is, we just ...

This pastor talked about Sodom and Gomorrah, and there was other cities that were destroyed.

You know, John talks about there's many things that never made the Bible.

Um, there was so much to write, he couldn't write it all down.

So what I would say is I think going into chapter 20, and again, this series is through Ge- Genesis.

And my goal is to kinda get us through that, build that foundation, get into Exodus a little bit, and then my, my goal is to get us right into looking at Romans and bringing you into Paul's writings and what is r- what's actually written to you.

When then the admirable Joseph was bringing his plot to bear concerning Benjamin and attempting to take him for a slave, as if he had stolen the cup, in order to prove the temper of his brethren, as it were in the fire, then was clearly manifested the strength of the testimony of conscience.

For then they were least inclined to turn their minds to that tragedy, and yet could not but remember the sin themselves had committed two and twenty years before, so that they cried one to another, Genesis 42, 21 and 22, that the blood of our younger brother is required at our hands, while Reuben reminded them of his entreaties among them.

Agreeably then to this instance, we may describe the future judgment and conscience of those who lived beyond the polity of the law, now as pleading their defense and alleging ignorance, and now again admitting the justice of the accusation and confessing the equity of the sentence passed upon them.

And thus again Abimelech, Genesis 20, 4 and 8, having the testimony of his own conscience, cried to God, Lord, wilt thou slay an unconscious and righteous nation? Said he not unto me, She is my sister, and she, even she herself said, He is my brother? With an innocent heart have I done this thing.

Having thus then laid down these matters, the holy apostle now turns his discourse to the Jews and says, Behold, thou art entitled a Jew.

For this title was from of old a general and honorable one.

But to him that earneth it not by his works, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Having thus in the instance of the patriarch Abraham demonstrated that faith was older than the law, he now again calls in another trustworthy witness of this, David, the prophet and king, to whom the God of all renewed the promises made to Abraham.

But that's not all.

In Genesis 20 and 21, Abraham lied again to Abimelech, the same chapter, the same verse, and then he gets rebuked by a pagan, and yet again.

Why? Because God wanted to protect the purity and the integrity of Sarah, because the Messiah is gonna come out of the loins of his descendants.

Now you understand why before I could tell you about the friend of God, by faith Abraham, before I could tell you about the man who had power with God, before I could tell you about the man who fully trusted God, I needed to tell you that it was not all victory all the way.