Finding life apart from God (Genesis 12:10-13:4)

"It is refreshing to meet a real pilgrim in the midst

of our secular, security-loving age with its

continual emphasis upon comfort, convenience, and compromise."

Ray Stedman of Abraham

Abram was this type of pilgrim before Genesis 12:10. He was walking with God, walking in the Spirit. He was journeying with Him and finding life totally dependent upon Him, symbolized by living in a tent and the building of altars. But then a famine came upon the land and everything changed.

The famine in this passage represents a threat to one's life, something that causes us to panic because we fear our life will be changed for the worse. In such times we can choose to call upon the Lord for strength and life, or we can take matters into our own hands. Abram chose the latter and we can learn a great deal from results of this choice by reading his story.

Abram comes up with a plan to find life in the midst of this trial. There is no evidence that the Lord told him to go to Egypt as He told him to go to Canaan. This is Abram's plan. He took matters into his own hands. When our lives feel out of control and we fear losing our "lifestyle," we take matters into our own hands instead of calling upon the Lord. This is Abram's first mistake.

As he travels to Egypt, he tells his wife Sarai (both Abram's and Sarai's names will change later in the story) to say she is his sister rather than wife since she is a beautiful woman and he fears they may kill him for her. As is often the case when relying upon one's own plan, small lies must be told in order for the plan to be properly executed. Such is the case with Abram. He solicits Sarai to join him in his plan, to tell a lie in order to keep him safe. Mind you the cost of this lie is huge, putting not only Sarai in danger but all of Abrams offspring forever more, as you will soon see. This is Abram's second mistake. What are the consequences of these two mistakes, two mistakes that all of us tend to make when we take matters into our hands instead of relying upon the Lord?

First, Abram's character is compromised. He is intentionally deceiving others and taking on the lifestyle of the worldly cultures around him.

Second, Abram's decision put his loved ones and offspring at risk. Sarai was taken into the Pharaoh's harem. Who knows what she was subjected to. Abram's nephew Lot was also with them. He grew to like the things of Egypt and later when faced he the temptations of Sodom and Gomorrah, he could not resist them for they reminded him of "the plains of Egypt."

Third, Abram acquired great wealth. The problem with wealth, especially when gained through deceitful means, is that is can lead a person away from the Lord (Mark 4:19). Additionally, the things gained through wealth can negatively affect a person, and possibly their offspring as well. Abram acquired maidservants by Pharaoh through his relationship to Sarai. One of the maidservants was Hagar! Abram later conceived a child with Hagar and their son Ishmael became the father of the Arabs who have fought with the Jews for centuries up to this very day. Incredible! We could call this the second greatest mistake ever made! Adam's and Eve's mistake of choosing independence from God plunged the whole human race into darkness. Abram's and Sarai's choice of independence from God caused a sibling conflict (Ishmael and Isaac) that has brought misery and heartache upon mankind for centuries! It will lead to the final battle at Armageddon and the return of Christ! Living life apart from God can lead to serious consequences!

Fourth, it produces a bad testimony that does more harm than good. Abram's witness to the Egyptians was greatly compromised by his choices. The same thing happens with us. As someone once said, "the greatest evidence against Christianity is Christians." It's true! Double-minded Christians living a life not in step with the spirit but by the flesh do great harm to the testimony of the gospel.

In the end, Abram is forced to leave Egypt and returns to Canaan where he repents and follows God once more. Chapter 12 and 13 of Genesis represent two ways of living. Chapter 12 tells the story of Abrams's doubt in God and choosing to live by our own plans. Chapter 13 shows Abram once more living by faith and the blessings that come. The consequences of ch. 12 do not leave him, but his repentance allows for his life to be guided by God once more. May we learn from Abraham's life how to walk with God and the from the consequences when we don't.