GRACE GREATER THAN OUR SINS

A Reminder of God’s Promises

God promised to make of Abraham a great nation, to bless him and make his name great, and to make him a blessing. He promised to bless those who bless him, and to curse those who dishonor him. He promised to bless all the families of the earth through Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3). To that end, He promised Abraham that he would have a son of his own, and would multiply his descendants so that they would be more numerous than the stars of heaven (Genesis 15:4-5). He promised to give to Abraham and his descendants the land of Canaan. And he guaranteed His promises by making a covenant with Abraham, which was not based on Abraham’s faithfulness, but on God’s (Genesis 15:7-9). Though they began to question God’s promises and took matters in their own hands by giving Hagar to Abraham as a wife, the Lord explicitly told them that Sarah would have a son and kings would come from her(Genesis 17:16). And when we last left Abraham, the Lord had told him that Sarah would have a son in about a year’s time (Genesis 18:10).

2 Timothy 2:11–13 “The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.”

The Same Old Sins

See Genesis 12:11–13...

2 Corinthians 5:7 “for we walk by faith, not by sight.”

Romans 7:18–19 “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.”

The Lord Defends Sarah

The Lord appeared to Abimelech in a dream and threatened him with death if he didn’t return Sarah. According to verse 17, he had struck Abimelech with sickness to prevent him from having his way with Sarah.

Genesis 15:1 “After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.””

Romans 8:31 “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Psalm 118:6 “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Mention Elijah)

Luke 12:4–5 ““I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!”

Mercy Shown to Abimelech

Jeremiah 18:7–8 “If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I intended to do to it.”

Ezekiel 33:11 “Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?”

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

Abimelech made it clear that his repentance was genuine by going out of his way to right the wrongs done to Sarah and Abraham. In the words of Jesus, He was giving his cloak as well as his tunic (Matthew 5:40). Or like Zacchaeus, he was giving much more than what was required (Luke 19:8).

Abraham is Blessed and a Blessing

We see Abraham and Sarah being sovereignly protected by the Lord. Not only were they protected, but they were enriched. So the Lord richly blessed them both. But He also made Abraham a blessing to Abimelech and his people by praying for them to be healed.

See 1 Chronicles 16:8-23...

Genesis 12:2–3 “And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.””

Here we see God doing whatever it takes to fulfill His promises. So let’s use this example of God’s faithfulness as fuel for our own faith. May we hold onto God’s promises with confidence, knowing that if He has promised us something, He will certainly do it.