Midweek Lenten -- 2 (2026)

Abram’s Exodus Before the Exodus

Gen 12:10-20

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, as we work through our Lenten Series this year, we will see a repeated theme of exodus. So before we go too far it is important to know what an exodus is. Because when we think of exodus we typically think of the Israelites leaving Egypt and going toward the promised land. So we know that as “The” Exodus which sets it apart from others. But what does the word actually mean? Well it means a going out, or a departure. Last week in our first sermon we heard about Adam and Eve’s exodus as they departed and went out from the Garden of Eden. They lost Paradise and were told that they would be returned to the Ash from whence they came. But God did not abandon nor forsake them, but gave them a promise of hope.

Now we have today, a strange passage in the book of Genesis that makes many wonder what exactly is going on here? Now Abram will later have his name changed to Abraham, and Sarai’s name will be changed to Sarah. In this passage we have something quite surprising and there were many problems in this passage. Abram had left the land that God had promised to give to him and to his offspring because of a famine. So his plan was to travel down in Egypt for a time to find some relief. However, Abram’s plan once he got down to Egypt wasn’t good at all.

He saw his wife Sarai and knew that she was beautiful and so he feared for his life and had her lie about who she is. Why the lie? Well because he was concerned for his life, he was acting like a coward, and sacrificing his integrity. Now Pharaoh had his own sins as well, the Scriptures don’t speak of him dealing with Abram for in the ancient times marriages would be arranged between families, but Pharaoh ignored that.

The result of Abram’s cowardice, and Pharaoh’s lust was that plagues came upon Pharaoh’s household, not just on Pharaoh. This Pharaoh was more discerning than the Pharaoh that Moses would deal with, and he recognizes the wrongs, and sends Abram and Sarai away. So though Abram came down here looking to escape a famine, he would end up back on the road moving back to where God had placed him.

This is surprising account in the Old Testament, and Abram doesn’t learn, but does this again in chapter 20 to another gentlemen who is also incensed that he would mislead him into thinking Sarai and Abram weren’t married. What is going on here?

We see the continued corruption of sin throughout the ages. So each person that God will use is afflicted by the same weaknesses, flaws, and fears that we have. Even though Abram’s descendents would be more numerous than the stars and through his singular offspring God promised to bless the world, he like Adam and Eve were sinners. Just as Adam and Eve’s sin brought suffering upon others so too did Abram’s sin.

It is a sobering reminder that our sins don’t just affect us, but they also affect the people around us. We don’t know the plagues that were visited upon the Pharaoh in this account, but they were severe enough that he wanted her and Abram out of his land. When he had come down there because he was seeking relief from a famine.

We often minimize and think little of sin, we don’t see the danger that threatens our family if I just tell this or that little lie, what is the harm that could be done, instead of pursuing and doing what is right. Until finally it all comes crashing down. God uses these things to get our attention and draw us back to what is right and good. The irony here is that Pharaoh understood that before Abram did.

So did God abandon Abram and Sarai? No, God used this to bring Abraham back to the land that was supposed to be his. Abraham needed to be sent out of Egypt to come back to the land God had promised to give to him and his descendants. It was messy, and filled with troubles, but God will fulfill His plans, and keep His promises. Now what to learn from this? A fool might say, well this worked out fine enough, look Abram only made an enemy of pharaoh and was kicked out of a land where he was seeking safety, and had your wife taken over to another man’s harem. No problems at all, the fool says no problems at all.

God can work in spite of our failings, and the most clear example of this is found on calvary where the Son of God was put to death for our sins in spite of mankind’s great evil. What greater evil could mankind have committed than condemning the very savior that they had waited for and nailing him to a cross, mocking him, and spitting upon him. In spite of all our evil God worked good out of it. Now does that mean we ought to do more evil, because God will work it to the good. By no means, why would anyone chase after that evil? Why embrace cowardly ways, why lie, why deceive, why do any of that?

These things were recorded that we might see people for who they are, and learn from them. When I was young I quite often thought of all the people in the Bible that God used as being good, and perfect, those who had their lives together and were without any flaws. Why? Because we want children to have heroes that they can look up to and emulate and be good role models, but it can be quite shocking when we find out that they weren’t perfect. It’s like parents, we try to put off that moment where our children realize that we too are human. It is also good to realize that they were plagued by the same sins and failings that plague us still, and if there was hope for sinners like them, then there is hope for us.

When they do what is wrong, they also serve to teach us lessons on how to flee from sin and instead trust in God’s promises. So we aim for what is good, right, and true. First and foremost because its right, but then second because we care about our neighbor. Look at the result of Abram’s sin, not just Pharaoh, but also Sarai, Abram let fear, that is cowardice, dictate how he would conduct himself and it brought problems upon other people. If this is you, then you need to repent of the hardship you have brought on your neighbor and others.

For what happens here, does foreshadow what would happen 700 years later, when Israel would prepare to leave. For in Abram and Sarai you have not only the promised offspring, Jesus, but the whole nation of Israel that will come from them through Isaac. This Pharaoh, recognized the problem swiftly and sent them away, but the Pharaoh that Moses would deal with, wouldn’t be concerned about what was right, and his people suffered greatly because of his prideful sin, and he would only send Israel away after Pharaoh’s own nation had suffered greatly. Even though God rescues Israel from slavery, it doesn’t mean they were good. Their time in the wilderness proves that, and so all of these things happen to remind us not to rely upon our works, but to rely solely upon the grace, and mercy God shown to us in His Word.

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, this is meant to give us a bit of hope, especially when we find that we have fallen into sin, and we wonder my goodness I have made such a mess of this is there any hope for me. For even though we desire to do what is right we find that still fail, and fall short, and it can bring hardship upon our neighbors. God’s promises will be fulfilled, and that is what we are to cling to when we find ourselves falling into sin once again. So hear the call of Christ your good shepherd, He comes to set you on your feet, and to guide you away from this life, and into Paradise. In Jesus name. Amen.