"F" on the First Test

Genesis 12:10-20

In Genesis 12:1-9, Abraham seems pretty much perfect. Suddenly we find him putting his wife in danger to save his own hide. The opening of the chapter presents him as a model of faithfulness. Now he is an anxious man who has forgotten the promise of God.

The encounter described is between a vagabond with nothing but a promise behind him, and a powerful empire, the head of which can act without answering to anyone. In the middle of this is the action of the Lord.

We have here a first appearance of a recurring theme in the story of Israel: survival of a powerless minority. Part of the way to make any sense of this is to realize how the story will be received by its first readership: tiny Israel in the midst of powerful nations and forces. For them this story is an encouragement. It even mocks the great power of Egypt in that the Egyptians right up to the emperor look beyond all the women of their own empire and find attractive the mother of Israel, who, in addition, is ageing.

There is still the moral question. I mean, Abraham really looks bad here. While I don’t think we’ll find any justifying reason for Abraham’s conduct, we might consider this:

Abraham was told that all families were to be blessed through him. There could also be curse through him (12:3). Maybe we are not supposed to gloss over the unsavory nature of Abraham’s action, but to see that this unfaithfulness to God does bring a curse – but not on Abraham (verse 17). It points to the hard reality that innocent people suffer when God is not trusted.

It also shows – whether right by our morality or not – that Abraham is protected.

Reading the text this way foreshadows a dynamic of life in Christ. When we are in Christ our destiny with God in heaven is assured. But we still foul up and people get hurt, sometimes badly. But our journeying with God and our role to be a blessing to others is not taken away. Our place is still assured. Is that fair? Of course not. But because of grace and not because of any goodness of ours, God’s purposes will prevail. He will choose to use for that whom he chooses. It’s about his choices and his purposes; it’s not about us.

It makes me feel really humble. Salvation is once for all, but repentance is a daily necessity.

Prayer:
Father, your Son said for his followers daily to take up their cross and follow him. Each day may a little more of my sinful, rebellious, untrusting nature be crucified, that more and more, day by day, I may be more like Jesus. Amen.