The Book of Genesis
Day 176
Ge 20:1 And Abraham journeyed from there to the South, and
dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and stayed in Gerar.
2 Now Abraham said of
Sarah his wife, "She is my sister." And Abimelech king of Gerar sent
and took Sarah.
3 But God came to
Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, "Indeed you are a dead man
because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man's wife."
4 But Abimelech had
not come near her; and he said, "Lord, will You slay a righteous nation also?
5 "Did he not
say to me, 'She is my sister'? And she, even she herself said, 'He is my
brother.' In the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands I have done
this."
6 And God said to him
in a dream, "Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart.
For I also withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you
touch her.
Sweet dreams Abimelech! Here’s what the Lord thinks about
adultery! “You are a dead man!” Those
words certainly grabbed Abimelech’s attention and he immediately bows his heart
to God and addresses Him as Lord! He
then goes on to make his case of innocence in this matter. He meant no harm. He truly thought she was
Abraham’s sister! God agrees with him
and then in a breathtaking statement of
the sovereignty of God, He says, “I also
withheld you from sinning against Me’ Therefore I did not let you touch her.”
Think about that! God has the power to keep people from
sinning! There are times He can trump our free will! Don’t bother asking why He
trumps and why He doesn’t trump….that’s His business. He will have mercy on
whom He will have mercy! And by all means don’t be of the mindset that “If God
doesn’t want me to do this He can stop me!” That would be incredibly stupid!
Rather use this example as a faith boosting reminder when
you pray the Lord’s Prayer! You know, that part where we ask God to not lead us
into temptation and to deliver us from evil? He is able!
Note also, that God calls this sin of adultery a sin against
Him! When David was confronted with his sin of adultery with Bathsheba, He
said, “I have sinned against the Lord!” Later in the 51st Psalm
David laments, “ Against You, You only have I sinned.”
The man who commits adultery sins against God. If
unrepentant, “He is a dead man,” because adulterers will not inherit the
kingdom of God! 1 Cor 6:9-11says, 1Co 6:9 Do you not know that the unrighteous
will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators,
nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,
10 nor thieves, nor
covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the
kingdom of God.
11 And such were some
of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in
the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
What to do then if you are an adulterer? Repent! Allow godly sorrow and fear to enter your
heart , then turn to Jesus and receive God’s gift of forgiveness as David
did! “And Nathan said to David, the Lord
also has put away your sin; You shall not die.”
Pray: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this
day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who
trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,.
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory, forever and ever, Amen.
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